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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Toby's first MLB game

Last week we were invited to a Cardinal's game with a friend of mine from work so we packed up the family and headed out. Toby was going on VERY little sleep that day, so it was a bit of a gamble and here is how it started...

Once we arrived at the ball park things turned up. Toby loved the cheering, the people and the food!
I was thankful that Joe didn't get a belly shot when he took this picture. I feel HUGE!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

I'm going to brag a little!

This time 2 weeks ago I was struggling to get Toby to actually sit on his potty seat for more than 10 seconds. When he wasn't sitting on the seat he was running around the house naked, so I was chasing him with a pair of big boy undies trying to convince him that it would be FUN to wear these new undies. I felt a little like a circus clown.

This week...it's amazing, that's all I can say. Yesterday Toby TOLD me when he had to go. We went in and he sat on the seat totally content...did his business and helped me pull his pants up! After 2 full weeks in undies he now knows when he needs to go, he is holding it until we get to the potty and he is fond of the undies.

I am so proud of him. He is growing up so fast and is such a joy to be around. He is talking all the time and communicating in small sentences. (most of which I understand, but not all) He is going to be an amazing big brother! just 6 short weeks to go.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

The sun is shining again!

Today is our 14th day in potty training and I am thrilled to say that we are making some GREAT progress. Here's what has been happening as of late...

Friday morning...(major low point!) I thought we were ready to leave the house and get out a little, so I packed us up to go visit my grandparents. While at my grandparents house (we were there for about 1.5 hours) Toby had 5 accidents, one of which was ON their living room chair!!!!!!!!! I didn't realize it until we were on our way out the door. I don't think I have ever been more embarrassed as a parent. What I realized is that Toby was starting to go (#1) and then would stop himself. He'd come tell me and I would put him on the adult toilet (which he isn't comfortable on) and he wouldn't go. We'd change undies and it would happen all over again. But in all my frustration I can see that he was learning so much, and his muscles are developing in being able to hold it and release it.

Cha, cha, cha, changes...I knew I had to make some changes, so it was off to Wal-Mart again. I needed to buy the rubber pants that go over the undies (so he won't pee all over someone else's house) and we needed a portable potty seat. These things have made all the difference in the world!

Friday was a real low point and I can say that we turned a corner that day. The rest of the weekend he has had minimal accidents and has gone on the potty many times...even #2!!!!!!! He has actually gone #2 on the potty twice TODAY!

We are still not there yet, but we are well on our way. everyday gets a little better, so thanks to everyone who has encouraged us along the way. I can honestly say that the last 2 weeks have been the most difficult 2 weeks since Toby was a new born, BUT the sun is shining again!

here are some cute pictures of Toby as he helped me make cupcakes,

and then he did some dishes. He loves to play in the water!

Monday, July 14, 2008

things are getting better

after a full week, I am seeing some improvements...LITTLE though they may be, they are steps in the right direction!

yesterday while we hosted a party for a friend of ours who just returned from 2 1/2 years in Honduras, Toby went 3 times on the potty...and one was #2!!!!!!!!!!! Of course he also had about 7 accidents yesterday too. We choose to look at the bright side. He really is learning what it feels like to have to go, and tries to get to us to tell us. And I am learning to read his signs...he usually grabs himself right before he goes, so we rush to the potty and sometime we make it and sometimes we don't.

we are all learning and I am thankful for my very involved husband. I couldn't keep doing this if he wasn't helping me. I am blessed to have him as a life-mate, parent-partner, and mostly my husband!

Friday, July 11, 2008

the wall

we've hit the wall...I'm not sure if it's Toby, or me...or maybe both, but after 4 full days of this we are sick of it. sometimes I really want to quit, but I know that would really confuse Toby. So I will try to stay strong. Thanks to my mom who came to relieve me for a little bit this morning, and to Joe who made me an appointment to get a pregnancy massage tonight...both made me want to cry--I think it's the hormones talking!

I'll report again when we are over this hump.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

a pretty good training day!

Day 3 was much improved from day 2 and I am thankful for that. Toby wet his pants 2x and both while we were playing outside. I kind of knew that we needed to be heading towards the potty, but thought I'd give it another minute. I am learning as much as he is during this potty training.
cute story...he was sitting on the potty and I needed to do something quickly in the kitchen. I heard him saying, "potty, potty, potty" over and over. I came around the corner to see him standing over his potty seat pointing at the seat with excitement saying ,"potty, potty..." So we cheered, said "bye, bye" to the pee pee, and gave each other a high-five! It was really cute.
just for fun, here are some great pictures from the 4th of July at the Lake. It was pretty chilly and I didn't pack anything warm for Toby, so he wore Phoebe's pink jacket. We all said, if we have a girl here is what she will look like. (only real men can wear pink and be excited about it)

notice Toby...he is terrified of boat rides...at least at the start
he is feeling more comfortable, but still not sure he likes it
ok, he is finally enjoying himself

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Potty training update...

wow, this is not easy! Today we had 5 accidents by 10:13 AM! In total we had 7 accidents and 2 successes. I was doing laundry during nap time so he'd have new undies when he woke up. By this afternoon he was understanding that I was cheering for him when he went on the potty...he really likes the celebration song we sing (we stole it from Becky...my sister-in-law)

successes...

  • at 7:15 he pooped in his diaper (we hadn't put him in big boy undies yet) then he said, "mommy, potty" and he went into the bathroom!
  • each time he had an accident he told me right away. He'd say, "mommy, uh-oh...poo poo" (it's all poo poo to him right now)

failures or frustrations...

  • after 20 minutes on the potty (watching Elmo) he got off and wet his pants 5 minutes later! that happened a couple of times today.
  • the poop accident! gross!
  • sitting on the floor of the bathroom when the phone rings...at 8 months pregnant it is not easy to get up in 4 rings.
  • knowing how much to put him on the potty so he doesn't get sick of it. by the end of the day when I said, "let's go sit on the potty" he'd whine a pitiful "no" and head the opposite direction.

well, tomorrow is another day. I am hopeful that next Tuesday will be better than today was. Small steps!

Monday, July 07, 2008

diary of potty training an 18 month old...

Welcome to my diary...sort of. Today began day 1 of potty training Toby. For those of you who don't know I come from a family where everyone from my nieces to my father have all been potty trained at 18 months. So, here we are. Today was actually a really good day. I was afraid that I'd be out of undies by noon, but here's how it went...

8:00 put big boy undies on
8:30 first accident
9:30 2nd accident
11 first successful pee on the potty!
12:30-3 napped (slept in a diaper)
4:00 2nd successful pee on potty!!
6:15 3rd successful pee on potty!!!

I am really proud of him, but at this age it's as much me training myself by watching the clock and putting him on the potty in time to set him up for success as it is him knowing that he needs to go. We'll see what tomorrow holds. I am going to do my best to update the blog daily so that you can follow our successes and failures (hopefully not too many of those)
Toby sporting the new briefs!
like father like son!
On another note...Toby is about done with the high chair. He really likes to sit in a regular chair at the table with us, so we created a make-shift booster seat. He LOVES it and even tries to crawl in it on his own. We are keeping a REALLY close eye on him these days.
(In case you where wondering...today was a really hot day, so we limited the clothing we wore)

recent pictures

NEWS...We took Toby for his 18 month check up and learned that he has grown 2 inches in 3 months!!!!! I knew he was tall, but didn't realize just how much he'd grown. He is in the 95% for height, and the 50% for weight. (too bad his mom and dad aren't in the same boat)

here are some recent...and not that recent pictures.

In the airport as we traveled to NH...

Life at the Lake...