Saturday, May 28, 2011

Friday, May 20, 2011

Big Things

My sister is coming into town tonight.

My parents are coming into town tomorrow night and staying at a local hotel suite for the week. Setting up camp, as it were.

My dad and stepmom and in-laws are answering their phones after the first ring, waiting to descend upon our city as well.

Our house is clean.

There's a bag packed.

Kinda feels like something big is about to happen . . . .

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

I'm So Happy!

Last night G-Mommy and I took Ali out to dinner at one of her favorite restaurants-Olive Garden. This is a favorite because it means that she gets all noodles, all the time. And noodles are, quite possibly, her most favorite thing ever.

Half-way through her attack on a big bowl of spaghetti, with the sauce dripping down her mouth, chin, nose, cheeks, shirt, and hands, she looked up and gleefully declared, "I'm so happy, Mommy! I'm SO HAPPY!"

She has never said this phrase before.

It was the perfect, spontaneous expression of delight. And of course I laughed and G-Mommy laughed and Ali laughed and then just kept saying it, over and over again. "I'm so happy! I'm SO happy!"

Me, too, baby girl. Me, too.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Mom-Colored Glasses

So, I realize and have/will readily admit that the things that I think are cute, funny, interesting, and share-worthy have definitely changed since becoming a mom.

That's why I love having this blog. I can share to my mom-heart's content and not have to worry about people secretly wishing I'd shut my yapper. Chances are if you're here reading this, you want to know all about these funny little mom moments.

I made a promise to myself long ago that I would not discuss my children's bathroom habits on Facebook. But this isn't Facebook! This is our family blog! Potty stories are officially fair game.

You've been warned. This is a potty story. If you don't want to hear it, stop reading now.





No? Still here?





Okay then.




So, we have another official exciting milestone: Ali went pee on the big potty!!!

NO, we aren't potty training. NO we don't plan on starting to potty train any time soon. We will approach potty training the same way we've approached everything else: slow and steady and not 'til we see some signs of her being ready.

But we have gotten her a special "blue potty" seat that goes on the big potty and she loves to sit up there and pretend to go potty.

The other night, she said she had to poop, so we asked if she wanted to sit on the blue potty.

 An affirmative nod later, and she was sitting there, happily bouncing her feet, dripping wet from the bathwater we had yanked her out of.

"Okay," I said. "You can poop now."

She looked at me.

"Push!" I encouraged her.

She balled up her little fists, squeezed her eyes shut, scrunched up her mouth, and her little tummy contracted with the effort of her pushing. And then she opened her eyes and flashed me a huge smile, like, "See, Mommy? I'm a good pusher!"

It was the most hysterical, adorable pushing I've ever seen.

See there? Mom-colored glasses. Someone sitting on the potty, trying with all their might to push out poop, and I think it's both hysterical and adorable.

I called Alex in and we showed Daddy what a good pusher she is. We all laughed. Ali smiled and laughed right along with us.

What a sweet family moment, the three of us and the toilet.

I asked her if she was ready to get back into the tub, and she said no and requested that I read her one of her bath books. Sure, no prob.

We read her Elmo bath book and talked about getting clean, brushing our teeth, and the number of other personal hygiene practices showcased in the four-page book.

When I closed the book, Ali asked sweetly, "One more time?" How can I resist?

I read the book to her again, and somewhere between "washing our face and hands" and "combing our hair," I heard it.

PEE! In the POTTY!!

I think it caught her off guard because she looked down, surprised, and then looked at me with a "what on Earth?!!?" look in her eyes. Again. Hysterical. Adorable. Gah, I love her.

I cheered and praised her and then called Dad in again. Ali proudly told him she had gone pee. He cheered and praised her.

Then we scooped her up, ceremoniously wiped her bottom, and then plopped her back in the tub for the rest of bath time.

So there you have it. Awesome pushing effort, successful (albeit delayed) pee in the potty.

I'm so proud of my big, sweet, awesome, funny, wonderful, enthusiastic girl.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother's Day

Both my babies on Mother's Day. My heart is so full.

Happy Mother's Day.