A cry for help

No, I’m not talking about Rick Astley.

I’m talking about Summer and potty training.

Now, I know there are some of you out there (and you know who you are) who did not share in my joy that Summer was potty training relatively easily. Well congratulations, naysayers, you win. She is practically UNtrained now. And it is infuriating.

She does not tell me that she needs to pee anymore. I put her on the potty every 30 minutes and she will go, but not on her own. When I ask her if she needs to go, the answer is always “no” and when I suggest she go sit on the potty, she tells me “all done potty!” and runs away. And even if I put her on the potty every half hour, there are times when she will have peed her pants in that half hour.

And just today, I was talking to her face to face, and I asked her if she needed to go, and she said no. So I checked to see if she was dry, and she was. And then she tooted. And then she looked at me. And then I checked her underpants and she peed!! Right in front of me! What gives???

Maybe the few days she got it was just a fluke. Maybe she’s bored with it? Maybe M&M’s aren’t a good enough reward?

I hate to give up and put her back in diapers. I would feel like a huge failure. I would feel like we would be making negative progress. But so help me, I’m sick of changing wet AND poopy undies all day long. I mean heck, we only have 6 pairs and I have to wash all 6 at the end of the day.

So, mothers (and fathers) please help me. What should I do. Seriously, what should I do? Someone please tell me.

Ok, so maybe I am talking about Rick now. Love me some Rick Astley.

Our little monsters

I had the girls’ pictures taken last month since it had been awhile since I’d had professional ones done. I used their Christmas dresses and made it more of a Valentine-ish theme.

When I take pictures of Summer at home I can’t get her to turn off the cheese. But put her in the studio and all I get is the deer in headlights stare and weak smiles. What am I gonna do with this girl? Still, we got one decent shot of both of them.

And then I get the biggest smiles when they hold this heart. Crazy girls.

  Silly, silly girls. I love ‘em. 

Panties!

Can’t wait to see all the pervs that find their way to this post only to be disappointed. Ha!

This past Tuesday we embarked on what I was dreading the most: potty training. I was not looking forward to pee everywhere, cleaning poop out of pants. Ugh. But we did it anyway. Summer would tell me when she was poopy and started expressing a little more interest in using the “big girl potty” so we gave it a shot.

So Tuesday morning after breakfast, she put on her brand new panties and plastic cover pants and started chugging liquids. Her first tastes of chocolate milk and apple juice (diluted) were like parties in her mouth. And within 45 minutes, she had peed through 5 pairs of underpants. I wanted to cry.

Then I realized I wasn’t having her sit long enough on the pot, so we started singing songs and reading books and she finally went! And her reward? 2 M&M’s. Wow, this girl was in heaven. But after that….no more accidents!

I cannot believe how well she’s done with it. She tells us when she needs to go, sits on her Elmo potty ring, and goes. (We still have to help her undress/dress and sit up on the toilet.) She’s even pooped on the potty! First time she did, I cried. I really did. I cried over crap.

Accidents are scarce, and usually happen when friends are over or when she gets overly excited. Like when we were dancing to “baby song” by Justin Bieber. Oh yes, Summer is a Belieber. She loves to sing along to “Baby”, and I couldn’t be more proud.

Changing a diaper is definitely easier and faster, but it won’t be like this forever. And goodbye expensive diapers! Now if we can just get Hannah trained….

Here’s to many trips to every bathroom we ever encounter on every trip out of the house!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I love Valentine’s Day. Probably because I love all things pink and red and girly. And chocolate. And flowers. And jewelry. This Valentine’s Day was filled with all of those things! I’m a lucky girl!

We actually celebrated last night since Derrick was leaving for Orlando this morning for a business conference. He spent the afternoon at Epcot Center. Um…can I go to a business conference, too??? We always make fondue for dinner (cheaper than going out…and no babysitter required!) and watch a movie while we eat. Last night we watched the Grammy’s instead. Can I just say Justin Bieber got robbed!!! Anyway…dinner was delicious, the chocolate fondue was delicious, and I finally got the necklace I’ve been wanting! You know, one of those stamped metal ones with my kids’ names and birthstones. Totally awesome. Love it. Derrick loved his neon BYU sign for the bar. The man is the easiest to buy for, love it.

Since all of our friends have either just had a baby, are going to have a baby, or have family in town, my cooking/crafting partner in crime Linda invited us (or did we invite ourselves???) over for a little cookie decoration action. She has all the pictures, but let me assure you they are stinking adorable. Summer had a great time “painting” her two little cookies with frosting, and then was even more excited to find out she could EAT them! She loved the frosting, and had it all over her face like a beard. It was awesome.

We stayed for dinner and then I put the girls to bed there. Then Linda and I had our own romantic little date and had chocolate fondue and watched a movie. I was thisclose to just spending the night when I decided to just go home instead. I’m so glad I did because my favorite green box from ProFlowers was waiting on my doorstep!! 2 dozen gorgeous roses from Derrick. What a stud.

This is why February is my most favorite month!!

I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day! I don’t care if it is a Hallmark holiday…there’s never anything wrong with dedicating an entire day to telling the people you love how much they mean to you! So to all of my friends and family…I LOVE YOU! 

A weekend of big FIRSTS!

We’ve had quite the weekend over here at the Callister’s.

Summer got her hair did for the first time!

She got to sit in a pink car and watch Elmo’s World. Does it get any better for a 2 year old than this?? As you can see she was riveted and could not tear her eyes off the screen for a picture. Needless to say, she did great and now has a head full of glitter that will not wash out. Why did I say yes to that crap???? Lesson learned.

Summer also graduated from her crib to a big girl bed! This bed kind of fell into the “Santa Claus” category: fun to talk about and look at, but not fun to get too close to. She warmed up to it after a day or so and tonight went to sleep in it for the first time. She cried for about 15 minutes but then fell asleep. I peeked in on her a few minutes ago and she was passed out with her legs hanging over the railing a little bit. I will admit that I got a little teary eyed while I was moving her things into her new room. My little girl is growing up!! How did this happen???

And this little runt had her first too! She got her grub on with her first taste of rice cereal today. She gobbled it right up and did great. She still didn’t sleep any better for me though, the stinker. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow…

Speaking of tomorrow , we’re supposed to get like a foot of snow in the next couple of days. Yippee. We’ll be homebound so maybe we’ll come up with some more firsts!   

5 months!

Hard to believe this kid is already 5 months. Seems like I was just writing her 4 month post!

Honestly, not a lot has changed since last month. She’s still a sweet, chill little lady. She’s still not sleeping through the night as long as I’d like her to be, but that’s my fault, really. I just haven’t let her cry it out yet. We’ve been traveling and then my parents were here and my mom left today so now we’re back to some kind of routine again. Derrick leaves for Vegas on Sunday so I think we may attempt it then. We’ll see.

Anyway. She is just so good. So content to hang out in her car seat if we’re running errands, going to church, out to dinner, whatever. She’s a good napper usually. Takes at least 2 naps every day, and either takes a little catnap in the evening or just whines until bedtime. But that doesn’t happen often.

She goes through drooling spurts. She was pretty dry in California, but now she’s at it again.

She loves to use her voice and squawk away. 

She has recently discovered her tongue. I swear it’s always hanging out. And in the bath it’s CONSTANTLY out and she tries to lap up the bath water or lick the water (or suds) off her shoulder.

She does this thing now when she’s in her swing where she keeps her legs up. It’s so funny. It doesn’t look very comfortable, almost like a reverse crunch, but she keeps it up for a long time!

   

She is just the happiest, snuggliest, sweetest baby. We are smitten with her. We are in deep smit!