FHE

This week we opted for a lively game of Halloween memory during Family Home Evening:

 

I made the game from an idea I recently saw in a magazine (can't remember which one it was: Better Homes and Gardens? Redbook? Something like that.) The picture isn't great but there are 8 matching images all on 8x8 squares. It was a big hit and the kids have been playing it after school the past few days. I think we are all getting excited that fall is right on our heels.

A few weeks ago we used The Friend to help us learn about keeping our bodies clean and pure and then we followed a little maze/game to test what we had learned. Another FHE success.

 Last year I started planning out 4 weeks worth of FHEs and adding them to our family's Cozi calendar. It took about 10 minutes of planning each month to save us any worry about what we'd do on Monday night. During the summer I hardly calendared at all but now I am getting back in the groove and so enjoy the order it brings to our lives. I am kind of a scheduling nerd like that :)

Uniform 101

My little sis was wondering about Caroline's girl uniform options so we have been documenting a few of them. Even though the dress code at school is pretty basic, it has been fun to buy some dresses and skirts rather than just shorts and pants:

Cares has become the recent star of this blog! Where are my other kids? Here's a modeling shot of my sweet Olivia.

 She has gone just over a week now without any accidents in her undies. And she has even run into the bathroom all on her own a few times and gone potty all by herself. I think she must be an answer to this pregnant mama's prayers! Her pull-up has been wet in the morning about 3 times since we started training but I think she will figure out the whole night thing as a little more time passes.

Ballerina Girl

Caroline started ballet today! She is so cute in her full class uniform and we found a cool hair accessory to help us create a great bun.

  hanging out at Cec's house after dance today

She is dancing over at UDA and she really loved her first class. I have been so hesitant to sign her up for classes because I just haven't seemed to find a place that fits all my studio requirements (yeah I am one of those parents). I blame it all on my experiences both as a dancer and a teacher. I grew up dancing in a strict and intense ballet studio over in Sugarhouse which had a lovely pre-ballet program for young dancers and a hardcore regimen for ages 8 and up which I have a lot of respect for--I think I learned invaluable technique dancing in that studio. And I loved that it was a ballet studio. Not a "jack of all trades" or competition studio but a place to become a ballerina and a skilled dancer. Those are almost impossible to find these days (and if I could drive forever for classes each week I would have Cares in the Ballet West Conservatory program in a heartbeat).

I have also been teaching for the University of Utah's Virginia Tanner classes the past 6 years and truly value their deliciously creative and very welcoming, encouraging dance environment. Of course Cares has danced with Tanner Dance before but she has been eager to wear ballet shoes and become a ballerina so I had to look outside that studio for a solid fit. I hope this little Kindergarten class will be a good place for Cares and will invite creative exploration, teach her some key ballet vocabulary without forcing any serious technique/turn-out on such a young body, and give her a good foundation for dancing again next year and adding on to what she has already learned. Maybe these are high expectations but they seem simple enough to me :) I know I should just be happy to have my girl dancing and using her beautiful little body to do something fun and healthy. But deep down I would love for her to embrace ballet the way I did in my youth and experience all the beauty of pointe shoes and tutus, recitals and performing, and working hard in the studio for strength and grace.

 On another note, I made this ballet shoe bag for Caroline over the weekend:

 

Kindergarten Cares

Does this darling girl look excited or what? She was awake and dressed by 9:00 am today and just counting down the hours until she could finally go to school.

Littlest sis truly loves these photo shoots (and copying Caroline's every move)

Livs loves her sister but she was all too happy to have me to herself this afternoon for stories and potty time. And then a completely quiet house during nap time. You better believe that I succumbed too and slept for almost an hour in my bed with no interruptions. Ahhh kindergarten, I knew I loved you.

And Caroline had an excellent day today, coming home with tons to share and friends to tell us about. She said kindergarten is the best and can't wait to go back tomorrow. Love my brave little lady and her enthusiasm--should be a great year.

In Other News

While I seem to be focused solely on my babe and her toilet skills, life outside that bubble has really been so lovely this week.

On Monday, while Bentley was at school, the girls and I met up with Joseph for a little lunch date over in Draper. It felt so nice to just have two kids with us and the girlies thought it was so cool for Joseph to be out with all his girls at once.



Later in the week Joseph planned an evening outing at 7 Peaks. He took Cares and Bentley and cousins Maddie and Will shortly after school ended and they stayed until closing. The kids had a blast and loved the empty water park but more so the time they spent with cousins.

Cousin Tiago and his family met up with Joseph that night too. I love this little crew of kids finding their way to the next fun thing...

Today we decided to keep Livs home from church and perfect the potty thing for one more day (Joseph attended sacrament meeting with big kids and then he came home to take over while I went). Livs did so well today with no accidents and about 5 pees in the toilet. We decided to get out of the house all together for a bit after dinner and go for a family walk. We walked over to the church where Bentley could ride his bike far and free and the girls could explore all around. Joseph and I sat on the shady grass and watched the children play. I truly love times like that when all my kids are active and curious and can take great care of themselves and each other--it feels like such easy parenting :)

3 Days In

How did I forget how exhausting this potty training process is? Patiently waiting, happily encouraging and praising, constantly playing/hanging out with my toddler and keeping a close watch, sitting on the bathroom floor or tub or makeshift chair; did I mention the patiently waiting?

Yesterday was a bummer--mostly because Livs just wasn't feeling the urge for most of the day. She had a little pee accident right when I finished my shower and so we went straight to the potty (excitedly of course) to finish up with a few drops in the toilet (in all my naked glory...I knew that shower was risky!) We rejoiced, earned a sticker and plugged ahead. And then she didn't go again for hours--even dry through her afternoon nap. Finally, after dinner, I knew she had to go pee and so I drew her a bath. As soon as she sat in that warm water she let it release and I popped her out and onto the toilet to finish. Another sticker, lots of love and praise. And that was it yesterday. No poop and no other pee--felt a little disheartening.

And then today came along, day 3, and the morning started out super slowly (beginning with a wet pull-up when she woke up but nothing after that). Finally, during lunch, Livs told me "I have some." I scooped her up and we went to the toilet for...nothing but a gas. We came back to eat and she told me again "I have some." So we went back to the toilet, waited for about 5 minutes and low and behold the lovely little thing pooped in the potty. Hurray! We came back to finish lunch when she told me once again she had some. And this time she really unloaded while we read about Tinkerbell and the other mini fairies she is earning with each poop. It was really exciting and in all honesty I was so relieved I didn't have to wash out poopie undies.

Finally, late in the afternoon she also figured out how to feel if she has pee-pee coming and she has gotten all her "stuff" in the toilet since lunchtime. Even this evening, after she was in bed for almost an hour she called out to me and told me she had peeps. We went to the bathroom and had to wait about 15 minutes before she peed. I even tried to put her back in bed after trying for a bit since she had such tired eyes and was rubbing her blankie under her nose. But she wanted to stay on the potty and keep at it until she did it.

I am just happy we are figuring this all out, but oh boy do we still have a long road ahead of us...

the bathroom in potty training mode--Livs is so funny and likes to trade between her tiny potty and the big one, so by all means we acquiesce.

Tiny panda is Livs' encouraging and snuggly potty pet. Right now panda hangs out solely in the bathroom to "help" when Olivia is sitting on the toilet. Once she has the potty thing down panda will be hers whenever and wherever she wants.

The Potty Training Begins

Today we're diving in. And just about 10 minutes ago Livs told me she had some poops, we dashed to the potty and sure enough, she pushed it right out and into the toilet. It could be a fluke thing but it has boosted my confidence in this treacherous process so we are plugging ahead. Plus, toddlers in underwear are about the cutest things ever:


**Day one's successes were minimal but at least we had some go in the potty. Here we go again...