Potty Training: Day 1 & 2

Will has yet to show any interest in potty training. I kept waiting for a sign that he was ready before I dove into it. I didn't want all the time, effort and all the dirty messes to go to waste if he just wasn't ready. (Not even kidding. As I was writing this Will came up to me with dirty fingers and underwear full of poop. Nice.)

BUT he is coming up on 3.5 years, and well, the kid is huge. Size 6 diapers just barely fit him. Someone joked recently that if he isn't potty trained soon he'll have to start wearing Depends! So something must be done. Well, more like I've got to do something about it.

We got a portable potty since I think the big one scares him, (he freaks out whenever I've tried to have him sit on it) and I've told him I will give him "special surprise chocolate" if he goes pee on the potty.

So we started yesterday. I had him sit on his little potty that barely fits his butt while he watched Kipper.

He surprisingly sat there for almost 30 minutes! Not a drop of pee to be seen though, so I let him get up and he put on some Batman underwear.

He looked so stinkin' cute in his tight little underwear, so I called him over to take his picture. The very first picture I took is this one:

Yes. That is him peeing. Not 2 minutes had passed since getting off the potty, and he peed in his underwear. We were off to a great start!

I have been told to just let him run around in underwear or naked and he will hate the feeling of pee trickling down his leg. That it might motivate him NOT to do it again. But it didn't seem to phase him at all.

I put him in a diaper when we went out for the morning, and tried out the potty again when we got back.

 Not sure what Sam was doing here. Trying to get my attention most likely!

Same thing happened. Sat there for 20+ minutes, and 2 minutes after putting his underwear back on he peed on the rug.

He wore a diaper the rest of the day.

So far today it has been: Sit on the potty. Put underwear on. Pee on floor. Except, as you read above, we've also had poop in the underwear. I have a feeling this is going to go on for awhile. Wish me luck!

Carrots

Ever since Will started eating real food I have tried my best to feed him the best. I am a firm believer that eating well at a very young age makes all the difference in your future health. He really is a great eater. I mean, he will eat a salad. My 3 year old will eat a salad! Most of the time with no complaints. BUT the older he gets it is just not possible to control everything he puts in his mouth. Especially since he is just like I was when I was his age.

You see, I would sneak into the fridge, take a tub of Cool Whip, hide under the table and have at it. Will does the same thing! He is constantly going into the kitchen, getting food and either hiding under the table or shoving it into the couch when I walk in the room (I know, I know. We're working on this). The best is when it's a big hunk of cheese being stuffed into the abyss that is my couch. Gross.

But, unfortunately for Will, I don't tend to keep Cool Whip in my fridge. So, he resorts to the next best thing: Carrots!

He will easily eat 5 in a day. And these are no baby carrots. These are the real deal, big fat carrots.

You've got to be kidding me...

*Disclaimer: I have a tendency to be, as my husband would say, blunt. ESPECIALLY when talking about something I am pretty passionate about. Soooo, be warned.* 

While driving home from the gym today, I was listening to a Christian music radio station. The female DJ was talking about how busy life can get, and that more often than not her family eats frozen meals for dinner.

Now, if you know me at all, you already know about my disdain for frozen/packaged meals. So, at this point I am already quite irked by just hearing that.

But then she goes on to say that serving her family frozen meals is, and I quote, "Not cheating, but an efficient use of precious time." Say what!? Ok, now I am full on mad.

I am mad at how lazy our culture is when it comes to eating. Mad about the lack of knowledge we have when it comes to what we are putting into our bodies. Even more so, I am mad at the big food companies who claim that their sugar packed, MSG ridden and slathered in hydrogenated oil packaged food is actually HEALTHY!

Come on people! Put in a little effort when it comes to what you eat. Do your research. Your health is so important. Food Inc. is a great documentary, and a good place to start. I highly recommend it!

While still listening to the radio, and lady called in to comment saying something along the lines of, "I hear ya! We have hockey practice one night for this kid, and gymnastics for that one. My family would starve if it weren't for frozen meals. All hail frozen meals!" Ok, so maybe she didn't say that last part, but come on now.

I get it momma's! Life can be busy. I have two young boys, my husband works 65+ hrs, 6 days a week, and I know it will only get busier as the years go on. But it is SO important that we take the time to provide REAL healthy meals for our family.

Proverbs 31:15 says, "She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family..." The Proverbs 31 woman makes it a priority to make sure her family is fed nourishing food, and we should too! Even if it takes having to get up even earlier than we already do or perhaps cutting down on some of our social activities.

Now, I'm not talking gourmet meals here. All it takes is a little thought and preparation to provide a simple meal that is way above anything a frozen meal could ever hope to be!

Take advantage of that crockpot you've had sitting in the cupboard. Get together a list of easy crockpot recipes (there are literally hundreds out there!) throw in some ingredients in the morning, and bam! Dinner is served. Or how about scrambled eggs and toast for a last minute meal? It can be plain or you can toss in some veggies, cheese or good quality meat. (Lately, I've been liking mine with broccoli and kale!). So yummy, quick and easy, and way better for you then a frozen/boxed dinner!

So, if you don't already, please make an effort to bless your family with a good quality meal!

P.S. This applies to ALL meals! Not just dinner!

Gifts for Will

This was the first Christmas (*Eye roll* Yes, I am still talking about Christmas. This is the last time, I promise) that Will really understood about the whole present thing. We always go over to my family's house Christmas morning, but I thought it would be fun to have some time with just us four opening gifts around our Christmas tree before heading over.

I didn't want to get carried away with piles of gifts. I knew Will would be plenty spoiled by his Grandma and Aunties (which he was), so I just got him a couple things.

First, I made a wooden block memory game. I absolutely love how they turned out!

I used some Jenga blocks I already had, and modged podged scrapbook paper onto it. Super cute right?

Will loves playing with balls, and has quite the arm on him. Even though he already has a plethora of balls around the house, most of them aren't very inside friendly. Like, actual adult sized soccer and baseballs. So, I wanted to make him a safe, softer ball. You know, one that wouldn't knock Sam out when it inevitably hit him. So, I crocheted him one. I know, I know. I am such a cool mom.

It turned out pretty well. I made it bigger than the pattern had it, and I messed up just a little. But thankfully it isn't very noticeable.

Will was very happy with his gifts! He immediately wanted to play catch with daddy after opening his football. We play his memory game almost every day, and Will is just awesome at it. I know I'm partial, but this kid is pretty smart. They also double as building blocks, and teething toys for Sam!

First Tooth!

 At 1 year Sam finally got his first tooth!

Burlap & Lace

I mentioned in my last post that I had been super busy planning and making the decorations for a church event this past weekend. It was for our church's women ministry, Oasis. This was the second time I have exclusively been in charge of decorations for a shindig, the first being my sis-in-laws baby shower last Spring! It's a lot of work, but fun to do! Although, I find that I become a bit anal and a little OCD about everything being just right. Thankfully, I don't have a problem telling my helpers EXACTLY what to do (Ha, sorry mom and Val!), so everything worked out great.

We had the meeting in a beautiful lodge. All the decorations looked so pretty against the natural wood, dim lighting and the fireplace.

I wasn't able to get many decent pictures. The lighting was so dim, and I haven't figured out the best setting for it on my new camera yet. Here are a few to give those of you not there an idea: (Thanks to Val for taking some!)

(I took this one at home while testing out my camera)