I could...

Holy torpedo, I am SO behind on blogging!  Honestly there are so many events/topics/memories that I have wanted to and still need to blog about, but I haven't had the time.  Some of my downtime this weekend was spent enjoying the family and giving my eyes/fingers/back a break from the computer.

I fully intend to introduce you to the most beautiful baby soon, wish my niece a "Happy 3rd Birthday", share some heart-warming moments with our family, celebrate my Grandma's birthday, update you on the "Wake the Bear" challenge and a little extra challenge I've taken on, share on my "Monday Must-Haves" and confess on my "Not Me! Mondays" .

Until then I could tell you about...

the bane of my existence

...the way these eyes taunt me with the many grains of sand outside around them rather than inside of their tummy...

...the way this one tries to help clean-up the mess, 

without much success.

Or I could complain about how this one finds more interesting things to do with brooms then to use them to help clean-up...

...and how this one has the perfect frown.

I could explain to you the ins and outs of basketball...

...and correct form for the shot...

...follow through and focus...

...and always remembering to, above all, HAVE FUN!

I could wax philosophical about breaking gender stereotypes...

...the fashion forward-ness of wearing two different shoes...

or how my daughter thinks she is the bionic woman and loves to lift heavy things.

I could tell you how to love a dog...

...and make him love you back.

Then again, I could go over lawnmower repair...

and I could share about the value of teamwork...

and WHO wore underpants tonight for the first time...

...or I could just go to bed and leave you with a little giddy sunflare and dreams about future posts I may have time for tomorrow...

Potty Training (Read at your own risk)

Hooray for Myles (and mommy too)! Yesterday we ventured out of the house in UNDERWEAR. :) It was a spur of the moment decision, but since we were going to a friend's house I knew we'd have a potty easily accessible and decided to try it. It was...A SUCCESS! A homerun actually as he went all day (except for during nap) without a diaper and no accidents! I must tell you I was prepared with a diaper and change of clothes just in case, but it went great. He went poopoo on the potty 3 times yesterday and peeing was a breeze. Way to go Myles - mommy can't tell you how proud I was of you!

Then today we ran to JoAnn's to get some paper for making Christine's baby shower invitations and I decided to give underwear a try again. As soon as we arrived to the store I asked him if he had to go potty and he said, "No." I pushed the stroller towards the back of the store to make sure where the bathroom was and asked him again to which he replied, "Yes." Off to the bathroom we went with our double stroller (love it). Public bathrooms....not so clean, although this one wasn't too bad. I wiped down the seat then put a cover on it and had Myles sit on his knees to go pee (the seat is still too high to stand). He went right away - yippee! I got him all strapped back in the stroller, wiped the hands and started out to shop.

Moments later:

Myles: "Mommy I have to go potty again."
Mom: "Really?"
Myles: "Yes I do."
Mom: "Okay, let's go back again."

We went through the same routine again but this time he sat because he had to go poopoo. He was SO proud sitting there. "Mommy can you hear it?" he asked with a big smile. Then he tried to turn and see but I said, "We can't see it until you are ALL done, okay." Man my boy seems fascinated with seeing everything! Honestly I didn't really believe he had to go potty again, but sure enough, my boy left his mark in the JoAnn's potty. :) Again I was very proud and excited at our progress. Next we wiped up again, disinfected hands and I strapped him back in the stroller. Heading into the paper aisle I hear:

Myles: "Mommy I have to go potty again."
Mom (still proud but starting to get a bit impatient realizing this "quick trip" is going to take much longer than I thought): "Really?" "Are you sure?"
Myles: "Yes I have to go potty again."

We went back in and I stayed as patient as I could, but this time it was a false alarm. Finally I was able to start shopping for my paper and the rest of the supplies I needed for the invites and a birthday gift I was planning to make. Have you ever tried to make decisions about how many invites you can fit on one paper, what goes best with what paper, what supplies do I already have at home, etc. all while having a very persistent and curious almost 3 yr. old asking constant questions and trying to hold a conversation with you? Well let me just say it makes the thinking and shopping go much slower. Emily fell asleep and was able to get her nap in during our trip and Myles, save for the millions of questions, had super behavior and even got to pick out some stickers. He debated for awhile between Mickey Mouse stickers and the Lightning McQueen ones (they had a half dozen different options for each) before finally deciding on the McQueen stickers. Overall it was a successful trip (at least I hope so, I haven't made the invites yet) and I hope Myles potty training progress continues.

Peeing In the Big Potty

WARNING: THIS BLOG CONTAINS SOME GRAPHIC DIALOGUE, THANKS TO 2 YEAR OLDS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

My little Myles is sure a determined and funny boy. We've been "potty training" haphazardly now for many months. At his first sign of interest I researched potty chairs and bought the Baby Bjorn one that is simple and easy to clean. He wants to go on the potty sometimes and does, but other times he prefers a diaper. If he has nothing on while we're home then he can usually go all morning without a diaper, just using the potty.

Tonight before dinner I was putting his clean clothes away in his closet and Myles was in the bathroom. Fifteen minutes prior I was trying to go to the bathroom amidst his numerous interuptions ("Mommy what are you doing?", "Are you going poo-poo?", "What kind of poo-poo?", "I bet it's brown poo-poo.", "Can I see?", "I have to go poo-poo too.") All the while I'm asking him to please leave because people deserve privacy and I'm trying to shoo him out. Once he decided he had to go I helped him undo his belt - yes my son has a belt, a purchase made in a moment of weakness to indulge one of his many obsessions. He sat right down and poo he did go! It was exciting, as it always is for me (simple pleasures), to see the process of him realizing the need and succesfully accomplishing the deed.

Anyway, back to before dinner, when I was hanging up the clothes. So after he did the deed, I decided there was no need to waste a diaper before bedtime so he was wearing underpants and I heard him say, "Mommy I go pee-pee in the big potty". I was kind of zoning and just said, "Yea - good job Myles" and then I heard the actual pee hitting water, not the plastic of his potty chair, but the water of the "big potty". I peeked around the corner and he had lifted the seat and was standing on his very tippy toes holding his penis (and hopefully not doing any long-term damage to his crushed scrotum) over the edge where a steady stream arched up, and then down into the toilet. Hooray! My itty, bitty boy, who isn't even on any growth charts, was determined to make himself tall enough to pee in the big potty. I know this is a silly, probably meaningless and a tasteless thing to blog about, but it was just a reminder to me of how quickly he is growing up. Oh and when I saw this I went in and tried to lift him a bit from under his arms to make it easier, and he says, "I don't want you holding me. I do it all by myself." Crushing words for a mother, but this was one time I didn't mind.