Summer's here?

Thursday morning, the temp was 61 when we got up. Yesterday, I think is was still in the mid-high 60's. But since it's Memorial Day wknd- the official start of summer- I got Audrey's little pool out anyway. We filled it yesterday late afternoon, and it was COLD! I knew it would be, but I was trying to convince Audrey to get in anyway. To that end, I pulled up a chair and stuck my feet it- whoa! It was PAINFULLY cold. Reminded me of my college sports days, when you had to put your foot in an ice bath for a sprained ankle. Ok, not THAT bad, but still. She eventually did step in, and would catch her breath with each step in the water. She tried to put her hands in- made her catch her breath again. At one point, she thought about sitting down, caught her breath and then thought better of it. She ain't no fool! The funniest part about it all was her learning what it was all called. She thought her swimsuit was panties and shirt. I told her swimsuit! So then she thought the pool was called a swimsuit. Either way, she had fun, and the good news is, it WILL get hotter!

Potty talk

Audrey seems to have overcome her fear of other potties! I managed to convince her to go at church on Sunday (let her sit for about 15 mins). Then Tues was back to MDO, and I was pretty nervous about how it would go. This was our first day back in a full week (see previous post). I took her potty right when we got there, tried to distract her a bit, and she teeteed! Her teacher reported that she went 2 other times, and she was in the same clothes when I picked her up! Woohoo! Thurs was the same story too! "Goo jah Audgee!" Overall, going very swimmingly. She's had 1 or 2 night accidents, which I partly fault myself. We eat dinner around 6ish most nights, and she's a slow eater, so many nights she is still drinking at 7. Considering she goes to bed about 8, it's tough to limit her fluids for hrs before bed. I try to keep an eye on the time so she doesn't load up right before sleeping for 12 hrs. Other than that, she's doing perfect!

Back to work, making the big bucks.

If you didn't already know, I work a whopping 8.5ish hrs a week. Overwhelming, right? I took 8 weeks off when WyWy was born, and went back last Tuesday. I was going to post at the end of last week to tell all the fun and exciting things about going back, but instead, I got a stomach bug on Thursday. So not only did I not work my full week, I also felt like death and didn't want to type anything. :) For 24 hrs I couldn't keep fluids down, even with Zofran on board. So now my paranoia was two-fold: my kids are going to catch this, and my milk is going to dry up from lack of fluids. The first part didn't come true, PTL! And my milk DID start slowing down, so Wyatt had a couple frustating days of being hungry. Since he's pushing 14 lbs, I didn't worry too much that he'd blow away though. I started taking fenugreek like crazy Thursday night. It was actually the first thing other than fluids that I attempted to swallow! 3 capsules, 3 times a day. So if you smell a strong maple syrup-like scent, yes it's me and Wyatt. Don't be alarmed. It took a couple days, but by yesterday afternoon, I felt like we were back to normal, thank the Lord! 2 months is way too early to wean, in my opinion. Now to wean myself down off the fenugreek, so I can stop craving pancakes. ;)

The other excitement from my 1 day back to work last week, was Audrey's first day to MDO since potty training. It didn't go too well, but since I've had a week to calm down about it, we'll just say this: her teacher wasn't very committed to helping her be successful, so she had an accident. Her teacher also must have lost her mind, because she PUT A DIAPER ON HER to poop. Um yeah. I can't fathom why you would put a diaper on a child that has been potty training for a week, unless you just wanted to un-do everything the parents have been working for. Ok, so that's the short version, and we're just going to move on. I've since discovered that Audrey is quite the typical female, in that she's not fond of potties that aren't her own. I mean, isn't that why we squat in public, girls?? She had yet to potty anywhere other than home until yesterday at church (which was a bit of an ordeal). So I realize now that we have some work to do at MDO, in getting her comfortable with foreign potties. :) Thinking of taking her potty seat (that goes on the big potty) with us, but I really don't want to! Cuz that's an ordeal too, and then we still have to learn at some point how to go without it!! Suggestions welcome. Hopefully this week will go much smoother in many respects: I'll actually work the whole week (well, my whole 8.5 hrs) and Audrey's teacher will have patience, so Audrey will have success at school!

Potty training continues...for Momma and Daddy

We ventured out Friday evening to Forest Hill, La to visit Blaine's family on the first road trip with a newly potty trained toddler, and a 7-week old baby. Um, are we crazy???

The trip down was...um, long? Tiring? Stressful? Wyatt just used that time to decide he wanted to eat every 2.5 hrs, instead of the regular 3. So it ended up taking us 6.25 hrs instead of 5. Hello, 12:30am arrival time. :-| Audrey did ok with the pottying, save one issue...we stopped to get gas, and I'm feeding Wyatt in the car. Blaine goes inside to the restroom, and as soon as he leaves, she says "teetee potty!" Uh oh. I'm scrambling now. "Wait baby, don't teetee yet! We have to get on the potty!" Like she knows how to hold an urge?? She's JUST trained! So I'm thinking, do I stop nursing and try to run in with both kids?? Cell phone! Call Blaine back to the car! Ring ring.... He left his phone. THINK! I continue trying to talk her down on the off chance that maybe she hasn't already peed??? Blaine gets back and it's too late. Grr. I hate that she had an accident on account of our lack of planning! Oh well, I guess WE had to get potty trained too...new 1st priority when you stop- take the toddler to go potty! (Duh! say all you veteran parents, right? haha)

We also had a bit of trouble once we got to Nana's house. Somehow, we didn't carry our pottying skills over to a new location. 2.5 accidents on Saturday. After no accidents for 3 days! Ugh! I'm frustrated, and Blaine is too, since this is essentially his first day around her since training. I'm wondering if everyone, including my husband, is thinking, ha, yeah right, suuuuure she's potty trained! I had a moment of doubt when my SIL's suggested putting her in pull-ups. I wanted to say "no! I didn't do pull ups at all! Just straight to panties! And I'm not crazy, I'm promise, it HAS been working!!" They were trying to be helpful, cuz I know they could tell I was stressed. But it was really just a momentary setback because she loooooooooooves her cousins and didn't want to miss out on the action! Lesson quickly learned for us, once again: Take her to the potty at intervals and make her stay till she does her business. EVEN IF she says "ah done! hiney!" as soon as her butt hits the seat. Not that I fell for that one...nice try, Audgee.

After the unsuccessful potty day on Saturday, I was a bit stressed. I knew this because I dreamed "Tell Momma when you have to go teetee!" allllll night long! I also dreamed she and I were on a rollercoaster (the old Excalibur at Astroworld for you Houston folks) and she kept trying to fall out cuz she was too little. Symbolism, maybe? ha! I'm also stressing because now we're about to go to church Sun morning (our first public outing) and I'm going to leave her with folks she doesn't know. How's this gonna go???? Well, kudos to the folks in the Piglet Class at Calvary. They were unflapped by the potty trainer, and their only concern was that she hadn't gone by the time I picked her up! I was just relieved she didn't have an accident. I stressed for nothing though, because Sunday was back to her normal self. No accidents, and she continues dry overnight and through nap for 6 days now!

Tomorrow is the first day back to MDO since potty training. We'll see how it goes...hoping she plays the rock star card and shows em how it's done! And, if not, well, everyone has bad days right?

Potty Training: Day 1

I'll just apologize up front for the content today. Yes, I'm one of those parents who "all they ever talk about is poop, pee, feedings, and sleep!" Sorry. It's kind of all I have going on right now. :)

SO! I've been sweating it out, debating with myself about whether or not to bite the bullet and start potty training A. I'm pretty much of the mentality that you should just go for it, and no turning back! But I was terrified (silly, I know) she wouldn't do well, and I couldn't go back to diapers, so I'd be stuck in this never-neverland of continually cleaning up messes. Ugh. But I decided she really was ready, and I'd just take a big breath and go for it.

Started off the morning with the "big girl panty" speech and talked her through the "tell momma" routine. Gave her a fun, new cup so she'd drink lots and have lots of chances to go. The short version is this: she pees in her panties, I try to run her to the potty. Wipe up the pee, disinfect the floor, wash her down, new panties. "Tell Momma when you need to teetee!" Lather, rinse, repeat. Times 4. I'm getting pretty discouraged by this point. I guess no one told me the first day is just plain going to be messy! And I thought we'd have a few successes mixed in with the accidents. The good news: all 4 pees were in the kitchen! Does she know I have to clean these up?? Hmm. Thankful, either way. I finally managed to get her on the potty BEFORE she peed around 11, and I did the happy potty dance! I oo-ed and ah-ed, cheered and told her how proud I was! She looked at me nonchalantly and said "Hiney. Ah done." (Wipe my hiney. I'm through here.) A tiny ray of hope!

After lunch, we were playing a bit, and she informs me, "Poopoo!" !!!!!!!! We run to the potty, then I sit in the hallway to listen. Sure enough, she did her business in the potty after telling me she needed to!! Wahooooooooooo! I think we might be on to something! Now I REALLY did the happy potty dance! I was cheering and jumping around like a maniac! By George, I think she's got it! Once again, "Hiney. Ah done." Glad she's not getting too attached to all this praise.

Next up: naptime. Hmmm. The chick I'm reading about potty training says once you start in panties, you stay in panties. No diapers, no pull ups. They'll just "get it" at naps and bed. Um ok. Here goes. I explained about getting up out of her bed to teetee. 2 hrs into the nap, I hear her. Uh-oh. I check on her- wet bed. Bummer. Guess I can't just expect a miracle! However, the good news is, this was the last accident of the day!!

The biggest victory of the day was this: (although, let me interrupt myself- the poop was a HUGE victory!) I'm in the kitchen, she's on the other side of the counter getting a drink. I turn my back, then realize she's gone. Uh oh!! Rule number one of this potty training chick is watch your kid like a hawk! Don't leave their side, so you can catch them in the act/learn their potty cues. I hear running little footsteps, and go tearing out of the kitchen down the hall. Where do I find her? ON HER POTTY! With her panties still on. Oops. :) So I take her panties off...they're only a little wet?? She sits down and THEN lets loose with the pee! This kid. Man, she's good. Come to find out after we finished, there was a tiny little puddle in the kitchen. Wha??? She started to pee in the kitchen, stopped. Ran to the potty by herself and sat down. Stopped peeing again, till I got her panties down, then did her business! I think she's really got it!!!!!! Man, am I pumped!

Again, I took a huge breath, bit the bullet, and put her to bed in panties. I'm just anticipating a wet bed in the morning. Although, I do plan to take her to the potty when I go to bed, and when I'm up feeding Wy-Wy in the middle of the night. Here's hoping!

Above all, great cheers and accolades to my precious little, uh big, girl! She's growing up too fast! But she's kind of always been 1 going on 10. ;) And her tiny little butt looks so cute in big girl panties. :)

Sixth sense.

I've come to the conclusion that children have a sixth sense. No, it's not the ability to hear you sneaking their candy on the other end of the house, nor an uncanny awareness of your potty habits in order to come join you.

They know when you close your eyes.

I don't mean blink, or shut out the world when trying to think. They know when you are attempting a nap! And what, you may ask, do they do with this information? They decide to wake up, so that you CAN'T go to sleep! HA!

Like I've been telling Blaine since Wyatt was born...good sleep is all about expectations. If you expect to get 3 hrs, and only get 1, it's devastating. If you expect to get 1 and get 2, yeehaw!! So I don't ever get my hopes up for a nap any more. I pose it to myself this way: I MAY TRY to lay down for a few minutes. (Never, ever voice the statement: I'm going to take a nap. That is like blood in the shark-infested water.) Then, if I actually do get to squeak in 30 mins of sleep, I feel like a new woman!

Here's to you momma's who have figured out how to steal a nap from under the watch of those sixth-sensed kiddos!

Audrey's 1st dentist visit!

Well, the short version goes like this: How would you expect a dental exam with a 20 month old to go? That's how it went.

I took her to NLR Pediatric Dental Group on recs by friends. It was nice...toys and tvs in the waiting room, tvs mounted in the ceiling in the exam rooms, etc. Even sunglasses to wear during the exam, and prizes for a job well done.

We checked out some books about going to the dentist, in an attempt to prepare Audrey and on hopes that it would go smoothly. Ha. She loved the books of course! She was even excited about the noise the polisher/cleaner thing makes. She was excited all the way there, and started crying when I stopped, but we didn't get out, then turned around (google maps gave incorrect directions) >:-| (Dentith!!!!!! ) The waiting room was exciting, and she even layed down on the exam table no problem. Then. The hygienist donned gloves and asked to look in her mouth, and the shrieking commenced. Scratch that, no cleaning today. No biggie, she's only 20 months old.

While waiting on the dentist, I got her to chill out, put on sunglasses, watch the tv, and even have a few laughs. Dr. Wilson walks in, she goes tight-lipped and stone-faced. I tried explaining who he was, since we had been rehearsing for days now: "Dentith. Ahhhh! Cheeeee! Zzzzz! (polisher)" And in the car on the way: "dentith! ahhhh!" But once he actually walked in, it was no longer fun and games. Yes, I was the parent with the SHRIEKING child, trying to hold down her flailing arms and legs just so he could LOOK in her mouth. He didn't even do anything. No x-rays, no enamel checks, just the little mirror. She worked up some good tears and a good sweat in those few short minutes. I think I was sweating too, from my red-faced embarassment. At least they're used to these things.

After the sobbing subsided, she gave her prize away in exchange for a new toothbrush! I guess she didn't feel she deserved both? ;) Don't worry, folks I got her prize in the diaper bag! The final results was yes, she can continue sucking her thumb (for now), yes she does have a chipped tooth from her face plant the day b/f Easter but it's fine, and no, we don't have to worry about a frenulectomy for several more years. And the piece de resistance? Once we're in the car, and most of the way home: "dentith. ahhh! cheeee! toosbwush. cheeee! ahhh! dentith." Seriously????

Ugh. Here's hoping for a better outcome in 6 months. Or maybe we'll just wait a full year...

The rubber has met the road.

Whew, today was busy! I feel quite accomplished though: I took the kids by work this am so my co-workers could meet them, then we went to Walmart. First trip with the kids! Nothing very adventurous to report, other than I felt slightly ridiculous pushing the giant kid-buggy around. It does drive well however! To quote my mother, "It floats, like the carts at Ikea!" haha...Mom. After naptime, we headed to the library to get some books about going to the dentist. Yes, it's true, Audrey's first visit is tomorrow. Look for what I'm sure will be an interesting post tomorrow about it! Then we came back home and I cooked supper for the 3rd time in 6 weeks. :)

Re-reading this, it all sounds very smooth and orderly. Let me tell you, it did not FEEL smooth and orderly! All you other mom types can relate. It was more like: nurse.rush.shower.rush.Audrey.nurse.rush.work.rush.Walmart.rush.nurse.Audrey.rush.10minutejokeofanap.nurse.library.rush.cooking.nurse.rush.Daddy'shome.dinner.rush.bathtime.ahhhhhhhhhhhh the end of the day.nurse.nurse.nurse.sleep. :) Yes, that's more like it.

I wish my UPS driver were a woman...

Because surely SHE would think about the fact that she's delivering diapers to my house at 3:30 pm. Diapers=babies, 3:30 pm= naptime, all of which =BAD time to ring the doorbell!!

My mom had a solution to this problem. She had a little handwritten note taped over the doorbell when my sister was little that said something cutesy about not ringing the doorbell in the afternoon. I used to think that was so.dorky. But now, here I am contemplating writing one of my own. Maybe I'll call her to find out exactly what she wrote. ;)

Milkies Milk Saver

I posted about the milk saver on FB a few weeks ago...just want to make a short rave about it again! Check out http://www.mymilkies.com/ if you have no idea what I'm talking about. The short version is that you put it in your bra on the non-nursing side while baby is working on the other side and it catches your letdown so you can save up milk. I haven't done any extra pumping and I have a freezer full of milk already! I keep the flat-frozen milk bags lined up in ice cube bins and I already have almost 5 bins full! What a blessing and a 'momfidence' booster! The other info I have to add is that the Milkies customer service is excellent! The storage/travel case that the milk saver comes in already cracked at the hinge. I emailed them, and without a single question (other than my mailing address), they're sending me a new case! Rock on Milkies!!

Well, hello again!

I thought I might try my hand at blogging again. Maybe it's just the fact that I've had at least one adult home with me for the past month, and now I'm home by myself with little children, but I felt like getting some words out there. :)

In other news, I think I'm understanding how Wyatt is growing so much, so fast. I just finished giving him his second bottle ever (gotta get ready to go back to work in a couple weeks). I pumped off a little over 5 ozs, which he then drank 4 of! Pediatrician Blaine told me 1 mo old babies should take between 2-3 ozs. My little piggy sucked down 4 like it was nothing. So glad to have such a good eater! Let me interject here about another of my fav new baby products that supports b-feeding: the Breastflow bottle. It's the only bottle on the market that requires suction and compression, just like nursing. Plus it has an inner and outer nipple (which looks very breast-like) that simulates a letdown when he first latches on. I really feel this bottle will support b-feeding, rather than create a lazy nurser.

Off to the bills and laundry now...I'm going to attempt to post shorter, more frequent posts, rather than hour-long journal entries. We'll see how it goes...don't judge me if I fail again. :)