Potty Training and Other Daily Events

While it was raining outside, the last week of May, I suddenly decided it was time to potty train Andy. At that time we had nothing planned for June (except Connie's wedding) and it seemed like perfect timing. Andy will be three in September and I have decided to do Joy School with him. I am a huge fan of the neighborhood coop preschool. First, is is the right price. Second, I don't have to drive far, and third, I enjoy being involved with my children's preschool education. Since he will be in preschool in the fall he has to be potty trained. Sadly it is NOT GOING WELL.

I would like to use the excuse that he was in under-ware for four days and then we took a brake for five days while we were in St. George. We went right back to under-ware for eleven days and then another four day brake while were were in Powell. Unfortunately I don't think it is the vacations that is the problem. In the combined total of 18 days of training he has not pooped in the potty even once, and he has only ever told me he needed to go twice. If I set an alarm and take him every 1.5-2 hours he does fine, but he will not initiate going on his own. He doesn't seem motivated by rewards, and I haven't tried punishments because I don't really believe in that. I have tried the natural consequence of hanging out in wet cloths and he doesn't seem to care a bit!

I think every child is different when it comes to potty training. The way I remember it Cara trained in a day with an occasional accident at age 20 months. Caleb didn't train until he was 3.5. It was not easy, but he got it. Andy has been my golden child in every other way, but I think this might throw me over the edge. You might say he is too young, but I need to have him trained by September so I can't use that excuse. He does understand what he is supposed to do. Any ideas? Andy has been so easy that I guess I was due for him to throw something hard at me.

Here is a picture of the little potty boy after he got a marker. He had it all over, even on his tung.


Cara is loving being in dance and tumbling. I know that I am prejudice, but she seems so natural. She is really strong and has great balance. We are getting a killer deal on her lessons. She goes to two dance lessons a week for 30 minutes and a tumbling lesson for 1 hour 15 minutes for only $30/mo. I know! There is only one other little girl that goes to dance so she is taking semi-private lessons. There are no costumes and no performances, but I think it is a wonderful way to introduce her to these arts and see if she is interested.

One of the gals in the neighborhood had a dance class to raise money for Youth Conference. I like this picture of Cara even though she is facing back. They were doing some freestyle ballet. You can see that Cara has really good form for a five year old.


Here she is with the group of little girls from the neighborhood.


Cara is always busy. Sometimes I wonder if I am training her to be on the go. She has summer camp twice a week this summer with many of her friends, and she also has speech twice a week. She also has a demanding social schedule with Korrinne and Taylor. She was almost ready for bed the night I took this picture. Korrinne was learning to ride her bike without training wheels and Cara had to get right out there and learn too even in her PJ's and flip-flops.


I have to take advantage of every minute I am with her. I have been working on the piano with her in the morning and teaching her to read so that she feels smart when she starts school.

Ali is 15.5 months and still showing NO INTEREST in walking. It is killing me. I have never had a baby that crawled in the summer. Is is so filthy! I am pushing walking as much as I can. I guess she has made some progress. She pulls herself to her feet every once in a while and she will occasionally walk (not just scream) when I am holding her hands encouraging her. She is not cruising at all!

She does find trouble. This was Caleb's sunflower he had planted in a cup. She was more than happy to dump it out for him. I love it when she smiles and laughs. She is a serous gal, and we don't see enough smiles from her. It takes a real pro to get her laughing.


I think her tubes are helping her, and I hope we got them early enough that she will start talking soon! She was really sick early this month. She had a 103 fever for 5+ days. Her ears drained (she had an infection) and she was so sick with a cold in her eyes that it turned to infection in them. Poor Ali has a rough time, and she loves to give people a run for their money. She knows what she wants and she is going to get it.

Caleb is having a fun summer. He thinks he has the worlds meanest mom because I make him play the piano, read, and practice math before he can play with friends. He can make 10 minutes of piano, a little reading and five minutes of math last all day long! He is a master staler. Today was the first day he got up and did his jobs without too much complaining. I won't hold my breath, but maybe he is catching on that the staling and fits aren't doing much good. In fact, last week he told me that he would find a new family by the time he turns 8 because in our family the kids all have to learn the piano. Being the mean mom I am I told him to go ahead.

Caleb almost always has a ball in his hands. We got a hoop in our driveway this month and he loves to shoot hoops and he has been spending a lot of time with the tennis ball and racket. He plays soccer with the kids in the cul-de-sac, and for about a month this spring he was totally obsessed over baseball. He would continually beg Josh to go to the park and pitch for him. His main sports obsession continues to be "tackle" football. He CAN'T WAIT to play in the fall. He isn't even complaining that he has to save $50 to contribute to the expense of being on a team. After a few months of lessons he is over marshal arts so I guess we can check that off the list.

I was really worried about having him "full-time" this summer. He is totally exhausting. He is mostly good, he just never stops talking and begging. I am convinced that if I gave him the moon he would ask for the sun. I have realized that I don't really have him full-time because he is also obsessed with playing with his BFF Isaac. I understand that he is really good for Isaac's mom, Erica, he wouldn't dare be bad or he would have to go home. Oh no, not that!