Good Job, Mommy!

Sweet Pea has recently taken an interest in "going potty". Bubba was just shy of 3 when we did the 'One Day Potty Party' based on a book by Teri Crane. It was great, he was ready, it took about 3 days and we were done. But, I could reason with him and explain things to him better than I can with Sweet Pea, who is just over 2 years old. But, if she's interested, I'm game.

So for the last few days, she has been going potty. She's pretty good to try each time I ask her. She will even sometimes tell me she has to go and she can hold it through the eternity it takes her to pull down her pants, undo & remove her diaper, and get up onto the potty. Heaven forbid I try to help with any of these steps! She has even done #2 twice! She sometimes has worn training panties and gets highly upset when she has an accident. So, I am pleased overall.

Like any good mommy, I act like she's won the Nobel Peace Prize every time she goes. Lots of clapping and cheering. Last night, after she went potty herself, she said "mommy, potty". So, willing to set a good example, I went potty too. She watched intently (and a bit too close, really) and after I was done, she started jumping up and down and saying "YEAH". Then as we are walking out of the bathroom, she says "Good Job, Mommy". So cute!!!

Hope is in the small things

A few months after W & K were born, a friend & I were shopping at some little craft fairs in Maine. We came upon a booth where some older ladies had items they had crocheted and knitted. The stuff was absolutely beautiful and so cheap. The little baby blankets were about $5.00 - I had no reason to buy baby blankets, but they were so pretty and so soft, I couldn't resist. So I bought 2. A mint green one and a light purple one. They also had the sweetest little sweaters for girls, no buttons, just a tie at the top. I remember thinking "I really need to buy those" I don't know why, as I said, I surely had no little one to put it on. But, I had the strongest need to buy them. It gave me hope that one day, I'd have a little one to wear them. That was in 2001. So here we are almost 10 years, 3 moves, & 2 blessings later...


Sometimes all you need is a little hope for your hearts desire and a little faith to get you there. Oh, and she uses the blankets for her dolls :)

Going strong (well, at least going)

I am still going to the YMCA. I'm actually sort of enjoying it. Not that I like working out...I still do not get endorphins and generally need food & a nap when I get home. But, I am doing it. I started a new "class" two weeks ago. It's trekking on the treadmill. Another "t" - torture. We go up to a 15% incline and do all sort of things I didn't think were safe to do on a treadmill, like walking backwards, sideways, and doing lunges all while the thing is moving. And it's an hour. So I do that on Wednesdays and try to do an aerobics class at least one other day a week. I just got all set up (from the trekking instructor) on the weight machines. I have lost about 10 pounds but what's most exciting is the 2" off my thighs!! WooHoo! My jeans fit so much better now in that area. Only about an inch off my waist and no decrease in pants size (yet) but at least my size 12s aren't cutting off the circulation to the lower half of my body.

And it's nice that Sweet Pea doesn't mind the childwatch area. Which is funny too because it's called "child WATCH" not "child CARE".

Exactly what are they doing? Just watching her? "Hey, that one is scaling the bookcase. Watch her go!"

Seriously, they are good with them. The only thing that aggravates me is they won't change diapers. So I'm in the middle of a workout and they come in and tell me she's got a stinky diaper. That really kind of screws up my exercise. And then of course, she wants to leave with me. Lucikly it's not all that often.

So here's to hoping that I stay this motivated. It's kind of hard to go to work at a cardiology office and preach at the patients while I sit home on my rear eating chocolate.

A Moment of Quiet Reflection

Just sitting here at the computer, paying a few bills before even more days get away from me and it's the first of a new year. The boys are getting their hair cut and the little one is sleeping, so it's quiet here. I'm thinking of how blessed I am this year. It's amazing really, how many Christmases we had prior to Bubba coming into our lives...where we were with family, but so alone in our hearts. No sweet little stocking hung up, no "gotta have it" Christmas gift for our child. (This year it was a DS) God has blessed me with these two beautiful children. And two more that I will hold at some other time.



This year will be really fun because Bubba is still all into the magic of Christmas and Santa and Sweet Pea is big enough to really be into it. So much so that the gifts are all on the spare room bed so she doesn't unwrap them all in warp speed. We do Santa. He knows that Christmas is about Christ, not presents. But Santa is fun and I don't see anything wrong with it personally. I am not screwed up in the head because my parents lied to me about a fat guy bringing gifts. I'm fairly well adjusted.

I know I haven't been blogging much, I really don't feel that anyone cares about most of the stuff rambling in my head. But I just felt like saying that as I sit here paying my bills, a small part of my mind is reflecting on why we celebrate Christmas. We had our Christmas program at church this past weekend and 47 people were saved. The same little Christmas story that pretty much everyone knows, even if they don't believe it. Why, this time, did those 47 people "get" it? I don't know, but God had them there those 2 nights because HE knew they were ready to really HEAR the story and realize what is so important about this holiday. I like what our preacher said. Some people think it's just all a lie. But what other lie has sustained for 2000+ years? Watergate was figured out in a few days. And it's funny that so many who try to disprove Christ as the Messiah end up being saved (Have you read "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel?)

It's just about overwhelming to wrap your head around it. That's where faith comes in. I believe it because He said it. It's all written down. That's all I need to know.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

September

September

It used to be my favorite month...sort of cooler weather (though today it will be 95 degrees), leaves begin to change some by the end of the month, I don't know...I have just always like it. I also love the birthstone, Sapphire.

Now I have two of those beautiful sapphires in a mother's ring.

Of two precious children who aren't here.

I don't like September quite the same anymore.

The whole month of September does this to me: anytime I say, write, hear, or think "September" my mind immediately adds "the 24th". That is W & K's birthday. The whole month is just a work up to that day. After that day, I breath again. They would have been (will be? in Heaven) 9 years old. Wow.

I don't know when or if this will get easier than it is now. It's certainly better than it was at first when I was a wreck most of the time, certainly this time of year. Some years it has snuck up on me, suddenly it's Sept 12 or something. But mostly, I'm keenly aware of the approaching day.

I've moved on to October. It's really cooler, leaves are changing MORE, it's Colby's birthday, and this year we'll celebrate our 13th anniversary on Oct 4.

Yep, October is definitely better.

New puppy - Take Two

Our first attempt at getting a new pup for Bubba failed miserably. Dixie, aka "psycho puppy" was WAY more dog than any of us bargained for. She was too big, too goofy, and (I hate to say it) but she was really dumb. Not trainable kind of dumb. Vacant eyes kind of dumb. So, she went to live with some really odd people and I'm sure they are just happy as can be, and probably talk to their odd friends about how mistreated she was because we kept her OUTSIDE.

**they wouldn't take her blanket that she'd had for 6 months because it had dirt on it. It was outside. It was hers. You have a washing machine! **

So, anywho...shortly after parting ways with Dixie, my cousin offered us his beagle puppy. She needed a bit more attention than he & his wife, who both work, could give her. So, we discussed it and said "sure, we'll take her for a few days and try her out". Then he changed his mind. No biggie. So we put the pup search on the backburner for the rest of the summer and decided to wait til the school year got us back into a routine. We were thinking Yorkie. Little, energetic, yep, that'll work. Then I get a message from above cousin. They decided again to try to give us the beagle. So, we got her on Friday, she's great, housebroken already (bonus), free (Bonus), all accessories included (bonus). Bubba loves her. Sweet Pea is getting there. Bailey (our old-man dog) hates her, but whatever, he hates all animals.

So, here we go again, hopefully with success. And visitation rights for my cousin.

Only one problem - her name is Aubie for the Auburn University Tigers. Um, we don't like Auburn. We are Tennessee folk. Gotta work something out there.

I Think I Can

As I said in my last post, I rejoined the YMCA. I know my husband was not thrilled about this, since I've joined before and never gone. So, this time I was going! (that purchase of size 14 pants had sent me over the edge). I have been going, about twice a week and doing aerobics classes. There is one on Monday/Friday that I really like, circuit -style. We alternate cardio & hand weights so you never feel like you are going to pass out...you get little breaks. One uses the step and the other doesn't. I also got on a tortune machine, a.k.a. stair-step/elliptical, yesterday for 30 minutes and I survived! :) I am actually looking forward to going, which has never happened! A friend on facebook told me when I looked forward to it, I should sit down and eat doughnuts til the urge passed! Cracked me up! I am hoping this is just the beginning of a healhier me. Now to work on the food...ugh. Does working out mean I can eat more ? Ha!

Off to make my tuna fish sandwich on new NutriGrain sandwich thins (they are good!)