Voting

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Swingin' Good Time

Guess who can swing all by himself now?

THIS GUY:

 



 
Yesterday while playing outside he jumped on the swing and started swinging.  I was relaxing in the sun when I looked over and realized that Brady was swinging all by himself.  This is something we have talked about and I have tried to push encourage him to do for a couple years now so I was shocked.  I asked him how he learned.  He said: "I learned last night."  The night before we were over at a friend's house with some other kids and apparently he taught himself or decided to do what they were doing.....either way, he did it and he was soooo excited about it.  Several times yesterday and today he asked if he could go outside and swing....love these little progressions : )

Saturday, May 25, 2013

BEDlam

has been invited to my house.  Chris and I (okay, not fair to share the blame with someone who did not ask for it) decided to move Maddox in to the bedroom with Brady & Evan.  I found a loft bed on Craigslist that was elevated for Evan but not as high as the top bunk that Brady sleeps in.  I painted it and we put it in Brady & Evan's room next to their bunkbeds. 


Evan's first time in his new bed - 5/24/13
Then we moved Maddox into the bottom bunk that Evan used to sleep in.  He looked so tiny in that big full bed.  He was so excited to sleep in his big boy bed - "new beeg bed, mommy."  But he definitely was much more excited to be sleeping in the same bedroom with his brothers.  They are his favorite people on the planet!

Maddox in his big boy bed for the first time - 5/24/13
I am probably crazy for doing this....odds are I will regret it.  I won't know unless I try it and the extra space with the nursery freed up will be nice to have.  Last night they all did great....went right to sleep.  We went to a friend's house for a get together so the kids went to bed later than usual.  It helped as they were so worn out that the novelty of all being together was overshadowed by their fatigue.  The first night was a success.  Night two - tonight - not so well, as I am typing this, Chris had to evict Maddox and put him back in his crib in the nursery.  After many warnings and the threat of an eviction, it had to be done.  He and Evan were just being too rambunctious and chatty.  All the while, Brady was out cold!  Hopefully, with Maddox's disappointment over the "move", tomorrow night will go much smoother.  Here's hoping...

Evan is four!

Our EvJ turned four on the 12th. It is really hard to believe that it has been four years since Evan was born. He is a feisty boy, spicy and full of life and oh, so passionate! He brings me to my knees in anguish and fatigue at times. He squeezes me so hard at times with passion that I can not breathe. He reminds me often, "you my princess, momma, I love you".  And what a prince he is!  I'm afraid this little love bug is gonna be quite a heart breaker.  

Saturday, May 18, 2013

"That's a nice hug"

My sweet EvJ said this to me today while snuggling with me on the couch as I watched the end of a show and their was a couple lip locked on the screen. Then he looked up at me, with the biggest grin ever, "I love you, Mommy."

Friday, May 10, 2013

Guess who is wearing underwear?

           This guy....
So after a couple of months of using the potty pretty well I knew it was time to REALLY potty train (out of diapers and in underwear) Maddox. The tricky part was - the typical tricky part with everything these days - scheduling the best time to do it amongst the juggling act that is our lives right now.

 I felt like if we had a week at home we could do it...again the tricky part.  With the end of the school year approaching, all of our activities were coming to an end - story time, music class, etc. - so we finally had a week with nothing much on the calendar.  I also knew we had to do it BEFORE Brady & Evan were done with school.  The distraction of them at home would be too much to be successful.  Last week was our week!  I ended up subbing at Prince of Peace's MDO program on Tuesday so we had a partial week to try it.  We stayed home all day Wednesday and Thursday and wore underwear.  I tried the same tactic with him that I tried with his brothers.  With underwear that brandishes their favorite characters, I teach them that they do not want to pee or poop on their friends...that it is gross.  So we wore Thomas underwear.  We wore Toy Story underwear.  He peed in his underwear a few times the first couple of days.  I started wondering if maybe he wasn't ready yet.  Maybe I was forgetting how to do this....amazing how long ago two years seems in these moments.  Friday we had to leave the house so I could teach my class at the gym.  I put a pull on diaper on Maddox since we would not be home for about an hour and a half.  It had Tigger on it so we had the "Do not pee on Tigger, he is our friend" talk.  He kept Tigger dry at the gym.  We went home so we could put underwear on and continue the process....he stayed dry all day.  I was so excited.  Day three and he was dry all day....would it be that easy?

Saturday we left the house for a Kentucky Derby party and he kept the Tigger pull on diaper dry.  Two days dry...YEA!! Sunday we left for church in the morning and small group in the evening and he stayed dry in his pull on diaper.  On Monday we stayed home all day in underwear and he did great....not a single accident. 

The BIG test was upon us...leaving the house in underwear.  On Tuesday we left for MOPS and Maddox did great.  He stayed dry all day.  Wednesday I subbed at Prince of Peace's MDO again and Maddox wore underwear there and....yes....he STAYED DRY!!!  So he just is wearing underwear everywhere he goes now and is doing fine!  I am very excited and I pray it lasts.  Of course, this also means another step toward "no more babies". 

I sure do love my little man in underwear!