Just for Stew

I'm going to leave both tickers. Because I know how much you love them. I'll also be sure to post pictures of my pregnant belly. (Still don't know why it weirds you out so much.)

I win!!!

Did anyone else watch the Daily Show? Jon Stewart interviewed Bruce Willis and said "People are excited about . . . Willis throwing nice comedy and nice action together." HA!

Also I win b/c I figured out how to get Ethan to use his potty. He earned a little matchbook car (thanks to Grandma G's purchase of a bag full) for going pee. They are 'Cars' the movie themed. We started with the general racecars. When we get to the recognizable characters it will take more to earn one. We are keeping the next car hanging on the fridge in its packaging as an incentive. Ethan had been trying for the first for 3 days and he finally peed in his potty this evening. He's already excited to try for the next one tomorrow.

We must have done something right...

We went out to dinner this evening with Grandpa G and Aunt Hannah. The check came, along with 5 little chocolate candies. We were busy talking and not paying attention to the boy. When Ethan noticed the candies sitting there, he picked them up. Walking around the table, he put one in front of each of us before sitting down to open his own. I swear. He didn't stick them in his pocket. He didn't stuff them all in his mouth. He shared them. With zero prompting. What a cute kid!

Votes

First, I can't decide between the baby ticker at the top and the one on the side. The one at the top is kind of funny and I've already had it for a while. But the one on the side is nicer looking, shows the growth progression better, and has a cute floating baby . And click on the # of days left to see how you can change it. Tell me which you like better.

Second, John and I have having an ongoing debate. Maybe it's just me, but I think that the Diehard movies are comedies. I know they are in the action genre, obviously, but I also think they're hilarious. Tell us what you think.

Day 3 - New Potty

The way that Ethan has been reacting to sitting on the potty is making it clear that we are pushing too hard. He really doesn't want to do it. So today I thought I'd try something new.

We went out and Ethan picked out a potty. We've been using one of those seats that fits on top of the toilet, mainly because I don't want to have to clean a potty. But if the boy will try it, so will I. It was hilarious to watch Ethan and his friend Mags fight over who got to sit on it. We ended up taking 1 minute turns for what seemed like an hour! They couldn't get enough of it. Although this was fully clothed, it's a step in the right direction.

So we'll back off on the underwear and asking so much, but we're going to make sitting on the potty part of our routine. It will probably be a fully clothed activity for a while. When he's used to it, we'll push a little more.

I refused just like this. It was because letting my mom change my diaper was so much easier. This is one of those times I wish he was a little less like me.

Day 2 - Someone thinks I'm Psychic

Could someone please tell my husband that I can't read his mind?

He apparently changed Ethan into underpants before leaving for work. I had no idea, so in my groggy state, I stumbled out to the couch and curled up for a little more sleep. Ethan was happily playing back and forth between the living room and his bedroom, so I slept for a little longer than I anticipated. Suddenly, I realize it's been quiet for a few minutes. Not a good sign. I hopped up, ran into his room and found him standing next to a wet spot on the carpet. "Mommy, I made a pee-pee." Yikes! Off to the bathroom for cleanup where I discover that peeing was not all he had done. Even Ethan was grossed out.

After another hour, we went to playgroup and then came home for a nap, so we've been in diapers. Hopefully we can have a better afternoon.

No More Diapers?

Ethan freaked out last friday when I mentioned that we were almost out of diapers, so he would have to start using the potty. He pulled out every diaper we had left to prove that we still had some. We used our last one Saturday night.

We're not actually going without diapers. He wore pull-ups to church and while sleeping until I could get to the store today. So now we have more. But he only gets to wear diapers during naps, at night, and when we go places mom doesn't want to deal with accidents.

Today, our first real day of potty training, wasn't as bad as it could have been. We stayed home all day so that Ethan couldn't just hold it until I put a diaper on him to run errands. He did manage to sneak a poop into his nap diaper (but I'm grateful for not having to clean it up off of the floor.) We had three accidents and no successful potty attempts. I was asking him every 5 or 10 minutes if he needed to make a pee-pee, but he always said no. When he did need to pee, he called me as he was going. (Thank goodness for training underpants that catch most of it.) It seemed like he wasn't really aware that it was coming, but John reminded me that he stops and poses before peeing in the tub, so he knows it's coming. I think he was just too busy playing to pay attention. He'll learn. And if it's taking too long, we'll switch to regular underpants so that the mess is bigger. (He didn't like that the pee could leak out and run down his leg.)

So, all in all, a good start. Lets just hope it gets better and not worse.

Amazing Video

Check out this music video by Sigur Ros, an Icelandic band. The setting, filming, and theme just take your breath away. Be sure to watch all the way to the end!

PS- This may seem like a weird thing for me to post, but I really like it. The setting is stunning, the camera work is incredibly well done, and the ending creates this abrupt change of emotions that I just love.

Who's the parent?

Ethan has been cracking me up today. This morning, he was sitting on the bench in the hall and we had this exchange:

"Ethan, get your shoes so that we can go to the grocery store."
"I can't mom, I'm in climb out!"
"Do you mean time out?"
"I'm in climb out, mom."
"Why?"
"Because I wasn't being nice. I was biting you at the store."
"Ok. That's a good reason."

After the grocery store, I was trying to unpack the food while eating my lunch. Ethan promptly yelled at me to "Sit down while you're eating, mom!" I quickly obeyed, because it is the rule. (We never yell, but maybe our stern voices need toning down.)

Finally, it was naptime. Ethan beat me into his room and sat down next to his little couch in my spot. He said, "Mom, I'm going to sit here and you can sit on the couch. I'll read you stories." So Ethan read me three books and then turned off the light so that we could take our naps.

I like when it's clear that Ethan understands the routine and the rules, even more when he does it himself!

If you hear grinding...

...it's my teeth. Ethan has decided that it's time to test our limits. ALL of our limits. We should have seen it coming. He's been inching up to it, but he hadn't really crossed the line until recently. Today it came to a head. (I should mention that this all happened after an ok morning and a good nap.)

First at Target, where I literally needed two things. It took us more than half an hour b/c someone decided that he needed rest breaks every few feet, that running away and hiding between the racks was a fun game, and that biting mom was a great way to pass the time. I finally managed to make it out, my two items in one hand and Ethan on my other hip, facing away from me to avoid being bitten. When we arrived home he was slightly annoyed that I refused to take him to the park, but decided dad would so it was ok. Apparently not a good enough punishment, so I also banned playing in the car in the driveway and TV. Many fits ensued. He was repentant and we'd talked it over by the time dad got home, so they did go to the park for a little while and then played in the back yard while grilling dinner.

Ah, dinner. Ethan flat out refused to fold his arms for a prayer (something he's been doing more and more often), so we decided no one could eat until we'd said the prayer, and we couldn't say it until we were all ready, i.e. folding our arms. This ended with me holding his arms so that we could eat. (We wouldn't have pushed this, but he's been folding his arms since he was 12 months old. This is just pure rebellion.) Then we had to enforce the rule about sitting at the table or sitting in time-out during dinner several times (and the one about sitting in your chair while you are chewing, even if it's your last bite.) By the end of a very tear-filled meal, Ethan had eaten only three bites.

We've also been fighting the "I don't want to do what you're asking, so I can't hear you" syndrome and the distraction tactics.

Our little angel is becoming quite the punk kid. Somehow I just can't get myself excited about doing it all again tomorrow.

Another Shout out for Libby

So I order one of the skirts I mentioned in my last post. I decided to try a small b/c I read somewhere that the mediums are significantly longer. It came not four days later and is soooo cute! But not big enough. So I emailed Libby to ask how long the mediums are and she said she'd had a few requests for customs lately and she'd gladly cut me a medium skirt at the small length! So not only will I have the cutest skirt ever, I'll have it custom made! I haven't even worn one yet and these are already my favorite skirts. If you haven't checked them out already, GO!

Loving this

Found these adorable, reversible wrap skirts. Loving blue sky girl, but choco milk bubbles is a little more fun. So hard to choose. Maybe if I get a medium instead of a small I'd be able to wear it pregnant too!

New Sidebar

After weeks of research, John and I have made a list of what we know we need for this baby. Surprisingly, it's really short! Because we are so far ahead of ourselves, rather than just buying everything, we thought we'd throw out ideas for the family. There is a new sidebar with what we know we need this time around. These are the things we will definitely buy if no one else does. Don't feel obligated to buy us anything.

Because we've researched these well, I include the disclaimer that we will not accept substitutions. If you want to know why these particular items, call and I will be glad to tell you. The biggest reason for all of them is that they fill our needs exactly and are reasonable priced.

I do remember that I have a 2 year old...

Sorry that I've been ignoring Ethan on the blog. Here are a few pictures.

At the zoo. The picture where the gorilla turned and looked at us didn't take :(

Our boy's favorite pastime

The big kids lay down their bikes when they go play. So Ethan does too.

My Magic Pill

It's doxylamine, also known as Unisom. I know it sounds weird. But it's a part of the medication Bendectin that was used to treat nausea back in my mom's day. (The other part of Bendectin was B6 which I'm also taking.) You can still get it in nearly every country of the world, but because of a scare many, many years ago, it's not available in the US. It's since been proven to be one of the safest things a pregnant woman can take. And I sleep better too! For anyone with morning sickness, I whole heartedly recommend my magic pill.