First Swim Of 2012

We opened up the pool earlier this year and took our first swim over this past Memorial Day Weekend.  The boys loved it!

me & my boys

hooray!  the suit still fits!

Momo came for a swim, too!

Summer Cuts

The boys got summer haircuts yesterday.  Super cute!

4.5 Going on 45

This morning's Gabeisms:


"I'm getting quite angry at Nico's family."

"I'm so very angry at Nico."

"That's one happy Dada [looking out the window and waving at Jason who was driving off to work]."

Pictures From The Weekend

wearing my belt

goofball

I Surrender

Undiesville is over:  I lost the war yesterday.  This boy is not ready to poop on the potty.  Cleaning up two poop-filled underpants yesterday was a drag; but when the third poop came along (and we were playing up at the schoolyard behind our house at the time), it looked as if World War III hit Zach's underwear.  I've never seen anything like it before, and I hope I never see it again.  After lots of consideration and discussion with Jason, we've decided to use pull-ups for a while.  Wish us well, people. 

He Did It!

I'm thrilled!  After pooping on floors and in underwear and pull ups, Zach finally did a poop on the potty after lunch today!  He was pretty scared - there was lots of hand flapping, whimpering, and dancing around; but I sat on the floor with him, held his legs, and then it happened.  Woo hoo!  Great job, little man.

Potty Training Hell

It's going to be a long time before Zach takes to this potty training thing.  We're still having accidents a couple of times a day and he won't poop on the potty (he waits until he has a pull up on).  Because Gabe mastered this skill in one day (yes, ONE day!), I had no idea how exhausting it can be.  It also makes for interesting trips out into the community.  Trips where little tiny poop turds end up on the floor at Mall Tots because they've fallen out of Zach's underwear and pants.  ARGH!!!

Two Little Fishies

We switched Zach into Gabe's swim class last week, and it went great!  I went into the water with him, but he didn't really need me.  He was quite the little fish.  He "swam" the length of the pool and back with a noodle tied around his back.  When the teacher was working with Gabe, I had a hard time keeping Zach from swimming into them.  I'm thrilled with the way that these little boys have taken to swim class.

Fishing In The Rain

It's been raining A LOT during the last two weeks, and we're feeling stir crazy (especially since we've been house-bound with the potty training).  So, when there was a little break of sun this morning, we went outside to do some "fishing".  We kept Zach restricted to his underpants - the pictures are so cute!  (it was warm enough - don't worry)

"I did pee pee on the potty just before we went outside!"

fishing with my raincoat & boots!

Bub

Potty Training Part II

We're into the second day of potty training, and everything is going great!  Nini's still here - thankfully!  Zach hasn't had a single accident this morning!  So pleased and so proud.

He's also wearing his big-boy underpants now, and I pull them down when he needs to do "poop" (aka pee) on the potty.  (Everything is poop to Zach)  He's doing such a wonderful job and is finally used to not wearing any "jammies" (aka pants).

More good news:  Gabe is not using pull-ups anymore.  He napped without one yesterday and slept through the night without one last night.  He says that his underwear got a little wet through the night, but his bed was dry!  We celebrated with cupcakes after breakfast this morning.  Argh.

still not wearing pants this morning

now I'm wearing my big-boy cool car underpants!

two big boys in their big-boy underpants!

playing in my undies

Potty Success!!

We made it through the first day of potty training.  Zach didn't have any accidents this afternoon, he went pee on potty five times, and he did another little (but bigger than the first) poop after dinner!  We're so proud.

A big thanks to Nini for helping and spending the whole day with us.

potty training without pants!

looking at woolly mammoths on the computer with Nini

Zach Did Pee & Poop On The Potty!

We're potty training Zach today, and he did pee and a teeny tiny poop on the potty after lunch!  So exciting!

Zach is not loving this experience.  He doesn't like having his clothes off from the waist down; he keeps asking for his jammies.  He wants to be held and carried, and he doesn't like talking about the potty.  And when he sits on it, he likes me to "hold" him (i.e. laying both of my hands on his little thighs).  Gah!

We ate cupcakes to celebrate the first pee on the potty, and we have lots of M&Ms and a few toys to try to incentivize him.  Fingers and toes tightly crossed!

trying out my potty

playing with the Elmo buttons

"I'm not loving this experience"

"I did it!  I went pee & poop on the potty!"

playing with my new little digger that I earned when I used the potty

Can I Have A Bite?

Zach still doesn't eat many varied foods.  And he's very, very stubborn about trying new foods.  But, evidently he loves to eat my chapstick.  I agree that it tastes good on the lips (sweet, lemon flavor), but I can't say that I'd like to eat it any time soon. 

One day, we were out at a restaurant with my Dad, and Gabe's lips were hurting.  I pulled out my chapstick; problem solved.  Then, Zach wanted some chapstick.  When I went to put it on his lips, he took a huge bite out of it and ate it. 

Now whenever Zach sees my chapstick, he asks, "can I have a bite?"  No matter how many times I tell him that it's for his lips, that child still wants to eat my chapstick.  Last night, he asked his Dad if he could have a bite, and when Jay said no, you'd have thought that his favorite toy had been taken away - the crying was intense. 

How Could I Say No?

I'm telling this story somewhat second hand, as this was a conversation between Gabe and Auntie Auntie.  But, it's a super cute story and deserves a blog post.

So, Auntie Auntie asked Gabe if he'd had a good day on Sunday (Gabe had gone fishing with Gampa earlier that day); Gabe replied, "How could I say no?....  I went fishing and caught 10 fish."  (or something like that)

"Some Bad News"

Gabe got into the car at school pick-up today with a very long face.  When I turned around, he said - in a very forlorn tone - "Mom, I have some bad news."  Pause.  Pause.  At this point, I'm wondering and worried.  He then adds, "Joseph was not in school today."  (oh, phew!  I thought it was something serious).  But, honestly, how cute is he?  So distraught that his best buddy wasn't at school today. 

Two Little Boys At Swim Lessons

The boys had their first swim lessons together on Saturday (they're in different classes).  They were SUPER cute.  Gabe was beyond thrilled to be in the pool.  He was brave, adventurous, and so cooperative with the teacher.  What a darling boy!

Zach took a little bit to warm up to the water.  We have to switch him to a new class, though; he's in a water babies class with infants... ooops!