Small Successes

1

I gave up on potty training. Where is the success in that, you ask? Fritter is successfully going potty in his diapers after hours of holding it in. Really though, my success in this is that I DID manage to teach him how to put on his pants and pull them down. He knows what dry and wet means, he knows how to empty the potty in the toilet and flush it down. He just refuses to go in the potty. Well try again in a few months.

2

I have managed to finally get into a routine with laundry around here. I have been behind since we moved and every time I'd think I was caught up, the laundry baskets were full again. I spoke with my wonderful dear husband about it, and he decided to help me really get caught up. I do as many loads of laundry as I can and pile all the dry loads somewhere. In the evening, the two of us fold it over a cup of tea (it should be iced if you've noticed the temperatures here in Arizona). In the afternoon, while the kids are napping, I put it away. I'm sure there's a better way in there somewhere, but this is working for us for now.

3

I have mostly updated my summer wardrobe. DH and I both have been in need of wardrobe updates, but we both seem to put other things in front of clothes. So the two of us went through our closets, assessed what we had, got rid of what we didn't want, and made lists TOGETHER of what we needed. This helped keep us (read me) accountable, so when we went to the store we (read me again) wouldn't just go crazy and buy things we (me) didn't really need. It's nice to feel girly again. The clothes don't really make the man, but they sure help make a woman feel good.

What are your small successes this week? Go to Faith & Family to read others small successes!

6 Months

Ladybug is growing so fast. How can she be 6 months already?! She is though, and loving it. She is now sitting, and frog hops to get anywhere. She is also one of the most patient babies I've ever met. Today, while Fritter was pottying, she wanted to nurse. Instead of crying, she cooed contentedly while chewing her fist until I was able to nurse her. Her dad lovingly calls her "cheeks" and we are all head over heels in love with her. Well, Fritter isn't really, but he does like her...sometimes. ;-)

Potty Time

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while. Things have been a little hectic, and if I ever find the time, I'll tell you about them.

Today I start potty training Fritter. We are using Toilet Training in Less Than a Day, and while it sounds crazy I think it just might work. It uses several different types of positive reinforcement, combined with the different ways that children learn, in order to get the results that you want quickly. And when it says Toilet Trained, it means it. This method is supposed to teach your child how to walk to the potty, pull down his own pants, sit on the potty and go, wipe if needed, pull up his own pants, empty the potty it the toilet, and reinsert the pot!

We'll see how it goes, I'm a little nervous about it. I'll let you all know how it worked.

Strawberry Season

When strawberries are on sale for 75 cents a batch, it must mean summer is near. I couldn't help myself, and so I bought 5 crates full of strawberries. When I mentioned how cheap they were to the lady at the checkout, she was not impressed. "They were 50 cents last week," she said. That's ok. I'm not letting her rain on my parade. I'm tempted to go back for more.

But what to do with all of them? I froze most of them, and now I face the most grueling task of finding new things to do with them, and *gasp* eating them. He-he!

So, I thought it would be nice if we could all help each other out. Post your favorite strawberry recipe at your blog and then leave a comment here linking to it. If you don't have a blog, that's ok, just leave the recipe in the comments.

Here's my favorite strawberry smoothie recipe. It's so simple, and SO good.

Strawberry Smoothie

8 hulled strawberries
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt
3 T. sugar
2 t. vanilla
6-8 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients, adding ice cubes one at a time at the end.

What is your favorite strawberry recipe?

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Flu?

We are. Well, sort of. Not because I think it's any worse than any other flu, but because I hate to see my kids sick. Fritter has been sick since Monday. It started out with the croupy cough on Sunday night, and by Monday morning he was running a fever. The doctor didn't seem to be too concerned about Swine Flu, even though there are cases here. She gave me the instructions to keep an eye on him, and come back in if I felt there was need for it. She also gave me a prescription, with the instructions to not fill it unless he really needs it come the weekend and I can't get in to see anyone.

I heard on the news this morning that people are so freaked out by this that they are jamming the ERs. Some are going into the hospital because of a small cough. I know one thing. You will not catch us going online to pay exuberant amounts of money for face masks. We're staying away from the playgrounds (which is where I think Fritter picked it up in the first place) and I've cancelled our Toddlertime at the library, but again, mostly because Fritter is sick, and he shouldn't be out anyway.

Honestly, I'm more concerned about RSV then the flu. Fritter had it last year, and it is not fun. I've read about Arwen's experience with RSV and her newborn son, and I don't want to chance Ladybug getting it. Thankfully the RSV season is mostly gone her, and we're probably dealing with croup or another bad cold. Fritter has been waking at night coughing, and I've had to use the nebulizer on him about once or twice a day. We still have it from last year.

Ladybug and Fritter and on strict orders to not play with or around each other. So far, she seems to be ok, and I think today will be the peak of it for Fritter. As long as I can keep the bug from spreading, I'll count that as a success.

My hands are dry and I've already gone through one small bottle of lotion, from all the washing. But it's been joyful washing. I'm nursing my family, and as my header says, I'm finding myself by the gift of myself.

And even though I'm running on four hours of sleep today (mostly because DH and I stayed up late talking, and then Fritter woke early, and then Ladybug woke early) I'm feeling good. I think I'm finally over my weird bout of melancolyness (is that even a word? Spell checker doesn't seem to think so). I'm attributing that to perhaps a hangover from some postpartum hormones. Not an excuse, just an explanation.

Anyway, are you afraid of the big bad flu?