Holy Crap!

Oh yea, Sawyer has hopped on the potty train. No looking back now. He's on to big boy unders!

We hopped on the potty train with Sawyer on Tuesday morning. We started at 11 a.m. (Jack's nap time) and by 3 p.m. he had 5 successful pees, and 1 successful poo!! It was hilarious, after his first #2 he looked in the potty and was kind of surprised and said, "Look mom, a snake!". Hahaha. Now of course we have to call them all snakes. He had 2 pee accidents, but we were feeling happy and on the right track. He went down for his nap and woke up dry. Hallelujah! He kept doing great throughout the rest of the evening, and woke up dry the next morning as well!

Day 2 went great with only 1 pee accident. I felt bad for him in the evening because I made him sit on the pot for a long time before bed because he was tooting up a storm, and hadn't had a 'snake' yet that day. He asked to wear diapers that evening (mom didn't cave). He never went, but woke up dry again.

Day 3 went well too - 2 pee accidents...too many successes to keep track of (but don't worry, plenty of chocolate rewards!) I'm just happy #2 has always been a success so far.

...and here we are at the end of Day 4 - accident free! My proudest moment was this morning while we were at Jack's swim lessons (Sawyer has now graduated and is independent in the water). He was there playing with a friend on the side of the pool, when he ran over to me and told me he had to go poo. We ran out to the van, where I had his potty chair all set up, and he sat right down and did the deed. I was so proud of him (and relieved for me!)

Is this too much info? Haha. It's been my life for four days now... I'm one proud mommy! He really is doing fantastic. Potty training was one of those things that I dreaded as a mom. I know it's necessary and I was being silly, but I still didn't like the thought of it. And this may sound strange, but it's actually helped Sawyer and my relationship and brought us closer together. Working together is fun to do :)

Our technique (so I can remember when it's Jack's turn):

First I taught him how to do it by showing him myself (and he's been seeing the process for a while-other moms can relate-who gets to go to the bathroom by themselves anymore?) Then we got a doll and I taught the doll how to go potty. The doll even got a treat when she went potty (she shared with Sawyer). Then Sawyer taught the doll how to go potty. Then the doll had an accident and it was SO GROSS!! We made the doll practice playing with her toys and then dropping everything and running to the toilet as fast as possible. We did this over and over and tried to make it fun, and also stressing how yucky it is to have wet underwear and a mess to clean up. Then we had Sawyer put on his big boy undies and there was no looking back! We practiced running to the toilet from all different parts of the house and pulling down the underwear, sometimes those clothes are tricky! We had to practice dropping our toys mid-play so we could run to the toilet. It was awesome, and we had fun for the most part. It was hard work though! We whooped it up BIG time every time he made it in the pot. I had on an apron with pockets full of M&M's for quick rewards. I was sick myself by the end of the day. Mama needs her rewards too ;)

He worked me over at nap time for an hour, hopping off his bed to go sit on the pot, but he eventually got a 2 hour nap and didn't have an accident. Same thing at bed time...worked me over for a good hour, then woke up dry.

Man, we ate a lot of junk (chips/popcorn) to promote LOTS of water/juice drinking the first day (mainly that first 4 hour stretch). M&M's were his main reward. Good thing I don't potty train very often, or I'd be fat. I ate more than my fair share of all the junk I stocked up on.

I rolled up the area rug in the toy room and was thankful for tile floors-easy clean up! Luckily we didn't have to clean up too much. When he did have an accident, I made him help me clean up, then he had to practice running to the potty while still in his wet undies...that helped him remember how uncomfortable and yucky it is when an accident happens. Sawyer also likes emptying the potty into the big toilet and being able to flush it down. Thankfully he is careful when he does this.

I focused on the positive - would ask him through out the day if his unders were dry and then give him high fives. We talked about how well he did when he made it to the potty. Lots of talking and trying to make things fun. We let him watch shows after he did successful 'snakes'. After Day 2 he didn't even ask for a treat every time, but when he does ask though I still give him one.

We stuck with undies only on the first day, and actually the first successful pee was when he was in his birthday suit, which I think help initiate the process. Then on day two we added shorts that were easy for him to maneuver.

A lot of my ideas came from the book Toilet Training in Less Than a Day by Nathan Azrin & Richard Foxx.

On a side note, I've been meaning to make this home-made cleaner that Sara introduced to me a long time ago. It works well and smells great. Here is the recipe if you're into that sort of thing. I buy my spray bottles at Sally's Beauty Supply - they work great and don't easily break. Simply mix the following: 2 cups water, 3 Tbsp. white vinegar, 1 Tbsp. Dawn dish soap, 1 Tbsp. Borax powder (found in laundry aisle at grocery store), and a few drops of grapefruit oil (or whatever smell you like).

I think Sawyer has really liked this new found independence...and mom loves it too! So proud of our big boy!! Let's hope things continue like they have so far.

Swimming Lessons

Sawyer and Jack are doing fantastic in their swim lessons. They both can now swim under water holding their breath for 7 seconds. Sawyer can also float by himself on his back and completely relax. Misty (their instructor) is still helping him with the roll to/from his back. (I started this post last week, but during this week Sawyer learned how to do the rolls on his own!) On Friday Sawyer went swimming with papa and swam a LOT. After he came home and went down for a 'nap' at 4:15 p.m., he didn't wake up until 11:30 p.m.! Water sure wears out kids, it's awesome. Especially since our plan is to be living in it this summer.

Jack is definitely more comfortable in the water and doesn't mind going under and swimming. He can also float on his back with Misty billowing water up underneath him. He doesn't like it though, and is still working on relaxing. You'd think with all that chub the buoyancy would come naturally :)

Here are a couple videos of them during week 4 of their lessons:

Oh c'mon Jack, where's that cute smile??

I'm so impressed he's gotten to the point where he's willing (and happy!) to swim.

(This post was started last week when he was happy to swim - not sure what happened this week, but he wasn't loving it.)

Sawyer having fun!

Jack working on the back float.

Sawyer doing the back float all on his own!

Below are some fun under-water photos that Misty took:

The boys' progress has been so exciting for George and me to watch. It's amazing to see how quickly they absorb and learn new things.

Lisa's Visit

My good friend, Lisa, (from my Alaska days in high school) came with her family for a visit to Florida a couple weeks ago. She had a friend in Jacksonville that was getting married, so it was a good excuse to squeeze in a side trip to visit us. It was SO good to see her and finally meet Madison (9-months-old). She is adorable and dainty. She's quiet and smiley and seemed pretty easy going as well. Sawyer and Jack enjoyed having a little girl around the house :) It's always fun to see your friends being such good parents. We only got to see them a day and a half, but the weather was perfect and we squeezed in some fun at the beach, birding, walking, a nice bike ride, and they made us a crepe feast for breakfast...so delicious! We've made them twice since they left since we loved them so much.

Lisa's husband, Eric, is into birding - naturally Sawyer followed suit. On our 'bird drive' Sawyer kept telling Eric that every bird we saw was an eagle, sometimes even a black eagle.

Amazing how life changes in just a few years! Just yesterday we were kidless and living in frigid temps.

We took them to the river where we usually spot manatees - no manatees, but there was this dolphin splashing around.

A little ways up the river and we found where all the manatees were playing. There were probably 40 or more, using my scientific estimating.

Madison meets Ocean. She LOVED it! Look how cute she is :)

Mom sees jelly fish on the beach and scoops boys up in the football hold.

The Smith Family on vacation :)

Milk break

I always enjoy seeing dads out with their kids. 

The kids seem to like these seats better than the trailer.

Since I'm terrible at keeping in touch, it was great to reconnect with Lisa. Plus it was so fun meeting her daughter!! Thanks for taking the time to come see us!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to our lovely mothers that worked so hard raising us and caring for us for all those years, and continue to do so now :) It's a blessing to have great examples to follow, and we think you are both wonderful!

A friend of mine, Susie Dornellas, snapped this picture of us at church. I sure love my family.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. George has been working 6-days a week and usually he has meetings most of the day Sunday, so I was ecstatic to hear his meetings were cancelled on Sunday. George and the boys worked their magic in the kitchen while I got to sleep in (7:30 am), plus I didn't change any diapers all day (thanks George!).  It made for a relaxing and enjoyable day.

Jack is very attached to me these days (he'll cry if I leave the room) - but I sure love seeing his smiley face running after me :)

Lately Sawyer and I have been laying the blanket out on the lawn and gazing up into our huge live oak. We've found three nests and some yellow/black birds that live in it. There are lots of squirrels as well, and sometimes they chatter and throw things down on us, it's pretty fun.

Our Live Oak - pleasant view and gives us shade too!

Sawyer is 2.5-years-old

Somehow two and a half years have FLOWN by since this handsome little guy made me a mom. I thought I'd write up a few things about Sawyer as a 30-month-old.

Sawyer looking handsome before church - he likes to wear a tie like papa...I wonder how long that will last.

Stats: 

38.5" tall (he's grown 2.5" in 6 months)

36 lbs. (gained 4 lbs. in 6 months)

52.5 cm head circ.

He gives the best bear hugs! He loves to sing with me. One of our current favorites is "Wheels on the Bus". We like to make up our own verses. We are always singing in the car (per his request). He loves reading books with me or papa. We have a tent set up in his room and we enjoy hanging out in there reading together.

He is a very determined little boy and loves to exercise his independence. He likes to do things on his own and on his own time frame. I usually have to give him the option of doing it himself or me making him do it. For instance when we need to go somewhere I will tell him that he can get in his carseat himself, or I can make him get in. He will then usually get in on his own, but lets me know he's still in control.

I think he has the makings to be a leader and I hope that we can help guide him to be the great type of leader  :)

I have to remind myself (daily) that I shouldn't allow Sawyer to get me worked up. I remind myself to be firm and pleasant, firm and pleasant. I will tell him specifically not to do something and he will do it. I haven't decided if he's just teasing, testing his boundaries, or seeing if I will follow through with the consequence. I don't know, but it sure tests my patience!

He's pretty social and enjoys attending nursery at church and story time at the library every week. He also enjoys whenever friends come over or we meet at a park.

Love these cuties!

This was taken at a friend's birthday party - train rides!

He loves watching 'shows'. Multiple times a day he'll ask to watch a show, but I can usually sidetrack him with other options, especially if it involves going outside. If he's good he gets to watch one show per day (usually while I put Jack down for his nap) and he'll choose Curious George or Little Einsteins.

He loves play dough and will sit for hours at a time creating and building.

I reached in to the tissue box and pulled out a hammer, bulldozer, rabbit, and two little men...no tissues were to be found. Thanks Sawyer!

His carseat expired a few months ago and I found a great way to put it to use since it reclines so nicely. When it is nap time I'll read a few books to Sawyer and then give him a kiss and ask him to stay on his bed. If he doesn't do this, then he gets loaded in his carseat, that is now on his bedroom floor. He hates it, but usually will fall asleep in three minutes or less. For a while I thought he was ready to outgrow naps, and I was only 'making' him take them if he was obviously tired (by being overly grumpy or nodding off while eating). To his credit we don't use the carseat very much anymore...just those times where he can't resist escaping his bed. He's definitely back into napping everyday since swimming lessons wear him out.

Last week I sent him to the backyard with a bug catcher (net on a stick) to keep him occupied while I unloaded the van from Costco. When I went to check on him he had climbed up our 7 foot privacy fence and was peering over the top. Sheesh!

Speaking of bug catchers - we do put them to good use. Our latest catch - Tersa Sphinx Moth.

He's starting to say cute and funny things. One morning he woke up sweaty and said, "Mom, I'm juicy!" And then he laughed and said, "No silly, I'm sweaty!".

The other day after swim lessons he was snacking on goldfish crackers. He wanted the whole bag, so I told him he could hold the bag as long as he didn't make a mess. (The day before he had purposefully smashed a bunch between his hands and they were ALL over his carseat and the rest of the car.) So anyway I was firm with him and told him if he started playing/smashing them instead of eating I'd take them away. Well he started to smash them, so I took the bag away and said, "No more goldfish today." He was fussing and complaining and then very determinedly said, "I promise you I will eat goldfish today!" It was so funny, George and I couldn't help but laugh.

I'm constantly having to remind him to be careful and gentle with his brother. He likes to take every. single. toy. that Jack has in his hands. Jack doesn't mind sharing if Sawyer asks, but if he takes it without asking Jack lets him (and me) know it's not ok to steal his toys usually by crying (and sometimes by hitting, uh-oh). Despite the stealing, bonks, and bruises these two love each other so much.

He is starting to get the hang of his balance bike and will glide along and is getting pretty fast. We go on bike rides everyday. Well, he rides and Jack and I walk along with him. He's getting to the point where he's almost too fast for us to walk along with him.

He requested I take this picture.

Did this without any prompting!

He loves to be silly and laugh with our family. He helps remind me to lighten up sometimes!

He's very smart and is always impressing me with how much he absorbs and learns. He has a great memory too. He knows our street from the main road and where papa works. We get to Costco about once a month (or less) and as we were leaving the other day the lady didn't put a smiley face on our receipt so he gave it back to her and asked for one. Haha.

He loves to throw. Anything. For any reason. I came out from putting Jack to bed the other night (George was at a meeting) and he was in the living room throwing legos, toy animals (the hard kind), and lincoln logs across the room. We bought a basketball hoop to see if we can funnel the throwing towards that for everyone's  safety...not really working yet.

He's always been and continues to be a good eater and drinker. And of course is always happy and eager to be that 'someone' whom mommy shares her treats. I know he's hungry when he starts helping himself to whatever his little hands can get a hold of in the fridge or pantry. He'll eat whatever he grabs too, even if it's something he normally doesn't like (mustard by itself??)...loves the independence of it I guess.

Loves his papa SO much (mama too, but he's always been a papa's boy). He really is a sweet boy, and likes a good squeeze and a smooch...which is a good thing because I'm always stealing those from him!

He always picks me flowers (or weeds) when he plays outside. He gives them with a kiss. Very sweet. Although the other day he brought me a dead worm instead of flowers. You win some you lose some I guess :)

Sawyer adds SO much life to our family and we love him for it!