Ready to Learn

It feels like Olivia and Lucas both made significant developmental strides this week.

Lucas transitioned to the bouncer and the bumbo seat this week. I've been attempting solids with him for 2 weeks, but it seems like today was the day he decided to take the reigns and embrace the concept. I was away when Charm City Daddy sent me this picture with the caption "Code Red: He just grabbed the spoon from me."

 

Hilarious!

As added incentive and reward for her great strides in potty training, we gave Olivia a few items on her school supply list: her first backpack, her new rain boots, and a water bottle. SHE LOVED THEM and we were nearly brought to tears at how fast our little girl is growing up.

I am still getting used to the arrival of O's attitude. She has an opinion and preferences already?! Yesterday I sang along with her Disney Princess piano that plays various songs including "Be Our Guest" and she got really frustrated with me and ordered me (with her little finger over my mouth) "No, don't sing mommy! Don't sing!" She wanted to dance to the music without me cluttering up her experience with lyrics, I guess. Geez.

The little mama orders poor Lucas around too. Yesterday she told him she was going to "spank yah butt!" He just smiles at her and she melts into a puddle--just like us.

That little boy has this amazing power that no one can resist. It's his kind eyes.

Potty Training Boot Camp: Day One

We're in the  countdown until Olivia starts nursery school and one of the big requirements that's been hanging over our heads all summer??!!----potty training! Dun. Dun. Dun.

For some reason I feel like I'm in high school again and I waited until the last month of summer vacation to start my summer assignment for A.P. Modern European History. Why I do I torture myself like this?

It's not that we haven't been having the potty conversation for the past year. She's had a potty since before she could walk after all. She's even warned us and made poo and pee in the pot this summer, but now it's time to get serious and commit. Do or die.

School starts September 9th, but new student orientation day is August 31 and we want to make a good first impression!

So, I'm taking a three-day weekend to do a three-day potty training boot camp a friend of mine shared with me via e-book. I didn't exactly stock up on all the supplies suggested like have 30 plus pairs of undies ( I have 5 pair ---that were each washed 3 times today) and  I don't have all of the on-the-go liners, and portable pots it recommendeds once your kid is trained but we're making do with what we've got.  I've got plenty of gummy bears and fruit snacks which seems to be doing the trick just fine.

The method seems to be exuberant positive reinforcement (no scolding whatsoever), complete stalking and focus on the toddler to look for the "signs", constant, nagging reminding (not asking) to "tell mommy when you have to pee, ok?", lots of water to give her plenty of chances to do her thing, and for us, a single gummi bear for even an droplet of success.

The results after Day One?

• No less than 15 accidents---pee puddles everywhere (even one in the grass in the backyard). I rolled up the living room rug too--SO glad I did.
• She made it to the pot at least 5 times--one of which I had left the room (bad mommy) and she peed on the floor a little and ran and made it the pot all by herself for the rest! Another time she told me she had to go, and wanted to go by herself and pushed me away and wouldn't let me follow her to the bathroom. She made it to the pot and exclaimed, "I'm a big girl now!" It was pretty awesome. THEN she peed on the floor at least 2 more times after that. LOL
• Naptime was successful--she stayed dry. 
• No poop at all today--not normal for her.
• I have cabin fever. I am on complete lockdown--can't even watch TV--must watch her at all times. But I have caught her signals, she stiffens and spreads her legs with knees locked and goes up on her toes, all with a worried/blank look on her face--usually looking me dead in the face. LOL.

I felt like giving up about 20 times today--which was everytime I had to clean up the pee and balance Lucas' needs, cries, bottle, naps, tummy time, entertainment while still keeping O from making a mess of her own--mess.  Yuck. No way Charm City Daddy could stomach this job. No way.

It will all be over soon. She looks so adorable in her Princess and the Frog undies too.

Wish us luck for Day 2!

Two Under Two

Parenting has fuzzy math. For some reason I thought having one kid and adding another to the mix, just might be double the work. WRONG! Adding a newborn to the mix with an energetic toddler already on board is more like 2.5 to 3 times the work.  No wonder parents stop at two kids. And the whole "man-to-man defense thing" describing how two parents balance two kids is big an understatement. You still need help.

Based on our preliminary experiences of the last 4 weeks, here's what I have come to believe:

1.  Parents with one kid --a balanced decision of both the head and heart (50/50).
2.  Parents with two kids --a slightly unbalanced decision of heart over head (60/40).
3.  Parents with three kids --the result of losing one's head or a birth control malfunction(75/25).
4.  Parents with 4 or more kids --total surrender and submission. 

"I make midnight visits to my parents' room."

Keep in mind Charm City Daddy and I have always said we wanted 4 kids, but I must say we are reconsidering this theory everytime we:

• buy diapers or change a diaper
• try to leave the house on time.
• consider going to church service.
• consider going out to eat.
• are awakened by one or both children and kept up all night trying to keep them asleep and or in their beds.
• see a preview for a new movie we know we'll never see in theatres.

And many more---and we're only 4 weeks in!

Sure the positives far outweigh the negative and in reality we want to have as many children as God will bless us with--and we can afford (let's not kid ourselves). Right now the magic number is two. We are blessed and at times--just a tad stressed, but it's alllll good.

I just needed to speak the truth for a moment.

Hi-Five!

After patiently requesting "hi-fives?" from her little brother for the last 4 weeks (even in the hospital), yesterday Lucas finally obliged big sis Olivia.

It was a great moment. 

Next on her list..."Pick Up?" But that too, my dear, will have to wait.