Thanksgiving Round 1

On Saturday, we had our first Thanksgiving of the year! We had a great time at Papa Steve and Ronnie's house. We visited with family and so many animals. The girls fed chickens, ducks, cats, and horses! They both also had loads of fun riding Honey and Chick. Happy Thanksgiving!

At it again??

With the discovery of this new app and the abundance of time on my hands (haha), I've decided to give this blogging another go. Will it last? Most certainly not, but here's to trying!!

Here's my little Indian in her shirt and headdress made at school! Climbing Monkey is her alias.

The Three Day Potty Training Method - Day 1

I have had the most physically and mentally exhausting day!!! I'm not sure if it's supposed to be this difficult or if it's the fact that I'm about to drop a baby any day now.

I decided to get S started potty training with the hopes of getting her out of diapers before Baby E comes in 3.5 weeks...at least partially out of diapers. I wasn't sure how to do this so I talked to moms, talked to her pediatrician, and did a little Internet research. I decided to use Lora Jensen's 3daypottytraining.com. After I read her book, I had already decided to alter her method some. She suggests cutting out diapers/pullups completely, day and night. I'm not ready for S to wake mulitple times a night because she wet the bed. Her and I both need our sleep right now. So, I decided to make this a two step process. Get her potty trained during the day and then focus on night training in a few months when things have settled down some. I was actually excited about starting this process! I thought S would catch on quickly. I WAS WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

When S woke up this morning we had breakfast and then I told her we were going to wear "big girl panties" and not diapers. I let her pick out the Minnie Mouse panties (they were out of Elmo) she wanted to wear and dressed her in a t-shirt only (like Lora Jensen suggests). We talked about her going pee pee and poo poo in the potty and started the day. She's actually had her potty since Christmas and has used in a couple of random times since then. She loves the potty, or at least I thought she did.

I began reminding her to "tell Mommy when you need to use the potty." Then came her first accident. She started peeing on the floor. So, I RAN her to the potty and pulled of her wet panties and sat her down. Of course she was finished before I got there and got right off. I talked to her about keeping her panties dry and WRESTLED her to put on the next pair of panties. I then hurried off to clean up the floor.

This happened 4 more times before I put on a pullup and tucked her in for a nap. I was somewhat hopeful after the last accident because S said she need to go pee pee and I ran her to the potty. However, she didn't want to sit on the potty and peed on the floor next to the toilet. It was in the bathroom and near her potty, so I was hopeful that it would get better. I WAS WRONG!!!

During naptime, she wet her pullup some. I am glad I put it on. We both needed a break!

When she woke up we put her panties back on even though she objected the idea. She then began taunting me the rest of the afternoon. She would say "go pee pee" or "go potty" and when I would rush to her side or ask her if she needed to go, she would smile or laugh and say "no pee pee" or "no potty." She was clearly enjoying the attention she was getting. The afternoon went on like the morning...lots of wet panties and wet floors and lots of Mommy running to the potty with no results.

Finally, I decided I needed to move the potty out of the restroom to try to catch at least something in the potty. This is discouraged my Lora Jensen. We finally had a success, or at least half of a success. S started to have an accident and because the potty was so close, I was able to grab her and get her to finish on the potty. I forgot to mention that her panties were not on at this time because I had decided to stop fighting that part too. She didn't want to wear the panties, nor did she care if they were wet.

Needless to say we both were in need of a shower after our first day of potty training! I'm not thrilled about starting Day 2 in the morning. I'm hoping for some successes and I'm dreading the thought of staying home all day reminding her to tell me when she needs to go potty!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not expecting a miracle here, but I'm hoping for SOME progress.

S One

On Thursday, September 23rd, S turned the big ONE! She began her day by opening a present from her Grandma Lena. Later that evening, she had a cupcake and opened presents from Mommy and Daddy and Grammie. She had a fabulous birthday!

On her birthday she wore this outfit. We ran a lot of errands that day and everywhere we went she had this tutu on. She was the star attraction wherever we went!

I don't think she touched the cupcake. Mommy put the icing on her face and she wasn't too happy about it!

Opening presents!

 

Playing with her new piano!

This past Saturday, S had her first birthday party! Our home was full of our fabulous friends and family. We had a delicious lunch made by B-Pa, Aunt Vivian, Ba, Bernice, Daddy, and Sweet Pea. She got so many wonderful gifts! Our house looks like a toy store. Thank you to everyone who came and made it an amazing day for Sadie!

I'm very surprised we actually got a picture of her with this hat on. She wouldn't keep it on for long.

Her birthday party outfit...compliments of Sweet Pea! Thank you!

Her cake was beautiful!

Her "smash" cake!

This was the best we could do. She really wanted the candle and that made posing difficult.

She was very overwhelmed with everyone singing and staring at her!

She wanted Mommy!

Daddy, you have some!

She's finished! Cake time was not a success!

Present time...outside!!

She loves this new toy! She pushes the horn until it plays a song and then she throws her hands in the air and dances around! So cute!

Sweet S and Daddy!

S was content picking up candy from the pinata. Luckily, she doesn't know what candy really is and I can get rid of it all.

She stuffed as many lollipops in her hand as possible! A short while later, I was laying her down for a nap and she wanted to keep the lollipops.

Sweet Sadie and Mommy!

I can't believe a year has passed! It has been incredible and I am so thankful that I get to stay home and spend every second with my sweet girl! I am so grateful to my husband for all his hard work. He is not only the sole provider for our family, but he also cooks and cleans almost daily! I can honestly say that this has been the best year of my life! I can't wait to see what this next year brings!

Dressed Up

When Sadie started crawling we put the dresses aside because they "got in her way." Now that she's walking I can bring them out again. So....we put on a dress and a headband and took some photos. She was quite the model for the first few. Then I decided to change up the background and we went outside. She preferred playing outside to taking pictures!

Sweet baby!

Hands up!

Peek-a-boo!

Pretty girl!

Sweet face!

Precious

What are you doing?

Walking around outside

Sadie just loves to throw the ball and she's gotten very good at it!

She loves to point!!! She is looking for some birds here.

Digging in the washer holes.

The Beginning

I can't believe I finally got this going! I think this will be a great way for everyone to keep up with us...what am I saying, I mean Sadie!  I wish I would have done this earlier, but I thought this was a whole lot harder than it really is.


I ALSO can't believe it's been almost a year already. I thought I would start off by posting a few pictures to recap the year.

Our precious daughter was born on September 23, 2009 at 5:35 PM. She weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces.

Sadie had many visitors over the first couple of weeks and months. Here she is with her cousin Tallen.

We had ourselves a little butterfly for Halloween! Daddy even carved a pumpkin,

She wasn't exactly thrilled about the costume.

Her first winter brought SNOW!! She was not very impressed.

We thought we might have a thumb sucker, but she never quite took to it after we caught her here.

Sadie had a busy Christmas! She traveled to Columbus, San Antonio, and Boerne!

We had lunch with Ba and Aunt Joan on Valentine's Day! Sadie was sporting her new sunglasses that Daddy bought her.

 

At 6 months, Sadie's first tooth broke through. She also started swim class! She has enjoyed learning how to swim. She can now hold her breath for 6 seconds!!

Sadie started crawling in month 7. This was the first time she was allowed to roam free in the grass! She enjoyed tasting leaves and grass! She also started Gymboree classes this month. She loves visiting her friends and playing on the ramps.

Sadie took her first steps at 10 1/2 months! However, she preferred crawling over walking until recently! She's now walking everywhere on her own.

She loves her Daddy! She walks to greet him when he gets home from work! I think it melts his heart!!

My heart is exploding with love for this precious gift!!! She is absolutely perfect!!