Potty Training {Days Beyond}

So, I gave up potty training Mookie. I just couldn't take the feelings of failure and abuse and torture and bribery anymore.

I still asked if she wanted to go, and would sit her on the potty, but I didn't set a timer, and I didn't stress about it. We even pulled out a few hidden diapers for nap and bed times.

I can't remember now, but somewhere in that week, she started to really pee on the potty. A couple of times she told me she needed a diaper, so we high-tailed it to the potty and she peed in it. (Hallelujah!) She didn't have any accidents during the awake times, and grew really proud of herself.  Part of it could be that I figured out her "currency". Her bribe. The thing that makes her little heart skip a beat.

Play-doh.

Sadly, I hate the stuff. Friends should not buy friends' kids play-doh! Ugh.  Mookie? Loves the stuff. Wants to take it to bed with her at night. Wakes up asking to "play" Play-doh. Wants to take it to the restaurant when we go out to eat.

Somewhere along the potty-training line, she learned that she would get a new pot of Play-doh every time she peed in the potty, or woke up dry, or some such milestone. Knowing that, she was considerably more motivated to pee or hold it, or do the "potty dance." :)

In the big picture, the 47 pots of Play-doh aren't very expensive, and she spends SO MUCH TIME playing. And she really loves it.  She's forever dreaming up something new to make with it, or showing off her latest creation, or "making dinner" with it...the possibilities are endless with that kid.

We don't have many tools for the Play-doh, though. That would be too much, I think. I have a one-color limit (can not STAND when the colors get mixed. Bah!!), and most of the tools allow you (or encourage you) to mix colors. Not happenin', folks.  We do have a few things, though, and I've augmented her tools with a few cookie cutters, some plastic knives, and a small rolling pin. She's happy as a clam, and doesn't ask for more than one color, thankfully.

Anyway, back to the potty training. So, we had about a week of normal, around-the-house pottying, and then we went away on vacation. She was a STAR!! She peed on a big potty at the Dallas airport, at the Newark airport, in Central Park in New York City, Penn Station in NYC, at the Crayola Factory in New Jersey...

...riddle me this, though, folks...the Crayola Factory didn't have toddler-sized potties. Why? They must have a million toddlers and small children coming through in a year, why not have toddler-sized potties?? Good thing for me, she was comfortable using the big ones if I held her.

Now, a few weeks after I started this journey, she's peeing on the potty all the time during the day (I try to take her about every 60-90 minutes just to be safe, and she lets me know if she needs to go in between). She wears a pull-up at nap and bed time or if we're out of the house, and "big girl pants" during the time we're at home.  She still isn't pooping in the potty, but thankfully she has only pooped in the pull-ups. I'm kinda ooked out by the idea of poop in her big girl pants. :o)  I know it will happen, but I'm glad it hasn't happened yet!

She's still got a pile of "prizes" that she could have gotten (and still can), but she seems perfectly content with the Play-doh she already has, and isn't interested in those books/puzzles/games/candy/bubbles/movies on the counter.  However...there is a big Play-doh kit that will sit there until we are fully potty trained. And she knows it.  She's motivated, and I think that was the key to success.

So, that's our story right now. Peeing on the potty isn't a big deal. Pooping is our next hurdle. :)

Potty Training {Day 2}

(I am keeping track of Mookie's potty training here because I know if I don't, I'll be clueless when it comes time to train Sprout. Which I will do MUCH earlier.)

Mookie spent the day yesterday asleep or whining or just generally not being herself. So, we are trying this again! It's critical to do this now because Dave has a few days off and he can take care of Sprout.

9:00 - came upstairs to The Training Area. Prayed. Went over the rules and expectations. Practiced.

9:40 - really got started. Started the (10 min) timer and started playing with Play-Doh. (Mookie is downright addicted to the stuff.). 10 minutes dry, 5 on the potty with no success. Drinking juice.

9:55 - second 10 minute bell rang with no misses. No success in the (5 min) potty. Setting the timer for 15 minutes and playing more Play-Doh.

10:25 - 15 minutes, no misses. 5 on the potty, no success. I even have the water trickling in the bathtub.

10:45 - same as before. 15/5. This time she pulled her underwear down and sat on the potty by herself. I gave her a small chocolate bar. We need to drink more water!

10:50 - role-reversal time... Mookie wanted to be the teacher. I have now had more "success" than she has. :-)

11:05 - set timer for 20 minutes, Mookie is doing well "trapped" in the playroom with me. We have read books, played with fabric, and done some workbook pages. 5 more minutes with no success. I'm also painting her fingers and toes while she's seated.

11:30 - (the timing is not exact, but it's close). I'm getting bored. I expected her to pee at least once in 3 hours! The timer is at 20, and I told her that when she pees in the potty, I'll give her a new, big, pot of Play-Doh. We'll see if that helps.

12:00 - this time, just for fun, we practiced wiping. We didn't need it. (sigh). Setting the timer for another 20. Maybe I should shorten the time. I don't know. (Still no new Play-Doh.)

12:31 - melt down. She wants to go downstairs. I'm not letting her. Today is about tinkling on the potty. Another 5+ on the potty with no luck. I'm praising her for practicing sitting on the potty.

1:00 - same ol' same old. I've even upped the bribes. It's lunch, then nap time.

2:00 - going down for her nap dry since before 9:00 this morning. Didn't eat much lunch.

3:45 - Mookie woke up crying and then got sick multiple times. Poor kid.

We're done. I'm done. I'm not sure if we'll try again tomorrow, but I'm thinking not. Since she's not exhibiting any signs of WHY she is sick, I can't really tell until she pukes. and I don't want to push her any more.

Potty Training {Day 1}

= Fail.

I was ALL kinds of prepared. I read the books, I prayed, I separated the bribes toys into small, medium, large. I prayed some more. I hid the few size 4 diapers that are left in the house. I prayed yet some more. I prepped the bathroom and the playroom. Dave was lined up to be Parent #1 to Sprout all day so I could devote my time to Mookie all day.

What I didn't expect was that cry at 2:45 in the morning. That "Mommy! I getted sick in my bed!" cry. I scooped her lump of a self up, and we crawled into the guest bed, where we slept off and on until about 10:00 in the morning.

Poor Mookie-licious is sick. Just not herself. She doesn't have a fever, doesn't exhibit regular signs of sickness, but she's just not herself. She only threw up one more time during the day, but it doesn't make any sense. Poor kid.

We'll try again tomorrow.

(I am keeping track of Mookie's potty training here because I know if I don't, I'll be clueless when it comes time to train Sprout. Which I will do MUCH earlier.)

And Now For Some Comic Relief

I actually captured some cuteness the last few days. I've been SO ridiculously remiss.

The first is a video of Mookie dancing at the end of Shrek 4 (whatever it was called). SO cute.



And the second is, well, you'll see.



Sprout has been saying it for a week, or so, but at first, she didn't associate it with an action. Now I know she does.

And, in other news, Sprout is almost ready to sign "cat." She's trying really hard, and she lifts her hands up when the cat comes in the room, but she can't quite get the rest of the action down.  I didn't catch that on video, but I'll try.

I hope you enjoyed those. :o) Have a great day!

10 on the 10th

Sprout is 10 months old. Can't believe it.

She has such a great personality. She's not interested in crawling or walking, yet, but that's okay. :o)  She is clapping, and (almost) waving...she kinda flaps both arms at the same time whenever we come into the room. :o)  I will get video. I promise!

She says "mama", but not always only at me. I know she knows I'm the mama, and that's good enough.

There's a million other things, and not enough time, so I hope to either add more pictures later, or create another post later.

Dear Sprout - Month Four

Dear Sprout,

It really seems like yesterday that I was live-blogging your birth. Maybe it's the lack of sleep messing with my head, but I just can't believe you're 4 months old!! Healthy and happy. I can't ask for much more. Well, maybe you could sleep a little longer at night? I think that's a fair request. :-)

What's new? (well, besides everything since this is the first letter I've written you!) Let's see...you have giggled and rolled over in the last month, and, just like your sister, you have refused to repeat yourself on both counts. You are SO much stronger, and more curious and more alert and more AWARE of your surroundings. We went to the monthly Modern Quilt Guild meeting this week, (I always take you) and you were wide awake and paying attention the whole time! You particularly enjoyed the lovel alphabet quilt you saw. Everyone in the guild loves and adores you. That could be because you are lovely and adorable, but so are they. :-) We'll sure miss them.

Tonight was our monthly neighborhood potluck, and I had you in the Moby, like I usually do. When we first got there, you were craning your neck trying to see everyone and everything. :-). I was thinking it might be time to turn you around, but then you conked out and I was glad you were in proper snuggling position. :-)

Your favorite place to sleep is still on me, but you're getting better at sleeping in actual beds, too. The 5-8am slot is non-negotiable, though. It doesn't matter when you were last fed, this is just "our time." You fuss, you chirrup, you squawk. And then I pick you up, settle down on my tummy, and you go right to sleep. Out. Like a light. You can be mad as a hornet, but the instant you realize you're on my tummy, all is right in the world. Well, until your sister wakes up and destroys our special time. :-)

But, boy howdy does your big sister love you. And you seem equally enamored by her. :-) My two peas in a pod.

When I actually rub my two remaining brain cells together to think and ponder and process these last 4 months, I get a little bit sad. I feel like I'm treating you like a second child and not treating you like the unique and wonderful blessing that you are, and I'm sorry for that. I'm so sorry for that. I want you to know and feel beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are cherished and adored and that I love you more than I ever thought possible. I pray that you never doubt or question my love for you. And I pray that God will help me show my love for you every single day of your life. I want you to feel my love, your papa's love, and God's love every day.

My sweet little Sprouting, are a blessing. To me, to your papa, to your sister, to your grandparents, to our church, to the members of LAMQG :-)...to everyone.

I can't wait to see what new stuff happens this next month (or four, the way I'm going!).

I love you forever and ever and always,
~Mama.

P.S. Because you're going to spend your whole life being compared to your sister, I'll just start now. :o)

Here's a picture of the two of you at 4 months. :o) I love this.

And here's a picture of her wearing the same cow suit when she was about 3 months old. :o)

She's a Rockstar!

Today my girl told me what she really thinks about tummy time.

She's rolling right out of it! Every time. Dangit.

She Found Her Thumb

Sprout found her thumb! Yay!!

Well, it's more like her index finger, but now she is on the road to soothing herself. And again, I say "Yay!!"

I got out my phone to take a picture of it, but I figured it's better to tell you about the fingers and SHOW you the smile.

Gas bubbles, my foot!

The Joy-Bringer

I'm not going to say anything. Just play it.



You're welcome.

Beach Day

We took Mookie to the beach on Saturday (June 27th). It was a lovely day -- not too hot, not too cold. Perfect for introducing a sweet little girl to The Beach. :o)  Mike was in town, and so we went with Kelly and her family so the boys could play some beach volleyball and the girls could sit. Nice day all around. :o)

Mookie LOVED the sand. LOVED it. Was CRAZY about it. :o)  Hands in it, pouring it from one hand to the other, picking it up and pouring it back on the ground. Sand, sand, sand. We should call her Sandy. LOVED it. Wanted it for lunch, even. :o)

I haven't had the time (nor the patience!) to look at all 258 pictures I took of our afternoon at the beach, but here are 3.

Sand, sand, hands in sand, sand in hands.
Sand, sand, pants in sand, sand in pants.

Here she is standing under the umbrellas (when I could KEEP Her Fair Self in the shade...). I enhanced the color a bit because the umbrellas are so colorful, I hope I didn't make her look like a pumpkin! :o)

And here she is playing with a little shovel. Such a rich, blue sky.

We're so lucky to live here. So lucky.

(There are more beach-day photos, but I have no idea when I'll get to them. I will tell you, however, that she was NOT impressed with the water. Very scary. Poor little girl. She clung to Mama like I was a life-raft!)

Hope you have a great week!

You've Been Waiting??

I'm busy chasing a baby around today, but here's a 3:34 minute video of Mookie walking, and talking, and just being a cutie patootie. :o) 

I apologize for the AWFUL videography at the beginning. I promise it's not like that all the way through!  You can see the new trashcan (which also doubles as a fabulous magnet holder!), you can see her telling me not to eat the cat food, :o), and then she has quite a few other stories to tell...I just wish I knew what she was saying!
So, grab a cup of coffee, and sit back and enjoy! :o)

Dear Mookie: Month Eight

Dear Mookie,

Gosh, this month's letter is hard to write! You are doing so many new things that I have a hard time sitting down to write them all down. And yet, because you are doing so many new things, it will take me forever to get them all documented!

The weather in California has been unseasonably warm for January, and we've been enjoying it as much as possible. Here is a picture of you and me exploring a hibiscus flower at the park. I would like to think you were attracted to the beautiful red flower, but in reality, I think you were excited at how easily the petals pulled apart! :o)

Over the Christmas holidays, though, we did a lot of travelling. To a lot of cold places. You got to meet so many of your family members and it was fun. One of the best things about it is that you got to spend two whole weeks with your papa. The last time you and Papa spent that much time together was right after you were born, and he got to stay home from work for 2 weeks to "help" Mama learn how to be a mama. Except he had to work on his own little baby, his PhD dissertation, and get that done. So this time, Papa was all about his girls. Oh, and college football. You watched football with him before, but this time we learned something new about you. You love college fight songs. Silly girl. Papa sings them and you wave your arms, and kick your legs and have the hugest smile on your little face. It makes your papa very proud, and it just cracks me up. :o)

Gosh, this last month has really been full of Firsts.

On Christmas Eve, you crawled forward for the first time. It was only a couple of "steps," but it was still forward movement. You had plenty of time to practice your crawling when we were stranded in Chicago on our way from Michigan to Georgia. I wasn't too pleased, however, with your desire to crawl off the clean blanket onto the manky hotel floor. You crawled a LOT with your Grandpa Willie, Uncle Jonathan, and your cousin, AJ. Once we got home, you really began to move and groove. Thankfully, I can usually hear where you are crawling, so I know when to stop you. You seem to love going after the things you aren't supposed to have, though. Like the cat food. And the lamp cords. And the bottoms of shoes.

You love to "stand" up, though you cannot do it by yourself - yet. I was hoping to just enjoy your crawlingness for a few months, but just yesterday, you pulled yourself up to standing. I know it will be a mere blink-of-an-eye, and you will be cruising around, and then toddling all by yourself. I better get my act together! :o)

I love that you are so loving (and, of course, lovable) :o) You haven't yet hit that stage where you only want Mama or Papa. This was great at Christmastime when we visited SO many family members, and they all wanted to hold you...and you let them! You seemed happy to be held, and didn't mind who was holding you. I know you'll probably hit that stage, and I'll be sad because I like how you like people. Not shy like the Mama. Now, though? A couple of weeks later? You are just on the move - no holding you! :o)

You've been working on your smooches, too. Baby smooches are so much fun. :o) Good thing for me you are more discriminate about that than you are with being held... For now, you're only smooching your old pal, Baby-in-the-Mirror. It's okay, I smooch her all the time, too. :o)

(By the way, you're not really standing up on your own in that picture. Your Uncle Phil is holding you up.)

We've been seeing that baby more lately, since I put another mirror on the floor in your room. Now when you are crawling around, you see her, and you see Mama, and you seem ever so intrigued at how you know Mama is behind you, and yet, you see Mama in front of you. No, Baby Girl, I've not cloned myself (although, I seriously wish I could!), and I'm not magically jumping back and forth, it's just an image of me there looking back at you. :o) Since I did that, you have really taken to waving. Waving at me. Waving at your Grandma, or Papa, or Aunt Barb or Uncle Phil. Or the cat. Or the mailbox. :o) We joke that you are a little princess because you've mastered the wrist-only wave of royalty. So far, though, you don't really wave on command, you just wave when you feel like it. We'll work on it, though. We go lots of places where people are captivated by your bright blue eyes, or your contagious smile, so we'll just practice waving at your adoring fans, okay? :o)

I must say, though, that you are still THE CUTEST dadgum baby girl that there ever was. You make me, and everyone else around you, laugh because you just do the silliest of things. Like the way you flail your arms and legs when you're playing with a rattle -- like you're a dead bug, or something. Or the way you giggle and shriek in anticipation when you think someone is going to "scare" you. And the different sounds you make - oh, how I wish I could understand what you are trying to communicate. You can be SO passionate! :o) And there's the knee-foot-knee-foot way you've been "crawling" lately. Goofy. The other night you were exploring Aunt Barb's pretty painted toes, and then you crawled over to Uncle Phil and started pulling on his leg hairs. Ow! Haha.

Yesterday, when I was lying on the floor, you crawled to me...

...and then proceeded to crawl over me. You did great till the very end when your big ol'  noggin got the best of you and you started to fall off head first. Oops! Good thing Mama was there to protect your sweet head. 

Oh, and you get SO very excited whenever you see one of the cats. First, you say "Ha Tat. Ha Tat." Which, I think, is your sweet baby way of saying "kitty cat." Then you crawl after her like a woman on a mission! Sadly for you, she doesn't stick around to see what it is you want. The repeated disappointment doesn't seem to deter you, though. Which is good. I hope you are that perseverant in everything you do in life. Never give up, Baby Girl. Not when it comes to petting the kitty. Or learning to ride a bike. Or getting into the college you want to go to. Or getting the job you want. Or raising your family your way. Never give up.

Not only are you crossing milestones off your list like mad, you are growing up physically, too. We had to lower the frame of your crib last weekend because you were looking over the railing, and I was afraid you would try to pull yourself up on it. Speaking of bigger and stronger, today you weigh 14 pounds, 14 ounces, and are 28 inches long/tall.  That's one pound and two ounces bigger, and two inches longer than you were last month!

Here you are with Grandma Bear. I swear, she must be shrinking!

How do you get the shiny off? I want the shiny for me?

Yaarrrgghh!!!  What IS that thing? Protect me.

Why, thank you. I agree. I DO look good in lavendar.

Mmm. Grandma Sue? Whatcha eatin'?

Can I have some? Grandma lets me have whatever I want.

Mmmmm. Grandma's banana is yummsters.

Much to my displeasure, there are now 5 teeth in that little mouth of yours. Two more came up on the bottom around New Year's Day, and the 5th came in last week. On top. Ouch. I am just not ready for that! I will say, though, that it makes your smile that much cuter. :o) And it makes it easier for you to eat, eat, eat.

You've "eaten" bits of a bagel, a breadstick, apple, avocado, banana, sweet potato, white potato, and muffin this month. I am very pleased with how advanced your hand-to-mouth coordination is! And how quickly you learned to pick up a little piece of bread in my hand and get it into your mouth. We are just a few weeks away from food all over the kitchen because you'll be feeding yourself. :o) I have to say, though, that I am glad that you like your food. There are babies around you that are older than you that have no interest in solids at all. You? Love it all. Except carrots. And prunes. You don't like prunes, but that's okay, neither do I. :o)  You also seem very interested in drinking my drink. It doesn't matter if it's in a bottle or a glass or a cup - you know you want some! And I've been amazed at how well you drink from my cup. Yes, there have been moments when I thought there was a hole in your chin, but you've done really well.

While I love to watch you eat, and crawl, and stand, and wave, the times each day when my heart melts just a little more are the times I get to watch you sleep. Right now, on a good day, you wake up at about 6:00, you take 3 naps throughout the day, and are ready for bed at about 6:00 at night. Sometimes you miss a nap, but I don't think you are ready to go to 2 naps. And, quite frankly, neither am I! :o) You don't go down for naps easily, but when you do fall asleep, especially if it's in my arms, I just can't help but stare at you. And marvel at you. And thank God for you. You are one of the most wonderful blessings in my life, and I just can't get enough of you.

Seriously, I cannot get enough of you! You are just so much fun to be around, and I am so very blessed to be able to stay home with you. I just love that I've been here for all of your "firsts." Tomorrow will mark another great "first." A first for our nation. Tomorrow we will inaugurate our first African-American president. There has been a lot of talk about "hope" this last year or so, in our country, and a lot of hopes rest on this man's shoulders. When I have hopes, I try to turn them into prayers, because I believe prayers are much more effective than hopes. :o) And while I do have national, and international prayers, most of the time when I turn a hope into a prayer, it's about you. Today, I pray that you will continue to grow healthy, and happy, and strong. I pray that you will feel and know the presence of God in your life at an early age. (Thus, I pray that your papa and I can cultivate that for you). I pray that your mama will continue to take her fears to God, and that He will quiet them. As I look forward to the future, I pray that you will believe in yourself, and know that you have the strength and potential, with God's help, to accomplish anything you want. And I pray that your papa and I will push you, and encourage you, and challenge you every step of the way.

And I pray for one more day of being blessed with your smile, and your giggle, and your chatter, and your wave, and your clap, and your belly, and your toes, and your eyes, and your cheeks. Just one more day of knowing God's love reflected through you. Just one more day of being the luckiest mama in the world. Just one more day of loving you.  And tomorrow I will pray for one more.

I love you, Baby Girl. Forever and ever, and always.

Love,
Mama

She's A Little Inchworm

We're HOME!! Yay! I missed my home. I love everyone we spent time with over our traipsing vacation, and everywhere we stayed was incredibly comfortable, but I miss my home.  I miss my kitties. I miss my space. I miss my stuff. I'm glad to be home.

With home, is full-access to the Internet...which means I can upload ginormous videos guilt-free! :o)  So, here she is...



She's getting better and better every day. She doesn't wobble as much as she did just a few days ago, and she goes a foot or so farther before she crashes.

And, of course, she just gets cuter by the minute! :o)  If I get more-better video, I'll share it.

Happy New Year!