Potty Training

IT'S TIME!!! After being on double diaper duty for 15 months!!! (and not having twins as my excuse), it is definitely time to Potty Train my almost 3 year old. (She will be 3 at the end of August.) After talking about it, reading books and testing the waters, I decided to pull the plug this last weekend.

It was actually a poor move on my part because I did it right after she was sick, and I (unaware of my own bodily workings) didn't realize that I was getting sick too. However, we stuck to it anyways, and although we all got this really nasty bug one after each other, Zoe is now almost potty trained. Almost meaning she listens to her body and knows when she has to go pee pee, she is going dry most of the time during her naps, and is waking up dryer and dryer in the morning.

However, my one problem is that she REFUSES, to go #2 on the toilet. I'm convinced that Zoe is totally freaked out about the huge gaping hole below her and is trying her hardest to not fall in. I think she thinks it will swallow her whole if she tries anything beyond #1. She screams horrifying screams if I try to coach her through it, so in the mean time we are still working on that part of things. On a lighter note, we are only 5 days into it, and she really hasn't had very many accidents. She is no longer using her little potty, which is good, but now is completely obssessed with going to the bathroom every 5 minutes (even when she doesn't have to go-- does that stop anytime soon?)

How we did it--THANK YOU to my cousin Kelli, and her great tips on the Elmo Potty Movie, and all the great guidelines she gave, we are on our way to a diaper free Zoe. We made a big deal about the movie and popped popcorn, got little panties, and a sticker book for her sticker chart.

Enjoy the pics, but if anyone has a tip on how to get them to go #2 in the toilet, that would be great.

Recent Service Project

In the little time I have between naps, errands, parks and playing with my kiddos, I occasionally have the oppurtunity to sit and quilt. Although I am starting to venture out and do other sewing projects, here is my most recent finished quilt. This I made as a little girl baby quilt. I gave it to the girl who won it at the auction and she loved it. It was hard to give away, but I am glad that she liked it.

Family Photo Shoot-April 2010

These were just taken, and although I need to update this blog with more vacation pictures, I couldn't resist these. Enjoy! If you want to look at all of them, you can go to this link.

http://gallery.me.com/taylorpollei#100287

Still on Vacation - Disneyland-

So even though the kids are way to young to remember us taking them to D-land, we all know that we go because of the parents right? I've been wanting to take Zoe since she was born, but I am glad I waited because it was much more fun now that she recognizes some the characters. However, rule #1- if your children have nightmares do not take them on the following rides: SNOW WHITE, MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE, AND PETER PAN.

Our first ride of the day: Snow White. After Zoe saw us cruise on into the dark tunnel on a little car, scary witches started popping out from every corner. Tears and crying soon followed, and we were pretty much screwed the rest of the time. Any tears you see are due to her terrifying experience on Snow White. I tried to redeem myself by taking her on Mr. Toads Wild Ride, but that only made things worse. Then the ride I wanted to go on (Peter Pan), was completely out of the picture. We dragged her on It's a Small World, and then after that she seemed to lighten up.

All in all, we had a really great time with the kids, and they seemed to enjoy it too, (minus any scary witches). We came back to my parents for dinner and to drop off the kids, and Taylor and I went back for the last 2 hours. In an hour and half, we managed to ride, Indiana Jones, Haunted House, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain. We even got thier famous ice cream cones on the way out. Tickets to Disneyland---$$, Food and Parking--$$$, Mommy happy to see kids at Disneyland-- Priceless.

On Vacation

Taylor is off this week and we decided to get a little R&R at the pool. It has been pretty hot so why not take the kids across the street to the pool they've been staring at all winter long? Mom was a little bit of a wuss and didn't want to venture into the pool just yet, so she decided to take pictures instead. Dane is loving the water and is becoming quite the water King. He has no fear and will walk right in. Despite Zoe's swim lessons last year, she was a little hesitant to swim completely on her own. (It's been a few months) I'm thinking we need to sign both the kids up for lessons this year and soon. In the meantime, Dad makes for a great life guard!