Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Laughs at the Park.


This image makes my heart happy.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

How did we get here?

Ah, the question inspires so many perfectly correct and thoughtful responses, but I'll focus on one here today: potty training.

Are we "done"?  I doubt it.  (Seeing as Olive peed twice not in the toilet at my brother's house this weekend.)  BUT.  Olive hasn't worn diapers of any kind since late March.  Her accidents are getting MUCH fewer and farther between - and they are closely tied to her being out of routine or being engaged in a super fun activity.

Poops?  You might ask.  (Well, you didn't, but "people" do ... and Olive is more than happy to share as she walks through a store or restaurant toward the restroom, "I need go poops!")  They are coming along just fine.  In fact, Olive's standard response to our daily, "How was school?," inquiry is "I pooped in the potty."  Yep, it is apparently the most exciting and newsworthy event of her little day.  Go figure.

Before we went down the whole potty training road, we read a lot, we watched videos, and talked to friends, family, and teachers.  Heck, we even winged it a bit ... we are TOTALLY fly by the seat of our pants kind of people.  (I hear you snickering ...)

12 hours into our self-imposed potty boot camp weekend, I broke out an e-book recommended by a friend, http://www.3daypottytraining.com/.  Look, I am not related to this woman, and I certainly am not compensated for this recommendation.  But, after a frustrating evening, and an even more frustrating morning, the book was helpful, refreshing, positive, and encouraging enough for us to modify our approach.  I'm not sure if it worked, or if Olive was just ready, but I found her program helpful. 

Just my two cents.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Hello, Stranger.

Yeah, so, I couldn't resist bringing my fingers back to the keyboard and back to this space.

Not with a novel, but a wee quote.

"Daddy, I need go potty 'fore I pee on myself."

And, that, dear friends, sums up my evening.  (Day? Week? Month?)

We are surrounded, no, enveloped by independence, growth, lots of sweet hugs, and more than a little hilarity.