More Pics

I posted more pictures on Flickr (although it doesn’t seem to be displaying the pics like it did before.)  What did I do wrong?  Anyway, it should still take you to the Flickr page if you click on the title of the pictures.  I think they’re pretty cute…especially Micah’s “Old Man Face!”

Distraction

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve written anything. I was trying to think of why that is & then I realized why…Netflix. We have been a little distracted. A week and a half ago we started a 2-week free trial of Netflix, so basically every night after the kids go to bed (which is when I usually blog) we’ve been either watching various movies mailed to us or catching up on Season 3 of The Office through instant online viewing.  Netflix is pretty cool, but I’ve decided we definitely shouldn’t get it.  That’s all we’ve been doing in our spare time.  And I know I have much better things I should be doing with my time than watching movies & TV shows every time the kids are in bed.

So it was fun for 2 weeks, but back to reality.  We’ve got 2 or 3 more movies coming to us, but after we watch those (in the next 3 days) it’ll be back to our once or twice a month of renting a movie from Hastings…if we can find anything worth watching, that is.

15 Months Old

Micah is now 15 months old. He’s a happy little guy and loves to be around his big brother. I can’t believe how big he’s getting!

However, as big as he seems to me, he still only weighs 19 pounds 8 ounces and is in the 3rd percentile. I suppose I just have little babies, because Landry was also a small little guy. And since Micah’s still not walking, I guess it’s nice that he’s not too heavy for me to have to carry everywhere.  He’s a wiggly guy & I know he’s gonna start walking any day now.  I’ll let you know when it happens!!

Missing Puff

“Daddy? I can’t find my last puff.”

First Duet

I caught the boys playing the piano together today & I just had to share this precious picture! This is their first of hopefully many duets!! I must say it was quite a beautiful sound…except for the fact that our piano is grossly out of tune!! But to this mommy’s ears it was perfect!!

“We better get outta here!”

So this morning I was feeding Micah breakfast in his high chair.  Landry was hanging around us just talking & laughing when he “let a little gas.”  I asked him, “Did you just toot?”  And he responded, “Yes, I tooted!  We better get outta here!  It’s stinky!!”  And then he ran out of the kitchen.  (Apparently he learned this from his daddy yesterday…)

Funny Picture

As I was going through our pictures trying to find some pics for the last post, I ran across this one… I just had to laugh!! This was back in October when Micah was first starting to eat baby food. He looks oddly enough like a little turtle. Hee-hee!

A Tribute to the Dads in my Life

I have been blessed with two wonderful “dads” in my life.

First is my own father, Dave Sawyer, who is such a man of character & integrity. He has always been an example to me of how to live a godly & respectable life. He has always been the spiritual leader of our family, as well as in whatever church he has been involved in. He has modeled what it is to be a godly husband & always treats my mom with the utmost love & respect, which gave me security growing up as well as an example of what to look for in a husband. He helped me achieve goals in my own life by encouraging me & giving me the confidence to develop my abilities. He is fun & enjoys life. Most of all, I have never doubted his love for me, and for this I am so grateful.

The second wonderful “dad” in my life is my husband, Chuck. He is a terrific father to our 2 boys. He is so involved in the day-to-day operations of running a household with 2 kids. He loves to play with the boys & spends quality time with them everyday. He gives Landry his shower & gets him dressed for bed almost every night. And he wouldn’t miss prayer time at night for the world. He draws with them, laughs with them, plays cars & trains with them, builds things with legos, wrestles with them, teaches them about birds & plants, teaches them Bible stories, lets Landry follow him around in the yard & lets him help with the outdoor tasks. Most of all Chuck always supports me & takes the initiative to discipline the kids when necessary. He makes sure that the boys respect & obey me and shows them that he loves me. I love that he is a teacher & is able to spend so much time with them (& wants to.)

When I take the time to stop & think about these guys, I realize just how very blessed I am. I just pray that I don’t ever take these wonderful men for granted.

Happy Father’s Day…today and everyday!

He Did It!!!

Yea!!  Landry earned his garbage truck today!!  He did it!!  He stayed dry for 7 days in a row!  And he absolutely loves his new garbage truck!  See how proud he is?

Lessons from Potty Training

Of all the issues in parenting, potty training has been the most challenging by far.

I’ve always been a rather “By the Book” type person & really it’s worked for me quite nicely. So naturally when I began to think about the potty training process, I did my research & chose the method I was going to use, assuming it would work as the other issues, such as feeding & sleeping, had worked out so smoothly for us. Landry’s always been a rather compliant child, so I figured it should be no problem to have him potty trained “in a day.”

So I had my week set aside that Landry was going to be “potty trained” (the last week of August 2007.) I was off work for an entire week with no obligations. I had made a “potty poster” to go on the fridge. We went to the store together & picked out his favorite stickers (Thomas & the movie “Cars.”) We bought him big boy underwear…Thomas & movie Cars. We bought grape juice, apple juice, salty snacks, fruit loops, M&Ms, smarties…you name it, we got it! And Landry knew this was all a special treat just for him to learn how to go potty on the toilet. We were ready to go! We had been reading “Potty Time with Elmo” and “A Potty for Me.” I was so excited to not have to spend another dime on diapers for Landry!!

Well, my plan did not work out quite as smoothly as I had planned. Yes, Landry did learn how to use the potty, but not without LOTS of patience being tested! I don’t think my patience has ever been tested like it was those first 3 days of potty training. However, after about a week he really started doing quite well with his pottying. And within a few weeks he was staying completely dry, even at night!!

…Until about a month later, when he started waking up with a wet bed. At first I just thought it was one of those accidents that they tell you may happen occasionally. But it started happening every night! And even several days per week he was wetting his pants. I was so frustrated! It wasn’t that he didn’t know what to do. He just didn’t want to, I guess. I would try to make him go to the potty, but he would tell me that he didn’t need to go & if I made him go, he would throw a fit! He had never acted like this before!

So we decided he needed a little motivation. We bought him a big garbage truck (which he loves) that actually dumps & has a little dumpster. If he stayed dry for an entire week (during the day,) he would get the garbage truck.

…Well, that truck is still on top of the fridge (6 months later) just waiting for him to stay dry for 7 days in a row. I’ve been about ready to return it to the store several times, but I just know that any day now, he’ll do it!! So far, if he stays dry today, it will be 5 days in a row. Only 2 more days!! He’s so close!!

So the biggest lesson I’ve learned from all this is that we really have no control over anything in life. I’ve never really thought of myself as a “control-freak,” but the older I get, the more I realize how much I do like to be in control. Before I was married & had children, it was never a problem. I was in control & things worked out the way I wanted them to (for the most part) and I didn’t even really think about it as “control.” However, I’m learning that I really can’t, and shouldn’t, try to control other people, specifically my husband & children. I’m learning that really the only thing that I can and should control is my response to situations, as well as my attitude. If I choose to be joyful, even if deep down I’m frustrated (about potty training or whatever it is!) then life will be so much better and more peaceful!

Hopefully I’ll be able to post in a few days stating that Landry finally got his garbage truck, but if not, oh, well! I’ll choose to be joyful as I do another load of laundry…