No More Diapers.

So, I am potty training CatBird...and I will admit, she is rocking the potty!! Only a couple of accidents, she refuses (yes, REFUSES) diapers or pull ups. She informed me, only because I have told her, "no more diapers mommy". I am very proud.

Though, I do have a question...do you bribe a 2 year old to "poop on the potty" with toys? My answer at first would be no. But if anyone has ever had a 2 year old that will NOT poop on the potty, I had to use it as a last resort.

So, after 4 days of no pooping, I told Ava that we will go and buy whatever toy she wanted if she would just poop. She informs me that it has to be a Dora toy. OK, I am good for that.

Today we have to go to Walmart. First, to get dog food. And second, because I found a recipe for Sonic Cherry Limeade, which I have an addiction to, and I needed the ingredients. Ava insists that she is getting her Dora toy. I explain, in Walmart, that she has to poop on the potty. She is OK with this, and we go about our shopping.

We get home, start eating dinner, I thought she was going to explode! Her face is blood read, she is sweating, and she tells me, "I'm pooping". We rush to the bathroom, and behold!!! Ava poops in the potty. I really think she has poop anxiety (just on the potty, we never had this problem with diapers) and she has made herself constipated. Poor child. After she is done, she asks if we can go get her Dora toy. So we eat, load up in the car, and go to KMart (I am not happy, since we just got back from Walmart, but a promise is a promise, I won't go back on my word with her).

She opts for the Know Your Name Dora Phone. Great little toy, costs me 15 bucks, but I can hook it up to the computer and it will download her name so when you push the button, it will say "Hola Ava...blah, blah, blah..."

The great thing about this story is...on the way home, she is talking to Dora. I hear her say, "Hi Dora...guess what? I pooped in the potty, and it was a BIG POOPER!!!" I had tears rolling down my face I was laughing so hard...but not out loud! I wouldn't want her to hear me laugh over her pooping in the potty. But seriously, how funny is that?

We got home and downloaded her name into the phone. Now every time she pushes the button she says, "did you hear that, Dora says my name!!!" She really is the cutest thing!

Monday starts it....

Just to let everyone know...Monday starts potty training with Ava...this is going to be some serious business!! Please, say a little prayer for us!

Oh, the changes. First thing first...is it a blessing or a curse to only work 6 days a month? I can't tell. All I know is twice a month I DREAD going into work, not because it's work, but someone doesn't like someone, everyone is mad about something, we are short staffed and full of mostly ungrateful patients. Not that I am complaining, I am thankful I have a job. If I worked more, would I dread it less? I am going to say, no, I would dread it the same, just more often.

Doing well otherwise. I think Ava is getting bored, doing the same stuff all the time. Hard to keep a 2 year old stimulated sometimes. Got a pool pass for the summer...too bad the temperature is high 70's and the water is freezing cold. Again, I am going to work tomorrow, and it looks to be a 90's kind of weekend!!! Doesn't that figure?!?

Got a new haircut. Not in love with it, but it is new, and I will work with it until I do like it. I mean, it is only hair, right?

Looking forward to vacation bible school at Kim's church. I am going to try hard to get out there. Going to Red House 5 times in one week, and to be out there at 6:30pm might be hard, I don't know about dinner...but it would be good for Ava (and to be honest, probably good for me as well).

I am thinking hard about a spa trip. But do I really have it so bad that I need a spa trip, or am I just attempting to spoil myself? Not sure about that either!

My favorite time of night

After a bath, and Ava smells good and clean...we get ice cream. She asks while I am putting her in PJs, "And sprinkles?" in a shrill, excited voice. "Yes Cat, you can have sprinkles..." her response then..."2 kinds?", and holds up her fingers trying her hardest to put up 2 fingers, but ends up with her thumb holding her middle finger.

We fix our ice cream and of course she has 2 kinds of sprinkles, and in the end she looks up at me with ice cream on her clean face and say "Allum Mommy". Allum is I love you. She could not ever know how much I love her.

Changes to be made!

I have done a lot of reading...I will read everything. I get a lot of magazines, newspapers, books...and so on. I am trying to be a great parent, not just a better parent, and not the perfect parent, but really, just the best parent that I can be.

I really enjoyed this blog, http://www.freerangekids.wordpress.com/ Anyone with kids, or who watch kids should read this blog. It is great. Makes sense! And, this is how I grew up. Enough said about that! Read it, it's great!

Another article I have read recently says the best thing you can do for your child is to spend QT with your spouse (of course, this is how I am saying it, it went in to much greater detail, with better words!). Jeff and I are spending time together without Ava, which is good for everyone involved. I feel so much better about this.

The latest article was about people who were on The Biggest Loser. One woman said she lost weight for her children. As I read this, I thought, this was a great thing. She says she wants to be healthy and "around for her kids", to be able to play, have fun, and teach them good habits. Now, I feed Ava very well, and then I look at what I am stuffing into my mouth and well, I should be ashamed...and I am.

So, as the title of this is "Changes to be made", I am making them. Will it make me the best parent I can be? I am working on it, I really am.

Happy Fathers Day

What a day!!! Woke up to Ava and Jeff, already up and cooking breakfast. Very nice, although I only got to sleep an extra 25 minute, but I'll take it....and the day unfolds...

Next, off to the pool. Thanks Jeff, for the pool pass this year. Ava and I will be fish before we are done this summer. Had a great time, Ava swimming as best she could all over the pool, spending time with my little family is the best!

Off to GiGi's to see Uncle Chuck and Ruby, had a nice little visit, stayed longer than I thought, but still good. Well, with the exception of Jeff having to drive to Kanawha City, after a phone call, for a "very important fax" that he HAD to have for the shippers. My question is, who is faxing on Sunday, Fathers Day...I never really got a good answer.

Finish with eating out, coming home, giving Ava a bath and putting her grouchy, tired butt to bed. Next realizing that I am burnt...I look at Jeff, and well, he is burnt too, except for his belly, which is white, from the sunscreen Ava put on him! She was trying.

Today, Ava answered that she was Daddy's Girl, not Mommy's...it made me smile.

Silence...

Silence is deafening...

I was cooking dinner this evening, and I heard no noise...no Ava, no dogs, no Jeff. I go into the living room, this is what I find.

Jeff on the couch snoozing with Ava, the Butcher, and Bella. How sweet is that!?!?!