When is Spring?

Better yet, when is summer? Ugh! I'm tired of the cold and snowy weather and gray days and trying to keep the kids entertained inside. I'm also tired of the germs and colds. I took Valerie to the doc today - she had a 101 temp yesterday. I'm thinking she has the flu that Samantha had a couple of weeks ago. She was complaining about her throat hurting and wasn't eating much. Anyhow - did the strep test and it came back positive. Also discovered she had an ear infection. While there I asked him to check out Veronica since the two V's spend so much time together and Veronica had a stuffy nose and cough and had been up for an hour the night before and we didn't know why. Yep - red throat and swollen glands (worse than Valerie's). So they are on antibiotics. We'll see if I can stay clear - I'm with them ALL the time, getting sneezed on and coughed on. Oh well. At least the antibiotics will kick in and they will start feeling better. Hopefully.

Lunar Eclipse

We had a great view of the lunar eclipse the other night...so we set up our camera and took some shots and I just had to share. We couldn't find the right setting towards the end of the eclipse so some of those are a little out of focus. Of course we found the right setting the next day - so we're ready the next time. In what...10 years? Hope you enjoy the few we did get. We liked watching it.

Smart Choices

Okay - so I do worry sometimes about the snacks I am giving the kids because of the prevalence of childhood obesity. A friend (thanks LP) told me about a site called snackwise where you can enter info on your snack and it will rate it. I did a handful this morning and am happy to say that most of them were green (best choice) two were yellow (choose occasionally) and one was red (choose rarely). The Nilla Wafers came back red. Teddy Grahams, Yogurt Burst Cheerios, and Nutri Grain Cereal Bars were all good choices. Pretzels and Chewy Granola Bars were okay but not often. Makes me feel better since my kids LOVE the cereal bars and eat at least one, sometimes two a day. I'm doing okay. (of course I didn't enter anything I snack on - I know it will all come back red) Just wanted to share. Valerie is still doing great with the potty - she is even waking up dry now (a little early, but dry). She has a little cold starting - stuffy nose and cough. Wonder if she is going to wind up with the flu that Samantha had two weeks ago. We'll see. Guess I won't be making church tonight - probably be staying home with Valerie and Veronica while Todd takes Samantha to swim lessons. It's okay though - I'll try again next week.

Potty Update

I know you all are thrilled to be hearing about the trials and tribulations of potty training Valerie - so here is a quick update. She is still in underwear except to sleep and if we are going to be somewhere that having an accident would just be BAD. Which we haven't been doing a lot this week so she has been in underwear and doing very well. She goes and sits on her potty all by herself and goes. She has even started pooping in it. Today's poop of the day was a little traumatic because it had been two days since she had gone. So it took a little effort, but she did it! Now we just need to move the potty chair into the bathroom and start working on her using the big potty so we don't need to keep cleaning out the little one. Yes - we are going to take away Veronica's seat. She likes to sit on it to read a book. Too funny! On another note, Todd is getting to race on his xbox tonight. We did get Guitar Hero III and have been having a lot of fun with it, but it isn't leaving much time for Todd to race or play other games. So tonight I'm spending some time on the computer and he is playing. Gonna go check the moon - we have a great view of the lunar eclipse so we are taking pictures. I'll post some good ones.

Shake it Daddy

These words came out of Samantha's mouth tonight. Some explanation...we borrowed Guitar Hero III from a neighbor. It is a game that you play with a guitar and you have to hit certain colored buttons in a specific sequence that shows up on the screen. You have to keep up or you get booed off the stage (I know this because it happened the first time I tried to play it). Anyhow - when you use the whammy bar it makes the lines shake and Samantha thinks it is funny. So when Todd was playing she told him to shake it meaning the lines, but he and I thought it was quite humorous. Needless to say we will most likely be going out and buying Guitar Hero - we had a good time with it and I'm addicted. Todd isn't thrilled because now he'll have to share his xbox with me. Oh well - Rock On!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Big News! Since Friday, Valerie has been wearing underpants (except for sleeping) and we've only had about 4 accidents and today she woke up dry! YIPEEEEE!!!!! It isn't completely mastered, but she is doing awesome and we are so excited about it. We'll be getting a pay raise when she starts using the potty all the time. One less child in diapers!

Just Like Golf

I've decided that potty training is just like playing golf. Stay with me for a second...you are out playing golf and getting frustrated and wondering why you even play the game in the first place, because you just aren't having any fun hitting out of the rough. Then it happens, you hit that beautiful shot; it feels good when you make contact and it goes where you want it. You feel great and are thrilled and realize that THAT is why you keep playing the game. Potty training is a lot like that. Your child just doesn't want to use the potty, you are tired of asking them, you are tired of cleaning up the messes, you are about to quit and try again in another month when it happens. She stops what she is doing and says she has to go and proceeds to get on the potty and successfully go. The celebration that ensues - stickers, chocolate, clapping. You have hope once again to continue on this journey. THAT is why we keep trying - no more diapers!

Potty Training Help?

Valerie just isn't interested. But I have some hope for Veronica...yesterday I was talking to Valerie about using the potty etc. and Veronica disappears. I hear all this banging around in the downstairs bathroom (we are in the family room). Well, here she comes out of the bathroom dragging the little potty with her. We'd had it in the kitchen so Valerie could remember to use it. I put it away when she refused. While it is out Veronica likes to sit on it and read...that is what she has seen big sister do. But when I try to put Veronica on it without her diaper she isn't so fond of it. I guess it is a step. Maybe she'll learn before Valerie. Anyhow - Veronica knew what I was talking about and went to get it to help me out. Ooooo - is she too smart or what?

Things I Never Thought I'd Hear From My Daughter

Samantha was home sick today with 102 fever. Was down to 99 before bed so I think she is feeling better. She was watching TV today - Handy Manny, I think and there was something about a chameleon. She tells me she wants a frog that can change colors. I tell her what it actually is called and she tells me she wants one. Yes - Samantha said this. My girly girl who doesn't like to get dirty and is afraid of almost all bugs (she won't use the basement bathroom in case there is a spider in there). Yep - she asked for a chameleon. I told her she needed to talk to Daddy - he is the gatekeeper for all pets. I'm voting no on that pet.

Embarassing Moments

Having three girls there are usually a handful of different hair accessories strewn around the house. Valerie is at the age where she likes to put the bows in herself and then will change her mind. Today I was handed a cute little pink bow. I was busy, so I do what I often do and that is - I stuck it in my own hair. Well, I got busy with other things and of course proceeded to forget about it. We all went out to pick up dinner and drop a gift at a friends house. (It is a friend of Todd's - I know mine would have said something) So - we get home, eat dinner, watch the first quarter of the superbowl and then go up to put the girls to bed. I am in the bathroom helping Valerie brush her teeth and I look up...what catches my eye, but a cute little pink bow. I just started laughing. Went over to Todd's friend's house briefly, went to grab dinner and talked to a complete stranger. Oh well - I guess that is what comes from having girls. I'm sure I gave all those people something to laugh about and I guess that is a good thing. I just can't believe Todd let me leave the house like that.

Two Thumbs Up

So - last week I had a little time to kill while Valerie was in tumbling. So, rather than go to Target where I would be tempted to spend money on things I really don't need, I took Veronica to the library. I picked up a book to read (The Ultimate Gift...saw the movie and both are excellent) and decided to get a couple of movies. I got a Baby Einstein for Veronica, Singing in the Rain for the girls and I, Chicago for me, and then for fun...Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Todd really wasn't interested in watching, but I wanted to watch Charlie on our big TV. So we put it in and we both enjoyed it. Todd even said that would go on the list of movies to own. Johnny Depp was great in it. Totally different from the Gene Wilder version, but very good. There are just some lines in it and the delivery are just great. I would even say it is okay for older kids. Samantha is borderline in my opinion. I just wouldn't want to take the time to explain a lot of it to her, but there really wasn't anything terribly bad. There was a scene with some squirrels that could cause you to have flashbacks on your next walk in the woods. :) Anyhow - just finished watching it and had to share.