The Potty

It was a long time coming but finally I can say we are almost 100% potty trained!  I wanted to wait to potty train my 3 year old until she was really ready for two reasons: one, you really can't successfully force a child to do anything and have their full cooperation (if anyone else has and has step by step instruction, please let me know), two, not that I am lazy but who really wants to consistently clean up puddles of pee or wash poopy undies?  Be honest... no one does, especially not when balancing a baby in your arms. 

So a few weeks ago I bought a "potty chart".  I found a store that sells teacher aids for the classroom.  I had tried giving rewards previously while keeping the pull ups on.  I told her if she used the potty she would get a candy or some treat of the day and it worked for a couple times but she was just not motivated and that was just to pee on the potty!  It was a whole other story trying to get her to poop.  In order to get her to do her business on the potty and not in her diaper, I had to promise Subway or McDonald's or something big!  This girl is too smart for her own good, potty training was going to cost mommy some big $$$ by the end.  I decided enough was enough and now just had to figure out what would she like more than anything else?  Then I found the fish bowl.

The fish bowl is a big poster fish bowl that comes with all colours of the rainbow fish that you could imagine.  There were over 100!  This was perfect.  Every time she pees in the potty she will get to stick a fish in the bowl.  My daughter is crazy over fish so I knew this would work.  I then decided she needed something that would also help her want to do her #2 in the potty too.  NEMO!! When I said she was crazy over fish, she is even more crazy over NEMO.  I found a package of fish that look like Marlin, Nemo, Dorey, Gill and Bubbles.  PERFECT!

I brought it home and instantly my little pee pants became a big girl and started pottying.  She was already somewhat using it at daycare but now we were full fledged pottiers!!  She couldn't be more happy to get a fish and put it in the bowl.  She was a little weary of pooping at first ( I think that I scared her when she was two and started to try out the potty.  I kind of got super excited and might have screamed a little or squealed... you know you've all been there the first time you don't have to clean off a poopy bum!) but once she did it a few times she had no more issues.  Now, she would go a few days sometimes without going at all but eventually she started doing it and each time saying to whoever was around, "my mommy be so proud of me!"  And she's right...

...Mommy is so proud of her!

Next on the list is getting her out of pull ups at night time.  She is pretty close but some how, no matter how many times she pottys before bed, she still pees over night.  Oh well... Wish me luck!

Where does the time go?

Well, here I am a few days after trying to "unglue" my baby from me.  So far it hasn't worked.  He has had a cold and has been extra clingy.  That's okay though, I am going to try again once he is feeling better.  On another note, that interview I went to, apparently went well and I am going back for a second one.  The last few days seem to have been a whirlwind and I can't keep up!  Since my last post I have gained a few more Real Estate clients, my yard is now ready for grass and my blog has gotten a face lift!  I would love to hear your feedback or thoughts on it :)

Now that you are all up to speed I will tell you about the delicious supper I made tonight, plus some pretty yummy dairy free cookies...

Supper:  Honey Mustard Crusted Trout and Orzo Pasta
It's actually a Et Tu kit... I somewhat cheated but it was still tasty
The kit provides the Mustard Crust which you can put on any type of fish (I chose Trout because it is light and perfect for flavour enhancing).  Next instead of cooking on a frying pan I baked it in the oven.  Once you take it out there is a honey mustard sauce that you drizzle over it.

For the Pasta - you boil your water,  cook the pasta, add a bit of the pasta water and some butter.  Add a pesto parm powder that is included and presto chango you are good to go.  For those of you wondering - No, this part of the meal was not dairy free so I skipped this part of the meal but the fish was dairy free and I already had some veggies and rice left over from last nights Pad Thai.

Cookies:  Chocolate Chip Dairy Free Cookies

I found this recipe and tailored it slightly to be dairy free - also added a little more flour than it called for as the dough was very sticky and really hard to work with. And YES I ate the missing cookie!  Had to test it. :)

Thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies, perfect for school lunches.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour (again add a pinch or two more as needed if dough is too sticky)
• 1 tsp baking soda (I accidentally skipped this step and my cookies turned out great... oops)
• 1/2 cup of butter (replace with vegan margarine)
• 1 tsp salt (I only used 1/2 tsp and the salt was slightly coarse)
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life chocolate chips vegan or dairy free friendly) 

Instructions

1. Kick the tires and light the fires to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together your butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Beat in the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. When that is done, fold in the two cups of chocolate chips by hand, and prepare to put them on some parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto the baking sheets.
5. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and slightly underdone. Cool on the sheets completely.

Operation Un-glue Part 2

Okay, so after putting him in his crib the second time he woke up and stayed there less than 5 minutes.  I brought him down stairs as my husband came home from hockey and I figured I wasn't quite tired yet and the baby was now somewhat awake.  Once I was ready for him to go to bed again I gave in and brought him to bed with me.  He was asleep within minutes still nursing of course.  Not much sleep for either of us last night either as he was so stuffed up.

New day but a long one.  Seemed like although I think I really only got groceries today it was a long and tedious day.  Too boring to really get into but none the less I am exhausted.  Just got both kiddos to bed after my daughter ensured to drag out her bed time and I gave the baby a bottle tonight for something different (and he actually took some of it!).  And of course by bed for the baby I mean his swing :(

1st attempt tonight... not happening!  I was completely psyched and ready to do it and then decided I am way too tired.  The baby has a cold and is very tired also.  So no un-gluing tonight!  We will try again tomorrow.  I did ensure to put him in his crib a few times with his sounds going and lights off to try and get him as used to that environment as possible.

Well gonna try to get some sleep and try the sleep training again tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

Operation Un-glue

Today I realized just how "close" my baby and I are.  Although I enjoy spending every waking moment glued at the hip (or should I say boob) with my baby, whether it be bed time, meal time, bathroom breaks, shower time or just anytime... there comes a time when mommy just needs a break!  I know you've all been there because one can only take so much before you just need a second to breathe without hearing crying, yelling, whimpering or the words "mom..." (obviously that part is from my 3 year old not my baby, yet anyway).  Either way, today I decided the baby and I need some space.

Now before you get the wrong idea, I'm not leaving him but I think it's time he sleeps in his own bed.  :)  Just saying those words makes feel happy!  If only it were that easy.  So tonight I began trying something different.  Rather than feeding him and then putting him in his swing until I go to bed (which sometimes he will go in his cradle for an hour or so and then end up in bed with me), I have decided once he is in a somewhat stable sleep, to move him into his crib.

First attempt... fail.  He woke up slightly moving him from nursing to swing and then again from swing to upstairs.  Got him into the crib and he fell asleep with a new white noise maker I bought today.  It shines stars lightly on the ceiling and makes either natures sounds or music.  My boy prefers the sound of water so that's what I put on.  All goes good, I get the monitor on and pull the door to, come downstairs and wait.  5 Minutes go by and he starts fussing.  No wonder!  I get up to his room and the blanket is over his head, feet in the air and he is not happy.

Back down we go and start all over again.  This time I decided to try a soother.  In the past this has been a waste of time, however with teething I decide that it may just prove to be somewhat useful.  He is currently in his swing and I am going to move him up to his room again shortly.  If it fails this time, in order to give him the sleep he needs, I will stop it for tonight and try again tomorrow.

Second attempt... Wish me luck!