My Baby is Two

Asleep on Mommy in the hospital

The family of three...coming home from the hospital

The Bean at Christmas '06

Holy Hair, Batman! People have always commented on her hair, and they still make comments about it!

6 months old

This is one of my favorite pics...she used to love to climb in her toy box.

Adorable pigtails

This is one of my favorite outfits I made for the Bean.

Fun on the zoo carousel

Just a few days ago...she just makes me smile!

I cannot believe it - the Bean turns two today. I can hardly remember life without her now. We tried for 2 1/2 years to get pregnant w/ her, and she was worth the wait! She is such a blessing to us. She is a little social butterfly and loves people and activity. She loves playing outside, coloring, Barney, Elmo, getting tickled, and her Bun-Bun. She is doing great w/ potty training. She'll eat most things I give her, but her favorites are probably pizza and hot dogs. She can almost count to ten (she usually leaves out the eight, and sometimes replaces it w/ two). She loves to sing and dance. Here are some of my favorite pics of our precious Bean. Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

Potty Training - Day Four Summary

Bless the child - the Bean had no accidents at all today, and acted like an old pro at going potty. Tomorrow is her b'day party, and we're having it at a park w/ no restrooms. I'm bringing her potty to put in the car. It ought to be interesting. :)

Potty Training - Day Four at naptime

I have a potty prodigy on my hands. We have achieved potty perfection today. She even did poopy on the potty with no persuasion! (Do you like my illiteration?) Seriously, she has done so great today! The Bean has had no accidents thus far. I must share a couple of the day's highlights:

1) The Bean told me she had to go poopy this morning, so we went to the potty but she just went tee-tee. I told her good for trying and went on to the next thing. The Bean stayed in the bathroom (she was playing peek-a-boo behind the door), but I didn't think much of it. She shut the door and couldn't open it back up and started asking to be let out. So I went to open the door and she says, "Poo-poo." I look in the grown-up potty, and there is her poo. I was like, did she sit on the grown-up potty and go poo-poo? So I asked her where she went potty, and she pointed to her potty, and sure enough there were remnants in her potty! She had gone poopy in her potty and deposited it in the grown-up potty to flush!

2) We went on some errands today to pick up some things for her b'day party. I wasn't sure what to do, but I put her in a pull-up for the outing. I asked her to go b/f we left, and she went twice b/f we left. And I brought her little seat that goes on top of a grown-up potty w/ us. (She has been using the small floor potty, and had not used the transitional seat.) Once we got to Costco I asked her if she needed to go, and she went on the big girl potty! Then she went again b/f we left Costco, and twice at Wal-mart! She never went in her pull-up!

This is probably all TMI for most of you, but those of you who have been through this potty training experience know how exciting a day like today is! Yea Bean!!

Potty Training - Day Three Summary

Hello all! Well, the Bean did pretty good today. She had four "true" accidents, which surprised me a little, but she ended the day on a good note. She caught herself going poopy and finished in the potty. We are staying at home again all day tomorrow, and hopefully she won't have any accidents. But I have to keep in mind that she is just few days shy of two...she's still a little young for all this! After the vast improvement from Day One to Day Two, I thought she'd sail through today w/ no accidents, and I think maybe that was a little bit of an unrealistic expectation considering that she's been going in her diaper for almost two years!

As a side note, over the past three days I have eaten my weight in M&M's as I've given them out to her, and I've watched more Barney and Sesame Street than any person should be made to endure. I think I'm going to turn purple and break out in song and dance.

Potty Training - Day Two Summary

We went through only 3 pairs of undies after nap, and none of those were true accidents. So a grand total of only 7 pairs of undies today and only one true accident. Praise the Lord - we are making progress! We may even be ready for her b'day party on Saturday!

Potty Training - Day Two at naptime

This morning has been much better! We've only gone through 4 pairs of undies, and only one of those was a true accident. The others were wayward pee again. (Got to remember to set her far back enough on the potty!) I am much encouraged!! I'm beginning to be a believer in this 3 day method!

Potty Training - Day One Summary

Well, the afternoon was better. We only went through 12 pairs of undies. That makes a grand total of 29 undies. But I did not help her this afternoon...I did a dumb thing. I told our neighbors they could come over and play (since we couldn't leave the house). The Bean was very distracted while they were there and had several accidents. After they left, she did much better. She did poop in her pants once, but other than that she pretty much caught herself every time and ran to the potty. I am a little discouraged, as I thought we'd go through less undies and generally do better, but hopefully tomorrow will be better. That's what everybody says, anyhow. We'll see!

Birthday Tutu

Our friend Annie gave the Bean is adorable tutu and magic wand (not picured) for her b'day since they can't come to her party. The Bean wanted to wear it constantly for 2 days. I had to put it up for the potty training so it wouldn't get peed on . :) Thanks Annie! I think she looks pretty adorable in it!

Love these stupid lists!!

Jess knows how I love these lists...can't resist 'em...

You're feeling: worn out
To your left: my clothes since I'm in my closet office
On my mind: hoping the clean undies get done b/f the Bean wakes up, errands I'll have to run after the kids go to bed tonight
Last meal included: a ham and cheese lean pocket and baked cheetos
You sometimes find it hard to: be cheerful
The weather: who knows? i haven't been outside and won't be for the next several days!
Something you have a collection of: collections are useless dust-gatherers, in my humble opinion
A smell that cheers you up: buttercream icing
A smell that can ruin your mood: flatulence
How long since you last shaved: three days - I pretty much only shave for Sundays nowadays.
The current state of your hair: ponytail/knot thing
Largest item on workspace (not computer): clock
Your skill with chopsticks: not so good
Which section you head for first in a bookstore: fiction
Something you are craving: a weekend away w/ my hubby
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: HATE politics - it all seems fake to me
How many times have you been hospitalized in the past year? 2 days - ahh the room service and well baby nursery!
Favorite place to go for a quiet moment? I'm here - my closet office during naptime
You've always secretly thought you'd be a good: Broadway dancer/singer/general ham
Something that freaks you out a little: selling our house/buying a new house
Something you've eaten too much of lately: pizza
You have never been: shy
You never want to: get fat (-er???)

Anybody else out there love silly lists? Then join in the fun!

Potty Training - Day One at naptime

Well, it's naptime, and potty training has been in full swing at our house. So far, we have gone through 17 pairs of Elmo and princess undies. SEVENTEEN! We had 3 clean pairs left before naptime. I am washing the others now. I am sure we will have more accidents b/f the day is done, but I have been assured by many that this is normal. The lady who wrote the book on this 3 day method said that her son went through 46 pairs of undies on his first day. That makes me feel better. The Bean is catching it about 50% of the time, so half of our accidents were either on our way to the potty or b/c some wayward pee shot out on her undies when she was on the potty. She's even gone poopy in the potty! Several times she's ran to the potty and kept her undies dry, so even though we gone through 17 (SEVENTEEN) pairs of undies, I am not totally discouraged. When I was feeding Baby G I had to put him down like 5 times for me to go put the Bean on the potty. Poor kid - he didn't like that too much.

Pray for endurance for us - I'll keep you posted, my vast readership!

Bye bye tee-tee!

The Bean tee-teed on the potty all by herself today! We haven't really started potty training, but today she told me she had to go tee-tee, so she went on her potty! Then we flushed it and said, "Bye bye tee-tee!" And she's been saying that all day since then. :) I'm hoping to start full-fledged training her next week. Any advice?

We're online!

This is silly, but our agent just got our listing online, and it's so exciting to see pictures of your house online! It's like we're famous or something. Isn't that ridiculous? Anyway, here's the listing if you want to peek at our townhouse, or better yet, forward the listing to someone looking for a house!

P.S. If you are wondering about the desk in our closet, we call it the "closet office." When Baby G was born, we didn't want to have to check our email around naptimes, so we moved our "office" from what is now Baby G's room (formerly guest room) to our closet. That was the only place we really had, and our closet's pretty big, so it has worked out well!

Happy 3 month Birthday!

Hmm, what should do next? Lay here, or just lay here? :)

Wow, this playmat is so stimulating to my brain development and coordination!! I can almost feel myself getting smarter!

Am I smiling or pooping? Only I know!!

Baby G is 3 months old now! Crazy. The past three months have flown by. He is now sleeping 12 hours through the night, and is on a pretty consistent 3 hour eating schedule. He smiles at us all the time. He loves watching Baby Einstein and playing on his playmat. He's basically lost almost all the hair he had when he was born! He's in 3-6 months and some 6 month clothes already. He is a delight. I can't wait for him to start laughing! The Bean and I try to make him laugh, but so far it's only gotten smiles. :)

Anybody need a house?

Well, it's official. Our house is on the market! We have had a unique situation dropped in our lap, so to speak. Long story short, some friends of ours who live in a neighborhood that we've had our eye on for quite some time have offered to sell us their house at a good price. There aren't usually that many homes for sale in this neighborhood, and we love their home, so we are gonna buy it! That is, as soon as our house sells. :) So if y'all know of anyone who wants to buy a fabulous townhome, let me know. :)

Warning: PG rated blog post!!

This may be a bit risque for some readers, so read on at your own risk! Today the Bean walked out to get the mail w/ me, and we ran into our neighbor Jennifer. Here is how our conversation went:

Jennifer: Bean, what did you have for dinner tonight?

Me: Bean, tell Jennifer what we had for dinner.

Bean: Lunch

Me: Bean, tell Jennifer that you had a sandwich for dinner.

Bean: (silence)

Jennifer: Bean, what did Baby have for dinner tonight?

Bean: (silence)

Me: Bean, tell Jennifer what Baby had for dinner...it's what Baby always has.

Bean: Mama boobies mish*

*Mish is her word for milk

Oh dear. That's right. Out of the mouths of babes, right? Thank goodness we were talking to a girl!

Best friends

Our neighbors, the Robertsons, have a little boy just 3 months younger than the Bean, and they just had another little boy who is 2 months younger than Baby G. And they all go to our church as well! Needless to say, we play w/ the Robertson's a lot! Their little boy is the Bean's best friend. They have a cool back yard w/ a play set and everything, and here are some pics of the best friends playing together the other morning.

Chic up-do

If any of you are around me for any significant amount of time, you know that I pretty much pull my hair up in a ponytail/knot thingie like almost every day, esp. now that Baby G is here. I pretty much only "fix" my hair for church and other special occasions. Here is the Bean w/ my signature 'do. We had waffles and syrup for breakfast the other morning, and I didn't want her to get syrup in her hair, so this was my solution. And yes, that's a plain old office rubber band in her hair...it was in our junk drawer and prevented me from walking all the way up the stairs to her room to get a proper hair rubber band. What can I say...I'm lazy! :)

Sewing hiatus

Alas, I have been looking at my favorite sewing websites and sighing b/c I have no time to make any outfits! I outsourced the Bean's b'day outfit b/c I'd already bought the fabric and everything BEFORE Baby G was born, and it still isn't made. I am drooling over the beautiful chambrays, corduroys, and other fall fabrics, and yet my sewing machine sits idly by in the dining room gathering dust. I even bought some fall appliques before Baby G was born (like an elephant and a football for AL games in the fall, and a turkey too), but when can I sew?? Naptimes are starting to sync up in the afternoon, but that's when I get dinner made or at least started, and do any house work that needs to be done. And once the hubby gets home, it's crazy until the Bean's bedtime, and Baby G's bedtime is not until 9 or 10 pm still. And even once his bedtime backs up, I do like to spend time w/ RR and watch a little TV. Arggh. Does anybody else have any hobbies that don't get done ever once you have a second kid??? :) Or if they do get done, do you wake up b/f the kids or do it on weekends when the hubby is home or what? Any suggestions, you craft/hobby/sewing people out there?

Summer Fun 2

Here's my entry to 5 Minutes for Mom. Popsicle won out. Hope they like it! And I took my friend Becky's advice and cropped it. :) When it's so hot outside you have to eat your popsicle in your diaper b/c it melts so darn fast, you know it's summer! And to an almost-two-year-old, getting melted popsicle all over yourself is plenty of fun. My mom had to immediately give her (and my nephew, who ate a red popsicle) a bath.

Summer Fun

5 Minutes for Mom is having a Summer Fun photo contest, and I'm trying to decide on my entry. They are giving away $500 to the winner! If I'm a finalist, I'll enlist your help to vote for me. The cold hard cash would be nice! Which pic would you go w/ - pool or popsicle?

The Bean's translation dictionary 2

More new words from the Bean and their translations:



Horseshoes: shoulders, as in "Head, horseshoes, knees and toes, knees and toes..."



Twying: crying



Hahide: outside



Tar: car and color (both words sound the same)


ACACACACACACACAC: her version of the ABC song (she does get the tune right!)


Hoss: sauce of any kind, ketchup, salsa, applesauce, ranch, etc.

Yammies: Jammies, as in pajamas

Mecine: medicine

Hihere: sit here


Tween: clean


Pone: phone

Confessions

I was thinking today how lax I've gotten since Baby G has been born. I thought it would be theraputic for me to confess my faults to you all. :) Here we go...maybe some of you can relate!



1) The Bean now knows the words "cheeps" (chips) and "dwench dwies" (french fries). She has, on at least one occasion, eaten cheeps for breakfast and now says dwench dwies whenever we go through a drive-thru.

2) The Bean also knows "hartoons" (cartoons) b/c I have let her watch them a few times (maybe more than a few) when I am busy w/ the baby. Now she asks for "hartoons" or "Dahby-Tutu" (Darby and Tutu - the two characters in her Veggietales video) at some point every day. (Sigh.)

3) I was going to scrub my toilets recently, only I realized that I had nothing to scrub them with. I had know idea I was out of toilet cleaner, so what does that tell you? It's been a while.

4) I've only washed Baby G's bassinet sheet once since he's been born. He's 11 weeks old.

5) At least twice a week I go to McDonald's just to get myself a large Diet Coke (just $1.09!!), and usually I get the Bean a chocolate milk or apple juice just to keep her from asking for "Mommy's juice."

There's more, I'm sure. But you know what? We are all still here and alive and well despite all of these things!! Hopefully the first three months of "survival" of Baby G's life won't scar him or the Bean for life. Because although I'm not planning on feeding the Bean cheeps for breakfast anymore and I do plan on cleaning my toilets soon, I'm making no promises on the Diet Coke runs. :)