Potty Training

So this post is late. Like 4 months, but I know that this subject is tough for all parents and a LEAST favorite for many too. Believe it or not I started writing a post about this about a week after we first started potty training. 

 A basket of SUPER cool underwear. I'd be lying if I said that we used any other methods than the ones in this VIDEO link and this article from BabyCenter. I did browse quite a few articles, but this one seemed the most straight forward. Basically scheduling 3 solid days of underwear only on bottom (I didn't like the idea of naked bottoms because kids can't feel when they are wet), lots of liquids, timed potty trips, and living in the kitchen or other non-carpeted areas. The only thing we did differently was M&M's for going potty, one for pee two for poop.

9/18/14

My initial thoughts on potty training

Thus far I believe we will not be going back to diapers. I still can't believe it's worked as well as it has. Basically I read a couple of articles ahead of time to get a little prepared and then we went for it. Honestly the main thing that prompted me to try potty training was Davie's box of diapers starting to run low, a great reason to kick the diaper habit right? I knew that if we had some success our diaper usage would save us money.

 Fist things first, I picked a couple of days that David would be home so I could have an extra helper when Macy went nuts and Davie needed help. We haven't had any accidents on carpet or furniture or anywhere else that couldn't be tossed into the wash. I consider that alone a huge success. Davie has done quite well and other than having issues with number two (typical potty training stuff) the accidents have been fairly minimal.

The only day so far that I questioned my choice was yesterday. Before church Davie refused to even go pee, allll morning. So of course he had an accident in nursery and I changed him. Then about 20 minutes later I checked on him again and he had pooped. That's when I pulled the plug. Time to go home!

Lots of days turned into a shirt on top and no pants :)

Now to be clear, I would have loved to potty train Davie sooner, like before Macy came, BUT we had school, Macy and moving on the horizon so yea it wasn't realistic. Then we moved and the house was a disaster, because David was never around to help me move the big boxes and the kids were all in open rebellion. Macy had colic and would scream like she was being tortured no matter what I did so we had to wait for that to pass as well.

 I had a couple of people comment that Davie was "so young!" and that always surprised me. I guess my daring to potty train him earlier mainly came from the fact that I hate poopy diapers, as in David cares about changing them less than me, and is better at it too. Yes it's true my husband has better form and a system that is purely superior to mine when it comes to diaper changing. I also had two babies in diapers so for a little while there I felt like I was just changing diapers like crazy! My brothers and all of David's brothers were potty trained about 3 years old so even my family was a little surprised. 

I am in no way bragging I just didn't want to change a small child's diaper anymore it was gross. To be fair the first couple of weeks were a little rough mainly lots of wet accidents and control issues (as in Davie screaming like a psycho when I would make him pee before he left the house). That actually still happens, so whatever. Maybe it was more work than if Davie had been older and on a couple of the bad days I questioned my decision but I always felt like we had been training long enough that we couldn't go back. Not only that but Davie's worst days always seemed to be preceded and followed by really good days. In the end I had to remind myself that even with the accidents I had not changed ONE poopy diaper in over a month (chorus of angels!), and Davie hadn't wet on the carpet (What?!). He still hasn't and I was really worried about that.

After an accident in his seat I changed his clothes, put his carseat in the trunk and went straight home.

We didn't use big toys, or rewards other than M&M's the first week or so. Davie was young enough that he didn't even remember the candy most of the time. The big toy approach/ reward was completely unrealistic with Davie he did NOT understand. I even made a huge potty chart and to be honest within 2 weeks I stopped using it because Davie didn't really need it or care.

Davie kept hearing us say potty training and he would get all excited and say things about wanting a toy train. Silly boy, it was super cute though.

 We were home bound a bit at first until it dawned on me that if Davie were to have an accident at a store I wouldn't really be the one to clean it up and it wouldn't be on my carpet. So really the only bad thing (in my mind) that could happen was a little public embarrassment just another positive to living in an area where you don't know everyone. For me the the worst thing that could happen was him wetting in the carseat, so many straps to clean and remove, thankfully that has only happened twice. The picture below is Davie's first underwear outing.

As of right now Davie sleeps in a pull up and I had him in a pull up on the airplane rides to Idaho, but  most of the time he is dry in the morning. Overall I am really encouraged and I think I am definitely going to try to train Macy sooner and at the very least before we have baby #3 (whenever that is because this is not an announcement). I wish I could say more, but thats about it for now.

The Post Where

I admit to being a giant stinker and trying to trick everyone, in one of my previous posts, because it sounded like I was announcing something like having a baby. Well that's the thing... I am.

It was totally worth being a brat too, just in case any of you are wondering, and you can thank my mom because she has been bugging me to announce since I was like 6 weeks along. We ARE expecting again at the end of February 2014!

There's baby!!

Which puts me at 17 weeks/ just over 4 months along, obviously this is our first ultrasound.  More to come.

Pinkalicious

Funny story. I very craftily used several coupons and gift cards to get this $199 baby bassinet/ pack'n play for $80. 

I was pretty proud of myself. Then UPS came and dropped this off...

To be honest it was Toys R Us's fault and they have yet to send us a return label for this snazzy little bike. They were supposed to send us one within two days (that was over a week ago). So here it sits. 

It's pretty cute!

 Oh yea, and we did get the pack'n play so no worries there.

Now what?

The New Dishwasher

Just in case you don't get it, the new dishwasher is ME! Poo! I hate washing dishes it really is my least favorite chore. There's just something about cleaning up cold coagulated and krusty food that I really despise. Just as David and I were nearing the finish line of projects our dishwasher decided to break. Luckily we got through at least one BIG load of dishes before it did. The night Mike and Lauren came and visited we got a lot of stuff dirty, literally twice as many dishes as usual ;)

This is David trying to see if the hoses are clogged, and of course they weren't. Every time the dishwasher ran it wouldn't drain, there would be 2 or 3 inches of water in the bottom and it was not cleaning the dishes properly. Also there was suddenly a rattling noise we had never heard before every time the washer ran. After looking it up on the internet we figured it was most likely a broken impeller (don't worry I didn't know what that was either). About a week later when David had time again he took the dishwasher apart and wah-lah, it was in fact a broken impeller. Here is what we think happened. 

I put my nice metal water bottle through the wash and the lid lost it's metal hinge, darn it. Honestly what are the chances? I was thinking I would have to throw it away because without the lid it was pretty useless, cue David to the rescue, as usual. He crafted a paperclip onto the lid to hold it together and my water bottle was saved!

The new paperclip hinge

I have come to the  conclusion that if this guy ever needs something to fall back on something besides medical school, chemical engineering or just plain being smart he could easily make money as a Jack of all Trades. He seriously figures out how to fix everything! Most of the time I'm glad, haha however, every once in a while though he will save/ fix something that to be honest I would have much rather been able to toss in the garbage. 

The original metal hinge

Back to how the impeller broke. David took apart the dishwasher and opened up the space that had the impeller and guess what we found?? My water bottle's little metal hinge and a broken impeller.

Nasty space the dishwasher goes in. David would like me to let you know that he vacuumed this space up before he put the dishwasher back.

Takin' stuff apart

 Broken impeller, basically all those little marks are supposed to have a half inch little fin on them. Those little fins help pump the water out of the dishwasher and into the drain/ garbage disposal. Like so.

Without those fins a dishwasher is pretty useless.  

This is a picture of the current state in our kitchen. Believe it or not I am actually not ashamed of the dirty dishes and I am about to brag. Between figuring out what was wrong finding the part and waiting for it in the mail all this dishwasher fixing stuff has taken about 2 weeks. Those dirty dishes you see above there are what I have to show for 2 weeks of David or I washing dishes. Also note that the left side of the sink has clean dishes. That is a pretty small pile for 2 weeks. AND to be extra honest I should include this picture as well...

haha our counter is so small we can't hold all of them. Back to why I am still actually quite proud of this pile of dirty dishes. This last week we realized that every time we washed dishes water was leaking out of the hose that is normally supposed to be attached to the dishwasher, creating yet another mess (at least it was under the sink). Anyways with no where for that water to go it was pretty gross so David and I had to resort to paper plates and using as few dishes as possible. And there you have it, I'm just glad the dishwasher was fixed before my Mama, David's Mom and Dad or our baby came. One more project finished!

David is a Weiner, I Mean WINNER!

This is a continuation of my thankful post for day #8. 

Last week the eBlade started sending out e-mails to all the UT students saying that if you signed in and read the e-version of the paper you could enter chances to win iPads and possibly even tuition. David told me he had been doing it for the last week and that I should do it too. 

On Monday evening David was studying in the second bedroom and I was talking on the phone with my Mama in the living room. That was when David came out to show me an e-mail he got from someone at the Toledo Blade (our Post Register). The e-mail was really short but it said that he had was the eBlade's first contest winner and he had won an iPad. My first impression was to be cautious just in case he was pulling my leg, but after chatting with him for a few seconds I realized he was totally serious! Long story short is that David spent the next hour or two getting all worked up about this guy from the Toledo Blade calling him, so much so that he made himself sick to his stomach and basically stopped studying. I kept trying to get him to calm down but he was just so nervous! Haha, I felt bad for him but there wasn't much I could do. 

After the Toledo Blade worker called, David was finally able to calm down but he was still sick for the rest of the night. We found out that he needed to go to the football game the next day so they could announce that he had won. Then they wanted him to come to their office at the school later in the week to pick up his prize. What a lucky duck! Am I right?! He has been wanting an iPad for a while now, I guess they are really useful as a doctor once you start doing your rotations. 

 David winning made this Tuesday our first Toledo Rockets football game. Before the game we got to use my coupon for a local restaurant called Oasis which turned out to be pretty darn tasty.  David has had test after test the last week and has one more this upcoming Tuesday so this week was a rather horrible time for this to happen, BUT I guess if that is all we have to pay to get a free iPad for the guy we can't complain. 

This photo horrifies me a little but also makes me laugh at the same time, I just hope my cheeks are so chubby because I have food in my mouth 

 I think the worst part of the whole night was when I realized I had randomly moved my student ID from my purse to my backpack the other day and that meant I might not be able to get into the game. Luckily the guy at the gate didn't seem to care too much and let us right on in. 

It was a GREAT night, we both wore long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts. There was a light breeze and it didn't snow or rain the entire time, I think it was about 60 degrees.

me 

We bought David a Rockets shirt before the game so that when he was pictured he could correctly represent his school, haha unlike the BYU sweatshirt he wears around the medical school campus all the time.

 Us!

waiting to go out on the field 

 Shaking hands, and he is done!

David after getting his newest toy yesterday

Getting a little TOO excited. After I took this picture I went to that baby shower dessert night I talked about in my previous post. As I was leaving David says "I'm probably going to be in bed when you come home I am so tired." As I walked out to the car I decided there is only a 50% chance that he will be sleeping when I get home haha, no boy could resist such a cool toy. When I got home I found him right where I left him, I asked him why he wasn't in bed and all he could say was that his iPad was almost done syncing to his computer.

Day #8- Surprises

This one is going to be vague because I have a real post to put up after Thursday ends to better explain it. Yesterday I was thankful for the occasional surprises that come up in life that can be so fun. Everyone likes a bit of good fortune, which is really just a fancy word for, blessings you didn't know were coming. You know I'm right. Anyways until Thursday I'll leave you with my most recent happy surprise and that was last week when David brought me home these, just cuz :)

I Lied

Remember in June when I made that big old post and said that it was everything that happened in June? Well I lied. Or, if you rather, I withheld information. I wanted to put this up right after we got sealed but blogging about our sealing took MUCH longer than I had hoped.

It's true, I'm not just getting chubby. Come January 2012, David and I will be proud owners of our very own brand new baby! And we are NOT planning on finding out what it is!! 

 I imagined this whole experience much differently while I was pregnant with Colin and after. Not that this time around hasn't been fabulous, because it has. I was just really scared to tell people and I figured I would be the opposite. Last time was just so awful that all I could relate to is what I had already experienced, and this was before I was divorced or even separated. This was all being planned for about 3- 5 months later than January. That's right I said plan and I still feel like God is laughing at me a little. So when we first found out I was freaking out about school, wearing my wedding dress again and just about every thing else under the sun, it wasn't pretty. David was trying to make me feel better by hiding his excitement, haha I love that man.

 What is weird to me is I can't seem to connect myself to what is going on, I can't wrap my mind around it. I believe that the number one reason is that last time was so awful so I must have some kind of subconscious self defense mechanism keeping me from getting into it yet. Also it's difficult I think for anyone to really feel like it's actually happening to them the first time they have a baby... or second first time? something like that? I'm sure once I start looking pregnant and not just thick in the midsection or when we can actually start feeling the baby move that will help. I feel like I might have felt some movement here or there but it's never consistent enough for me to be sure. I didn't feel Colin until 20 weeks so I could still have a month to go. I must also add that the wonderful reactions and family support have definitely helped me feel a little bit better everyday.

As of right now I am 15 weeks and 3 days. Yes I am talking in the 1st picture and I'm sorry I look so tired I waited until bedtime before I remembered I wanted to take these pictures.

Another thing I am excited about is my weight! I know that sounds ironic after complaining about my midsection but it is true. I have gained 4 lbs and with Colin I didn't gain any until 20 weeks. BUT this time around I was 7 pounds lighter than I was when I started with Colin.  Which means I still don't weigh as much as I did when I started with Colin AND I am already about 40% of the way through. I still fit in all my clothes but I am starting to feel really self conscious in them. Because of the situation I was in with Colin towards the very end I felt like I gained more weight than I should have so this time around I have been extra cautious from the start. It's going well I'm pretty excited!

As far as the pregnancy itself goes we have known since mid May. We found out about a week before we left Ohio AND we were sneaky enough to not tell our parents until we had our ultrasound at 10 weeks. With Colin I was sick for almost 2 months and I threw up just about daily. This time I used Unisom and vitamin B10; I only threw up twice. One of the times being the only day I tried to see if I could live without it. It worked great! Although I really didn't like feeling tired all the time it was totally worth it. I was glad that within a month my sickness had gone away and I didn't need to take it anymore. Now for the most part I feel fine but I find myself almost instantly getting fatigued or needing a nap when 5 min before I was fine. I don't remember any fatigue with Colin once morning sickness was over. That's really all I have to say for now :)

Check-in

So I have about 3 or 4 posts still for May, AND David and I have just finished traveling basically non-stop since Saturday morning at 5 am. That is a grand total of 36 hours in the car and (drum roll) 2,197 miles for our trip out West. Now some of you might be saying "wait it doesn't take that long to get to Idaho from Ohio," and to you smarty pantys I would say "you're right," with a big grin on my face. I promise to blog all about it, trust me it's going to be good :) so there is my "check-in" post for all y'all.

Specialty Restraunt

David and I decided, after much talk with the people who sat by us at dinner, that we should go to a specialty restraunt on our ship. And it was soooo tasty! It was an extra $35 a person but you were allowed to order as much as you wanted... David and I ordered lots, all but one of the appetizers, two entrees and just about every dessert. Hey we had to get our money's worth right? David ordered french sweet bread and we have since learned that that is the thymus of the brain, tasty?

goat cheese soffle

These were the CUTEST little salt and pepper shakers I have ever seen!

So tiny :)

Mmmmm lobster tail, We also had Filet mignon (best piece of steak I have ever had)

Looking back David says he wished he would have asked for the "fiL-ET MiG-Non"

Cuz everyone knows making fun of French words and things is fun/ funny right?? haha jkk

(another side note I have come up with jkk which is- just kidding.... kind of)

A little melon sherbet to clear the palate

I actually didn't really like any of the sherbet it was too fruity for me or some thing, I can't

explain it, it just tasted off? Off meaning funny or questionable. 

At the end of our meal we got our bill and to our surprise our total $0.00!!! What? Because our room had gotten upgraded we were given over $100 in free stuff coupons and one of those perks included a free specialty restraunt meal and we almost didn't go because we thought we had to pay for it! Go us for deciding to try new things, French things besides!

Ahem... I have an Announcement to make

Most of you already know this because of facebook, but I am happy to say that.... I AM ENGAGED!! The date I've picked is July 12th 2010. It's exactly 100 years after my great-great-grandparents got married. I found this out when I was in Ohio this last summer and was teasing I should get married on that day next year HA... HA... Oh Wow how things change!

Thus far the most common comment I've gotten is "wow that was fast", or "boy you sure didn't waste anytime". So for the record I would like to say that David and I have known each other for about 9 months now, and we will have known each other for over a year when we do get married. Having said that I think that's reasonable, right?

Everything would be different if David wasn't who he is, and that is, AMAZING. David and I have slowly gone from acquaintances, to Friends, to awkward friends (haha), to dating over this last year. After everything I have been through that was exactly what I needed. Not only that but he has been so patient with me and my inability to make up my mind. Because of all of my past experiences I found myself constantly trying to find something horribly wrong with him, and not that he doesn't have flaws but he is exactly the type of Man I was looking for.

Soooooo I'm going to tell you about David. We met on a date that his Mom set us up on. I still remember the first time I met her. It was about this time last March, she started asking me if I was excited about having a baby... poor lady didn't know my story, so I told her. By the end of my story she was all upset about my Ex and what had happened to me, as she walked away I asked my Mom who she was and she told me "that's Sister Warden", me- " I like her". Then in June after having Colin I bore my testimony. After Sacrament meeting Sister Warden came up to me and said "You have to go on a date with my son!".  I was all for being set up!! A couple weeks later I went on a date with David. It was lots of fun but he was very shy so I didn't think too much of it. Then I went to Ohio and Vegas for about 3 weeks.

 Over the summer we kept things casual and we saw each other fairly often. I might also add that we dated other people. Then when fall came we started going to institute and singles branch activities together weekly. I got to know him better and we had lots of fun. Then around Christmas we decided we both liked each other and we started dating. We have been hanging out just about every day since then! David is my best friend!

David graduated from Idaho Falls High School (he's the enemy I know! jk) in 2003. He played football, wrestled and ran track. He was a first team All State offensive linemen his senior year and a captain of the football team.  David went on to serve a mission to Ecuador, Guayaquil North, got sick in the middle, and finished up in San Antonio, Texas. This last spring he graduated from BYU with a degree in Chemical Engineering (Magna Cum Laude Honors I might add).

He's been interviewing for medical schools this last year and has been accepted to one and is on several first tier waiting lists. As far as who he is I can honestly say that he is the opposite of me in many ways, which is a very good thing. David is quiet, shy and steady while I am lively, outgoing and can be all over the place. Some neat things about us-  both of us are the oldest in our families and his parents are the oldest in theirs, we both have birthdays in June and his is three years and three days before mine. But most importantly he and his brother introduced me to Pride and Prejudice - LOVE THAT SHOW.

Calling his Grandma to tell her the news :)

On to the good part. Last Wednesday David took me on a date and we ate at Red Lobster for dinner. He's always really good about doing things I want to do. This is very sweet but it keeps me on my toes because I have to remind myself to ask him what HE wants haha or beat it out of him whichever happens first. He was being off-ish all week about the specifics of what we were going to do, how long, where and everything else. That was my first clue, usually when I ask him a question I get the LONG version of the answer :) and that date was yes, no, I can't tell you, or you'll just have to wait and see.

On our way home he was becoming even more secretive and I was under the impression that I was asking fairly random/ normal questions. On top of that he kept saying his stomach wasn't feeling good anymore. As we came around the back street to my house I saw his parents car on my street. That was when I realized something was definitely up. As he walked me to the door I could feel his hand was shaking and when we got to the step my brother was peeking out the window. When he rang the doorbell no one answered so he gave me a hug.

Will you marry me?

By now I was getting nervous too, and he was shaking all over. The next couple of moments are a little hazy and they didn't go according to his plan but it was good. The door opened and everyone was standing inside with roses and they all said congratulations.... for what? That was when David got down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him

YES!

Whew she said yes!

All the pretty roses

David's Mom :)

David- I'm so relieved 

Look how great David did at looking at the camera! I on the other hand was soooo bad I had to delete several pictures with me in them because I wasn't looking at the camera.

Celebration time. Cream soda, Martinelli's and ice cream. 

Believe it or not I was so full I turned down ice cream

I was pretty happy, couldn't wipe the grin off my face!

David's Grandma,  Dad and Mom

Can I just say I am so very happy that I get along with his parents, and that his parents are still married and get along themselves. Sister Warden got me a gift certificate to Essence of You that was so sweet of her. Her exact words were "if you're going to be a Warden you're going to need it". I'm just so glad their family is as crazy as mine. 

Pretty pretty roses! 

I'm sure you can tell that the roses were beautiful just by looking at them in the pictures of me holding them but I had to get a good picture. 

This is the third time David has gotten and me flowers, and only one of those times was for a specific reason (Valentines) Ah, David you are great.

Mom and Jordan 

David's thinking- Wow that looks good on her finger 

There's the story everyone! Sorry it took almost a week to get on here. It didn't help that I was already several posts behind. I have been soooo busy lately. Initially I was looking for a salon job but I found myself constantly getting called to nanny. That has turned out to be such a great experience I have loved every minute of it! I'm also glad that apparently I do well enough to get referrals. The ladies I work for have been telling all of their friends and together they all have kept me plenty busy. I'm still working for the school district but that has slowed since all the nannying jobs started. Let me just say what a blessing those jobs have been. I get paid VERY well I don't usually work very long hours and I love doing it. I have also tried my best to snowboard as often as time and money allow this season and that has been fun too.