Potty training progress ...

Well, we hit the wall and BROKE THROUGH!!! Cady is pooping on the potty like a champ and you know what did the trick??? A chart! A couple weeks ago, I was sitting with Cady watching a show on PBS called "Sid, the Science Kid". The whole show was about using charts to record data. When the show was over, Cady informed me that SHE wanted a chart and I saw my opportunity. I quickly typed up a "Poop on the Potty" chart and it has TOTALLY motivated her! Why didn't I think of a chart sooner?!?

Our Hero, Sid

If you've been following our blog for a while, you may remember a post from a few months ago about our mouse problem. It inspired lots of responses and we received lots of advice. Ray tried all sorts of food items to attract the little bugger(s) to the traps, but to no avail. We had almost resigned ourselves to peacefully coexist.

A few weeks ago, a friendly orange tabby cat began frequenting our house along with several other homes on our street. As far as we can tell, no one claims him. Last Friday morning, our babysitter had mercy on the little guy and put out a bowl of milk out for him (her?). Later that day, when I opened the back door to take out the trash, what was lying in the middle of the doormat??? A mouse head. Yes, just the head. And the next day, I found another dead mouse by our outside trash bin. Now, I liked the little guy from the get-go because he's so friendly but after two dead mice, even Ray is liking him. It was Ray that dubbed him Sid, short for Sid Vicious ... seemed appropriate. Ray has now modified his previous stand of dislike of all cats. A cat that is USEFUL wins Ray's affection!!

(that's Sid camped out on our kitchen windowsill!)

HAPPY, HAPPY DAY!!!

Life has been decidedly more hectic since I've begun this long-term sub job. So much so that last night I was wondering about the procedure for a sub getting a sub for a day next week.

But then this morning, WONDERFUL NEWS!!! A chemical leak a few miles from the school ... a styrene vapor leak to be specific! So I got all the way to school, only to be sent home by a district employee.

The whole way home I was praying that Ray had already left with the girls and HE HAD!!

AN ENTIRE MORNING TO MYSELF!!!! WHATEVER WILL I DO??

Where to begin? Laundry? Clean the blinds? Go to Target BY MYSELF??? Hmmm. I'm SOOOOO excited!! Can you feel it??! (oh, and I hope no one was hurt in the chemical leak ...)

The Potty Wars

The Potty Wars have been raging here in the Mechling household for nearly a year. It's been Cady VS. Mom and Dad and, to be honest, we've been getting our bee-hinds kicked by a 3-year old. Cady has been going #1 on the potty since around last Christmas and that was a fairly painless process. #2, however, has been a completely different story!!

We had 2 incidents of #2 around the new year (10 months ago!!) and we've been coaxing/encouraging/bribing her to repeat the performance ever since. We've had many episodes of her sitting for 5, 10, 15 minutes on the potty, sometimes in tears, refusing to DO anything. So, it's been pull-up city, until a few days ago when Ray made the comment that diapers are for babies. Cady picked that up right away and since last week sometime, whenever I could tell that she needed to go #2, would refuse to put on a pull-up, but neither would she get on the potty. Not good.

After an accident at the park and some very painful tummy aches, I think things were finally starting to click in Cady's mind. Last night, while I was cooking dinner, I heard the usual, "Mommy, I need to show you something!" In the middle of dicing something, I responded, "Just a minute!" When Cady said,"Mommy, I really need to show you something in the potty!!" I envisioned that Maddy had unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper in the commode so I hurried into the bathroom and behold ... POOP IN THE POTTY!!

It was a very happy day!! Cady kept exclaiming "HOORAY!!! I went poopoo in the potty!!! I'm so proud!!" She was so excited so I hope that it's the beginning of the end of diapers. And I really hope it's not ANOTHER ten months before she goes poop in the potty again!!

p.s. I'm really sorry to write a post about potties and poop but anyone who has or has had a toddler KNOWS what a major part of your life potty training is!!

When Cady grows up

Yesterday, I witnessed the most interesting conversation between Cady and Ray.

Cady: Daddy, when I grow up, I want to be a doctor!
Ray: Really? that's great!
Cady: No, I want to be a penguin.
Ray: uhhhhh ...
Cady: and when I get bigger, I want to be a giant.

Cady says lots of things that make me chuckle, but that one made me laugh out loud!!

Not to leave Maddy out ... her newest talent is taking off her pants and diaper. I discovered this when I went into her room after naptime recently and found her standing there in her crib in her shirt and her bare bottom, and the HUGEST grin on her face!!