Expert Opinions

****Edited: FOUR times today, so far! Always her idea.******

Hello all you potty training experts out there! Give a first-timer some advice! We've been working on "potty appreciation" for about 6 months- basically building up the potty as a positive and wonderful thing and helping her become familiar with it. She's "gone" a few times, though always at my suggestion, not hers. I haven't wanted to be in a hurry (though of course looking at the calendar, it would really be nice if we could get it done sometime in the next 4 months!) because the last thing I want is a battle of the wills with a stubborn 2-year-old. I could get another year of diapers like that! :)

Anyway, I read Gary Ezzo's book "Potty 1-2-3" a month or two ago, and the training method made reasonable sense to me- it's one of those wait til they're really ready for it and then just ditch the diapers, give lots of fluids, snacks, reminders and praise, and expect accidents for awhile ideas. At the time I read it, she didn't really show all the signs of being ready so I put it on hold. I don't want to make a real effort unless I'm reasonably confident we'll be successful. Carolyn shows a lot of the physical signs of readiness- she stays dry for several hours at a time, even over naps sometimes. But until recently she didn't demonstrate many of the emotional/mental signs.

However, just in the past few days I've seen some of what I've been looking for. I've been talking to her about recognizing that point just before she goes so that she can tell me before it happens. And twice yesterday and today she told me that she wanted to go potty while she was still dry, then proceeded to go as soon as she sat on the potty. She was duly praised and rewarded and I think she is starting to get the idea! Yay! She is excited and interested in the potty (or maybe the jelly beans?)

I really wasn't planning on pushing this skill for a few more weeks yet at least because we have an airplane trip planned to Virginia the 18th-23rd and I was afraid to take a partially-trained 2-year-old on a trip like that- nervous that we'd lose any ground we'd gained and it would be harder to do it again. But now I'm wondering if I should capitalize on this opportunity while her interest is there? Maybe I'm being a bit overly optimistic and she really isn't ready? Am I ready for the commitment to training? What do you guys think?! Should we take the plunge (no pun in intended :))?

A Fall Day

Well, the days have been so warm lately that it really hasn't felt much like Fall... I wish we could store up some of this great sunshine for the 9 months of constantly cloudy skies we are heading into! A part me somewhat resents the warm weather because I do not want to be cheated out of what may be my last Michigan Fall... but even when the temperature's near 80 degrees, there are still all kinds of fun fall things to do in Michigan.

Yesterday we went with our friends to a family fun farm north of town. We had a great time! Unfortunately, my camera battery died (I REALLY need to start being more careful about this- the thing lasts for practically forever so I frequently don't realize it needs to be charged til it's too late!)- but thankfully our friends took some nice pictures for us so we can remember (blog) the day. :)
Carolyn loved the little "pig train." She is growing so much more independent- I just can't believe it sometimes! She walked right up to this little thing, hopped inside, and happily rode all around for about 10 minutes (they gave the kids a good long ride which was great since it cost $3!) without seeming at all phased by the fact that I wasn't right there!
This is what really surprised me! Carolyn once had a rather scarring experience on board a merry go round on an otherwise really fun trip to the zoo at the tender age of 11 months (mommy was just a little too excited for her to know the joys of the carousel) and has had a rather irrational (but very real) fear of anything that involves straddling an object or (especially) an animal ever since. For about a year she wouldn't go anywhere near Nana's rocking horses and would cry if we tried to encourage her to even walk close to them! But yesterday, she overcame her fear of horse-like things and actually rode on a pony!! She loved it so much that we HAD to do it twice! :) So Nana can breathe a sigh of relief- the Montana horse trip of 2016 with 10-year-old Emily and Carolyn may yet happen! :)
There was a multitude of animals of a barnyard sort for petting and greeting.
And we all enjoyed a nice, relaxing horse-drawn wagon ride with freshly picked apples for munching. A fun time was had by all! :)

Sisters

Thought some of you might like to see what Carolyn looked like at my mid-pregnancy ultrasound in February 06. The pictures look a lot alike, yet each of them has distinct features. I can recognize a hint of what Carolyn actually looks like in this picture, and I can't wait to see what Little looks like in "real" life (but I will happily wait a few more months!) I think it'd be pretty cute if they look something like each other. :)

Official. :)

It's official!! Sweet Little Baby is a GIRL! I finally believe it after it was confirmed by the ultrasound tech today- she only had to look for about half a second to make the determination... so apparently there was no doubt whatsoever. I'm not posting that picture, but I finally believe it. :) It just seemed too good to be true! In my happiest dreams of the family I someday hoped to have, I always saw sisters, but never really believed something so wonderful could happen to me. One precious daughter is more wonderful than I could have asked for- I remember thinking that many times in the days and weeks after Carolyn was born. TWO sweet little girls is just an overflowing of God's blessing. I hope He is pleased with the great joy this little one is already bringing to our family. The ultrasound itself was a fun experience. I've done this before, so I knew what questions not to ask (the ones that are like, is my baby okay?) so I didn't really get freaked out by all the pictures the tech had to take and just enjoyed watching this little one swim around in there. She is very active! I had a doctor's appointment right afterward so that I could get the "official" report right away- and Little passed with flying colors! All the right parts in all the right places looking just as they should! Praise the Lord for His marvelous work!! :)
Here is her profile and a nice shot of her spine. It looks like she's blowing bubbles. I'm not sure why.
She wanted us to be sure we noted that she has all five fingers. :)
One of my favorite things about my doctor's office is that they have a 3D ultrasound and they do them routinely at this visit to give the mamas a sneak preview of coming attractions. I have a picture of Carolyn at this stage that looks almost exactly like the one above!
This picture to me looks really different from what I remember Carolyn looking like. Something about that sweet little face looks distinct from hers.
Here's Little, all curled up. She liked to have her hands up by her face and her knees poking up.
This picture is my favorite. I think that's such a sweet little profile. And she looks unique and different from her sister. I can't wait to see what she looks like in person! Tonight I asked Carolyn where Baby Sister lives, and she patted my tummy and said "Right Here! Come out in February!" :)

PS: we still are no closer to resolution of the Name Situation... in fact in some ways we're further away from coming to agreement on the right name... I'm working on a way to put a "suggestion box" on my blog, as I'm interested in YOUR thoughts on the perfect name for such a sweet little girl ("Little" just won't work when she's 15). If anyone knows how to do this, let me know! :)

Randomness

Things here have been pretty normal and fun with all our new fall activities starting back up- no really superb pictures, but, well, this is our life! :) Carolyn is really enjoying her little dance class. She especially loves her "tappie shoes." They were well worth the money; she delights in wearing them around the house and tapping around on the wood floors.
I still can't get over how adorable she looks in her dance outfit! :) Unfortunately she didn't get to go this week because she came down with a double ear infection on Monday afternoon just before dance class and had to spend the time at the doctor's office instead. A few doses into our amoxicillin and we're feeling much better now (it must indicate something about the strangeness of our family that Carolyn knows the word amoxicillin and looks forward to it with great joy. She was thrilled when she heard that the doctor had ordered some!) :)
Hair style courtesy of Daddy. Isn't she starting to look so much like him?!
This weekend we got both a taste of Fall and Summer. I took Carolyn to the apple orchard for some donuts and cider- and the obligatory picture next to the huge apple. A better photographer than I am could help me figure out how I could get her not to look so washed out!
Later we went out to the Jersey Junction for some Ice Cream with Nana and Papa. It was a fun day!

Tomorrow afternoon we have our "formal" ultrasound for Little Baby. I sort of get worked up a bit before stuff like this thinking about all the things that could be wrong and it's an exercise in trust for me to believe that everything will be okay. I always freak out a bit because ultrasound technicians can't (and shouldn't) tell you anything while they're doing your scan- and I'm afraid every time that they see something and aren't telling me about it. I worry... too much... I know... but at the same time I just can't wait to see her again- and get further confirmation that she is indeed a SHE. :) [although if the wallpaper on my blog suddenly turns blue tomorrow, it'd be a bit of a change in perspective... but one I'm sure I'd get used to and love!] My doctor's office does 3D ultrasounds at this appointment and so we will hopefully be able to get an idea of what her face might actually look like before we get to see it in real life in a few months.

I'll be at the official halfway point of this pregnancy tomorrow, and though in many ways the days (especially those days of nausea and fatigue that lasted most of the summer) have gone so slowly... I can't believe that we're already on the brink of this milestone! I feel so bonded with this baby already; I love to feel her jumping around in there. Maybe it's just that my uterus is stretched out a bit more than it was with Carolyn, or maybe I'm just more sensitive since this isn't my first time... but she sure seems so active! I love those little reminders that she is there. :) I'm beginning to get into the part of pregnancy that is actually really fun- when you stop just looking pudgy and begin to fill out all those cute maternity clothes, can feel the baby moving throughout the day, and before you get to the point where you OUTGROW all those things you drowned in at first but feel too fat and tired to go out and get anything new. :)

So anyway, enough rambling on. I will update tomorrow after we have our appointments so you can see the pictures. :) Please pray for me that I'd stay on the straight and narrow thought-wise, and not give into the worries that threaten to overtake my mind. And pray for sweet Little Baby, that she'd be forming well and looking very good.

Something To Pray For

****SECOND UPDATE**** Baby Aria was discharged home yesterday as there isn't much else they can do for her in the hospital. Her parents (sleep deprived enough already) are charged with monitoring her and continuing to help her recover. They could certainly still use our prayers, but God has been faithful and Aria is on the road to recovery. And any of you who have or are having newborns, THIS is why they say you have to bring your itty bitty baby into the hospital if she has a fever of any sort when she's that little- because there's often no other sign that would differentiate a cold from something much more serious like meningitis.

****UPDATE**** The doctors believe that Aria has viral meningitis caused by some kind of enterovirus. They are still treating her with antibiotics in case there are any bacteria there and she is also getting some type of antiviral. She will be staying tonight at least in the hospital; maybe tomorrow night, too. Her mom and dad are staying with her and they sound like they're doing okay. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. Thanks!! I'll post some pictures of our latest doings soon. :)

I know there are many of you out there who care for us and care for our friends. Please pray today for one of my closest friends, Kelly, whose baby Aria is in the hospital today with meningitis. She is only 4 weeks old and had no symptoms except for a fever, but now will have to stay in the hospital for the next few days. My friends are understandably scared. They need lots of caring people to pray for them.

Two Person Cleanup Job

Well, it seems like every parent out there has a story like this... now we can join the club. :) I went in last night to check on Carolyn around 10:15 when I was going to bed and was immediately assaulted by the unmistakable smell of... POO! This is nothing terribly unusual in the bedroom of a 2-year-old... but the smell was unusually strong. Upon closer inspection, I found my dear daughter fast asleep with her little behind in the air (because that is how she sleeps)... and STARK NAKED! Nearby was an abandoned diaper, discarded PJ's, and a mound of POOP. For a brief second I wanted to snap a picture... but then thought better of it. Someday she might be embarrassed. The story is enough. You can imagine the details.

I quickly summoned Brad to join the cleanup crew- after we wrinkled our noses and exchanged one of those smiles that makes the rest of the world disappear because we two are the only ones who know exactly what it means to be parents of THIS sweet girl, we woke Carolyn and began decontamination. I got the fun job- I hosed her down in the bathtub- she had taken some artistic liberty with the only medium available and was... filthy. We selected new PJ's and Daddy removed all the stinky things from the crib and replaced the sheets. Then Carolyn and Mommy snuggled for a long time, with Baby Sister poking out between us to show us that she's there too, and soon will share our rocking chair times. :) It started out a bit stinky... but turned out to be one of those moments I'm sure I'll remember forever.

As a side note, they do say that unwillingness to tolerate a poopy diaper is a sign of potty training readiness... maybe we will soon give the Big Potty a real try! :)