Stickers, M & Ms, and Other Bathroom Accoutrements January 1, 2008

We are starting off 2008 in big girl panties at our house!  We’ve been in panties for the past 4 days, and M is doing great!  We’re having the occasional accident when she doesn’t get there fast enough or if she’s distracted, but I’d say she’s peeing in the potty about 90% of the time. 

Even better, she’s initiating successful trips to the potty without prompting from T and me.  On Sunday, T was asking her if she needed to potty because it had been a little bit since her last trip.  When she didn’t answer, he asked again.  M walked over, put her hands on his shoulders and solemnly said, “don’t worry.”   Only two and she’s already got life under control!

We are still not pooping in the potty yet.  So we’ll be working on that and continuing to reinforce her successful potty trips.  We’re going through lots of stickers and M & Ms.  I’ve got some treats that we’re planning to use for motivation for staying dry all day at daycare.  Hopefully, that will work. 

I’m so excited to be that much closer to getting rid of diapers.  We’re still using them at naptime and at nights for now.  I figure that over-night dryness is too much to ask for right now. 

Hooray for a Happy and Dry New Year!

Confessions and Commitments February 11, 2007

I have a confession to make.  I’ve been lurking around this great big internet blogging community for quite some time now.  I’ve spent untold hours reading wonderful blogs by others and leaving nary a comment.  I’ve been humbled and touched by the wondrerful examples of Christian love and joy I’ve seen, by the vulnerability and transparency I’ve witnessed in so many blogs from all over.  Each of you have been a wonderful example of all that is wonderful about our God and about this wonderful thing called blogging. 

Taking all of this in has given me a strong desire to expand what I do here with this blog.  I will continue to post all about M and her adventures in her whole Bean universe.  But I will also be writing about lessons I learn or need to learn as I live my life.  I’ll be writing about the times I do well and about the times I fall spectacularly on my face. 

Okay…Deep breath….I have to tell you that being transparent with others is not one of my strengths.  (Yes, there’s a whole long story that goes with that that I’ll probably write about later.)  I know that people I know as well as people I don’t know (I think anyway) read this blog.  It will be a test of my faith and commitment which I’m actually certain will be a positive step, but it will take some re-training on my part. 

I appreciate each of you walking this journey with me.  :)

Times (or blogs) Are A Changin’ February 10, 2007

Well, I’ve been doing some research and decided to move my blog to  WordPress.com. So far, I’m loving it.  It’s much easier to use (at least to me) than Blogger.  I’m finding it easier to make the blog more like what I want despite my deplorable lack of code writing knowledge. 

If you’ve got my blog bookmarked, please, update your links as I’ll no longer be posting on blogger starting today.  I’m looking foward to having each of you “visit” me in my new blogging home.

M’s First Haircut January 27, 2007

Well, M had her first haircut today. Her hair had finally gotten to the point that it wouldn’t stay out of her eyes. So we went to Cool Cuts 4 Kids and got a haircut.

M did really well since she is used to me brushing her hair and blowdrying it after her baths. She did get a little excited and started bouncing up and down in the chair. But who wouldn’t be excited for a new hairdo.

Bye….BYE! November 23, 2006

Well, today has been a memorable Thanksgiving day. It was M’s first ER visit. She’s had a cough for a few days, and last night was breathing more rapidly than usual. This morning, she was working even harder to breathe, so we called the pediatrician who advised us to take her to the ER so they could check her out. She’s fine. No RSV and no flu…just a really bad cold virus. We’re home now with an inhaler for her to use every 4 hours for the next few days.

M did pretty good despite the 6 hours we were there through lunch and nap time without getting lunch and a nap. She wasn’t too keen on the doctors examining her, even when they were just listening to her breathe. When the pediatric resident came back in to listen to her breathe after they gave her some medicine, she told him “bye” as he was trying to listen to her chest. When he didn’t immediately go away, she voiced a more emphatic “BYE.” T and I had to laugh.

Our Bean is most definitely not shy.

New Teeth Anyone? October 24, 2006

It looks like M finally has more teeth coming in. She’s running a little fever, and we can feel two new teeth on the top barely poking through the gums. I had expected the next new teeth to come in on the bottom since she has 4 on top and 2 on the bottom. But it looks like she’ll be sporting a whole top row of teeth before she gets more than two on the bottom.

I’m hoping that her fever doesn’t crop back up tomorrow. I really don’t want to get a call from daycare to come get her. I’ve missed enough work lately between the two of us being sick. Pray that she does okay tomorrow.

Shameless Laughs and Scaling Furniture October 22, 2006

M likes to grab post it notes off the computer desk and play with them. She usually ends up dropping them on the floor or leaving them in unexpected places.

You never know where one will end up.

On a separate note, M has also learned how to get onto the furniture by herself.

We’re REALLY stressing the “sit on your bottom” thing since she seems to be fond of hanging over the back or arms and lunging for things. Hopefully, we won’t have an injuries from tumbling off the couch or loveseat.

We’re Learning Colors Among Other Things September 1, 2006

M seems to be picking up her colors. We have a book we read every day about colors, and we talk about them a lot. In her bath last night, she picked out the colors I asked her to more than once before she got tired of that and just wanted to splash. It was consistent enough that I feel like it wasn’t just a fluke.

She also seems to be saying more intelligiable words. Of course, she still doesn’t repeat anything or say anything on command. I’m starting to be convinced that one day, M will just start speaking in sentences out of the blue. T and I think she’s said: milk, yogurt, Mommy, Daddy, dog, cat, peekaboo, book, go, good, thank you, ducky…I think that’s all. I think we’re getting there.

M really enjoys stacking the little blocks that came with her activity table. I think we may have to get her a set of those big lego blocks so she has more to play with than the few she already has. She makes towers with them all the time.

Tonight, the three of us when out for supper after work. T and I shared a pizza, and M has some spaghetti. She was messy, but did really well. A lady at the restaurant said that she was the best baby she had ever seen. Of course, we had to agree.

Beans and Pigtails July 29, 2006

M’s hair has been getting longer and longer. It has a natural side part which seems to help it stay out of her face for the most part. I’m glad for that since I don’t want to cut it yet.

Today, we tried a new hairdo.

I think M liked it.

And It Begins July 23, 2006

As you all know, this past week was M’s first week at daycare. By the end of the week, she’d adjusted pretty well. She was napping and eating just fine. The teachers said that she’ll come over to be picked up for a few minutes from time to time, but was playing most of the time. All in all, not bad considering how big of a change it was for her.

But, now she’s sick. M had a runny nose all day yesterday and today. This evening, she’s started running a 101 fever and having some nastier looking drainage. So, T will be packing her off to the pediatrician tomorrow. I guess almost 16 months is not a bad track record for not needing antibiotics other than what she’s gotten when she’s been in the hospital.

Even though she’s sick, she’s not been too terribly fussy. She hasn’t had a great appetite and has had a crying spell or two. But it hasn’t been anything horrible or constant. M’s good spirits continue to amaze me. She is such a blessing.

Pray that she gets better soon.