A Note from Paris

"Dear momy and dady we love you. W love you so mush are hes blo up."

Translation:

Dear Mommy and Daddy, we love you. We love you so much our heads blow up!"

We had to ask for some help with the end - I wasn't getting the "heads" part. Once she translated we felt so honored - exploding love from our children - does it get any better?

A Thanksgiving poem by Paris

In the car on the way home from gymnastics tonight Paris was practicing for the program she has at school tomorrow. She began reciting the following poem:

"I am thankful for the turkey
I am thankful for the pie
I am thankful for the corn and bread
I am thankful for the squash I'll try

Now Mommy, this is just a poem I'm saying. I'm not really going to try squash because that's gross.

I am thankful for the toys I have.............."

I'm not sure how the poem ended because I was too busy laughing at her disclaimer to hear what she said. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Conferences, Teeth, & Poop

I know, that's an odd combination of words. But that what my week has been about. Yesterday we had parent-teacher conferences for Paris & Tripp. Easy was able to go to both of them with me - what a blessing! I know that Tripp's teacher in particular was very pleased to get to meet him. I'll try to post over on Monkey Dance about T's stuff so I'll skip it here.

Paris' teacher confirmed what we expected to hear. She's doing very well in school and aside from the periodic need to refocus her attention on her work, Mrs. Ball finds her to be a very pleasant student. What that means for us is simple - she saves all the whining, foolishness, and drama for home. We had a feeling that was the case, but it is now confirmed. At home she seizes up in a crying fit if she can't sound out a word, or shakes her fists at her paper when she has to erase a mistake. She's known to say things like,"I'm no good at writing words" or "I'm not smart enough to..." Baloney. 100% baloney and all saved for the two, well three since she does it to Graggie too, people who love her more than anyone else in the world. I undertand where it comes from - with the Tripp dynamics in the house and all, but it doesn't make it any easier to handle. I mean seriously, what do you do when she creates and entire fit complete with tears and shaking over a word in her reader? or having to erase a B that is backwords? So, I figured since she does so well at school we'll just make homeowrk and reading time more like school. Tonight I made her sit at the breakfast table after the littles went to bed to read her book from school. She did fantastic! Who knows, maybe the structure helps......

Since I'm talking about the Goose I need to report that unlike the whining baby she pretends to be at home, she is quite the big girl! Today at school she pulled a tooth all by herself! Now, in order for you to understand how AMAZING that is you need to know that the last 2 teeth that came out I had to pull. Both of them took about 45 minutes of prayer, and talking, and bribing, and threatening, and phone calls to Graggie. The drama around homeowork is nothing compared to the drama she dishes up over me pulling a tooth. Needless to say I was quite surprised when she came home today and showed me that she had pulled her own tooth at school! They gave her this neat little tooth shaped carrying box on a pink string so she wouldn't loose it. My big girl! Do you think I could convince her to pull all of them at school? By the way, this is the fourth one she's lost and they are all four right in the front. She now has an enormous empty spot dead center, top & botom. It is so cute!!!!

And now for the poop. My sweet little cherub is still refusing to put it in the potty. She has, however, decided that she doesn't want it on her. Result? She poops in her panties or pull-up and then strips. I've had to clean poop out of carpet. One day she stripped and then squatted in her closet and went right on the floor in there. Today she went in her pull-up at school and then proceded to strip. I think they caught it before any hit the floor. And then the best came this afternoon. I hear Paris yell,"Mom! Vivie's got poop!" I look up to see my sweet, beautiful, baby girl walking naked out of Tripp's room with a wad of poop in her hand. Nice. I took her to the bathroom where she promptly threw it in the potty. I took actions that made it very clear that playing with poop is unacceptable and plopped her on the toilet so I could go find the rest of her mess. Turns out, there was no rest. While she sat crying on the potty (apparently the action I took made and impression) she put the rest of her business right where it goes. What I still can't figure out is how there was no poop on the carpet. I mean, did she catch it or what? So I went from mean mommy taking disciplinary action to happy proud mommy handing her candy in under 5 minutes. I know I've asked before, but please - PLEASE, pray that this doesn't last too long. I can't have her stripping with poopy pants in public places. This simply won't do. Oh, and did I mention that she has a nice heat rash across her lower back from her pull-up rubbing when she runs around all day? What's the solution? Poop in the potty Viv, then you won't have to wear a pull-up. Did I mention I HATE POTTY TRAINING??!?!?!!

A Nemo Moment

This weekend Paris decided to watch Finding Nemo. She's been watching this moving since she was tiny so we thought nothing of it. I little while later we hear squeals of laughter and our precious daughter repeating over and over "Nemo touched the butt!" We couldn't help but laugh. It took her 6 year sof life to discover that "Nemo touched the butt" (which is actually a boat in case you haven't seen the film) was funny. I'm going to go with peer influence in making a previously innocuous (sp?) statement the joke of the century.

I have to also say that this is one area we've done pretty good with as parents. We have a "no buts" rule in our house. Your "butt" is to be referred to with other terms like hiney, caboose, rear end, bottom, and on rare crass occasions - booty. And if a child in our house ever begins a response with "But...." - well, that's a straight to the corner offense. The rule is simple - No Buts.

Sadly the "no whining" rule has not been as effective.

And we're off!!!

To a really great start too! The first day off school came and went with such little fanfare that it was weird. I walked Paris in to her classroom yesterday and she sat down at her desk and started her work. I had to ask for a sugar before I left. She gave me the sugar along with a look that said, "OK Mom, you can go now." My big girl! First grade seems so much more grown up than Kindergarten did. She has her own desk with her own supplies. They didn't even have desks last year. I go to orientation tonight so I'm sure I'll get more details on what the year will be like. For now I'm just thrilled that she is happy and willing to get out of the car and go in to eat breakfast everyday. Since Tripp will be going to school everyday this year Paris has to eat at school to make our schedule work out right. She loves it and hopped out of the van without even a wave today. Thinking back on the first week of school last year - wow, what a difference!

For those of you who might be wondering. I did get a dress for that awards thing with Easy. My Nana insited on giving me $ to buy something new. The really amazing part is that I found a dress that I really loved and man was it a deal! Normally priced $99 - I got it for $23. It took $10 of repair work (it had two popped seams) and it was good to go. I had enough money left to buy a new body shaper thing - my old one was too big! How cool is that?!? I got some new jewelery and a clutch and it was one smashing evening. I got a "wow" from my husband. It was fabulous.

So, this weird thing is happening to me. Typically at this sort of event I would feel like I was playing dress up. I would be intimidated by all the people I met and be nervous the whole time. Instead, it was great and fun and felt pretty natural. Between that and Paris starting 1st grade and all the rest of the things happening in my life I'm starting to actually feel like a......grown up. I've often wondered when this would happen. I've even asked my mom before when she started to feel like a grown up. Up until this summer I kind of felt like I was playing at all of it. I don't know what changed exactly, but I don't feel that way anymore. I'm not playing house anymore. This is my home and my family and I am really comfortable being the grown up (along with my amazing Smooch) in the house. Weird, I know.

Not Dressed Up with Somewhere to Go

Help! Easy and I have been asked to attend the Apex Awards for Project Excellence (it's a construction awards thing) with his company and I have absolutely nothing to wear! The event is at the Hobby Center for Performing Arts and the invite says it is "Black Tie Optional." Umm..............yeah, I got nothing.

I have a few dresses in my closet that would probably do - if they fit. See, since I started having kids we haven't done anything requiring fancy attire so all my dresses are size pre-pregnant. Well, that's not entirely true. I have the dress that I wore in my brother's wedding. Unfrotunately, it doesn't fit either - it's too big!!!

Not only do I have no dress, I have no budget. As I'm wirting this I'm realizing I might be able to have that dress from Matt's wedding taken in so I could wear it. Anyone have a preferred alteration place? Or, anyone have a suggestion on what qualifies as proper attire for an event like this? I know there's a cocktail reception and then the actual awards ceremony. And of course if you have a dress that you think would be perfect and fit me....anyone up for letting me borrow something?

The event is on the 21st, so if you read this and have any suggestions, please let me know!

Should be Sleeping

It's 1:00 AM. Easy is gone on a fishing trip. I don't sleep much when he's gone. I'm just about tired enough to turn out the lights and sleep on the couch. I'm weird, I know.

Anyway...things are definitely looking up in the PT department. I would say that about 50% of all output is making it into the potty. Afternap today she wore the same pull-up until bed and she went TT 3 times - once at church, once in the car potty in the HEB parking lot, and again before bed. So....let mes just say thank you to those of you who continued sending positive thoughts. And thank you Graggie for staying positive while you had the Duchess. I feel pratty confident that when the fall semester starts she'll be wearing panties to pre-school. WooHoo!!!

Speaking of the fall semester, things are starting to take shape. I'm working on my schedule and it looks like I'll be just as busy as last year. The biggest difference is that we won't be dealing with the process of getting Tripp's diagnosis. He's going to be in a great program this year and will go to school "all day every day." It feels weird to know he'll be away from me that much, but I know it's what he needs. And if I'm honest I have to say that it will be a much needed break. To know he is well cared for and being pushed to learn and grow in his academics and social skills will be, well sort of a relief. I won't be keeping P&E this semester, but God replaced them with A&O, so it looks like I will have a pretty similar schedule to last year. I'm trying to get geared up for it all, but it just seems like there is SO much to be done and I can't really do any of it yet. Most of requires funds that simply don't exist. A decrease in income (no babysitting or Sonshines school over the summer) and an increase in bills (Childcare and "private sector therapy") has left us strained.

Amidst it all though I am reminded of God's great love. He has always provided and continues to do so. On the way to LBC Wednesday I prayed that he would help me find a way to replace the income I had for watching P&E last year. In a matter of hours he had given me A&O and answered their mom's prayer for a job that would be a better fit for her family. So as I sit here, wishing I could go get in bed and sleep peacfully but knowing that instead I will sleeping restlessly on the couch I really don't care so much. In the morning I will wake up and God will still be providing. I might be tired, but I will do my best to follow His lead. So for now I say good night. I'm sure you are all already sleeping well so enjoy your sweet dreams and don't judge if I need a nap tomorrow.

Progress, What Progress?

So after that amazing Thursday things have gotten pretty messy with the Sweet V. She had two #2 success on Friday at home plus a handful of nasty accidents. Saturday - no success and she left to go to my folks for the week. Mom has been diligent and kept her in panties, but I think she's about to give up....and I don't blame her. V has had not 1 single success since she left on Saturday. My poor mom has hardly even gotten to enjoy her visit because of all the focus on the potty. We are very confused.

She shows all these signs that she's ready. She stays dry through nap. She sometimes stays dry overnight. When she goes TT in her pull-up she takes it off and puts it in the trash. She tells us she needs to go potty - sometimes before, usually after shes's gone. She doesn't want to wear the pull-ups most of the time. She's had success on the potty. Yet we seem to be getting nowhere.

Here's the thing....I'm not sure she has figured out yet how to make herself pee. The 3 success she's had were late in the day and I think we just timed it right so that it was just coming out at the right time. She'll sit on the potty and try to poop then 5 minutes later pee a lake in the floor.

So now I have a dilemma. Do I persist in this endeavor or do we pack it in and wait until the Christmas break. I realize that I think in my head that we are behind schedule because Paris was in panties before she hit 2. Vivie is clearly not Paris. If we keep trying at this it wil be very burdensome and probably very confusing. Several days in the week she would have to wear a pull-up to attend the various activities she goes to. Tuesdays she has camp from 9:30-1:30, Wednesday is LBC which we could try in panties, but that's risky and then there is Bible class that night where they prefer that they come in pull-ups until they are truly trained. Thursdays she goes to Erika's all day and I promised I wouldn't send her in panties until she had 3 straight accident free days. So, we'd be left with Mondays, Fridays, evenings, and weekends - except church time on Sunday when we'd be back in the pull-up. So the questions remains, is it even worth trying to continue? I don't know the answer.

I keep reminding myself that if we pack it in and wait until Christmas she'll really only be 2 1/2 and probably more ready. I mean, really, it's not like she's heading to kindergarten tomorrow or anything. I just don't want to loose. I want to win this battle now. But at what cost - my sanity? my carpet? endless pairs of cute little panties? Would I really be giving her power by putting it up until Christmas? Would it make it harder in the long run? Or is it that she isn't really ready yet? I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!

Help - advice is officially being requested. Please leave me comments.

Progress, I think

So here I am, several days in and my spirits are coming back up. After those successes on day 1, Vivie woke up on day 2 and said no. She went into camel-mode and only TT'd twice the whole day. No success at all. Then came Wednesday. I had decided that my only chance of convincing her this is for real was to keep her in the panties no matter what. So, off we went to Ladies' Class in panties. She didn't have a TT accident, but she did go hide in the playhouse and do her other business. Nice.

We got home, she flooded the floor. Later in the afternoon she did the dirty business again so I stood her in the bathtub, turned on the cold water and used a pitcher to rinse her off. She did NOT like that. Somehow she stayed dry all the way through Bible class that night and then final went in the potty when we got home.

Today was similar. She gets the poop thing better than the TT. Here's the really good part though. We left the house this evening about 5:30. While we were out at my parents' lot doing some measurements for their house she TOLD ME she had to go. I got out our trusty little car potty and she put the dirty business in with no problem. After that she lasted through Wal-Mart, Sam's and HEB. While Easy was loading the groceries into the car I had her sit on the car potty again and.....she TT'd!!!!! I'm thinking this is progress. She didn't fuss or complain. She saw me get the potty, she said "go potty", and then she actually went potty!

So, I'm sticking to my guns and she's staying in panties. She leaves on Saturday to go on her first Graggie/Dadoo vacation. Poor them - they'll have to stick to my guns for me! I know Graggie is on board though so it will all be fine.

Thanks for all the encouraging comments both here and in person - you sweet friends are what have helped me stay the course. In a few short months I won't even really remember what it's like to have to change diapers all the time! Hey Sherri - could you do that hip swirl thing for me?!?!

PT, Round 2

Well, we started potty training with Vivie yesterday. For those of you who read on a regular basis, you may recall that we tried this back over spring break. She wasn't ready. I think we'll get it done this time though.

Day one stats:

#1 - 6 out, 1 in
#2 - 1 out, 5 in

Now, I look at thses numbers and I think - Seriously, who poops 6 times in one day?!?! I'm not going to complain though. Th majority of that went in the potty. If I had to choose between changing/cleaning TT panties or poopy panties, I'm gonna pick TT everytime.

I was very pleased with the 1 TT in the potty. It was after naptime (which she stayed dry through by the way) and it was a serisouly big TT. I swear you could see a light bulb go on over her head while she was doing it too. The weird part is that she didn't pee again at all the rest of the day. Weird little child.

Anywho, please send positive thoughts and if your willing to pray for potty training, please do. Perhaps you could just pray for my sanity. Tomorrow is the only day this week we will be leaving the house so I imagine my mind will start to go about noon on Thursday. Wish us luck.........

In the Back

My sweet Paris has turned 6 years old. She has 4 (!) loose teeth - the four right in front. Chances are good she will start first grade looking a little silly with no teeth in front. It is very weird to have a 6 year old. Somehow it just sounds so much older than 5.

Anyway, we have had a lot of fetivities surrounding her b-day. We started out the whole process by having her make a guest list. Yikes! There were 25+ names and she wasn't even including some of our close family friends! So, we made a new plan. We decided to have two parties. One for Paris' friends and one for family and "our" friends. There would be kids at both parties so I thought it was a good plan. I had her cut down the "friends" party list to 12. I think 6 made it. That was a good manageable number. That party was the Saturday before her b-day.

On her b-day we had big plans. She was to have an ealry breakfast with her Daddy at Denny's, then MOPO time while her siblings were at school including lunch at Chuck-E-Cheese's, then her butterfly friends were coming over from 3-5 for a fun day, and lastly - her favorite babysitter was coming over and bringing her tiny little dog as a treat. It didn't quite work out like that though. We needed to take Nana to the doctor, and wound up putting her in the hospital that day. The lunch and butterfly stuff got canceled completely. She did have breakfast with her daddy, then got to spend practically all day with some of our family friends - which included lunch out at Chili's, and then Miss Ashley came over and brought Bitsy. It wasn't what we planned, but it was a great birthday!

This past Sunday we had the family/close friends party. We wound up with almost no kids there. The R & J families couldn't make it. I wasn't to worried because I knew that the H family was coming and that's 4 kiddos right there. Then the phone rang. One of the H girls was sick. "Just bring G out and drop him off" I pleaded. I couldn't stand the thought of Paris being the oldest child (by 2 years) for the whole day. So G got to come. Now, Paris and G have an interesting relationship. We carpooled this year and they became fast friends. G is 9, Paris is newly 6. Listening to these two talk is hilarious. They can be having two completely different conversations and somehow they know what's going on. They are brutally honest with each other, but each considers the other a very special friend. When our cat Samson got really sick Paris told G to make a card for her (no, she didn't ask, she told) and he did. They traded little trinket toys on a weekly basis. And when they were both tired they yelled at each other. It was fun watching their friendship grow. All that to explain that it was important to both of them that G get to be at the party.

So................knowing how bluntly they communicate.....................here's the best quote of Paris' entire birthday week extravaganza (this story came to me via my big brother who witnessed the interaction).

Paris & G were playing in Tripp's room (I think). G had a toy home depot drill. You pull this string and then when you push the point in it makes drilling noise. He pulls the string and proceeds to "drill" into Paris back. Paris turns around and says very matter of factly:

"G, I've told you before. I don't like to be screwed in the back."

Well said my precious princess.

Trash Talk

And I mean the actual trash in the can. As many of you know, I can be very passive agressive when it comes to the trash in my house. I grew up in a house where the Daddy took care of the trash. When Matt and I got old enough it became one of our chores. Trash came twice a week - you gather everything in the house and take to the curb and you also take out the kitchen trash daily. That's how it worked.

Well, now I'm all grown up and married and in my mind the trash is not my job. I do laundry, cleaning, most of the cooking, the majority of the kitchen clean-up.....I don't do trash. I know that sounds a bit rude and my intent is not to say Easy doesn't do his fair share. My man works harder than anyone I know. It has become evident over the course of our marriage, however, that he does not fully embrace trash as his job.

I've been known to stack the trash two foot high above the garbage can. Sometimes I'll grab another trash bag and fill it up and put it on the floor next to the trash can. I used to take it out sometimes and pile it in front of the back door so he'd have to move it to get in the house. We have a cat now (in the garage) so that's not a good idea, but I have put it all in the laundry room so it's still in his way.

I realize this is immature, rude, petty, and oh so very passive agressive. See, I never complain about the trash to my man. I just pile it up and refuse to take it to the trash cans outside. Yes, shame on me - I know.

Just a few nights ago we had this talk about "the little things." I won't delve into the details, but I was commenting that those little things really do make an impact on my willingness to be, um, intimate. Yesterday Easy called and asked me to pick up his laundry at the cleaner's. I did and when I got home it occurred to me that this was a little thing. I usually pick up his cleaning and leave it my car until he gets home and gets it himself. Seriously, I have 3 kids and their stuff and my stuff to get out and in the house. This drives him nuts as his laundry is usually laying flat and not hanging up in the car. So yesterday I brought the laundry in and hung it in his closet. He noticed. He smiled. He then laughed when I told him that I figured if I was going to whine about the little things I probably should be willing to do some of them!

So today - I took out the trash. The kitchen and laundry room trash cans were overflowing. I started stacking around noon yesterday so we had a good 3 bags worth of trash sitting in those two rooms. I suppose God reminded me that trash is a little thing in the grand scope of life - so I took it out.

We all have trash of our own. How blessed we are that even when we've let it pile up and overflow all we need to do is go to our Father and say, "Please, take this from me." Then He loads up all our messy sins and stinky attitudes, and moldy thoughts and takes out our trash. How blessed indeed.

Hmmmm........

what to post about.........

Perhaps I could tell you that when you lock your keys in the car with your 2 year old inside that Pop-a-Lock calls the fired department and they show up in a big red fire truck to rescue you.

Or maybe you'd like to know that when your 5 year old daughter thinks it would be fun to throw a kiwi-sized stone straight up into the air, luck would have it that it will land on your 2 year old daughters head......at a neighbors house.......where you've never been before......and the entire neighborhood is there for a social thing.

Maybe I should tell you that Easy is SWAMPED at work and that even though job security is a good thing, I'm feeling a bit like a single parent some days.

Or maybe I should tell you that while I'm sitting here sipping my french vanilla coffee my sweet Little Bug is pulling all of my swiffer products out of their boxes beause she thinks they are lovies - and she can easily get to them because after nearly two years in our house we still have no cabinet doors.

Instead of all that - I think I really want to say that life is crazy, but God is good. Happy Monday friends!

Bye Bye Beastie!

I had pretty much given up. I thought I was gonig to have to drive the big green burb for another year. But yesterday God rocked my world and allowed us to say bye-bye to our Beastie.

It always amazes me when God orchesrates things and it's so clear. He can take what seems like a very bad thing - like Easy's car dying on the side of the road - and turn it into a tremendous blessing. I'll spare you all the details because when I try to explain I get all excited and I'm not terribly coherent so I'll just give you the bottom line.

Easy's car - getting fixed thanks to some serious help from my amazing parents. We should get at least another year out of it with these repairs. I don't have big enough words to express my gratitude for their help.

My burb....traded in on a new-to-us minivan. That's right folks, I've become one of those moms! For those of you who have known me a long time you must realize how big that is. I swore up and down that I would NEVER drive a minivan. Well, life changes your mind sometimes. For the last 4 months I've been praying for a minivan. Yesterday God said yes. I'm now driving a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country. It has those cool doors that just open and close with the push of a button and fold-n-go seating so all the seats can disappear into the floor. Not only did God arrange things so we could get a van, He got us THE can Iwas looking for. He is amazing and I am blessed so far beyond what I deserve.

So, on this Friday I hope you will all join in my joy as I embrace my minvan life and say Bye Bye Beastie!!!!!!!!

This is the sick that never ends.........

Here's a recap of poor Vivie's last 2 weeks:

Tuesday, March 18th - spike fever in late afternoon

Wednesday - more fever in late afternoon

Thursday - more fever in evening

Friday - fever and rash; go to doctor for a "virus" diagnosis - fever should be done today, rash my persist

Saturday - rash remains, snot

Sunday - rash gone, snot

Monday - cranky, Snot

Tuesday - CRANKY, SNOT

Wednesday - CRANKY!!, SNOT

Thursday - CRANKY!!!! and sleepy, Snot w/blood

Friday - weird rash appears, more bloody snot; go to doctor for a Fifth disease diagnosis - no longer contagious but rash may come and go for a month, snot may last another week

Saturday - rashy, snot, 5:30 - puking begins and lasts until 9:30 - call nurse line - not related to Fifth disease, a differnet virus most likely, watch for dehydration

Sunday - rash is fading, tummy seems just fine, more bloody snot

and here we are at Monday again - rash is gone from legs, and faint on arms and now we have liquid poo

I feel sorry for anyone that has been in contact with us in the last two weeks. Sadly, many of these days we were out and about like normal thinking she just had a little cold or was tired or maybe cutting the last of those I-teeth. I apologize to anyone we may have infected with any of the 3 viruses that have run rampant in my baby girls body.

Oh, and for those wondering about the potty training - at the end of Spring Break we opted to put the panties away until summer. It simply isn't a battle I can fight amidst our regular school schedule. So, we're doing pull-ups and giving plenty of oppotunity to use the potty but for the most part just not worrying about it until school is out.

Progress Report

I suppose a more apt title would be Frustration Report. So, we're working on the pt here. Day one ended with my hopes high and spirits sailing. We managed to get both #1 and #2 in the potty on day one. I thought this was a great accomplishment and looked forward (sort of) to the next day. Ha.

Day two: TT in panties at 8:30. Many attempts on the potty in the following hours. We have screaming of "Boper! TT boper!" while on the potty. Finally at 12:15 (!!!) we had a TT on the potty! That's almost 4 hours. Here's the fun part. While celebrating her success I realize that Tripp has peed a puddle on the floor by the computer. I rush him to the potty so he can finish and start cleaning up his mess. I hear faintly in the background "Powwy." Thinking she couldn't possibly need to go again and is just in it for a candy I continue cleaning up Tripp and his mess. By the time I get that done V has deposited #2 in her panties. Grrrrrrrrrrr. Good news: she tried to tell me. Bad news: I'm starting to think this was a big mistake!

As the day contiued she stayed dry during her nap - that is a good thing. She had another combo accident at 2:20. And that was it for the day. No more action....at all. How do you potty train a camel?

So here we are on day 3. She has TT'd twice in her panties and seems to not care in the least. At least on day 1 she cried when she was wet. And to make it even more fun.....I saw her heading to her bedroom so I chased and asked "Do you need to poopoo?" "Uh-uh" was her reply as I helped out of her room and back to the open living space where I could see her. She took off, ran to the other end of the house and by the time I got to her had made a smelly deposit in her pretty pink panties.

Clearly, she knows what she's doing. If she can ask for (scream for) a "boper" while she's on the potty she knows what we're trying to accomplish. If she will willfully run and hide to poop she knows it's coming. So now it seems the real battle has started. Not the battle of teaching them that the potty is where those things go...no, no she's got that figured out. Now we have the battle of wills. As I'm sure most of you know, once you start a battle of wills with a 2-year-old (almost) you can't afford to loose. The sad part is I didn't even realize we were starting that particuar battle until it was well underway! You'd think by child #3 I would see it coming.

PT

Nope, not physical training.....we're talking the BIG PT. I'm potty training the youngest. We started this morning. So far she has peed all of 3 times today. Twice in her panties on the kitchen floor and once in her diaper during naptime. She's a camel. And here I'vebeen calling her my little bug all this time! While she was sleeping I went to Paris' room and found Creepy Baby and all her parts. Oh, you're not familiar with Creepy Baby? It's this baby doll that my Nana bought for us when we were preparing to do PT with Paris. She cries and giggles and move her eyes, drink from a bottle and then pees. She was very helpful in training Paris. Despite her usefulness though - she creeps me out!!! But I figure it's worth spending some time with Creepy Baby if it helps speed this process so I found all her parts, gave her some new double A's and she ready to do her thing. Wish me luck friends - I'll be in this house for several days straight as we start moving towards the goal of a diaper free house!!!!

Vivie's Vocab

Vivie's vocbulary is taking off! I thought I'd take a minute and give you some of her favorites, and some that just make me laugh.

Eat: self explanitory - and constant! She is a bottomless pit!

Cacker: term used to describe anything crunchy, and uttered approximately 105 times a day.

Apool, Kiwi: another phrase used frequently to express hunger - although and apple and kiwi is rarely what she actually wants.

Fuffy: her little soft lovey she got for Christmas

Foowip & Ewy: Philip and Emily - the two kiddos I keep a few days a week

Tya!: Tyla - her best buddy. This is exclaimed anytime we pull up to the church building, in front of Tyla's house, or if she's just feeling lonely and wishes she had a friend to play with.

Duder: Oddly enough, this is our dog Cowboy. My parents have a dog named Dudley (who is often called Duder). She refuses to call Cowboy by his given name.

Ny-Ny: I don't care that it's only 5:50 pm, I'm tired and I'm ready to go to bed.

Shoosa?: Can we please put my shoes on and get in the "cow" and go somewhere?

Powwy: potty, spoken sometimes before, sometimes after she has gone in her "bopers" (diaper)- she's showing a great deal of interest and we plan to give training a shot over spring break

Hup, peese: Help please. This is most often used when she has climbed into a chair and is standing up in it not sure how to get down.

I could go on and on, but I guess that's enough to give you a taste of the cuteness that is Vivie. Oh, one more - my favorite:

Es meem: Yes mam - manners before age two - I think we're doing OK around here!

Funkytown

I just found myself in the bathroom with a 3 year old (who TOLD me "need go poo poo"!!!) doing his business on the potty, a frighteningly close to 2 year old dressed in a cat suit, Elmo in the form of a backpack, and a dancing turtle singing Funkytown. Does that happen to anyone else?

Bragging

Today I'm going to brag on my kids.

Vivian is now sleeping in a twin bed and no longer takes a paci. She also says "Poppy? TT poppy?" We will be potty training over spring break!

I heard my son count to 100 (or just over it) in the following increments today: 2's, 5's, 10's, 9's, 7's, & 8's.

When I picked Paris up at school today her teacher, the fabulous Miss Gore, says to me, "She wrote the most amazing story during writing workshop today! I could actually READ it! It was awesome!" (I realize that may sound kind of silly, but we're talking kindergarten here. I'm guessing that a story that is legible and makes since is pretty darn amazing.)

Life has been great and hard the last two weeks. I just wanted to take a minute and share some of the good stuff.