Friday, September 18, 2015

Toilet Training failure 1

Laboring in labor day!  This kid hasn't peed for almost 24 hours.  Didn't think the problem was going to be getting it out.

Ug.  Toilet Training.  It's such a pain.  You're the last kid.  It's just easier to change your diapers, I mean, you only pee like 4 times a day anyway.  And you only #2, once or twice a week so it's not a big deal.

You turned three.  Labor Day seemed like the perfect day to give it a shot.  I had a basket full of treats and prizes, batteries charged on every device, and two toilet seats for you to choose from.

You are not toilet trained.

The good:
You sat on a toilet for most of the day.  This was the first time ever sitting on a toilet.

You cooperated, even though you didn't want to, which was pretty surprising because you don't cooperate for anything.  Ever!

You "tried" to pee and maybe in the 8 hours we were "toilet training" you got out maybe three teeny tiny drips.

I'm all caught up on Dino trucks on Netfix.  And Kung Fu Panda.

The bad:
You didn't pee.  In fact, you didn't pee from Noon on Sunday the day before until 7:30 pm on Monday, Labor Day. That's over 24 hours of "holding it".  Ridiculous.

We don't think that you actually know how pee comes out.  We tried to get you to wear some pull ups but you freaked out.

We used every single trick we and google knew of to get you to pee.  Matches, cereal, food coloring, blah, blah, blah...really, everything.  Nothing worked.

The Summary:
We tried.  We failed.  We will try again.  With each of your brothers, we faced an epic toilet failure before we were able to finally get it all to work.  I need another few days, maybe a week to work you and me both back up to the second try, but we will do it.  It will happen.  Honestly, I had hoped that you would just figure it out on your own because, you know, osmosis or something.  But, it appears it's going to take a lot more work than I was mentally prepared to take on.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Something Unexpected

IMGP4928

On Wednesday afternoon, in a parked car with a sleeping three year old, waiting for my big boys to come bounding out of school, I got a text from a neighbor.

"Did you hear about Kerry?"

I replied, "No.  What?"

My neighbor and I quickly exchanged texts, her telling me that one of our great neighbors, the organist in our church, and one of the happiest and most amazingly talented women I've ever known, had died.  She had been hiking, alone, her 60th hike of the summer, and though no details were known, she fell off a landing about 300 feet.  She had been missing all night, and her body was recovered around Noon in a deep and treacherous ravine.

I was in shock.  This was not only a woman whom I admired, but we had moved into the neighborhood at the same time.  In fact, she and her family had plans to buy our house, but we bought it first, and they purchased another home in the neighborhood.  I was her visiting teacher for a year and a half, and just on Sunday, she led the music for the primary children.

My heart was broken.  The news was just starting to pour in, the neighborhood just starting to mobilize, and my heart was broken for her and her family.  She was only 43.  She has a son on a mission and two adoring daughters, not to mention a devout husband whom I know loved her more than anything.

The sadness I felt caught me a little off guard and I was full of questions.  Why her?  Why now?  What happened?  Was she in pain and scared?  How can I help?  What can I do?

Muddled and distracted, I made it through the rest of my day and evening, waiting for the opportunity to talk to Ross about it before we went to sleep that night.  Then, I lost it a little.  Kerry wasn't that much older than me, just a few years.  She was such an experienced and prepared hiker - we had had many talks about all the hiking adventures she'd been on over the years.  I just sobbed with pain in my heart for her and her family.

In fact, I said to Ross that I believe, before we are born, that we agree to trials and tribulations.  Now, I doubt we pull them out of a hat, but I really feel that in our communication with God, we say, "Yes.  I will take on diabetes.  I will fight cancer.  I will lose a loved one. I will die."  I wonder if, when Kerry got to heaven, she said, "What a minute!  Seriously!  I said I'd do this?  What about my family!"

But then again, maybe she didn't.  Maybe she knew.  The news reports say that, as she was ascending her final climb, the investigators believe that she lost her footing, hit her head and tumbled down to where her body was discovered.  The rescue crew also told her family, it was reported, that she had a look of calm and peace on her face.  She did die doing something that was her everything.  I know that she hiked several times a week, when the weather and seasons allowed, and she passed away on the final hike of a summer of hiking.  It was her 60th hike, and her hardest.  She accomplished the goal she had set, and that goal took her life.

There is a sad sense of peace that comes from such a thing.

Through such sadness though, there is always hope.  As sad as I've been, this week, I know where she is.  I know she's okay.  I know that she was greeted with open arms by loved ones and that they comforted her.  I know that she did, on earth, what she was meant to do and even though it's tragic, it was her plan.  I know that her family, though they are going to have to wait, will see her and be with her again.

I haven't been a part (and let's face it, I'm not really a part of anything, just a person who had a significant enough connection to a woman that my feelings are justified) of such a tragedy before.  It's given me the opportunity to reflect this week on my life, my children, my husband.  I'm a lucky girl, living a lucky life.  There is so  much out there to be grateful for, to appreciate, to live for.  We don't know when our time is coming, but I sure hope that I use my time, however long it may be, wisely and in the right ways, serving the right people.

I also hope, that when my time has come, that I maybe, ever so slightly, touched the life of someone, even briefly, as my friend Kerry touched mine.

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Quinner: 36 months, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!



Oh.  My.  Goodness!  You my little buddy are three years old today.  Where has the time gone?  You've been so excited for your birthday for weeks now.  Excited to be turning "free" and for presents, and for a party.  I hope that today doesn't disappoint.

You are fun and crazy and strange and delightful.  Three year olds really are fun, you are fun too, especially when you aren't angry at someone or screaming at us.  We've been making a list of fun things about you the last week or so, because there are just so many funny things you do and say.

Oga bar = granola bar
noculars = binoculars
"That's mines"
"Where's the boys?"
"I want you carry for me" "carra me"
wizard = lizard
flushie = slushie or slurpee
"I fink its a ...."
paytatoes = potatoes
tang tang = orangutan
borilla = gorilla
pupa bear = polar bear
"Elliott don't needs one!"
"Stop wooking at me"
Angel Jeronia = Angel Moronia
Lifabeanea or Southuania = Lithuania
Sundawe Wight = sunny delight
"Allf of them"
"the mud pots smell like bacon" (from yellowstone)
"My can do it!"
Acation = vacation
seeum = museum (like "lets go to the dinosaur seeum")
hobby hobby = hobby lobby
"Can we go to target?"

You love to sing and dance.  You love music.  You are OCD obsessed with washing your hands about 20 times a day.  You can run and jump and bowl over your brothers in a single tackle.  You love to sit on someones lap, watch tv and play with animals and cars and dinosaurs.  You've sort of moved beyond gorillas lately and are super into dinosaurs.

Whenever I tell you that I love you, you say, "No.  I love Grandma!"  Or, if I say, "Are you my buddy?" you say "No, my grandma's buddy!"  We have a great time hanging out together, and even though you love your brothers, well, love to beat up your brothers, you seem to really like being just with mom while they are at school, too.

Here's a quick list, as answered by you, of some of your three year old favorites.
animal: tiger
color: blue
song: Say Geronimo
store: target
food:  Caesars pizza
drink:  sundawee light and chocolate milk
dinosaur: t-rex
tv show: spongebob squarepants
best friend: Jack-Jack
who loves you?:  Grandma Judy
toy: animals
minion: Kevin
movie: Minion movie

Three years old today!  How did that happen?  Love you, you little weirdo.  Lots and lots.

You are growing up so fast.  It's amazing to me how not so long ago you were a little squish and now, you are a sword and gun wielding, ninja playing, bike riding giant monster of a kid.  Growing up is a pretty amazing thing, isn't it.

Love you lots.
Happy Birthday.

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