The Potty Training Chronicles: Day 10

Ooooh pretty paintings!

Last night I was at a friend's house and my lovely and amazing mom watched my boys for me.  While I was packing up to leave, I look down at my Ipod and notice I have a message.  The alert read like this:

"Ummm... Henry just pooped"  -- that's all I could read on the alert menu.

So, I start filling in the blank ... on the floor? On the couch? All over everything?!?

But no, the full message read,:

"Ummm... Henry just pooped on the potty."

Another milestone!!

He also had zero accidents at daycare yesterday!

And, he peed on a public toilet today.

I know - all this poop and pee talk is exhilerating isn't it?!?
Such a proud mama!  We're on a roll over here! 

I like to eat M&M's after my brother uses the potty!!

The Potty Training Chronicles: Day 6

Progress! Finally Progress!! :)

Henry has been more than happy to sit on the potty - but has produced nothing for us the last two days of wearing big boy undies all day.  Many accidents.

The first milestone we can check off the list was today when he ran to the potty.  He didn't make it in time, but he knew what he was running for!

The second milestone is that while sitting on the potty after nap today, he pee'd in the potty.  So happy and proud of him!

I know it's going to be a long road ahead, but I'm confident he's capable of this!

The Potty Training Chronicles: Day 4

Henry has had big boy underwear on for 30 minutes.

After 5 minutes, he peed in them.

After 10 minutes, he pooped in them.

This is fun.

We've been consistent about sitting on the potty with out a diaper (when we are home) for the last 2 days.  He always tries to push out something - so he usually just farts.

So, I think the next couple of days we'll be staying home and seeing if we can get some pee on the potty.

I guess this is called the "Go for the Gold" method - straight to undies, and putting him on the potty every 20 minutes.

The Potty Training Chronicles: Day 3

The preparation for training has been easy so far.  Sitting on the potty and reading books.  Easy and Henry enjoys it.

Tonight was the first night I took his diaper off right before bed and we sat down and read his book on the potty, bare bum-ed.  He tried to go so hard - that he sharted.  That's right - a fart and the tiniest bit of poop came out.  It was enough for us to wipe up and flush though.  A victory in my book.  A reason to celebrate and have Henry call his dad and tell him on the phone before bedtime.  Henry even said, "Woot Woot!"  (I've been teaching him to say that - it's adorable.  And hilarious.)

Let's hope the excitement continues through the weekend - he's going to pick out his own big boy underwear!!

The Potty Training Chronicles - Part 1

Well friends, since there are about 4 weeks left of my lovely summer vacation - I've decided I may as well give potty trianing a go.  I'd like to be able to do it while we're home together - but if we try for this week and things get crazy - I have no problem backing off and giving the brunt of the work to daycare (haha, sorry Amy!) this fall.

Hmm... am I trainable??

Since none of my friends have had any pearls of wisdom on the topic (except for these golden nuggets: "Wait for him to be ready" and "Wait until he's 3")  - I've decided to go with my pediatricians plan.  I've never heard of anyone potty training like this, and I love experiments, so let's try it - shall we? 

Prerequisites:  Make sure Henry is "ready"  - I don't know what this means.  Sometimes he tells me he's poopy - which for him means pee and poop.  Sometimes he doesn't.  I tend to think he's pretty smart though, so I think he'll catch on quickly.  I think since my pedi told me he was smart enough to start back at his 2 year appointment (a mere 8 months ago) - he should be good to go now. 

Here's the method that our pedi swears by - claiming to even have discussed it with intellectuals from Harvard, where people actually pay for their children to attend potty training class.  (must be nice)

Step 1:  After every meal and snack, sit on the potty while fully clothes and read 1 story.  When that story is done, get up and continue about your day.  Do this for 1-3 days.

Step 2: After every meal and snack, sit on the potty with pants off but diaper still on - and read 1 story.

Step 3:  Same, but with diaper off.

And apparently - voila - your child gets trained. 

Sounds lovely doesn't it?

Please don't think I'm naive enough to think it's going to be this easy peasy light and breezy.  But, the consistency of sitting after every meal/snack is supposed to help train the bladder and make Henry more comfortable, so in all it may help with the entire potty training process - so we're going to give it try.  Plus, his dad goes to the bathroom after every meal, so it just makes sense.  (sorry for the tmi, but it's true!)

Today is Day 1.  So far, so easy :)

I can do it!! (how do I rotate in blogger??)

Henry Mercer - 2 1/2 years...

This little boy makes me laugh.  All.  Day.  Long.

My favorite Henry saying right now is, "Sorry - sorry guys.  No like that game."

I assume because I walk around saying "Nope, sorry!" all day to Henry and Owen - that's where he's picked up on this lovely phrase.  Everything is "Sorry, Mommy - I get 2 candies."  or "Sorry Oden - that's my toy."

He still calls Owen "Oden" (because that's what we call him) - and I love it. 

He still runs and dances with his one arm up higher than the other.  His favorite song to dance to right now is "Starships" by Nicki Minaj.

Henry loves to sing - right now his favorite is Old MacDonald, which sounds like, " Ah madonall hanna farm ...  ee ay ee ay ooooooooo.  An onna farm hanna -- cow!!  ee ay ee ay oooooooo.  mooo mooo here, mooo moo here, moo moo dere moo moo, Ah madonall hanna farm ee ay ee ay ooooooooooooo " 

Still loves to eat anything cheesy and hates all vegetables.  Though I did get him to eat the tiniest bit of broccoli tonight. 

Henry also likes to try to read his bedtime stories aloud with me.  It's adorable.

Henry can count to 12.  He can sing his abc's (lmnop = oooo p ).  He can recognize most of the letters, and also a few sounds.  If he sees a B he says, "Letter B.  Buh Buh B"

He's a little OCD about having things just the right way.  He absolutely needs to be wearing his socks all the time. 

And now for the photo frenzy!

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.   - Psalms 23:6

Owen Roger - 10 Months Old

It sure is true that the 2nd one gets jipped when it comes to baby books, blog updates, weekly photos, etc. Especially when they're so close in age!! And if their mommy works a full time job.

Anyway - here's some Owen stuff!

WAKE TIME
He's awake for about 2 1/2 hours in between his naps. He goes a long 4-5 hour stretch at the end of the day, depending on how well he napped during the day.

Formula
Owen is offered 4 6oz bottles a day. He averages maybe 18-20 oz a day. I'm going to start mixing in milk soon. The debate on the table is: Vit. D? Or 2%. Thoughts?

Solids
Here piggy piggy. I remember Henry doing this as well -- Owen will keep eating all night long. And then when he gets down to play, he'll puke because he over ate. He's eating a lot of our table food now, and it's becoming a struggle to get the good baby food (fruit/veggies) in because he wants our food!!

6:30 - 6 oz bottle
8:00 - 6 oz jar of fruit, toast
9:00 - nap
10:00 - 6 oz bottle
11:30 - 4 oz yogurt, 4 oz fruit, table food
1:00 - nap
3:00 - bottle
4:00 - snack (usually crunchies or puffies)
5:15 - 4 oz meat/veggie, 4 oz veggie, table food
7:15 - 6 oz bottle, bed

NAPS
Owen is doing great at going to sleep. While he usually falls asleep in his 5 minute rock routine, if I have to lay him down awake, he usually goes right to sleep.

NIGHTTIME SLEEP
For the most part, Owen sleeps from about 7:30pm until 6:30 when I wake him up. Weekends he'll sleep until 7 or 7:30. Allergies, sicknesses, and teething have been disrupting this a couple of nights a week. And if he's wide awake - he will not go back to sleep without a bottle. I know he doesn't need it, he knows he doesn't need it - but he gets it because I'm tired and what else can you do at 3:00am?

OMM
Owen no longer goes to OMM therapy - his head is looking pretty good.

Milestones
He has 2 bottom teeth, and the top gums are just opening up.
He can pull himself up and walk around furniture, and loves walking if you hold his hands.
He's a speed demon crawler.
Just last night, there were several instances where he chased after me, whining, and said "mama".

I have been horrible at taking his weekly monkey photos. I know I've missed the last two weeks. I sure hope I remember this week, poor guy.

It is so funny to watch Henry and Owen begin to have meaningful interactions. They are starting to play together - and torture each other. It's awesome :)