Mmmm, That's Yummy!

Is it me or does it take forever to get anything at Wal-Mart? I went today for the first time in weeks for groceries. Since I was up in the night with some heartburn, probably because I had a spicy chicken salad at lunch, I thought I could take a nap and get the grocery shopping done while Kaitlyn was at summer school. No can do. I spent two hours at Wal-Mart alone - part waddling around because I move slow now and part because that place is just so huge. I can never make a quick trip to the store anymore, but maybe that is part of pregnancy as well because everything looks so much better to eat when pregnant.

For about a week now, whenever Kaitlyn plays in her kitchen or groceries or even eats a meal, she says, "Mm mm, that's yummy." But yummy comes out a little different in her pronunciation. I caught it on video.

Busy June Weekend

It was a busy June weekend for us. I am entering my 30th week of pregnancy and things are definitely slowing down for me, except I feel I have so much to do before Jackson's arrival. I am taking today to rest from the weekend.

Also, several friends and family have experienced a loss in their family as well as a family member being very sick in the last week including Katie Cottrell who lost a family member this week and a close Meche family friend who is in the hospital with swelling in his brain without a reason. Please keep them in your prayers.

Alert: Kaitlyn just told me she had to use the potty and we went and she immediately went #2. I think it just may be more of a regular thing for her now. So cool!

In the morning on Saturday, Brandon's Bro and wife, Spencer and Christy came over to swim and we had quite the crew. She is six weeks behind me with a girl. I also went by some garage sales in the morning and bought a couple of toys for $3 and a double jogging stroller for $30. This double jogging stroller is awesome and like new. They normally go for around $250 or if you find a used one at least $100. I am sure we will get some use out of it in the fall when it cools down for walks.

We went to a barbque at Brandon's new boss' house. We were there for a really long time, and I was definitely talked out by the time we left. It was funny because all the guys went in the back to hang out, and that was when Brandon received requests for his famous impression ability. He is pretty good at doing impressions of people. He says co-workers always request him to do his old boss.

On Sunday, Kaitlyn's friend, Emma turned 3. She had a pool/Hello Kitty party. Her dad carried Kaitlyn and Emma around the pool over and over. They loved it. Kaitlyn had no problem going to him as long as she was playing in the pool!

In addition, I found a swim instructor that comes to your house for swim lessons and a good place for pizza - Pizza by Marco's off of Park and Tollway - yummy. Anyway, she taught at the Emler Swim School, and is very reasonably priced. Several friends have expressed interest in using her too so we may be in business to start our own class around Pool Time Fridays. I have got to call and find out more information for July and part of August.

Sweeter than Sweet

Another potty update. I couldn't contain myself when I picked Kaitlyn up today on her second day of summer fun at The Ark Preschool. She went No. 1 and No. 2 in the potty! Yeah for Kaitlyn! I am so proud of her.

I know this is a slow process and she is doing agreat job of learning how to do this thing we call going potty on the toliet. As a mom, it is wonderful to see your child pass another major milestone. The teachers all smiled as I talked about how exciting this potty training experience has been. And how thankful I am to be able to work on this now with Kaitlyn before Jackson is here.

I tried to get a little movie of her licking a popcicle today, but wasn't fast enough. It was cute how she stuck out her tongue just to lick a part of it and that was it. She was pretty worn out today as she didn't have a nap and konked out around 5 pm. We woke her for dinner and then she went back to sleep.

Happy Father's Day and A Present from Kaitlyn

It was a happy Father's Day for Brandon! We enjoyed The Meches coming to visit and Brandon hanging with his dad on Father's Day. Kaitlyn did well the whole weekend going on the potty! She is starting to recognize the need to go and say poopoo on the potty beforehand, but we have to still try and catch it.

On Sunday early evening, we went to the mall to ride the carousel. Kaitlyn really enjoyed herself, so did dad. Then I took her to the potty, which is located right by the ride. She went on the potty there. It was so cool!

Uncle Stephen came to visit today and she got so excited that we didn't make it to the bathroom.

Tomorrow she will go to the second summer session on The Ark Preschool. I was worried about it; however, she has really gotten the potty thing a lot more in just the last couple of days. I hope tomorrow goes well. She will be in the 2 year old room with a bathroom right there.

Amazing Update from Rest of Today

Okay folks, we had an amazing day potty training. How unexpected! She got up and we went potty this morning, count 1. Then tried about every 45 minutes in the morning, until went pee-pee before nap time at 11:30, count 2. We did the whole take a turn bit. So I went first and then she went! Then when she woke up at 3. She went again and we took turns, count 3. And lastly, tonight at 7:30 pm, she went poo-poo on the potty, count 4. Four times!!!! Wow, we got a lot of practice in! In between 3 and 7:30, we went swimming for a long time, so who knows what happened then, but we had to get out of the bathroom, so it was a good break.

I knew she had it in her and now we wait for the breakthrough where she tells us she has to go. I am just elated that we are making good progress. Of course, I have to tell myself we are going to have days that we may step back.

For those of you who are asking for tips, here a couple we have learned the last few days, not that I am an expert, but these things worked for Kaitlyn:
1. Have a fun sticker chart to encourage them just to sit on the potty - giving and putting a sticker on after just trying helped to bring her to the potty every time we said let's go. ("Potty Training in A Day" book is what I went by for all of this.)

2. Once we started her on the potty, there was no turning back to diapers. It was underwear the rest of the day and training pants for naps/night time.

3. We had a potty-training doll and this helped Kaitlyn because she is into dolls/babies right now.

4. We had a bucket of small presents from the dollar store, etc. for when she did go on the potty and this has been great motivation, once she figured it out.

5. We got the "Potty Power" video and she has watched this over and over. She loves the songs. We also bought a few books she can read, but not as much into those right now. But this is how we started the whole thing, was to alternate between the bathroom and going to read a potty book or see a video.

6. I would sometimes bring them into the bathroom. Having a portable video player helped to keep her on the potty as well as games/coloring/cards so we could try and catch her.

7. What has helped the most was our excitement and big, happy and smiling faces. We would race to the bathroom, get excited over stickers, her just sitting on the potty or just staying dry. She definitely picked up on our fun and excitement as well has having family members being excited for her.

Tonight, I couldn't help but see how she is turning into a BIG girl right before our eyes. She read Brown Bear, Brown Bear all by herself. I read it first and she started to. She was saying all the names twice and then turning the next page and saying that animal just like how it is written. I hope she becomes a great little reader! Then she can read me a night time story and I may just fall asleep and can't be moved!

Potty Update Number 2

Well, we like number 1 and number 2. Yesterday, Oma came over to help as I had some project work and had to go to the office. Kaitlyn went pee-pee and poo-poo on the potty after being closely watched. Her face says it all.

Last night we stayed in the bathroom for a good 45 minutes from 6 to 7 because I knew she needed to pee-pee, but as soon as we got up to pick something up outside, there was an accident.

This morning Kaitlyn got up around 7 am and we went to the bathroom first. We only sat there for about 10-15 minutes and she went pee-pee. I think maybe she is feeling a little more comfortable to let go.

We plan to work on it today and tomorrow only. We cancelled Pool Time Friday so we can just focus. I see a little progress everyday like this morning. I can't wait to see everything click and she goes to the bathroom first before she has an accident or tries to get there first.

News Flash!!!

This morning I had a different strategy. For the last two mornings, she has had an accident eating breakfast at the table. We had just sat with her on the potty beforehand too.

This morning, I brought our portable DVD player and we sat there for awhile with a video. Then we got off to say bye to Daddy. Then I said let's get our breakfast and bring it in the bathroom with us. She had muffins while sitting on the potty and then went pee-pee on the potty! Yeah, man, it was so exciting! That was my whole goal today, if we could just get her to go this morning, the easiest time.

We have been telling her that if she went on the potty she would be able to open a present. This morning she was able to finally open another present! She was excited! Hopefully, this will start a snowball effect, but if not, at least I know we can do it with a little patience and time.

Update on PT

After a couple of days of this, Kaitlyn likes to wear her underwear and watch Potty Power, but we haven't had much luck with going on the potty. We are being patient and know that it is alot to only be going back and forth to the potty or stay in the bathroom for a long period of time. It is like she is holding it so she doesn't have to pee-pee on the potty.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day.

Potty Training Update

We have been preparing for the Big Day (Potty Training) for awhile now and it is finally here! We decorated the bathroom and living room along with treats, prizes, stickers, star chart and the necessary potty items.

Kaitlyn woke up this morning at 7:30 and we were excited. She woke up tired, but soon got excited too when we told her there was a present waiting for her. She opened up her potty doll, Dolly. She was amazed and loved the decorated bathroom. We then talked with Dolly alot and Kaitlyn fed her breakfast.

We then went straight into talking about Dolly and how she is wearing big-kid underwear and how she goes pee-pee and poo-poo on the potty. Dolly had several accidents in the morning with water on her big-girl pants and we put in some baby prunes for a BM. Dolly also went on the potty all by herself and got a treat and sticker, which Kaitlyn really got when she promised to do what Dolly did.

Kaitlyn got very excited when Dolly went on the potty and got a treat. She understood the concept. She also loved her potty books and loved the Potty Power video. Our motto today has been Potty Power, Kaitlyn especially loved this motto. We worked with the doll until lunch and kept going back and forth from the bathroom to party room to read books to Dolly to help train her.

After lunch, Kaitlyn took a nap. We were ready for her to wake up to start on the real business at hand. She took a three hour nap so she didn't get up until 4:30 pm. She then got a call from Superman to encourage her to do what Dolly did today and about becoming a big kid. She then opened up all her big kid underwear including Curious George and Dora the Explorer underwear that had been wrapped.

She picked out Curious George to wear and from there we rewarded her with stickers for staying dry. We then upped the anty with trying to go on the potty. She also got rewarded for sitting on the potty to try. We tried a few drinks on her to get her to need to go pee-pee. She stayed on the potty for quite awhile and we entertained her with songs and beads and just waited, waited and waited. She was already sitting on the potty and her face got really big and then we heard the pee-pee. She didn't go pee-pee until 7 pm and she had been up since 4:30.

She then got to pick out a prize and received a lot of praise. We were very excited to hear that sound! So today, another day at trying even if it is a little more low-key than yesterday.

Summer Time - Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty

(Not responsible for run-on sentences, etc. I am extremely tired from our trip; however, I wanted to catch up on some blog writing or I will procrastinate until it is too late. heehehee.)


So we are about to embark on the last trimester of this pregnancy and as we do, we have so many goals to meet before Jackson gets here. We are almost complete with the room change. Here are some recent photos. Kaitlyn is pretty in pink with flowers and birdies. Jackson is blue and is an all-star with red stars and baseball/basketball/soccer. We still need some decorations and want to work on that this month. Maybe Big Daddy will bring back something from Yankees stadium on his trip to NYC for this little all-star!





We have set the date of the "Big Potty Party" for Kaitlyn, this Saturday. She is really ready to go now, and I have been finishing up some reading on some successful strategies for potty training in a day, hopefully, but there will be a lot of follow up in the next week, as well as getting gear for potty training - pull ups, portable potty seat, seat adapter and learning how to get her on the seat easily, potty videos, books, etc. We are going to have a big indoor picnic with special drinks to get her to drink a lot, and model a lot of potty training in the morning. In the afternoon, it will be time for her to go to it and put in motion what we have learned. We are in for an all day event and will hold all calls, except for Kaitlyn getting a call from encouraging family and possibly Superman. Yeah!


And we just got back last night from our big trip to Destin, Fla. with the Colemans. Destin really is a great family destination, except it isn't exactly easy getting there. We planned to leave on Wednesday, May 30 and were stuck in an airport all day. We got up at 5:45 am, left by 6:15 to make an 8:50 flight. We were then stuck on the plane on the runway for three hours in the middle of a huge storm. The flight was then cancelled and we had to wait for another flight at 4:30 to Houston. Then we waited on that flight for an hour before take off. We then literally ran through the airport to get on a smaller plane to Destin/Ft. Walton. They gave Kaitlyn's seat away and she had to be passed back and forth to me and Brandon as we were sitting in different rows. Even though this was tough, no dinner, and I was about yak from motion sickness and exhaustion, as with all of us adults, the girls, Kali - 17 months, and Kaitlyn did really better than expected. No all out cries or anything. We did loose Kaitlyn's Doodle Pro that kept them pre-occupied for the better part of the three hours waiting on the runway in the morning.

We saw a couple of doggies in the airport and that definitely helped as well as escalators. Kaitlyn loved riding on them.


The rest of the trip was nice because we walked right on to the beach, had umbrellas and didn't have anywhere really to be. The water was great and we even saw a couple of dolphins. Kaitlyn didn't like the beach as much as last year, guess the bigger waves were a little frightening. However, after a couple of days she and Kali went out with the dads before the big waves and liked the water. Kaitlyn kept saying Big Waves and Come Water Come. She liked to stomp out the sand castles as well. She loved the pool was always her favorite. She has been swimming a lot kicking her legs and moving her arms while on her belly.


Having Kali and Kaitlyn together was really the best. They were great friends and copied each other a lot. They always looked for each other and asked where the other one was if she wasn't around. They liked to wrestle and of course, play keep away and take stuff from each other.

We met a lot of people from Louisiana. They were great and helped take some photos for us. I think a highlight for us was to go to Fudpucker's restaurant. They had aligators in the front and we bought a couple of shirts. Kaitlyn and Kali liked making faces more through the window than anything.

Here is a link to the kodak gallery photos. I took close to 200, but most of them are duplicates, so I moved a few good ones to the front.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=hhuz2tp.7mvp0mtt&Uy=pysvng&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=300247468042_657628831505

Here are two videos from the trip: Kaitlyn and Kali dancing and Brandon/Troy boogie Bording and a surfer wiping out.