Vacation!

We went on our first real, family vacation last week to the Outer Banks, NC. We rented a house just a little way off the beach with my brother-in-law's family and had a nice time. Here's our place:

We really only had two or three days of good weather. The rest of the days were cloudy and always looking like it was going to rain. We still went to the beach on some of these days, but it was windy and not so warm.


The last day we were there we had sun! The Boy loved chasing the birds...


...throwing sand into the waves...


...and then running away from the surf.


This is him after a full day at the beach and no nap.


We will go back soon hopefully. Next time I think I'll stay here (yeah right):

http://www.carolinadesigns.com/cdfinal/asp/master/209m.asp

It sleeps about 28 people. Anyone want to come?

Sorry to Gross You Out but...

This is one of our new favorite quotes from the Boy. Lately, whenever he wants to do something but knows he shouldn't, he says, "I don't want to (insert forbidden behavior here)". Since potty training, he now has um...access....to places he didn't really before. So what's his great quoteable?

"I don't want to put my finger in my bumhole."

Was that an overshare?

10th Anniversary

The Man and I had our 10th Anniversary last week. We didn't do much by way of celebration because we are postponing that for when we are in North Carolina next week. Incidentally, I didn't get the Man anything because I thought the trip was our gift to each other. He, however, decided that I should have something. Take a look:
I never wear necklaces, but with something like this, I'm just going to have to start. Thanks, honey!

Under Water Pictures

Libby, the Boy's swim teacher this summer brought her underwater camera to our last class. She took adorable pictures of all the kids that took lessons from her. Here's all the feet of the little one's in the Boy's class:

And we managed to take one together as well.

Thanks Libby and Deborah!

My Child Watches Too Much PBS Kids

I was listening at the door tonight as the Boy was drifitng off to sleep. These are the things I heard. Some will be familiar to everyone, some only to those mothers who allow as much PBS in their house as I do.

"Sesame Street was brought to you today by the number.......hmmm......ummmmm......oh no, not again....ummmm.....oh, right......seventeen!"

"Super Readers, to the RESCUEEEEE!"

"Elmo, Bear? (these are the dolls he sleeps with) Don't forget to look for Super letters."

I am looking forward to our preschool co-op this Fall. I will feel less guilty about my mothering I think.

Swim Lessons!

We have been taking mommy and me swim lessons at the Pulley's this summer. Teacher Libby has been teaching the little ones to float and kick:


To blow bubbles and go under the water (which the Boy still doesn't particulary care for):

To monkey walk on the side of the pool with their hands:

And to jump, of course. Here he goes off the side of the pool:

And now off the board!

There were a few days where it was pretty chilly. So the Boy went to warm up in the sun afterwards.


(Thank you, Aunt Deborah for letting us use the pool for our class and for being my stand-in photographer!)

Some Summer Fun

Enough potty training posts. Let's talk about summer. We had one day where it was actually warm enough to play in the water.
Posting baby butt pictures is a must.

This was the same warm day. The Boy said he needed to "cool off". Thank goodness for air conditioning.

Finally

A fiber drink, a cup of prune juice, and a quarter of a glycerine laxative later we have *** potty training*** success! Who knows what will happen tomorrow though.

***phrase added after April's comment on this post : )

Bad Sign or Good Sign?

...or neither? The Boy poops in his diaper when I put him down for a nap. Only now, instead of crying for me to come up there, he takes it off, folds it up, finds the wipes and tries to clean himself up. I'm thinking this is not the turn I was hoping he would take.

Potty Training: Get Used to Public Bathrooms

Seems that we are back on track. After a half day of waist down nakedness and catching the Boy in the act twice, he did fine the rest of the day. He loves his sticker chart, too.

I realized that if you want to have a life during potty training, you best get used to public bathrooms - even the ones at Wal-mart. Ew. We were shopping yesterday when the Boy said, "I need to use the big potty, please". As quickly yet safely as possible, I flew down the aisle telling him to hold it. Of course we get to the restroom and they are all occupied. We wait. He does fine. A stall opens up. Ew. I'm glad I carried wipes with me.

Ask The Man whether or not he would take the Boy to a public bathroom - say KFC. Go ahead. Ask.

Potty Training: Revised Strategy

If you're sick of hearing my potty training stories, I apologize. I'm doing this mostly for me so that I can remember it for the next child.

After eight potty accidents yesterday, some of which were very deliberate, I am yet again adapting my strategy. Today we are going birthday suit from the waist down - I couldn't tell when he was peeing in his underwear until it was too late. The Boy still tells me he needs to go, but he just doesn't want to do it in the bathroom now. After peeing on the carpet twice this morning (isn't it lovely that I just had them cleaned yesterday?), we finally had some success with him wanting to use the toilet. I've given up on the jelly beans; we are moving to stickers.

One more week. Maybe we'll have to wait another six months if he's just not ready.

Potty Training: The Set Backs

Day Three and Four: One minor pee-pee accident each day, but now the Boy poops in his underwear - which he did at a Radiology Department picnic last night.

Today: The big potty is no longer novel. It is easier to pee in your underwear. So why not do it three times in one hour? And then tell mom that you want to go back to diapers... Oh boy.

Anyone else feel like they are on their own in this?

Potty Training: Day 2

After giving up on Pull-Ups early yesterday (too much like diapers to be compatible with potty training) and enduring three accidents, we had some success yesterday afternoon when I caught him amidst accident number four and yelled, "STOP!", which he abruptly did. He was dry the rest of the day and initiating potty breaks.

Today he was dry all morning long. Sure enough, I get on the phone after his nap and he has an accident. Luckily he stopped himself half way through. The only thing I cannot get him to do is #2. He keeps doing it immediately after I put him down to sleep or when he wakes up. The good news is, he no longer likes how it feels and he takes his diaper off right afterwards. Ok that's not good from a clean up stand point, but it's progress.

First Attempt at Potty Training

Day 1: Not promising. I have learned two things: 1) I went about this the wrong way loading him up with liquids this morning to the point where he got sick of going on the potty and 2) I do not own enough big boy underwear.

Quotes from the Boy

While I was singing the Boy his lullabies at bed tonight, he rolls over, faces me and says, "I'm hot like a beast."

Last week while we were riding our bikes, The Man said to the Boy, "Mommy is fast like a mongoose." The Boy agrees, "Mommy is fast like a momgoose." And then asks, "Daddy are you fast like a dadgoose?"

Weeks ago I tell the dog she stinks. The Boy repeats after me. So I say to him, "Does Roxy stink?" He replies, "No, she STANKS!"

Fourth of July!

The Boy and I started off the day cheering on our friends Amy, Darren, and Brandon at the Town 5K. I was a little sad not to be running it this year. But the Boy got to hang out in a police car for a little bit. How cool is that for a two-year old?

All of us took a nice bike ride around the park and then headed off to the Pulley's. We are serious sissies and decided it was just a tad too chilly to swim, but the Boy enjoyed the trampoline as always...

...and the food. And the homemade ice cream. And playing in the mud with Jack's digger. Just look at that tongue.

The little guy probably would have made it to the fireworks, but his tired old parents just couldn't. Maybe next year, buddy. Thanks, Pulleys!

SNAKE!

The Man was outside with Roxy doing some yard work the other morning when he ran across a Garter snake. It was quite a large one if you ask me - probably three feet or so. And Roxy would NOT leave it alone. It finally got sick of her and slithered back into our bushes. *eek*

I later went around back with the Boy, and there was yet another one! I hate snakes. Hate them. I don't care how "docile" they are. Now I'm a little faint-hearted walking around in our yard.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband.

We celebrated him by bringing him breakfast in bed. He was also supposed to have a nice dinner and dessert, but ended up having to go into work that evening. So we ate dinner at 3:30.

I picked the menu this time - all new things. The turkey burgers turned out to be pretty yummy. But my dessert...which was supposed to look like this:


Ended up like this:

The cake completely fell apart. So I slapped the rest of the filling on there, covered it with crushed oreos, cried a little, and apologized to The Man. He didn't care of course. I feel bad that he had to go into work without a nice piece of cake. But we love and appreciate you, honey. Happy Father's Day!

We Are the Cleaver Family

The other morning I was upstairs folding laundry and both males were downstairs eating breakfast. That's when I heard The Man um...."break wind"... loudly. It was followed by one adult male giggle and then one toddler-sized giggle. I felt the need to remind The Man that we are trying to teach the Boy some manners.

Me (from upstairs in my best "don't you have something to say" tone): Daddy?!

The Man: Excuuuuuuuuuuse meeeeeeee! *giggles*

The Boy: *more giggles*

I just had to shake my head and laugh. We are so classy.

New Room! - Almost

We still have some minor things to do on the attic - the window, the door, and a little trim in one spot. But the room is finished enough that we can and did move everything back in to reclaim our bedroom. I wanted to snap a "finished" picture before that, though. So when you see the final product, just imagine the window is done, too. Thank you.

Before:

The wall I built up and dry walled myself (I had to boast):

The new room:

I am amazed at how nice the floors turned out. The Man did a great job on everything. Thanks, honey! What do you think?

Bee Update

Just a few days after they arrived, the bees in my tree decided to move on. Thank goodness. They left behind a little something, though.

The Man brought it in and put it on the mantle. The next day I noticed a few drippings under it. He was brave enough to verify that it was honey - I was not.

I cannot believe how many bees were attached to this thing. I am so glad they left on their own. Rest easy, naturists.

We Love Our Firemen

I stopped by one of the city fire departments the other day, but it was temporarily relocated due to construction. So today I went into my local station just to ask where it had moved. Not only did I get that information, but the Boy got the grand tour.

Firefighter Mark (in the middle) let him "drive" the big engine and even turned the lights on for him. After that, he wanted to give the Boy a hat, but did not have any available at that station. So they sent another fireman (eek, I think his name is Bill - he's on the left) off to a different site to get one. Instead of having me wait, they brought it to my house! Firefighter Alan personally delivered it.
Thank you, guys! You made both our days.

Happy Birthday to The Man

The Man turned thirty-two this week. He got breakfast in bed, a shopping trip (tripS, actually), a steak dinner, and a personal chocolate orange tart from Goodness Cakes - which was oh so good.
I also got him some balloons. Of course these ended up being more fun for the Boy and Roxy than for The Man.

Those two wore themselves out playing that night.

Biting.
Chasing.
Happy Birthday, honey. I'm sorry this post ended up with more pictures of the dog on it than of you. I hope you enjoyed everything else at least. We love you!

Bees in my Trees

Any ideas on how to take care of this? Go ahead and click on the picture. Get a real good look.