Actually...

Conversation between Luke and me:

Luke: You have a big nose.
Me: (laughing) I have a big nose?
Luke: Actually, it is quite big.

What, what? He sure knows how to make a lady feel good ;)

Ornaments - Second Tradition

Our second Christmas tradition has to do with ornaments. Some people do a color theme when they decorate their tree. Those trees look SO coordinated, sophisticated, and pretty. Of course, this wouldn't do for the Mancini Family tree. Our tree seems more like an ode to pop culture. Sounds a bit more like us, doesn't it?

The tradition started with Dan's parents and has been carried into our family. Each year we get an ornament that says something about that year. For example, we have an ornament called "Christmastime in the City", which we got the year we spent Christmas in Chicago. There is a calculator ornament received the year I started at Ronald Blue & Co. Sometimes things are made into an ornament like the tiny toy model of a Miata that has a hook around one of the tires so it can hang on the tree each year. (Yes, I used to drive a Miata. In three years, I've gone from a Miata to a mini van. Crazy!)

Every year we remember the significance of each ornament as it's placed on the tree. Usually, there's a yearly family ornament and one for each child. Luke and Maddie will get their ornaments when they are grown and on their own. They will have a tree full of childhood memories which they can share with their children. So fun!

Without further ado, here are this year's ornaments:

The family ornament.
We had a photographer meet us at Stone Mountain this year.
It was so fun and the photos were fabulous!


One of Luke's favorite cartoons is the Little Einsteins.
This plays the theme song and he loves it!

Maddie's is called "Living on Baby Time".
Feeding time, diaper time, play time, diaper time.
Yep, that sums up the second half of this year :)

This year we added a forth ornament and it has special meaning for us.

"Every life leaves something beautiful behind"

Dan's Gram passed away this year. I wish you could've know her because you would've loved her. She was filled with love for Jesus and life. She was so fun to be around and had a fabulous sense of humor. She was also instrumental in my accepting Christ. She is getting to celebrate the birth of Jesus in his presence. How cool is that?

This is one of my favorite traditions that we have. I hope Luke and Maddie come to enjoy it as much as I do.

6 Months!

Maddie is six months old. Can you believe that? She is such a great baby and I'm lovin this stage!! She crinkles her nose when she smiles really big. It is SO cute. She can now rollover from back-to-front and front-to-back. She can access items on the floor by rolling back-and-forth until she can reach them. She is currently cutting her first teeth and this has been high drama. She has a pretty low pain tolerance and we have had some sleepless nights as a result.

Here are some current pictures of the princess...

She now has enough hair to wear bows. Yeah!!

She is looking at her daddy. Can you tell she adores him?


I just want to eat her up!

Christmas Cookies - First Tradition

This is the first year that Luke is really into Christmas. It is so fun to see him get excited about the holiday season and I've been thinking about what I want our family Christmas traditions to be. In preparation for putting up the Christmas tree, I decided Luke and I would make Christmas cookies for the family to eat while trimming the tree. This was the very first time Luke and I were going to work in the kitchen and I was unsure of how it would go.

"It's going faster and faster and faster!!"
He seemed to enjoy the KitchenAid mixer as much as I do :)

I would measure the ingredients and he would but it in the mixer.
It was a great time to practice counting.

Luke exclaimed, "Lots and lots of SUGAR!!"

He enjoyed using the cookie cutters and making all the different shapes.

At this point, we are having fun and I'm so glad this is an activity we will do each year.

The result of eating too much cookie dough.
I'm starting to wonder why I thought baking cookies together was a good idea.

Luke's response to not being able to eat all the cookies we baked in one sitting.
All I wanted to do was create some freaking memories.

Our cookies and hot chocolate that we enjoyed while decorating the tree.
The memories of baking cookies are all good. I'm looking forward to next year.

Counting with Luke

Luke was counting the other day and I was mighty impressed...
"thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine, thirty ten"
That, my friends, makes me laugh.

5 months!

Maddie is five months old today. Crazy! She is still pretty laid back, her default setting is smiling, and she can now roll from her back to her stomach. This was a bittersweet milestone for me. I know there is no where to go but forward from here. She will continue to develop skills that will allow her to be more and more mobile which means more and more independence.

As my mother-in-law says, "The days are long but the years are short." This is SO true. We were up at 4 am yesterday morning due to the time change and it made for a very long day. However, I've watched Luke go from being a baby to a toddler to a little boy in what seems like a blink of an eye. I'm trying to cherish these moments because before I know it she will be gone with a family of her own.

Okay, enough of this serious stuff. Bring on the latest pics :)

3 months

4 months

5 months

I just love her crocked smile. Isn't she too young to be flashing that type of smile? She makes me laugh!

Road Conversations...

For those of you who have had the distinct pleasure of driving with me, you know that I view myself as not having road rage but as having road conversations with my fellow drivers. Sometimes people just need to be educated about the correct way to operate a vehicle. I do this not out of anger but out of care and concern for my fellow drivers. I know you peeps from the south feel the car horn is like yelling and cursing but it really is a great communication tool. A light tap of the horn can communicate things like:

"Hey, don't know if you noticed but the light has turned green and that means you can go. You're welcome :) "

- OR -

"Next time you decide to make a lane change, please look in your mirror and check to make sure you have enough space to enter said new lane. Also, a signal is a great way to let me know you would like to get into my lane. Thank you mighty kindly."

Now, sometimes an education lesson takes on a little different tone. For example, a month ago I was on an access road to get onto 285. It's an access road I used for three years when I lived in Dunwoody. I'm in the far left lane which can turn left or go straight. The light turns green and I accelerate. As I start to go straight, the lady in the lane to the right of me, decides she is going to turn left. Yes folks, I'm going straight and she is trying to turn left in front of me.

I slammed on my breaks when I realized what was happening and managed not to hit her. I'm not sure how I accomplished this feat but I'm thinking it was God's mercy. After I avoided hitting her, I did what anyone would do in that situation. I employed my horn (loud and long) to communicate to her that she was currently a danger to herself and others. I was totally shaking and my heart was pounding in my chest.

As I'm getting onto 285, I start to doubt myself. I start wondering if I was in the wrong. Had the DOT changed the lanes on that access road? Did I not pay attention to the signs because I'm so familiar with the area? OH NO, did I almost hit that poor lady?

These thoughts have been crossing my mind for the last month and I've really felt bad about it. Today I used the access road again. Well, see for yourself:

I wasn't at fault. I had read the signs correctly. Why do I automatically assume I'm in the wrong and beat myself up for a month about it? I have no answer to this question. I just know I will be more cautious in these types of situations. Just because I know I can turn left or go straight, doesn't mean the gal next to me does. Yikes!

A little word

Psalm 42: 5 - 6
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Psalm 62: 5 - 7
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

I wanted to share just in case anyone else was feeling out of sorts and in need of some encouragement.

Rules for Sippie Cups

I know that I'm known as being "particular" when people are being polite or "anal" when people are being truthful. And I'm okay with that, it is who I am. With that said, I realized today that I have a rule for sippie cups. Yes, I'm absolutely being serious. You see, the lids absolutely can't match the cup. They have to be different colors like so:
Under no circumstances should the lid and cup match. I can't even tell you how bad it hurt to take this next picture:
I find myself organizing the cups and lids as I'm taking them out of the dishwasher to make sure I don't end up with a match. If I do, I figure out what lids need to be changed.

My world is slightly insane. I'm not afraid to admit it. However, I know you have "rules" too. What are you particular about?

The Death Star

Conversation between Luke and me:

Luke: What did you do at work today?
Me: I had some meetings, answered some emails,
Luke: Why?
Me: Because people asked me questions.
Luke: What type of questions?
Me: Well, questions about getting into a Bible study.
Luke: About Star Wars?
Me: No

Once I said no to Star Wars, he quickly changed topics. No more chatting about my work. Apparently, if I don't work on the Death Star and report to Darth Vader, my job isn't worth talking about. You have to love the three year old mind :)

I need a wife...

Working full-time, new baby, little boy, husband, household to manage.... Man, I'm tired.
I've been thinking it would be great if I had a wife. She could do budgeting, run to the post office and dry cleaners, do the laundry, and etc. It would really make my life easier. However, Dan says a wife is more trouble then she is worth. Since he has 14 years of experience with having a wife, I might want to heed his warning :)

My baby boy is 3

We celebrated Luke's birthday today and I can't believe he is three. He is no longer a baby and definitely not a toddler. He is a little boy. Here are some pics from the family celebration:

Theme: Star Wars

Star Wars cake from Cold Stone

Luke enjoying his cake

Luke enjoying a laugh with Grandma

Fabuloso!

Which is how my house smells after using this fine cleaning product :) Fabuloso!! It is so fun to say and smells good. Yeah!! It's the little things that give my joy :)

Mr. Independent

I'm noticing a shift in Luke and how he is interacting with the world around him. He has always been pretty independent but he is becoming even more so. Here are few incidents that have caught my attention lately.
Luke has started to use his potty without me asking and without him telling me he needs to go to bathroom. Yeah!! He likes to be alone and have the door closed for privacy. He would also like to empty his potty into the toilet and flush it but this scares me for obvious reasons.

One night he took his pull-up off, placed it on top of his changing table and tried to put on a new one. At first, I was baffled by this activity. However, I quickly learned he had done number 2 in the removed pull-up. I was proud, yet, horrified all at the same time.

After he finished coloring, he tried to drag the kitchen chair over to the cabinet to put away his coloring book and crayons.

And this morning, he got my keys, went to the garage, opened the garage door, went out to the Taurus and tried to unlock it. I'm pretty sure his intent was to drive the car since he often gets upset with us because we won't let him drive. We are mean and horrible parents who will be making sure to put up the safety gate each morning ;)

Having Maddie highlights what a big boy Luke is now and how much he has developed over the past three years. I can hardly remember the time when Luke just laid on the floor and kicked around on a blanket. He is a funny little boy and I love him a ton!!

Living life at the speed of light

Life has been a whirlwind since I returned to work. Here is brief summary of what happened in the last 30 days...

Maddie

• Turned 2 months old
• Stats: 23 inches long and weighed 11 pounds and 7 oz
• Started sleeping through the night with a fussy period around 3 am
• First ER visit
• Now enjoys "talking" and "playing" with her toys

Luke

• Promoted out of the toddler room and is hanging with the "big" kids
• Obsessed with Star Wars and Darth Vader but still loves Batman
• The consequence of no TV now "inspires" obedience ;)
• Realized that saying, "I love you, Mommy" will melt her heart and turn away wrath
• Turned 3 years-old on August 21st

Misti

• Memorizing and meditating on scripture while stuck in traffic has replaced the regularly scheduled quiet time
• Tried once to cultivate a love for running
  
• Watched our small group apprentices start leading their own group
  
• 5 volunteer trainings + 2 GroupLink events = 824 adults connected into community
• Basically, I'm loving God, my family and my ministry but wishing for more sleep :)
  

Dressing the post-pregnancy body

I'm back to work on Sunday and the thought of wearing my maternity clothes really makes me super sad. So, I've gone through my closet and shopped for clothes in order to put together a wardrobe that doesn't completely depress me. I've learned a few lessons over the last few weeks and I wanted to document them for future reference.

1. Just because I can button a pair of my pre-pregnancy pants doesn't mean I should wear them at this time...not at home and definitely NOT in public.
   
2. My shirt should never cover my entire butt. I'm just asking for someone to slap a "caution wide load" sticker on my back along with some flashing yellow lights. This look isn't and never will be a fashion statement.
   
3. I need to dress the body I currently have and not the body I someday want. Clothes that actually fit you make you look better even if they are a "larger" size. Who knew?
   
4. If all else fails, buy and wear sassy shoes. I'm currently not carrying the extra 10 pounds in my feet :)
   

So, when I'm wearing these new shoes...


I guarantee the following is playing in my head:



Man, that is a happy little tune. It never fails to make me smile :)

Maddie's Lullaby

Oh, she smiled at me for the first time on Sunday. That smile paid for the last six weeks of none stop service :)

The Mom Song

Okay, this video has been around awhile but I saw it for the first time this morning and loved it. The lyrics are below. Enjoy!!



Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepyhead
Here's your clothes and your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now! Get up and make your bed
Are you hot? Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat
Don't forget! You gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it's the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today
Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play
Don't shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside, don't play rough, will you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don't forget to share
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare
Get along! Don't make me come down there
Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone! Get off the phone!
Don't sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table
No more computer time tonight!
Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up
Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You'll appreciate my wisdom someday when you're older and you're grown
Can't wait till you have a couple little children of your own
You'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew, would appreciate
Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate
Use your fork, do not burp or I'll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, get the door, don't get smart with me
Get a grip, get in here, I'll count to three
Get a job, get a life, get a PHD
Get a dose of,
"I don't care who started it!
You're grounded until you're 36"
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven's sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too?
If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before
That you're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything and everything must be in place
Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs on
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with mom
Don't forget, I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never ends
You don't need the reason why
Because, because, because, because
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so
I'm the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!!
Ta da!!!

Happy 4th of July

It is true, I'm completely crazy. I've been very excited about today because the plan was to go to my in-laws to celebrate my birthday, my mother-in-law's birthday and America's. How fun!! In preparation for this occasion, I've purchased red, white and blue outfits for Luke and Maddie to wear. I've been envisioning the cute pictures we would be able to take with the two of them, together.

Of course, I'm not used to getting two children out of the house and I needed to be ready to go by 2:00 pm. So, I started early by packing bags and getting items ready to go. At 12:00 pm Maddie had her bottle and her bath. By 1:00 pm, she was in her cute 4th of July outfit and in the bouncy seat waiting for our departure. She looked SO cute I had to take the following picture and email it to my in-laws:


With an hour to spare (Luke would be up from his nap at 2:00), my plan was to get myself ready and eat a little lunch. Yeah!! Then...Maddie spit up what seemed like the whole contents of her 12:00 bottle. That is right folks, curdled formula all over her and her outfit. I was SO bummed. No more sweet smelling baby and no more cute outfit. Here is the crazy part. I couldn't let it go. I promptly stripped Maddie, washed the outfit by hand and put it in the dryer. I could've put her in another dress, but that won't do. This one says, "My first 4th" on it, people. I then proceeded to "spot" clean her...not as sweet smelling but close enough.

By 2:45, the outfit still hadn't dried and we had yet to leave the house. I put her in a onesie (she had been napping naked) and hung the outfit in the minivan to dry. Needless to say, I didn't get to eat lunch.

After all that work, I bet you're thinking I would be posting many a pics of Luke and Maddie together in their 4th of July duds. Nope, not one picture of them together. I got caught up in the visit with my in-laws and taking care of the kids. I completely forgot. That rocks! So much for organization and planning :)

1 month!

Can you believe that Maddie has been on this earth for a whole month already? Where has the time gone? Maddie went to the doctor and here are her current stats:

• 21 inches
• 9 lbs and 1 oz

She has grown two inches and gained two pounds in a month. Yikes!! Girlfriend isn't in the habit of skipping any meals :) She is looking less like a newborn and more like a baby everyday.


Isn't she sweet! If she slept through the night she would be perfection in pampers ;)

True dat...

I just took the "What American accent do you have?" quiz that Dan has on his blog. Here are my results:

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Inland North

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North   You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The Midland
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The South
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I actually do call it pop. Ha!!

I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can

Yes, I now have two children. However, I feel like I haven't had to be a parent to two children...yet. My mother-in-law was here when we first got home from the hospital. She took care of Luke while I took care of Maddie. The next week Dan started taking Luke to and from school on his way to work. So, it has mainly been me and Maddie...by ourselves. I'm very grateful for this time with Maddie because I know this is a luxury most moms don't have with their second child.

With all of that said, I almost panic when I think about taking care of both Luke and Maddie on my own. I'm trying to get Maddie on a routine with good sleeping habits (I'm SO looking forward to sleeping at night). How would I devote that time to her when Luke is running amuck in the house? Going to the grocery store or Target seems like a crazy talk. By the time Maddie is done eating, it is time for Luke's snack. By the time he is done with his snack, it is time for her nap. Once she is up from her nap, it is time for Luke to nap. Ugh!!

I'm shocked by this turn of events. I'm a high energy, organized and on-the-go type of gal. I don't let this type of stuff stop me. I create the plan and execute the plan. What has happened to me? Someone needs to slap me!! I can do this.

So, Dan had errands to do this morning and it was just the three of us. I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can. Amazingly, we all survived. I am now realizing why moms have such a hard time getting their second child on a routine/schedule. Maddie spent the second half of her nap in her swing and slept longer then normal. It just had to be that way.

Once again, my ideal world is in direct conflicted with reality. Does anyone sense a theme? I will not be able to serve both my children perfectly. I will have to settle for serving them well...which means everyone will be making compromises. This seems to be a lesson I get to learn and relearn. The good news is I'm getting quicker at learning it each time...I'm making forward progress :)

Maddie's Spa Day

Maddie is a pretty easy going. In keeping with her personality, the first bath at home didn't phase her.

She really loves to sleep.

Even after she is neked...she is still sleeping

Now that she has some water on her, she has decided to wake up.

Not one tear is shed during this bath.

All clean!! There is nothing better than a sweet smelling baby!

Madeleine Grace is here!!

It is hard to believe that tomorrow Maddie will be a week old. Crazy, huh? Time sure does fly when you are having fun!! Here is the 411 on Maddie:

• 7 pounds, 1 oz
• 19 inches
• born at 10:36 AM

Here are a couple of pictures:

She's pretty cute, huh? :)

So far, Luke is adjusting pretty well. He gets very concerned when she is crying and is very sweet when he kisses her on her head. He is a two year old little boy and the patting on the head can get a little rough. Luke and I have two very different definitions of the word "gentle" :)

The c-section recovery is going pretty well...it is all about managing the pain. I've been able to negotiate our many flights of stairs without any problems. I'm not saying I'm running a marathon anytime soon, I'm just doing better than I expected. For me, low expectations equals high joy :)

I must give Dan props as he has been great this last week. I absolutely couldn't take care of Maddie the first two days in the hospital. I would've been in big trouble if he hadn't been with me. He did many feedings, diaper changes and outfit changes (we have another spitter). It is awesome to have a husband who isn't afraid to take care of newborn. My husband rocks!!

No tears

For the last two years, I have been taking Luke to Pigtails and Crewcuts to get his haircut. So, why would I choose today to write about it? Because after two long years, today was the first time he didn't cry and scream through the entire haircut.

There were NO TEARS at all. He even laughed when the girl used the clippers because it tickled. I normally have to do a jig to calm him down and keep his hands out of his hair. However, today, I actually got to sit during his haircut. How fabulous is that? The little man is growing up ;)

If you don't have anything nice to say....

Yes, it has been awhile since I've updated my blog. The last few weeks of this pregnancy have been a little rough and extremely tiring. My mom always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." So, I've been quiet since I didn't want my whole blog to be about the woes of pregnancy.

With that said, I only have four days left until Madeleine's arrival. I guess having the end in sight has given me what I need to push on to the end. You can do anything for four days. Well, I couldn't do four days of ab crunches but you know what I mean :)

That's mine...

We went to our storage POD on Saturday and got all the baby stuff out. I'm feeling like we are almost ready for Maddie. Woo-hoo!!

However, I know Luke is not ready for Maddie. Just the short time at the POD threw Luke into a severe case of "mine". If Dan, I, or Austin (the dog) made a claim to one of our items, Luke said it was his. Then at the end of the day I had to reassure him that Me-Me (his favorite blanket) was indeed his. I know the transition ahead will be tough for him. I would love any advise from my experienced mom friends. What did you do to make this easier on your first borns?

Potty Training - Update

I've decided that potty training is probably the hardest transition I've had to navigate since becoming a parent. All the other transitions (ending naps in the swing, going from bottle to sippie cup, getting rid of the pacifier, etc.), have gone pretty smoothly. I've realized there are two reasons why the other transitions were easy and potty training has not been:

1. Luke couldn't talk or argue with me yet
   
2. I was in control of the situation

I just removed the item, we dealt with the rough patch, and then never looked backed. However, with potty training, Luke has to decide that he wants to leave the world of diapers behind. He controls whether he wets his pants or lets someone know he needs to go. I can coach, I can encourage, I can bribe (I mean reward), I can yell until I'm blue...bottom line...he is the decision maker in this process.

So, the week has seen its share of ups and downs but Luke is really getting the hang of using the potty. He has even started telling us when he needs go. Woo-hoo. He still has accidents when it comes to #2 but that is to be expected. He is doing really well and I'm VERY proud of him!!

Potty Training - The last day at home

Tomorrow, it will be back to work for me and back to school for Luke. I would love to report that today was a banner day and we have gotten the potty training job done. However, I would be lying to you. Today looked a lot like day one with many accidents and very little going in the potty. I feel like we've gone backwards instead of moving forward. We will see how things go this week when he is back at school. I'm crossing my fingers :)

On the super hero front, we have two new obsessions. The first is with Superman. Grandma has gotten Luke a pair of Superman pajamas with a Velcro cape. That's right boys and girls, Luke has a cape. He runs around the house making flying noises with his cape flapping behind him. He insisted on wearing his shirt and cape to the pharmacy this afternoon. Of course, his obsession was only reinforced by everyone (pharmacist, older gentleman, checkout clerk, and etc.) calling him Superman.

The second is with the Hulk. He insists on taking his shirt and cape off and running a round the house. This indicates that he has officially become the Hulk. If you ask him, "Hey Luke, do you want a snack?" His reply is, "I'm not Luke, I'm the Hulk. Rooaar!" Oh my!!

Potty Training - Day 5 - Sanity Break

It was absolutely fabulous to get out for two hours this morning and get a pedicure and manicure. That's right folks, I splurged and did both. There is a world outside of my house and most people aren't focused on potty training. Who knew?

Luke asked me if I got my toes done when he got up from his nap. I said yes and asked him if he thought they looked pretty. He looked down at my toes and said they were pink and shiny. I'm taking that as a yes. You take what you can get when you're the mom of a boy :)

As for the potty training, we are still making progress. I want to be careful that I don't set-up a power struggle with him over the potty. So, I'm trying to figure out the balance between insisting that he try to go at regular intervals versus him taking the lead and letting me know when he has to go. I'm pretty sure he would spend the day wet if I didn't insist he try to go to the bathroom. However, as my friend Jill would remind me, he isn't going to go to Harvard wearing diapers. I must maintain the correct perspective :)

Oh, I almost forgot... Dan has been teaching Luke that they need to open and hold the door for me. Luke and I went to the post office yesterday and at every door he would get in front of me and say, "I need to open the door for you." Shut-up. Too cute!! There was no way for him to open those big doors on his own but watching him try made my heart melt. I love being a mom!

Potty Training - the end of day 4

It was a rough start today. Luke was up last night and early am at 11:30 pm, 2:30 am, 3:30 am and 4:30 am. At 4:30, I turned off the monitor and decided to just let him do his deal in his room. I think he was having some allergy issues and couldn't sleep with his stuffy nose (poor guy). Apparently, he went back to sleep but was up for the day at 7:00 am. Woo-hoo. Needless to say, we were both peaches to deal with this morning. Dan only remembers him getting up once. I wish!!

The potty training side of life was going well until mid-morning. He came into his room to get a wipe. I asked him why he needed a wipe and he said to clean-up his chair (toddler rocker). When he turned to leave the room, I got full view of why he needed to clean his chair. The good news is he was going to take responsibility and clean-up the mess himself. The bad news is he still isn't going to go on his own without prompting. I just keep telling myself it is only day 4 ;) Poor Luke has a mom who is so type "A".

I've decided I need a sanity break. I will treat myself and get a pedicure tomorrow. The toes are in desperate need of attention. Besides, with this big belly, I couldn't reach my toes if I wanted to :)

Potty Training - The end of day 3

Today was the opposite of yesterday. Luke started the day being very willing to go to the potty. We even took two car rides (one to get lunch and one to get ice cream). However, Luke lost it at the end of the day. I don't know if it occurred to him this evening that this a new way of life or if we have watched The Incredibles to many days in a row. (He likes to run around the room while the movie is on pretending to be Dash, hee-hee.) Whatever the reason, he was defiant and refused to go to the potty.

Here is the tally for the day:

Many Reese's Pieces
1 pair of wet underwear
1 hardwood floor accident
2 pretty frustrated parents

I still feel like we are making progress but I'm curious to see what tomorrow brings :)

Potty Training - The end of day 2

Another day done...woo-hoo!! We are definitely making progress. Here is the tally for the day:

Many Reese's Pieces
2 pairs of wet underwear
1 carpet accident
1 hardwood floor accident

In the morning and early afternoon, he would tell me he wasn't going to go on the potty and not five minutes later he and the floor would be wet. Ugh!! However, late in the afternoon, he went on the potty every chance he could in order to get a piece of chocolate. Slowly but surely he is making the connection.

Potty Training - The end of day 1

Well, Luke and I survived day 1. Following is the tally for the day:

Many Reese's Pieces (he did manage to pee in the potty quite a bit)
5 pairs of wet underwear
3 hardwood floor accidents
2 carpet accidents
1 pooh in the potty - woo-hoo!!

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Potty Training - Day 1

Okay, "PT" day is finally here and we have "officially" started potty training. We already have two pairs of wet underwear (oops, make that three), pee on the carpet, and hardwood floors. We are off to a great start ;) I have decided to employ the "you get a piece of candy after you pee or pooh in the potty" tactic. As you can see from the above information, this is really working well for us.

Alright, I need to put Luke in a fresh pair of underwear. Lord, please give me tons of patience this week!!

Potty Training - 5 days and counting

Yikes! Buying big boy underwear is on the to-do list tomorrow.

Where does he get this stuff?

Conversation between Dan and Luke:

Dan: "Are you pooping?" (Why do we parents ask questions we already know the answer to?)
Luke (who is obviously pooping): "No."
Dan: "I think you are pooping."
Luke: "So what."

Where does this 2 1/2 year-old come up with this stuff?