The Threat of the Blankie

Well, as a lot of you know, I have been racking my brain trying to understand why Luke stopped the whole potty training thing. He just was having issues with the whole poopy thing. Yuck.... I couldn't get him to be ok with going on the toilet, and frankly, I am at my wits end changing two sets of diapers! ugh! So, my friend and I were talking about what could I threaten to take away and I just didn't know at all, because Luke is not really attached to any of his toys at all... he could take them or leave them. So, one day, it was like a light bulb when off! THE BLANKIES!!!! Now, for those of you who know our little Luke a bit, you know that he has 2 flannel pillowcases that he's tattered up over the last 3 years that have become his 'blankies'. It didn't even dawn on me to use these as leverage in the whole potty training process, until one day last week, I was putting them in the laundry and he about had a cow because he didn't want me to wash them and he HAD to have them! DING! There was my leverage. Now, as you can tell from the picture, one of these pillowcases is toast. Therefore I didn't mind doing what I was going to do next. The threat: Luke, go poopy in the toilet, and you can keep your blankie. OR.... Luke, go poopy in your pants, and blankie goes in the garbage! I know... I'm such a cruel mommy! But really, I need this potty training business to be done for a few years. Ok, so Luke ACTUALLY got that message, and did GREAT the first day and pooped 2 times!!! YEAH! But the second day, he did it in his pull-up and - well, whoops... the tattered blankie bit the can! Luke was pretty devastated, but felt better knowing that he has a second blankie that he deperatly wants to hang on to... so needless to say, we haven't had an accident since Wednesday, even through preschool and nursery at the YMCA, and I am very proud of him! (I do give him suckers if he does go poopy, so that's a positive, right!?) Anyway, we're on our way to being diaper free - from one body that is! hahah ;)

Family Halloween Party!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mason Loves his Rice Cereal!

Last week we started Mason on Rice Cereal! Oh my gosh! He caught on pretty quickly and actually loves it. I am very impressed that just after 2 or 3 feedings of the cereal, he already knows how to open his mouth when the spoon is coming, and swallows most or all of it! It's amazing how fast babies develop. Poor Mason probably thought we were starving him as he was crying for a bottle every 2 hours or so... then we realized that he just wasn't getting enough to eat! Gosh... he MUST have Dave's appetite! *wink *wink! Mason seems a lot more content when he is fed and full, although we're still trying to figure out why he has days that he just pukes everywhere! Oh well! We love him anyway! OF COURSE WE DO! What a cutie pa-tootie!

Chess Anyone?

The other day, I was attempting to teach Ian how to play Chess - considering I'm no good at the game at all, I thought I did ok! He knows how to play checkers, thanks to his Great Grandma Beeler, so he really wanted to learn this. I tried to teach him that each piece has a specific move it can make. He thought it was pretty cool. So, the next morning, I woke up to quiet - which is VERY unusual - and came into Ian and Luke's room to them playing chess together and Ian was trying to teach Luke the moves. I was VERY impressed to see that Ian had set the board up exactly right! Ian really loves playing - and even had his babysitter play with him yesterday! He sleeps with the game box on his bed now, and I just think it's funny, but great! I love my Ian! What a smarty-pants!

three little monkey's...

Ian and Luke wanted to be in Mason's 4 month photo shoot, so I let them! It's great to get them all together and I am loving that they will all three smile for the camera! Luke can be a stinker sometimes with it, but as long as he can 'see it' after I take it, then he'll say cheese! (How did I EVER get along without a digital camera!?!?!?

I just love my boys. They annoy the heck out of me sometimes, but they are great! I look forward to the day when we'll go camping and biking together and tons of other fun things! I am working on enjoying them more now though, so I don't miss out on them being little. I know I want to look back on these young years of theirs and have some really fond memories. Somedays I think I have a LOT of work to do to get to the 'fond memories' part, and other days I feel pretty good about what we're doing now. I'm sure all mothers can relate to that!

I love you boys!

Four Months - where has the time gone?

Yesterday, my little Mason David turned 4 months old! Man, he is growing so fast. I know I say that a lot, but it's true! If any of you have kids, you know what I mean. Mason is just a great little baby! He is laid back and happy - unless he is hungry, then he'll let you know all about it! (that seems to be a running trait in this little line of boys of our family!) Mason's hair is starting to grow back after the initial 'fall out' of being born. I hope it grows back just as dark as when he was born! He's constantly sticking his fist in his mouth - as you can see - and is a goober face! He truly is a joy and the boys just love him to pieces! As you can see, I think he looks like a little Dave. Awe.... so cute!!!!

Mason Rolls Over!

I was talking with my friend, Michelle, yesterday morning about how I was worried that Mason wasn't rolling over yet, and low and behold, last night he did it! He must have gotten upset that Mommy was talking such nonsense, that he proved he could do it! He gets a little stuck at the end with his arm under him, but I was so proud! I can't believe how big he is getting!

Daddy also was proud and had fun playing with Mason one of his favorite games of 'Stand up, Sit down'. We love you Mason!

Family Picture Time

My good friend, Shannon, took our family pictures yesterday! Yeah! I finally got pictures of my little family! You would think that because I LOVE taking pictures, that I would have more family pictures that are more 'formal looking' than I do. But I don't because I'm always the one taking the pictures! I am so glad that we were able to do this! We were rushed against the setting sun, but you wouldn't be able to tell! Shannon did a great job and we are so happy! I can finally have a family picture hung on my wall!!!!! The last time our family picture was taken was when Luke was One! Wow! I hope that this becomes an annual thing for us - it has to be!