Day 1 of Potty Training (second try)

I have decided to document our journey towards this milestone because I think it will be pretty humorous to look back on in 10 years...

We have been building up to this day for the last week.  I told Caleb that on Monday, it was "no more diapers" day!  I know he's ready because he was basically potty-trained for 2 weeks back in January, but it soon lost its novelty and he decided he didn't really care for it anymore.  That's when it became a battle...and I gave in.  With a 6-week old baby and some crazy hormones, I decided it just wasn't worth it.

Fast forward 5 months...and I have been changing at least 5 poopy diapers a day (2 from Caleb and 3 from Noah--my boys are VERY regular).  Enough is enough!  So, I decided I was ready to tackle this monster head-on with all guns blazing.  :)

We started off the day yesterday putting on big boy underwear (the padded Gerber training pants).  I set the kitchen timer and every 30 minutes we would head to the potty.  There was very little training because he already knew what he was supposed to do since we did this back in January.  He did great all morning...until I was distracted and he was perturbed that I wasn't giving him my undivided attention, so he wet (on purpose).  And then he pooped in his underwear a few minutes later when I was yet again distracted.  It was just lovely (can you sense my sarcasm?).  This is another reason I knew he was ready--he can use his potty against me!

The afternoon/evening went very well--no accidents!  So, tomorrow we will see how he does...if by Friday, he doesn't have any accidents all day, we are going to Red Robin to celebrate.  :)

Oh, and here is my very own list of "potty" essentials:

-A toilet.  We aren't using a "little person" potty or a seat that goes on the toilet.  Caleb likes to just sit backwards on the "big people" potty and straddle it.  It works WONDERFULLY because there is absolutely no clean up!  It is virtually impossible to have any messes with this method.
-Gerber Training Pants--These have extra "padding" in them so if he does have accidents it will soak a big portion of it up so that I at least have time to get them off before a mess is made on the floor. 
-M&M's, suckers, and anything else he wants for a reward (he doesn't necessarily get one every single time)
-A whole lot of made-up cheers, songs, and praise to encourage him in this grand endeavor!

Wish us luck!!!

child labor

What can I say...the kid loves to vacuum! 

my favorite parenting book (so far)...

I'm weird.  I like to read parenting books. I'm not sure why I feel so compelled to stuff my head with knowledge from so-called "experts" instead of just relying on my own instincts. But I do.  Perhaps it's because I feel the weight of this outstanding responsibility that God has entrusted us with, or perhaps it's because I just don't feel like I have the right "strategies".  Who knows? 

In most books I've read (and I've read quite a few), I've agreed with some, but usually not all, "advice" given.  But I think I might have just found a book that I can agree with... at least 95%.

Making Children Mind without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Leman...funny title, huh? 

In this book, Dr. Leman emphasizes an approach of authoritative parenting that he calls "reality discipline."  Basically, letting the natural consequences of life (with your direction and guidance) discipline your child.  From the pendulum of permissive parenting (letting your kids rule over you) to authoritarian parenting (ruling over your children with an iron fist), this "authoritative" style acts of sort of a happy-medium while still maintaining control. 

He also emphasizes that our homes need to be a place where children feel safe to fail...because sometimes we learn the most through our failures.  If they can't fail at home, the consequences will most likely be much harsher when they fail in the world.

Something that has really worked for us has been his approach the mealtime.  Dinnertime in the last few months has been our most frustrating time with Caleb.  He went from a child who would eat everything to a very picky eater who will barely eat.  We followed the instructions from the book by offering Caleb what we were eating for dinner as a family.  If he didn't want it, fine.  He didn't have to eat it, but he wouldn't be getting anything else to eat that evening.  I was somewhat hesitant to trying this seemingly "mean" approach and was afraid that he wouldn't be getting enough food, but then what Dr. Leman predicted would happen the following day actually did.  He woke up very hungry and ate a WONDERFUL breakfast.  We have had fewer battles now than ever.  This approach coupled with a cheer my mom taught Caleb--"Try it, you'll like it, take a tip from me.  I tried it, I liked it.  Yummy green beans (or whatever food it is)" has transformed our mealtimes. 

The other strategy that has worked well has been allowing Caleb to throw his tantrums--but placing him in his room (or isolation) when he does so.  This takes away his desire to throw fits--because he isn't getting the (negative) attention he used to.  Don't get me wrong--we still have our fair share of tantrum-throwing and mealtime mayhem, but it has given me a strategy that keeps me from feeling so frustrated.  That in and of itself has been worth it--whether or not it is actually changing Caleb's behavior.

It also has great ideas for children approaching school-age years and the importance of responsibility--emphasizing the importance of allowances, in addition to the normal household chores that everyone must pitch in to do as part of being a family.

And, in case you're dying to know, here are some other parenting books I've read with a short synopsis.

ON BECOMING BABYWISE--a great resource for expecting parents!  Read it while you're pregnant and in the first few weeks of your child's life (as if you don't have enough to do).  If you wait to read it until your child is over 6 weeks, you definitely lose the benefits of 7 hours of continuous sleep at 2 months.  :)

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: I really liked this book!  Many of the ideas were similar to Babywise, but it also focused on treating a baby as a person (i.e.--calling him/her by his/her name rather than saying "the baby", telling him/her that you will be changing his/her diaper before you do so, etc). 

On Becoming Baby Wise: Book II (Parenting Your Pretoddler Five to Fifteen Months):  Parenting your Pre-Toddler--Ideas on introducing solids, etc.  My advice--save your money and time and consult your doctor/pediatrician.

Toddlerwise:  Good strategies on toddler issues...not anything earth-shattering.  Still, a great resource for those tricky toddler years.  In fact, maybe I should go back and read this book again!  Also a great resource for potty-training.

Dare to Discipline(the new one) by James Dobson:  A great book on discipline and it has recently been updated so it isn't outdated.  We started reading it when Caleb wasn't even quite a year old, so I think I should go back and peruse this one too.  :)

The Strong-Willed Child by James Dobson:  This book has some good perspective regarding parenting a child with a strong will  I read my mom's copy of this book, so I felt some things were outdated (like him talking about Dr. Spock repeatedly).  However, I just saw that he has a *new* Strong-willed child book, which I just might have to get a copy of!

Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson:  I haven't actually finished this book yet, but I really like it so far!  I think it is one I will want to read every few years as my boys mature.  It has great perspective on letting boys be "adventurous" because it's in their nature (something I struggle with sometimes) as well as helping them grow to be spiritual leaders of their families. 

Training Up a Child: Following God's Plan:  This is a book that my mom used when she was a new mother.  It is VERY outdated, but has some good "strategies" to use with children.  I don't think it is even printed anymore. 

See?  I told you I was a nerd when it comes to parenting books.  :)

Noah ~ 7 months

Month 7 has been a month of changes for Mr. Noah.  He has come alive!  Noah has gone from a sleepy, low-key, contended newborn to a baby with a mind of his own!  It is so fun to see a little one's personality emerge.  He has found his little will and definitely informs us if he disproves of his current conditions.

At 7 months, Noah is...

• army crawling like a mad man--he is super fast!  He has crawled up on his hands and knees a few times, but prefers his perfected army crawl.
• sitting up by himself.  He was propping himself up with his hands, but now he is holding himself up without his hands. 
• babbling.  He say "Da, da, da, da" and Caleb loves to encourage him by saying it back to him. 
• no longer nursing.  :( 
• a VERY hungry boy.  He loves to eat his baby food, in fact he would much rather eat than drink--hence the reason we quit nursing.  He goes through 2 fruits, 2 vegetables, 1 meat, and 2 servings of cereal EVERY day. 
• so smiley.  He has a great big two-toothed smile that is adorable.  Of course getting that smile on camera is proving to be quite the challenge. 
• very attached to Mommy. 
• so VERY LOVED BY US!

Noah ~ 6 months

I just realized that in the craziness of Kevin's graduation and accident, I never did Noah's 6 month post (took pictures, just no post).  Seeing that he is now 7 months...I'll get on that!

Noah is a very happy baby, especially now that those 2 bottom teeth came in!  He weighs around 17 lbs and is 26.5 inches long.

He loves to blow raspberries and even has started saying "da, da".  Caleb loves to encourage him by talking to him in baby talk.  :)

He is FINALLY getting to be on a regular daytime nap schedule...which means I have about 1 1/2 hours each afternoon where both boys are sleeping!  YAY! 

Noah does a cute little tripod move since he can't actually sit up yet.  He just props himself up on his two little arms until they get tired and he tips over. 

I can't believe he is half-a-year old already!!! 

the year of fears

Based on my experience with Caleb, sometime between the ages of 2 and 3 a kid starts having fears. 

Perhaps you may recall this photo from our trip to the fire station?  And Caleb LOVES firetrucks and ambulances!

We had a similar but even more traumatizing experience at the Butterfly Palace in Branson.  My mom and I took the boys to the lake for 4 days while Kevin was out of town on business.  My mom suggested that we take him to "Celebration City" to ride some of the kiddy rides.  I knew from our experience at a small-town carnival last fall that he would be scared.  I suggested we take him to the Butterfly Palace...an indoor rainforest with thousands of butterflies.  He LOVES butterflies in our yard...so I thought it would be so much fun. 

Think again.

He was TERRIFIED.  And when I say terrified, I mean screaming, crying, shaking, burying his head in my chest.  All because a few butterflies got close to him... 

I don't get it.  This kid has been extremely sheltered.  Our television is NEVER on when he is awake (unless he is watching Veggie Tales, the Wiggles, Boz the Bear, or Sesame Street), so he hasn't seen anything violent to make him afraid of things.  We won't even watch The Lion King for crying out loud!  I guess it is just natural for fears to start at this age...even from things that a child normally likes.

Oh, and this picture was when we first arrived...before any butterflies flew close to him!

And our dinner at Pizza Hut the following night was interrupted by a pesky fly that Caleb just knew wanted to bite him.  So we boxed up our pizza, left, and ate it back at the lakehouse...without the fly.  :)

Unfortunately these are the only pictures I got from our adventure to the lake with Lola.  My camera battery died and I, of course, didn't pack the charger.

photo shoot (take two)

These are just a few of the many pictures we took a few weeks ago (the night of Kevin's accident).  We were just playing around with the camera (hence the reason the lighting needs to be adjusted in many of them).  I tried to upload them a few days ago, but blogger was having issues.  :) 

Counting our Blessings

To say it has been an eventful week would be an understatement.   Last Friday night we were enjoying the evening together as a family and taking some pictures of Caleb and Noah outside.  I was looking forward to the first weekend in a LONG time when Kevin would be home all weekend!!!  The boys had had enough picture-taking, so I took them inside to get ready to take baths.  Kevin said he was just going to quickly burn a pile of branches in our yard  that we had accumulated over the last month.  I didn't think twice about it.

The next thing I know, I look outside the kitchen window and see Kevin walking up to the house, soaking wet.  My first thought was that he had fallen in the pond behind our house (I couldn't see him very well).  He told me to call his Mom and Dad (a nurse and retired paramedic) for help because he had been burned.  Thankfully, he had the sense to jump in the pond.  When he told me that, I was thinking he burned his hand.  It wasn't until he got closer to the house and smelled the stench of burned hair and flesh that I knew it was way worse than that.  He had been completely on fire once he lit the pile (he poured gasoline on it first--something he now knows NEVER to do again). 

Kevin's right side of his face, arms, hands, leg, and a foot had all been burned--thankfully all first and second degree.

I should have called an ambulance, but Kevin didn't want me to.  We quickly "googled" first aid for burns and had him jump in a cold shower.  Kevin's mom and dad came over to help.  My parents and little brother and sister were in Zimbabwe for 2 weeks, so normally my dad would be over in an instant (he is a doctor).  We called his partner, though, and he met us at the clinic and took 2 hours of his Friday night to treat Kevin so that he wouldn't have to go to the hospital.  He said he was just about to send him to the burn unit, but knew he would have to wait a while in the ER first since it was a Friday night.

Now, 10 days later Kevin's face looks amazing.  He just looks like he has a really bad sunburn!  Just a few days ago, it was blistering and oozing.  His foot and insides of his upper arms are the worst.  He is still having to go in everyday to get those scrubbed and re-wrapped.  He has been in A LOT of pain these last 10 days.  It will be a while before he is completely healed, but we are SO THANKFUL that it wasn't worse. 

I don't even want to think how drastically our lives could have changed had there not been a pond just two steps away from where he was burning the branches.  It could have been 100 times worse.  He could perhaps not even be here...I am SO THANKFUL for that pond.

Unfortunately the rest of the week didn't get much better.  I had mastitis.  Caleb got sick with a high-fever and sore throat.  Two days later both Noah and Kevin got the same virus Caleb had.  Noah decided he didn't like to sleep at night anymore and started waking up six to eight times at night (when he was sleeping 11 consecutive hours prior).  I don't think I got more than 4 hours of sleep each night for 10 straight days.  It just didn't seem to end. 

But things are looking better today.  Kevin went back to work (hurt foot and all) and everyone is healthy again (so far).  I am hopeful that tonight will be a more restful night. 

We have been so touched by the love and support from family and friends.  We have received prayers, visits, meals, cards, Sonic drinks (for me), offers to babysit, and so much more.  Three sweet friends even cleaned our house for us!  We are so humbled by the love that has been shown to us and the major acts of kindness.  God has truly blessed us with an amazing network of love and support.  THANK YOU!