More "Potty Talk"!

This morning I was making breakfast and Aaron once again came into the kitchen and said "Stink!" (Why does he always do that in the kitchen???) So, I told him to run into the bathroom and sit on his potty. We ran in there and took off his diaper, but it was too late. He had already done his dirty deed. He told me to sit on the big potty. So I did. We sat there and looked at each other for a while, but nothing else happened.
Then, I tried to show him how to wipe with the toilet paper. As I was wiping him, he clamped his little butt-cheeks together so tight some toilet paper got stuck in there! I had to pry those little cheeks apart to get it out!
Oh! The joys of motherhood!

A Much Needed Vacation!

Parenting is hard work! Anyone who says otherwise is obviously childless (or not doing it right!) Anyway, a couple of weeks ago James and I went on a much needed vacation. Without the baby!!!
We took off to Jamaica to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! We stayed at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios. It was sooo nice. "All-Inclusive" is the way to go! We ate when we wanted and slept when we wanted. We could sleep in without anyone yelling "Mommy! Daddy! Moommmyyy! Daaaddddyyy!" We went swimming, snorkeling, ocean kayaking and even took a ride on the "water trikes". We swung in the hammocks and played on the giant chess board. We took romantic walks and talked about our past and future. Did we miss Aaron? Of course! But it was great to be just a couple again for a little while.
So, all you parents out there, take my advice...take a vacation without the kids! It will do wonders for your marriage. Plus, when you get back home those precious little ones will be waiting. You get the best of both worlds!

Grass Licker

We own two dogs. "Godiva" is a chocolate lab and "Zach" is a black lab/border collie mix. My son, Aaron, loves these dogs and they just adore him! Because they are fairly big dogs (and fairly exhuberant in their love of Aaron!) he doesn't get to play with them very often. When he does it is a special treat.

Today we went out back to play with the dogs. Aaron would shout "RUN!" and off the three of them would go flying across the back yard. After a few minutes of running around (and me yelling at the dogs to "STOP LICKING HIM!") they paused for a little break. At this time, Godiva started licking a pile of grass. Aaron was watching her intently and the next thing I knew, he had leaned over and was licking the same pile of grass! Then, he just looked up at me with a big proud grin! What's a mom to do at a moment like that except just laugh?!

Fast Food Junkie

I am a fast food junkie. I love the taste, the convience, and the fact that I don't have to cook it! I even love McDonald's (which I have found that most people over the age of 12 will not admit!) I would eat fast food all the time except that little voice in my head that tells me how unhealthy it is triumphs every once in a while. This is not something I am proud of. It is just a fact!

The voice is louder now that I am a mother. I don't want my child growing up eating too much fast food. But, I already see it happening. He knows what a drive-thru is! As we approach the window of a fast food place, he starts calling "fwy! fwy!" in hopes of getting some french fries. We went through a Taco Bell yesterday and I had to try to explain that they did not sell "fwies". He did not believe me, and it was a very long ride home!

So, each day I will try to be a better mom, cook my child healthy meals and not go to the drive-thru as much. Then, maybe my son won't be programmed to yell "fwy! fwy!" as we pass the "golden arches"!

Time to Potty Train?

I have always heard people say that if you have a boy, you are lucky if he is potty trained by the time he is three years old. My sweet Aaron is 20 months old.
Today, I helped host a baby shower at the fire station. James was at work so I had to take Aaron with me. As I was getting things ready in the kitchen, Aaron came in, looked directly at me, grunted "uuuhhh" and said, "stink!" just as seriously as can be. Then he walked away. I started laughing and then went chasing after him. Sure enough, he had gone poopie in his diaper!
Now, I don't want to be one of those pushy moms who tries to force their child into doing something before they are ready. But, it seems to me if he can come to me and demonstrate going potty and then tell me about it, maybe it is time to think about potty training!
(A mom can dream, right?)

My Son, The Artist

Aaron and I went to visit a friend and her sons today. As my friend and I were talking I noticed that someone had colored on her wall with a purple crayon. So, I asked what had happened.
As she is telling me how much trouble her 3 year old got into for coloring the wall, Aaron picks up the exact same color crayon (I kid you not!) and continues what her son had started on the wall! I was mortified!
As I snatched the crayon from his hand and commenced to fussing at him about how naughty it is to color on the wall, my friend had to leave the room, because she was laughing so hard!
When she returned, I apologized profusely and offered to buy some paint to cover it up. She refused my offer, but said she would call me to help paint in 8 years when both her boys (she also has a 6 month old) are gone to school and she decides to repaint her house.
What is a true friend? One who only laughs when your child colors on their wall! Thank God for friends like that!

9/11

I turned on my t.v. this morning intending to watch all the 9/11 specials that were on today. After about 2 minutes I turned it off. The channel I had turned on was doing a story on 9/11 mothers and I just couldn't watch. For me, it is still too much. 5 years hasn't done much to dim the horror of that day in my mind. If I had left the t.v. on I would have been sucked into that overwhelming grief that I feel whenever I think about 9/11 and the terrorists would have had a small victory once again.
Instead, I spent the day with my mother and my son. We did some very "American" things. We went out to lunch at the Cracker Barrel. Then we went to Wal-Mart (does it get much more "American" than Wal-Mart?) We shopped, we laughed, we covered the baby with hugs and kisses and we celebrated being alive and free in the U.S.A.! Take that Al-Queda!
And tonight, I will say a very special prayer for all those who are still grieving and whose lives were changed forever. May God bless them and their families.

A Movie Adventure

My son, Aaron, was born on January 14, 2005. My husband had to work the Christmas Day before he was born. I, being 9 months pregnant, was confined within an hour's radius of the hospital and unable to go to my mother's house for Christmas.
So, my sister-in-law and her husband decided to take me out to a movie on Christmas night to get me out of the house. I had no idea so many people went to the movies on Christmas! When we arrived at the theater, the movie we wanted to see was sold out. So, we bought tickets to "The Aviator" which also soon sold out!
As we entered the theater, which has stadium seating, we realized the only available seats were on the very top row. So, up the stairs we went!
If you have seen "The Aviator" you know that it is 3 hours long. If you have seen "The Aviator" while pregnant, you know that it feels more like 6 hours long!
Of course, the inevitable happened. About halfway through the movie I had to PEE! Now remember, I was 9 months pregnant and at the top of the stadium steps! So, I slowly began to trudge my way down clutching the railing for dear life. As I am trudging, I get this weird feeling like someone is watching me. Then, the feeling intensifies. I looked around and realized that almost everyone on my side of the theater was watching me! I could almost hear their collective prayer of "Please Lord! Don't let that pregnant woman fall!" (which by the way, was also my prayer!)
Well, I made it safely down the stairs and back up again. When I arrived at my seat, I vowed that I would not leave it again, no matter how bad I had to go! And I didn't!
So, if you are preggers and decide to take in one last movie before that baby arrives...SIT IN THE FRONT ROW!