For George

Tiernan & Grady

Yesterday, Tiernan came over to play for a bit while his momma took his sister to the doctor. First thing Grady did was sit on his lap. Tiernan was not pleased. Grady on the other hand thought it was great fun!

Dinner with friends

Tonight we had dinner with our friends, Josh, Su & Heather. They had our bikes still from the camping trip so we made the trek down to their house to pick them up! We had dinner at my favorite place down there, Vince's, then we headed over to their house and let the kids play outside and we had a delightful Key Lime Pie that Su made for dessert.

The weather was perfect for being outside! I love their swing chair. I could sit out there all day.

Gibson and Heather had a lot of fun on the swingset

Playing with the bin o' toys

Gregg hit the ball around with the kids for a while.

And in VERY exciting news, Gibson went potty at the restaurant, this was a BIG deal as that was the first time he had gone to the potty in a public restroom! We had to go buy toys at the dollar store for both Gibson and Heather, but it was well worth the $4 I spent for him to meet that milestone.

Happy Birthday...

to my friends, Sonnet & Tamara who both celebrated birthdays this weekend!

Hope you both had GREAT days.

Success!

Gibson woke up dry today. YAY! He has had no accidents today (we did have one accident last night, but that wasn't his fault!). Double YAY! And he is starting to get the hang of pulling his own pants up and down. Triple YAY!

We only have one small issue and it seems that it's going to take some time for the solution to sink into the 3 year olds head.

Back when we put Gibson in his big boy bed, I told him that he couldn't get out of bed without mommy or daddy coming to get him. We had this discussion only once because he never got out of bed without calling me and me (or his dad) going in there to get him (yes, I know how lucky I am about that!). Well, this little plan has backfired. I originally didn't want him walking around while Gregg or I were sleeping because, I figured he would get into something and since I sleep like a ton of bricks (or use to, now that I have kids it's better), I was afraid I wouldn't hear him get up. So, now, I tell him, "if you have to go potty, get out of bed and GO, you don't have to wait for mommy" But what does he do? "He lays there and frantically yells "I GOTTA GO PEE, POTTY POTTY POTTY POTTY POTTY, I GOTTA GO PEEEEEEE". So, in there I go and I tell him, "get out of bed and GO! you don't need to wait for mommy to go pee!". I even put nightlights in his room and in the hall so that his path is lite to the bathroom.

Best laid plans and all that...

In the words of my friend, Elke

"Oh, Mylanta!"

It seems we have created a monster. Really.

From a child who screamed when we mentioned the potty to now a child who wants to go every 5 minutes....especially when it is time for nap or bedtime. I think he is seeing how this is a GREAT stalling tactic, and one that works. So, we are hoping this blows over once he is in the hang of this potty stuff, because it's only my first night dealing with this (I worked last night, so Gregg had the pleasure) and I am already over it and totally annoyed by this behavior. He just giggles when he gets out of bed and sits and sits and sits on the potty saying "But I HAVE to go, mommy, I HAVE to go PEE."

Sure you do kid. Now, GO TO BED. No wonder you are tired.

Jungle Playland

So, today we took the kids up to Jungle Playland. A gal that I know from the parenting message board I belong to was up visitng from Texas so we planned a little get-together so we could meet her and her family. I met both my friends, Kristi & Alyssa on the same message board so they also were there. Jungle Playland is a really great place where the kids can just run free and have alot of fun. It's nice because you can sit in one place and see everything. However, it's a bit of a drive, so we don't go often. I wish it was closer.

This was Gibson when we pulled into the place... He is exhausted from all the potty training I think and since we have been waking him up several times a night to see if he has to go potty his sleep is totally off. Poor guy.

Grady. When and how did this kid get to be so big?

Elsa (Kristi's youngest daughter) in Grady's stroller. He was like, "hey, who is that?"


Gibson. Do you see how hard this kid was playing? Sweaty hair and a red face.

Ok, this picture cracks me up! I put Grady down the slide in the "baby" area. He didn't like it so much.

Then we tried the big slide with mom.

Kristi and I talking. I had to post this picture. I can't believe how long my hair is getting. I never see the back, so I was amazed at how it looks.


This is Alyssa's adorable son, Andrew.

Gibson's one and only attempt to climb the rock wall.

The whole group minus 1 child and 3 dads (the 4th dad was working today).

Whew! Update, end of day 3

Well, I think we have done it. We made it to the end of the 3rd day of our 3 day potty training program. Gibson had NO accidents today and he even woke up dry from his nap. I am feeling much better about this whole process and all the work from the last 3 days.

It's wonderful to see how excited Gibson is and how proud of himself he is. After yesterday, I was afraid that he would be upset again today especially when he woke up wet this morning. But, I think all is good. All he talked about today was how he was a big boy now and he uses the big boy potty. He kept showing me all the trains he got (all 2 of them) for going on the potty.

So, I hope we continue to do well. I plan to train Grady with this same program/method but I plan on doing it when he is around 22 months (the recommended age for this method).

If anyone is interested in checking it out, the program is at http://www.3daypottytraining.com/

Potty Charts

Oh man, today is SO much better than yesterday. Gibson has managed to tell me THREE times so far today that he has to go potty and we have gotten to the potty AND peed IN the potty without ANY accidents. It's been one solid party here today. Whew. Maybe we are on the downhill slide to him getting this. He is so proud of himself and we have called Daddy, Papa and Grandmare to tell them all because he was so excited.

Gibson's potty charts are filling up with stars! That is his favorite part of the whole potty thing, he loves putting the stars on his charts. We have several more stars since I took this picture.

End of day 2 update

Well, today didn't go as I hoped it would.

Naptime was ugly. I couldn't get him to sit on the potty to go before nap so I had to put him down without him going potty. He managed to both pee and poop his bed at nap time. UGH.

Then after nap, he wouldn't go (again) or even try, so we kept asking...I knew he had to go because he was doing the potty dance and asking me to "hold him". I am not sure where he got the hold me thing, but that is how I know he has to go, he says "I want you to hold me". Weird. Anyway, after dancing around for an hour, he FINALLY around 8pm tonight went on the potty. This was the first time today that he actually went in the toilet from start to finish. It was a big thing, we had a celebration and stickers were given out.

Fast forward about 10 minues...It's Gibson's bedtime and while Gregg is putting him down, I head out to run an errand (and get some time out of the house) and as I am wandering the toy isles at Target looking for birthday presents for a few kiddos we know, my phone rings. Apparently there has been a poop explosion of epic proportions in Gibson's bed and Gregg needs to know how to handle it. We talk, he talks to Gibson, gets everything cleaned up and Gibson promptly passes out from exhaustion. It's alot of work for him I am sure and I am sure his body is tired from holding everything in all day.

So, according to the program/method that I am following most kids "get it" by the end of day 3. Tomorrow is day 3. I hope he gets it. We have some fun planned on Saturday and if he doesn't have his act together, he is going to have to stay home while Grady and I go and have all the fun and he will not be amused with that!

He will get this, he will get this, he will get this, he WILL get this!

more importantly...

*I* can do this, diapers are a thing of the past, I CAN do this, diapers ARE gone, it WILL be easier this way. I will look back on these 3 days and will be glad it didn't take me longer...

I hope.

Halfway through day 2...

Ok, this potty training business has to be the most frustrating thing in all of my parently life yet.

Gibson has only had one minor accident today that I caught and we got to the potty where he did finish, but getting this kid to actually sit on the potty is a major challenge. He just does not want to sit and go on the potty. He held it all day today until 11:30am when I finally ran the water in the kitchen sink while doing dishes so that it would "prompt" him to go. He started doing the potty dance/holding himself while screaming "NOOOOO I DON'T HAVE TO GOOOOO". Oh boy.

Anyone have any words of advice on how to get this kid to just go when he needs to? I tried explaining that if he would just go and get it over with he could get back to playing or whatever, but reasoning with a 3 year old doesn't seem to work (DUH). I totally get that going potty is a waste of time (he is so my child in that regards) and that diapers are WAY easier (agreed, also) but diapers are officially a thing of the past and now I can't go back and it's not like he isn't ready, he is, he can hold it, stay dry and tell me when he has to go, it's just a matter of getting him TO actually go.

I'm frustrated.

Grady

Bagel, anyone?

Here are a couple of pictures from today of my sweet little green eyed monster. I say that with love...this kid is a jealous one. I had to focus alot on Gibson today because of the whole potty training this and Grady did not like it one bit! This is something I have noticed over the last couple of weeks. Whenever I hold Gibson or Gibson is upset or I am dealing with him, Grady bites at my knees, whines, cries, pull at my leg, whatever he can to let me know that HE is there and HE needs to be held. Stinker. At one point today, I was sitting on the floor building a track layout on Gibson's train table and trying to keep Grady from tearing it apart and so I gave him a normally off limits toy (one of Gibson's diggers) and tried to distract him and he was having no part of it, he came over and grabbed my hair/face and gave me a kiss then climbed into my lap and put his head on my shoulder. Point made. He wanted his momma even though it wasn't like I had ignored him, he just wanted some extra love because Gibson was getting it. We had snuggle time and I finished Gibson's lay out with one hand while I held Grady.

End of day 1

Tonight has not gone so well. :(

2 accidents and a wet bed.

I'm not giving up hope. He will get this. Hopefully it will just click with him tomorrow. I have a feeling we will be up in the night changing sheets once more at least though.

WOOOHOOOOO!

We made poop in the potty!

:happy dance:

(We. heh. I mean Gibson, but I was there for moral support.)

ACK!

My cell phone is history.

Fell in the toilet.

Good thing we have like 1700 back-up cell phones round this house.

Halfway through day 1...

and I am frustrated and frazzled. However, we have no more diapers for Gibson to wear and fall back on as we have thrown them all away. And since I had him do that, he is clear that we have no more diapers. Why he is screaming everytime I mention the potty I don't know. I think old habits just die hard and it's easier to go pee in your diaper.

Gibson has had one accident and one sort of successful pee on the potty. He was sitting on the potty but he wouldn't sit like I asked him to and so he peed over the edge of the toilet onto the floor which splashed all over my (small) bathroom. [sigh]. Guess I will have the cleanest bathroom in town after all this.

Anyway...he is down for his nap right now in big boy underwear. I am half expecting to have a wet bed to change when he gets up, but I am seriously hoping that he will get up and pee right away and we will be good. We'll see.

Hopefully the last half of today goes well. I'll keep you posted. I know you are all waiting with baited breath on the ins and outs of my child's potty saga. [wink]

Gibson's monkey hat

Today, I took Gibson to story hour at his preschool in hopes that it gets him motivated for potty training and wanting to go to school in about a month. He had a really good time and did really well listening to the teacher read the stories. Last time, he was up, running around, being SUPER loud, it was bad. This time, it was MUCH better. He sat on the floor and listened (for the most part) and followed the instructions and was excited to make the craft. He was excited to use the "safety scissors" (thank you Mickey Mouse ClubHouse) with mom's help. He has not taken the hat off except for naptime. He told me he "wants to show everbody my new monkey hat".

So everybody ~ here is Gibson's new monkey hat.

I'm Scared!

Someone hold me.

I just finished reading the potty training program that we are doing with Gibson (he starts school in about a month and HAS to be fully potty trained) and step one is THROWING AWAY ALL OUR DIAPERS! YIKES! So, throwing away we will do. Figuratively, of course. Gibson will be none the wiser, but I don't plan to throw $50 worth of diapers in the garbage, nope I will dig them out when he is napping and hide them in Grady's closet for him. But this means, there is no turning back, it's big boy underwear all the way from this point forward. We are knee deep in potty training and I'm committed. [gulp]

The next 3 days are going to be very busy and very stressful for me since I have to follow this program to the letter for it to work, and most of you know I am a rule follower but not always to the letter, so this will be interesting, especially since I get bored easy and Gibson is not use to me hovering over him like a hawk all day. Plus we are stuck at home and can't do anything else. Hopefully it will click for Gibson before the end of day 3, especially since I have some very cool rewards for him!

I'm sure I will have stories. Hopefully I will have the energy to update at the end of the day each day. Stay tuned.

I'm off to make a potty chart.

Ft Stevens

standing: Gregg, Gibson, Tim, Kelly Jason with Gwen, Jenny, Kristi with Elsa, Erica, Su, Sammy, & Christie with Elena. down in front: Grady & I, Ethan, Josh and Heather.

This weekend was our annual trip (we did miss last year though due to me giving birth!) to Ft. Stevens in Astoria, Oregon. We had a bigger group this year than we have in years past and we had a great time. It seems everyone had alot of fun. There were lots of kids and for the most part they all got along swimmingly. Although it was cold. VERY cold. Especially at night. and it rained on Saturday morning. We were all bundled up with 3-4 layers and I was still cold. The kids were warm and toasty though. It's amazing how kids can keep their body temp up.

On the way down to Astoria, which is about a 4 hour drive from our house, we stopped at Cabela's for a pit stop and to get a first aid kit (we forgot ours). Gibson likes going in there because they have lots of fun things to look at.

Finally, we arrive at our campsite. Gibson wasted no time in getting started digging in the dirt that was at the site. Gregg started "building the tent" as Gibson like to call it. All weekend long, Gibson kept saying "Daddy, you build a tent all by naself". He also called it our "house". He kept wanting to go over to everyone else's house. It was cute.

Kristi's sister, Jenny, came with them and she gave the kids trailer rides.

Miss Heather

Gregg and Grady hanging out after we got camp all set up

This is down at the beach where the Peter Iredale shipwreck is.

Gibson and Heather, they had alot of fun getting all wet and sandy.

Grady started giving kisses while we were there. Unlike Gibson, Grady gives open mouth slobbery kisses but it was so sweet to have him give me a kiss! I loved it.

Kelly & Grady

Gwen, Heather and Gibson

Gibson roasting his first marshmellow. I think this may been one of his favorite parts of camping. Well, besides EATING the marshmellows. He is totally my kid.

My marshmellows and s'more. YUMMO!

Gregg and I hanging out by the campfire after everyone else had gone to bed.

Gibson after the first day. He didn't go to bed until 9pm, he was sacked out.

Grady the first night....wide awake.

Like the outfit? I told you I had to bundle them up. That's a blanket sleeper with sweats over it. No fashion contests being won this weekend but Grady was nice and toasty!

The boys in the trailer getting ready to go on a bike ride down to Ft. Stevens.

Action shots of the bike ride.

Hanging out down at the Fort. They do a re-inactment once a year and we happened to be there when they did this years. What luck! They had all kids of people dressed up.

Gregg, Josh and Gibson watched them do a show. They re-inacted the battle at Normandy. Or as Gibson liked to tell everyone that he saw "The Germans, dey fall down".


Ok, so most of you know how I am about dirt. I don't like it. At all. I don't like things dirty, least of all clothes or faces. Well, here is my kid...nice, eh? He looked like this practically the whole time we were there. As soon as I would get him all cleaned up, he would be covered in dirt again. So, I gave up. If dirt was his friend, it was mine too. But only for this weekend.

This was night #2. This was about 7:30pm...all the kids were out around this time actually. They had had it and were hanging on by a sting by dinner time and it was all we could do to keep them going until bedtime.

the adults hanging out by the campfire after most of the kids were out for the night. Grady and Elsa were still up.

Kristi and I

Baby Elsa, she is 8 weeks old and she did really well.

Gregg hold a passed out Grady.

Gibson, Ethan, Heather and Gwen

Grady eating. This is how he spent alot of the weekend. In his chair or in the pack and play. It was a bit hard to keep him entertained. Next year will be easier.