Valentines Day

Valentines kind of snuck up on us this year. It was more of a thrown-together-at-the-last-minute sort of thing.

Kate made Valentines for Daddy.

 She loved putting on the stickers.

 So much that she kept taking them off to reapply them.  So in the end, the valentines ended up with shredded pieces of sticker all over them.

 I made a heart shaped brownie.

Dustin bought me these.

The first season of The Big Bang Theory, which is one of my favorite shows, and Donkey Kong Country returns for Wii.  If you were a fan of the original Donkey Kong Country as a kid, you will love this game.  It's classic 2D animation with hard levels.  There are some levels that I know took us at least 50 lives to beat.  It's really fun.  Dustin and I have been playing it every night.  He's better at it than I am.

Also, he made me this Valentine.

If you know what this is, you're awesome. 

We got Kate a little zhu zhu puppy, and she thinks it's hilarious. 

We ordered Little Caesars that night and babysat our niece and nephew.  Don't worry, Dustin and I had already gone on our Valentines Date the Friday before.  Serranos....mmm.

So you can see, Dustin definitely won this Valentines Day :).  I'll make up for it and get him something good for our anniversary. 

Potty Training

Yesterday was my first attempt at potty training Kate. I had purchased "Potty Training in Less Than a Day" off amazon. I had read it, and I knew my stuff. I had all the supplies, a doll that wets, plenty of snacks and candy for positive reinforcement, and yummy drinks. Kate had passed all the readiness tests and we were good to go.

Or so I thought.

Successful pottys: 3 Accidents: 11

This day was FRUSTRATING!  She was being so stubborn.  She didn't want to obey at all, and she was so grumpy.  She's been sick for the past few days, and even though she's feeling better I should've postponed training.  But I still thought she could handle it!  She did learn HOW to go potty though.  So at least she did learn something.  She can pull up and down her panties, sit on the potty, go (if I've timed it right), wipe, empty her potty bowl into the toilet, flush, and return her bowl to her potty.  She's awesome at that.  What I think her problem is bladder control.  I don't think she recognizes the sensation of "having to pee" yet, because she would just go anywhere without even the slightest attempt to find the potty.  She does know accidents are bad (we had 11!) and she always says, "Uh oh" and changes her panties.   So she KNOWS accidents are bad, she KNOWS how to potty, but it's just not clicking. 

So to avoid another incredibly stressful day like yesterday (she's already in a grumpy mood anyway), I've decided to go with a more gradual potty training approach.  I just don't want her to have a bad experience with potty training and not want to do it at all.  So I've put her back in diapers for the time being, and I'll take her potty every hour or so or when I think she needs to.  Then in a couple weeks, I'll try a day of panties again.  Hopefully this works. 

My main goal is to have her completely trained by the time her little brother gets here.  So I have 5 months, and I'm confident that she'll be trained way before then.  She's a very independent little girl, so I know that as soon as it "clicks" she'll be good to go. 

So, yes, I do recommend that book.  And it will work, you just have to make sure your child is completely ready and in a good mood.  Kate was neither, and I just tried it too soon.

Its a ...

After a few months of dreaming of sisters in matching dresses, we found out this morning that Kate is going to have a little...

BROTHER!

Yep!  No doubt about it!

We are completely shocked and totally excited!  The doctor said everything looks good, and he's healthy!  I can't wait to meet my little guy!

Happy Valentines Day!

(in other words, what bribery with candy will make my daughter do!)

Mealtime

This is what my floor looks like after almost EVERY meal.  When Kate is done with her food, she just throws it on the ground, or dumps it on the table, or plays with it.  She chooses whichever way makes the biggest mess.  This morning I had finally had it.  Don't get me wrong, she gets in trouble every time, but it's just not sticking!  I KNOW she can follow directions, I know she can obey, but she just won't listen about throwing her food on the ground. So this morning, I made her clean it up herself.

She was NOT happy about it.

This little girl tried everything to get out of it.  She hugged me, and kissed me, and said "Please!" over and over again.  But I remained firm.  After about on hour of struggle (yeah, I think the terrible two's have hit), I firmly guided her hands in cleaning up the mess.  I think we may have made a break through.

Hopefully.

maybe....

....we'll see what happens at lunchtime.

 

"Toes please?"

Kate is such a girly girl sometimes and I just love it! Yesterday we were sitting on the couch together when Kate starts examining her toes. She notices that all her previous polish has chipped off so she looks up at me and says,

"Toes please?"

Well, who could resist that? So we went upstairs and painted our toenails. This is a routine we've done many times before, and Kate KNOWS what to do!

First we start by removing old polish...

Then we pick out a color!


Ooooohh....pretty!

Then we (properly) shake the nail polish by rolling it in our hands!

Gotta blow one those toes to get dry!

The finished product, sorta.  She messed them up pretty bad right before this picture was taken.

I love having a little girl!

14 weeks

I just realized I hadn't posted anything about the new baby other than telling you all about it.  So here's a picture of me at 14 weeks.

Yyyyeaaahhhh....

I've been completely in maternity pants for weeks now, and my wedding ring has already been shelved.  I've been expecting it this time around though, I got enormous with Kate, and they say you get even bigger with the second so...heaven help me come July!  Does anyone have a pool I can live in this summer?

Other than getting big, and feeling exhausted 24/7, everything is awesome.  I've been very blessed again with NO morning sickness. (I'm sorry.  Really.  Don't hate me okay?)  So far, this pregnancy feels the exact same as it did last time, which makes me think it might be another girl.  *fingers crossed*  Don't get me wrong, I'd be completely happy if I was having a boy, but it would be so fun to have two little girls, and let's face it--easier.  Easier in the fact that I wouldn't have to really buy anything, every baby thing I have is pink and pretty.  A boy would mean having to buy everything all over again.  So...we'll see.

Kate is very excited to be a big sister, even though I don't think she really understands what's going on.  She will point to my belly when I say, "Where's the baby?", and give it a hug and kiss.  She's also been playing "baby" with her baby dolls everyday now, but  I don't know if that's just a little girl thing or if she's excited for the baby.  She's very sweet with other people's babies so that gives me hope.

I have NO idea about names.  Kate's name was picked out since high school.  I actually had two names picked out for my girls, Kate and Emma.  Well, Sherice just named her little one Emmalyn, so that's out-- and Emma Watson is the girl who plays Hermione in  Harry Potter, so I really couldn't do that.  A few names have been tossed around-- Annie, Jane, Alice, and Lucy and for a boy-- maybe Devin or Troy.  Jack is still my absolute favorite boys name, but my cousin Kim named her boy Jackson (dang you Kim!) and Dustin hated it anyway.  So... I will be more decisive once I find out the gender I'm sure.

Any suggestions?