Breakthrough...

Maddy showing off his Diego underwear(in cartoon setting.)

Today I had a little breakthrough with Maddy and the whole pottie training thing(we haven't really been pushing it much at all.) I think when he "wants" to try it is right after he has already gone and it is on his mind so he doesn't really need to go. Today he headed for his room and closed the door(which is what he usually does when he needs to go number two.) I ran into his room and suggested we go do it on the pottie. He was hesitant at first but finally gave in. So we sat there and waited and waited. He kept saying that he couldn't do it. I knew he had to go but got tired of waiting so I suggested we put his Diego underwear on. He was excited about that. I kept reminding him about every five minutes that he needed to tell me when he had to go and to not go in his underwear. He ended up holding it for over an hour. Then he started asking me to put his pants(and diaper) back on. At this point I knew he really had to go so I suggested we go back into the bathroom. This time he didn't want anything to do with it and started crying and saying that it was coming and that he wanted his pants on. I eventually got him into the bathroom. There was lots of crying, tantrums, begging to put his pants back on, bribing and distracting(on my end). I felt so bad at this point that I almost gave up(I didn't want to traumatize him), but I didn't want to end on such a negative note(for fear that he would never want to try again) so I persisted and he finally did it. I immediately started telling him how excited I was and praising him and quickly he started smiling through his tears and excitingly said "Mommy do you see the brown?" This was the first time he has gone number two. I kept telling him how proud of him I was and that we had to call daddy and tell him. He was so happy when he told daddy what he had done and daddy promised to bring him home a surprise. He brought him home a toy horse and elephant. Poor Avery, I was in the middle of feeding her and by the time I got back to her she was almost asleep in her highchair(nap time.) All the drama must have completely wore him out because right after he took a 4 hour nap(he usually sleeps 2 hours.) After his nap he woke up with a dry diaper so I put his underwear back on and he peed in the pottie again but then had a couple accidents(just pee) later on. He was really excited and feels like a big boy so hopefully he will forget the drama and meltdown that led to the victory's.

This was him snoozing away at the four hour mark. He actually woke up when I took the picture.

Supermom(for a day)...

Most days I feel like I haven't accomplished much at the end of the day. Today I actually felt like I accomplished a lot. Here's a run down of what I got done today.

*1 hour of weeding in the yard.
*4 loads of laundry(whites, colors, sheets, car detailing towels.) I even managed to put it all away and put the sheets on the bed myself(always the worst part!)
*Cleaned both upstairs bathrooms.
*Cleaned kitchen.
*Swept and Mopped all tile floors.
*Worked out(and showered.) :)
*Started REALLY trying to pottie train Maddy and had a breakthrough(more details on another post.)
*Cleaned up two pottie training accidents(luckily it was just pee.)
*Fed Avery 6 times(3 milk, 3 solids.)
*Fed Maddy all day long.
*Changed several diapers.
*Made dinner for family(even though it was last nights leftovers.)
*Got kids to bed.
*Watched "Dancing with the Stars." This was my way of relaxing at the end of a busy day.
*Blogged(I can always find time for this!).

Avery's Walking...

Avery has been taking steps for the last couple weeks. The last couple days she has started walking a lot and today she was all over the place. She can walk clear across the room without falling(unless she gets too excited along the way.) She thinks she's hot stuff now(which she is) and has been practicing nonstop.

As you can see she is still in the wobbly balance checking stage and resorts to her lightening fast bear crawl if she wants to get somewhere real fast(like any open door.)

I had to post this picture because the kids were being so cute. Maddy was encouraging Avery to walk by saying "Come on Avery" and stomping around the kitchen and she was totally copying him and stomping right along. They were giggling the whole time.

A Beautiful Day...

My parents came up today and spent some time with the kids and I. It worked out perfectly because my dentist called the day before and needed to reschedule my appointment for an earlier time. My parents were able to watch the kids while I went to the dentist. Have I mentioned how much I dread going to the dentist? I never have dental problems(other than plaque build up), but there is just something about getting my teeth cleaned that gives me anxiety. I would much rather go to the gynecologist. I know I'm crazy! After my dentist appointment I ran a few errands, which is always so much easier and faster when you are by yourself. I did a little more Halloween costume shopping and I think I'm set. I'm so excited about our costumes but you will just have to wait to see what we are going to be! After a lot of begging and bargaining I've even found a costume Steve is willing to wear and I think it is pretty sweet myself. I splurged a little on his because I've managed to do the other three for dirt cheap. Anyway back to my parents. After my appointment we hung out a little and then we headed to The Purple Turtle for lunch. We had a fun time and we were sad to see them leave. My mom also brought us some fresh produce(corn on the cob, peaches, squash, potatoes), beautiful flowers she picked from her yard shown above, a dollar to add to Maddy's bubble fund, and a cute journal for me. Thanks mom and dad for watching the kids, lunch, all the goodies and a fun day! Maddy has been talking about Papa chasing him ever since you left.

Partner in Crime...

Suspect: Maddox Kelly.
Crime: Accomplice to said suspects mother in the attempt to increase muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. Suspect has become a serial offender and is said to participate in this offense up to 5 times a week.
Plea: Guilty.

The paparazzi caught him in the act this past week...

As you can see the said suspect gave the paparazzi a taste of their own medicine with his own weapon of choice(which he invented himself), the hottest item on the black market, a green doughnut shaped ultra zoom camera. Suspect was said to be ordering them to "Say Cheese!"

Have you ever tried this...

My sister Stacy and I went to the Autumn Home Expo on Saturday. The gadget in the picture above is suppose to relax your back but I mostly felt head rush from being upside down. I was actually almost all the way vertical. It was quite interesting. We enjoyed our girl time(although it wasn't as fun as the Women's Expo), and even went home with a free "easy lift" toilet seat. It has a little handle on the side of the lid so it is easier for guys to lift the seat. :) Also when you clean the toilet you can just use the little handle so you don't have to touch the toilet. Now if I can just get Steve to install it and actually use the handle! After the Expo we did a little shopping for Halloween costumes.

Before we went the kids had fun playing together. Maddy LOVES his nephew Jace and didn't want to take his nap because he wanted to keep playing with him.

This Girl is Amazing...

Beautiful Eyes & Cute Facial Hair...

Love her eyelashes(the kids must have got them from Steve because they certainly didn't get them from me) and how you can see the little fuzzy hairs on her face.

Those big brown eyes definitely work in his favor when he wants something!

Funnies: "It must be taking a nap."

Yesterday while Maddy was having some NOT so successful pottie time...

Maddy: (While looking at a book) "Mommy, it must be taking a nap."
Me: (While sitting on the toilet lid and waiting patiently) "What is taking a nap?"
Maddy: "The pee must be taking a nap."
Me: "Oh, really?"
Maddy: "Ya, like this...(Maddy closed his eyes and started making snoring noises.)
Me: "May be it is really tired."
Maddy: "Ya, it is taking a nap."

SECONDS after putting his diaper back on...

Maddy: (Pointing at his diaper) "Mommy it is coming."
Me: "What is coming?"
Maddy: "The pee, it is coming."
Me: "Did you already pee?"
Maddy: "Yes."

Go figure!
9/18/08

I'm One of a Kind...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

These are the results for my married name(must be that last name of mine!)

Speaking of my last name I have a pretty funny story to go along with it. Shortly after Maddy had turned one I was at Kiddie Kandids getting his pictures done. I waited, and waited, and you guessed it waited. Finally I went and asked the girl at the desk how much longer it would be. She told me sorry for the wait and that I was next. Finally our photographer came in and started apologizing and said that there was another girl with the same last name on the waiting list and that they accidentally got us mixed up. She then offered me a free 8 x 10 for the mix up. Are you kidding me? I'm pretty sure there isn't another female in the state of Utah with the same last name as mine! Unless you count Avery and she wasn't even born yet. I was also 99.999999% sure that none of Steve's family from California were in town. Anyway I just kind of chuckled to myself and accepted her apology. Moral of the story: If you mess up just admit it-don't lie about it!

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 4 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

This is for my maiden name-still pretty unique I must say!

Hmm, I don't think this next part is very accurate in describing me(in fact I think I'm the complete opposite for most of it), but what the heck it is interesting!

What Stephanie Means

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are influential and persuasive. You tend to have a lot of power over people. Generally, you use your powers for good. You excel at solving other people's problems. Occasionally, you do get a little selfish and persuade people to do things that are only in your interest. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

A Day at the Park...

Today my sister Stacy and I took our kids to the park. The park is right across the street from her house so it was so convenient! The kids just loved it and we had a great time!

Maddy was so excited to take his lunch in his "Nemo" lunch box and insisted that he carry it. When he could see the park he was so excited to go start playing that he took off running and ended up dropping his lunch box which fell open and his sandwich fell out and fell apart on the grass. He wasn't about to stop and pick it up though. It was pretty cute. I still made him eat his sandwich after we put it back together(there's like a 10 second rule right?)

My favorite picture of the day! I just love the angle of the picture and how happy Maddy looks. He LOVED swinging and didn't want me to stop pushing him.

My favorite picture of Avery! She LOVED the swing too!

My favorite of my nephew Jace. Look at those beautiful blue eyes!

Avery having some fun...

Avery and I on the slide.

At first Maddy was afraid to go down this slide and wanted me to hold his hand. After the first time down he realized it wasn't scary and didn't hesitate going over and over(as usual.) He kept saying, "Mom, it's not scary, it is really fun!"

Avery and I trying to race Maddy. Stacy and Jace in the last picture.

This was my favorite part of the day. Maddy was pushing Avery in the swing and she couldn't stop giggling. We got it on video and it is the cutest thing. You HAVE to watch the video clip at the bottom of the post!

Maddy having fun. The top right one cracks me up, his pants kept sliding down. I love the bottom right one to. He looks like he is heading to school with his little lunch box. He is growing up way too fast!

Of course a day at the park wouldn't be complete without a picnic! Thanks Stacy for the yummy lunch you packed and tell Justin the homemade bread was SO yummy! It was even a hit with Steve! Thanks for taking the pictures and sharing your little park with us we will definitely have to go again!

Sunday Evening...

On Sunday our church time changed to 1pm. This is my least favorite time because it is right at nap time. Needless to say Maddy didn't get a nap and was completed exhausted before his usual bedtime. We tried to wake him up to take him upstairs to brush his teeth, change his diaper and get him into his jammies. He wasn't about to wake up so we just carried him upstairs and changed his diaper and put on his pajama bottoms(he slept in his shirt) and put him to bed. I never heard a peep until about 8:45am(he usually wakes up around 7:30.) It was nice!

Sunday Morning...

I had to post this picture so you could see how they were dressed exactly the same. It was a total coincidence. I got Maddy dressed(while Steve was getting dressed) and then sent Maddy into our bathroom to have Steve do his hair. When I walked into the bathroom to see if they were ready I thought it was the cutest thing! I snuck out and got my camera so I could capture the moment. I couldn't really get a good shot without them knowing so I took a picture of their reflection in the mirror. Even cuter!

Of course Avery always has to be where Maddy is and followed him into the bathroom to be part of the action.

The Boy of my Dreams...

I've found the boy of my dreams! Last night he promised me the stars, the moon & the sun...

While Maddy and I were taking a little drive together last night...

Maddy: "Mommy, where is the moon?"
Me: (Pointing while driving), "It's over there."
Maddy: "Where Mommy?"
Me: (Pointing while driving), "Over there."
Maddy: "Oh, I see it! Do you see it Mommy?"
Me: "Yes I see it!"
Maddy: "It is beautiful!"
Me: "Yes it is! Do you see all the stars?"
Maddy: "Yes Mommy, I want to go buy some stars!"
Me: (Laughing), "You can't buy stars."
Maddy: "Mommy, tomorrow I'm going to go buy you some stars and a moon and a sun!"
Me: "You are going to buy me some stars, a moon and a sun?"
Maddy: "Yes Mommy, you want me to?"
Me: "Sure, that is so nice!"
Maddy: "OK, tomorrow!"

During this short ride Maddy was very chatty. This was our conversation on the way home...

Maddy: "Mommy, do you like my Daddy?"
Me: "Yes, I love him."
Maddy: "I love him! He is my Daddy!"
Me: "Mommy has a Daddy to, do you know who it is?"
Maddy: (Pauses, and thinks.)
Me: "Mommy's Daddy is Papa."
Maddy: "Oh, do you want to go see my Daddy?"
Me: "Yes."
Maddy: "OK, lets go see him."

Yesterday I could hear on the monitor that Maddy had waken up from his nap(yes he was still in his jammies.) I snuck into his room to get him and this is how I found him...

He loves to try and hide from me and had climbed into his pillow case to hide. Have I mentioned how much I adore this boy!?!

Seven Years Ago Today...

Today is a great reminder to me of the great country we live in and all of the many people that have and are still fighting for our freedom(THANK YOU!) There aren't really words for me to describe the feelings I felt during this tragic time and how much it made me appreciate my freedom and everything(and especially everyone) that I have in my life. I hope I can be better at not taking things for granted in the future!

Simply Beautiful...

Such a BEAUTIFUL person!
Such a BEAUTIFUL voice!
Such a BEAUTIFUL song!
Such a BEAUTIFUL video!

Check out her latest here:

*Just in case you were wondering...she is just as amazing live!

Small Conveniences...

You never realize how convenient some things are until they aren't working anymore...

Our kitchen faucet starting leaking a few days ago and so we couldn't use it for a couple days(we were afraid it would leak into our newely finished basement) until we figured out if it was fixable or if we needed a new one. We ended up getting the one shown above last night and I am SO glad to have a working faucet again! It was so annoying going to the bathroom every time I need to wash hands, clean dishes, etc.

The same day that our faucet quit working my cell phone screen went out. I couldn't access my phonebook, see who was calling or anything like that. It would also turn off for no reason so I never even knew if it was on. Not to mention we don't have a home phone. I'm waiting for the phone shown above to arrive in the mail any day now.

Thank heavens for all these little things that make life easier!!

Eyes, Ears, Mouth & Nose...

On Friday Avery had a Post-NICU follow up eye exam and hearing test. First we went to IHC Hospital for her hearing test. There was a series of three tests and she passed all but one. Her ear drums are fine and she reacted very well to sounds from all directions while in the "sound safe"(Maddy found this quite amusing as well.) However her right ear didn't pass the initial test(where they put probes in her ears) so she will have to be retested. The technician wasn't too worried because she did well on the other tests but wanted to make sure we have them checked again during her next follow up appointment. There is the possibility she could have a hearing problem with her right ear but it could also be that the instrument didn't fit very well, she wasn't holding still or it could be due to her having a cold.

Next we were off to the Clinic for her eye exam. We found out that she is slightly near sighted and has an astigmatism. Being so premature(and having ROP) she was already high risk and it also runs in the family so I guess it is in her genes. The doctor recommended that we get her some glasses and that she will probably have to wear them the rest of her life. Funny thing is is that her prescription is almost exactly the same as mine. We will be getting her some glasses soon. She just seems so small to already be wearing glasses but hopefully we can find her some cute ones that will fit. I will post pictures when we get them. I'm pretty sure she won't keep them on but the doctor said even if we can get her to wear them for an hour a day that would be great and that she will eventually realize that the world looks better with them on. :)

Her Feeding Specialist is also working with me on teaching Avery how to drink from a cup. She quit sucking when she was a baby due to not wanting to eat because of the pain of reflux. Sippie cups or anything that requires sucking just isn't really an option right now. She likes her new little trainer cup(it's a pretty nifty little gadget) and is eager to learn although she(or the highchair) usually ends up wearing most of it. Hopefully eventually she will drink(and eat) on her own and I won't have to make her do it.

I don't really have any news on her nose(phew)-I just thought it was a cute title so I just thought I would add a picture of her signature nose scrunch. :)

Changing Seasons...

I really look forward to the change in seasons here in Utah! Although I wish some seasons were shorter/longer than others I'm usually always ready for and welcome the change. Fall is no exception. Although fall isn't officially here yet I can already feel it in the air. After the long hot summers in Utah I look forward to the cool, crisp feeling(and smell) in the air. Here are some more things I'm looking forward to during fall...

• Leaves changing colors(great for pictures!)
• Less yard work(not having to weed 3 times a week and mow the lawn every week.)
• Lower electrical bill(YAY!)
• Lots of my favorites tv shows returning.
• Some of the upcoming movies(including Twilight.)
• Taking the kids to the Pumpkin Patch.
• Seeing pumpkins everywhere.
• My sisters annual Halloween party.
• Seeing the kids in their cute Halloween costumes.
• Taking Maddy Trick-or-Treating. He was so cute last year and totally gets it this year.
• Going places like Bridal Veil Falls to see all the pretty leaves.
• Thanksgiving with my family at my house.

Hogle Zoo...

On Saturday we went to the Hogle Zoo with my sister Jamie(and family) and brother Justin(who with map in hand was our personal tour guide.) The last time I went to the zoo was 14 years ago on a date before I had even met Steve. Steve has been wanting to take Maddy for a while now so we finally just planned a day. I wasn't very smart and told Maddy as soon as we had the date planned(two weeks in advance) and he was so excited and bugged me about it for a week straight. We had a really fun time and I even ran into an old friend(and his family) from high school. It was pretty funny because he actually recognized Steve from seeing him on my blog before he even realized it was me. Of course Maddy LOVED seeing all the different animals and especially loved the elephants, giraffes(which as you can see above there is a baby that is only a year old), alligators, bear and zebra. He asked me if he could ride the elephant, zebra and giraffes. Too cute! Here are more of the animals that we saw...

The black bear had a serious itch and was roaming around itching himself on different rocks and branches. In the picture above it was itching his back end. Pretty funny! I think it is so cute how the monkeys in the bottom right picture have their tails intertwined.

My favorite picture of the day! Avery is such a Daddy's girl!

My favorite picture of Maddy! I love how you can see the smile on his face in the reflection. You can't tell but he was looking at a monkey.

Avery was happy as usual.

In the left picture Maddy is holding a card about alligators. He insisted on carrying it around almost the whole day. In the middle picture Steve and Maddy were watching the bird show.

If there is water they will find it and play in it! If there is dirt they will find it and play in it! What you can't see is in the middle picture Maddy was sprinkling dirt into his cousin Claire's hair who was standing below. So mischievous! We planned ahead and packed a lunch and we were so glad. We were so hungry! We had sub sandwiches, chips, grapes, cheese, carrots and of course water.

Maddy holding his ticket for the train ride which he was so excited for.

All of us on the train ride(you can't really see my brother he is hiding behind Steve)-love Steve's cheesy smile in the middle one.

Both the kids were exhausted and fell asleep on the way home. Avery's car seat is still rear facing so I couldn't get a picture of her.

I think this is a really cute picture! Before we left we let Maddy pick out one toy from the souvenir shop. He chose a collection of zoo animals and they are his new favorite toys. The big penguin on the side was Avery's choice(after grabbing it and eating the tag she pretty much bought it.) :)