YOU ARE MISSED!

The ongoing task

MOM- 3  KACI - 2

While I realize that we have a long road to full potty training, we took a step in the right direction this weekend.  She figured out how to at least go pee in the potty.  This morning she said, "Mom, I have to go potty." She went into the potty, took her underwear off and went.  No tears, no fighting.  YEAH!!  We still have to figure out #2 but hopefully we are well on our way to being diaper free.  

SPEAKING OF STUBBORN...

KACI   -  2 MOM -  0

The power struggle is on. Yesterday after she stayed dry for about 2 hours and had sat on the potty to no avail I decided that she was going to sit on the potty until she peed. For the first half hour she sat there and sang and talked alternating between the big potty and the little potty. Nothing came but I was determined to win -- my first mistake. So the tears begin and the screaming and the yelling and the fits.  For the next half hour she cried and cried but she was going to pee on the potty. Then, she starts falling asleep. I guess the crying wore her out but I was determined to have her go potty so I kept trying to talk to her but it was pointless. She was not going to do it and plus I had to take Jackson to baseball. So, I put a diaper on her and as I am walking out the door she says, "I wet mommy."   

Today after we got home from running to the store, I put her in underwear. She stayed dry for about an hour and would sit on the potty every 20 minutes or so but no pee. Finally, it was 1:00 so I used the nap as a bribe. "If you go pee in the potty you can watch a movie instead of take a nap." "YEAH!!"  So she sits on the potty for a long time, stalling I am sure, but still no pee. So we go upstairs and put a diaper on for nap time and she says ," I go wet mommy!" At this point I just laughed and said good night and came to the computer to vent. That little stinker is going to be the end of me. The other kids would at least pee and poop in the potty when they tried, it was all about helping them get to the potty when they had to go. She is just bound and determined to drive her mom nuts.  

I did take a picture of her asleep on the potty but she didn't have any clothes on so I chose not to post it.  

What I am dealing with!!

There are two things I don't deal well with and I am dealing with BOTH right now!

1.  Potty Training!  I HATE IT!  Diapers are so convenient!  You don't have to know where EVERY potty is in EVERY store.  Yes, they are stinky and eventually, once the child gets the hang of it, the potty is easier.  I just hate the in between time.  I hate the fact that with Kaci we have a deadline. We are going on a cruise in March and she cannot swim or go to any of the classes unless she is potty trained.  And when I say trained, it means they won't wipe butts, help put clothes on or remind a child that they haven't gone to the potty for awhile.  I have been slowly trying for a couple of months now and I have gotten her to sit on the potty but nothing has happened yet. SHE IS A VERY STUBBORN CHILD!  (I wonder who she gets that from?) Sunday I decided, since we have 1:00 church, to let her run around naked for a couple of hours after her bath.  She sat on the potty many times to no avail.  Later, she came to me and said "My dresser is wet."  WHAT?  She had climbed onto her dresser and peed.  Now, tell me that that is easier than sitting on the potty.  I have princess toys that she gets if she goes in the potty and she even tells me that she gets her jasmine toy if she goes on the potty but she still doesn't go.  I am almost out of diapers and I have decided to not buy anymore.  Miserable for me but if that is what it takes.  I will get pullups for her to sleep in but I am anti pullup during the day, although I may cave when I have to take the kids somewhere.  

2.  I am a GRUMPY person when I don't get enough sleep.  It is kind of a Gardner thing as my brothers and sisters are the same way.  We can stay up and play Rook til 3 in the morning but ask us to get up at 6 am and hear the grumbles begin.  Jackson is playing basketball for his school and a couple of times a week he has early morning practices.  Which means he has to get up at six, eat breakfast and be ready for school and practice by 6:30. Luckily, he has a friend we carpool with but we still have to drive half of the time.  I was up early enough to watch my neighbor leave for early morning seminary and thought, only 1 1/2 more years and he will have to be up at 5:30.  (Kaylee even earlier than that so she can do her hair and makeup.)  The other kids have to be up by 7 so even after he leaves its not like I can completely go back to sleep. Jason and I were supposed to switch mornings and today he did get up with Jackson but then came and started getting ready to go to work.  (We don't have a door to our bathroom which was a BIG mistake when we bought this house, especially when he used to teach early morning seminary!)  When I have to wake up for something in the morning, I don't sleep well because I am so afraid that I am going to sleep through the alarm plus Jason woke me up 3 times (half asleep) saying it was time to wake up Jackson.  (12:15, 2:43 and 5:17 to be exact!)  So, in a nutshell, if I seem crabby I probably am.  Our diet coke bill will probably double over the next 6 weeks and Jason is paying someone to build a door in our bedroom or waiting until 7 to shower.  Thank goodness the season is over the last week in Feb. 

Skiing with Dad

Finally, the snow subsided and it wasn't below zero.  The mountains got HAMMERED over Christmas break so Jason and the kids only got 1 ski day but it was a great one.  Tonz of snow and a beautiful day and not too crowded, (except for I-70 on the way home!)  The kids did great for their first time out this year.  What a fun activity for the kids to do with their dad!!

Kaylee
Jackson
Riding up to the top
Down at the bottom!!

Ice Skating with Uncle Ryan

Uncle Ryan is totally on a ice skating hockey kick so he decided to take all of the kids ice skating while Bec and I shopped.  What a good man he is.  ( Of course, Jason wasn't very happy as it left me alone in the mall with his credit card and not Ryans!) The kids had an absolute blast and keep talking about going back. Kaci was on the sidelines watching and really wanted to go but we went to see the princesses at the Disney store instead.

Here are the skaters.
Our friend Al walked by and the kids convinced him to skate with them. What a cool kid!
     Kaylee got really good by the end of the skate.
Jackson loved going around and was trying to do tricks by the end.
Chase was determined to go around without using the side rail!
       Here are Marian and Jackson trying not to fall.
Thanks for a fun time at the skate rink, Uncle Ryan!!!

Kaci turns 3!!

Kaci had a fun day on her birthday.  We went to Chuck-e-Cheese to celebrate the big day!  Ryan, Becca and their family joined us there.  Kaci loved playing the games but mostly enjoyed the rides.  It drives the kids mad because you don't win tickets on the rides but we told them that it was her birthday and she could do what she wanted!!

She loved this game and could play it without tokens which made the other kids happy!
She enjoyed opening presents and scored with a lot of princess stuff!!
Here is her cinderella cake with her cinderella candle.
If you ask Kaci how old she is she says "Cinderella, Belle, Snow White"  We tell she is three and she says no "Cinderella, Belle, Snow White"   For whatever reason, she thinks that we are asking her what she wants. She sang "A Whole New World" during the announcements at church today and was not very happy when we had to tell her that right now in church was not the time to sing.  Is it crazy that today was her last day in nursery?  She is so fun to have around and we love having her in our home!  Happy Birthday Kaci!!