Dry and CLEAN!

For the past week I have been working on potty training Bryce. It has been one of the hardest things I have ever done!! I thought getting him to stay in his big bed boy was hard but I only had trouble with that once a day. With potty training - it's been multiple times a day!!

Bryce thinks going potty is boring and he doesn't have the time for it. He has told me "It's not fun!" and "I'm too busy to go potty!". Well last Monday he put himself in big boy underwear... coincidentally it's also the day I ran out of diapers in the house! Well, for the past week he has been peeing and pooping in his pants and he could care less if he sits in it! Plus, whenever I tried to get him to go it was a HUGE fight! He argued that he didn't have to go and then would proceed to go in his pants.

Enter the trusty kitchen timer. For some reason he will listen to the timer! I set it for 40 minutes and when it beeped he would go directly into the potty and relieve himself. It was like one of Pavlov's experiments! So for 2 days I relied solely on the timer and chocolate. I told him that he could get a mini snickers or twix whenever the timer went off, he was still dry and he pee'd in the potty.

Well, that did the trick! He remained dry for those 40 minutes and he got his chocolate. He now gets a sticker on the potty chart for every day he's dry and one for every time he poop's in the potty. After 28 stickers he can get an "expensive" and "big" toy! He's getting very excited.

Yesterday he went potty all by himself... without the timer! He just had to go! Yay! He also did that all this morning. Plus... he poop'd in the potty yesterday!!! Finally!!! I'm so excited.

Yes, I understand there will probably be more accidents. That's fine.... it's only been 3 days dry and clean BUT.... HE'S GETTING IT! I am SO happy!!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel! No more temper tantrums for 45 minutes to try and get him to _try_ and go (at least I hope!).

YAY! :-)

Okinawa, Japan

So - if you scroll down my page you have probably noticed that I have the time in Okinawa, Japan on the right hand side of my page. You might be wondering why in the world I need to know the time in Japan... well, both Bryce's and my best friends live over there. Kelly and Tristan have now been in Japan for almost a year (it will be a year in about 2 weeks). Kelly's husband is a pathologist in the military and so they were stationed there for 2 years. 1 year down... 1 to go.

Kelly lived 2 houses down from us when we lived in our townhouse. She and I had our sons 3 weeks apart and they instantly became best friends. She stayed at home for a year before she went back to work part time and during that time we practically lived together during the day! It was SO nice to have someone to share that new mom thing with. Even when she went back to work full time we still stayed super close. She would call me every day on her way home from work to talk and occasionally even called on her lunch hour!

Before she left for Japan she came to live with us for about 2 weeks because their house had sold and Arash (her husband) had already left to set things up in Japan before she got there. We then drove together in her car to Wisconsin so that she could leave her minivan at her mother's house. I stayed and visited with them in Wisconsin for 2 weeks. It was awesome! I loved Wisconsin and they have amazing cheese!

So basically, I use the time on my blog so that I can call her at a decent time. Lately though no time is good. She's been working more lately so not available during the day (my night) and I am so not a morning person so I haven't really been able to call her in the morning. She's called a few times recently but I've missed every call. I miss her desperately!

I can't believe they've been gone for a year. Bryce still talks about Tristan A LOT and is constantly wanting to send him stuff. He's also always talking about what he is going to tell Tristan on the phone but Tristan doesn't really like talking on the phone yet.

Anyhow - here are pictures of the 2 boys (best of friends):

Here is a picture of all the 4 of us right before Bryce and I left Wisconsin:
Kelly was also the one that I told everything. The night I had my D&C from my miscarriage she came over with desserts and wine - she was always over with wine whenever I had a problem. I really miss having her nearby!... but I am so glad that her and I became such close friends. Next September she returns to the states and I'm so hoping that it's somewhere close! But at least wherever they move to will be a much shorter flight to get to!

Fashion Trends - Fall 2008

Ok, so Jessica over at JessicaKnows.com is having a contest for a flip camera and since my video camera KEEPS breaking I thought I might as well enter so that one of these days I might actually be able to get some good video of Bryce.

Basically, I have to pick my favorite fashion trend for fall 2008. After A LOT of researching I think I have found my favorite outfit. It's very mom appropriate and extremely practical but hey, as a stay at home mom my outfits have to fit the schedule of a busy 4 year old! Here is what I have picked out (it is designed by Michael Kors btw):

This outfit fits a lot of the trend for Fall 2008 yet is still totally practical and wearable! I would totally wear this to go shopping or to back to school night at preschool! The aviator sunglasses have been a hit for awhile now and don't look as though they are going anywhere soon. I don't have a pair of them yet but I'm thinking I need to keep up with the times! (I'm still sporting some catwear!) Although the skinny jeans are coming back the wide leg jeans are still in thank goodness. After you've had a kid.... skinny jeans just make your stomach look bigger and your ankes smaller (can we say upside down pear??!). I love the little jacket and it's got that man inspired tuxedo style that is in fashion for this fall. The buttons on both sides of the cardigon totally give the impression of a double brested jacket - plus the jacket hides my love handles but still allows me to wear a tight shirt underneath which makes almost anyone look as though they have a smaller waist. Plus - black and blue - totally in this season! Granted... she's got black patent leather flip flops on instead of flat heeled riding books but from what I've read - patent leather anything is going to be big this fall and you the fall September weather in Maryand still allows you to show off your awesome pedicures! Lastly, texturized shopper bags are huge this fall - and especially in black patent leather!!

I LOVE this outfit. It is SO Fall 2008 but still can be worn to chase down your young kids. Totally practical and fashionable for stay at home mom or something the working mom can wear on the weekends!

Anyhow - Jessica is going to post the fashions on her webpage at http://www.jessicaknows.com and will be asking for people to start voting next week. Check her out and vote for my Fall 2008 trend pick!

I'm Back!

Ok, so I'm finally back and I think I'm ready to return to blogging. Goodness... it's been a long, fun, sporadic month! Bryce and I have been to the beaches in Long Island, Fort Myers FL and Dewey Delaware.... and after about 2 weeks I think I am still going through beach withdrawal! I am loosing my tan!

I'd post pictures and show everyone our amazing vacation but well, I left my camera at my grandmother's house in Baltimore and even though we've been up there to visit since then I keep forgetting to bring it home.

I did not plan on being away this summer. I figured my parents would sell the house in Long Island, close on the house in Florida and we would have a summer off of traveling. Well, at the last minute I couldn't stand it anymore. We traveled up to Long Island at the beginning of the month to attend my cousin's college graduation party (both cousins in the same family graduated in the same year... different ages though). While we were up there we hit the beach of course.

Well, we returned from NY and I felt the beach calling my name so 3 days after we got home from NY we flew down to FL last minute to join my parents in Fort Myers and visit their new home. They bought a vacation townhouse down there and it coudln't be any better! I LOVE it! The beach in Fort Myers is INCREDIBLE and the house is so nice (air conditioning!!!!).

2 days after we got home from FL we traveled to Dewey for 2 weeks with my inlaws. It's our annual vacation. Dave loves it there because of the waves (well, when there's a storm) but it's not as nice for Bryce. While he LOVES to play in the sand there and ride the rides in Rehoboth... he can't just wade in the water there like in Fort Myers or Rocky Point Long Island (when the water in LI is tolerable... it's been really cold lately). We had a GREAT time in Dewey though... as always.

Next year Bryce and I are going to stay in Fort Myers for about a month I think though and then travel to Dewey. I'm counting the days to return to the beach....

Pictures to come when I actually get my camera one of these days.

On Vacation

BTW - just to let you know... I've been away since July 2nd. I'll be returning home on Aug. 2. Have a great summer!

Racecar Races Part 2

Here are the pictures from the playdate yesterday. Here the boys are painting their racecars. Notice how my vinyl tablecloth matches the shelf in the background. All of my furniture and accessories are blue, purple or green.Bryce doesn't really like to color or paint. I don't know why. He'd rather run around and play. So here he is with his "finished" unfinished racecar. He insisted on wearing his racecar outfit from Halloween the WHOLE day... even though it was near 90.
Then we had lunch. I used cookie cutters to cut out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into racecars. I don't think any of the boys really even noticed but I had fun with it. :-)
Here the boys are racing their cars down the raceway. When I was getting the lumber in Home Depot a guy stopped me and asked what I was making. I told him about the race track and the beanbag game. He said.. wow, you're really that good? I replied... um, yeah! Although I don't really think my racetrack qualifies as "good". I need to get 2x4's and nail them to the sides of the track and then construct a pedastal. Then I'll be "that good". lol
Here's one of Bryce's friends racing his car down!
I think the boys had a lot of fun. I love having themed playdates at the house. I buy a bunch from Oriental Trading and then schedule them about every other week. I usually have about 12 kids attend (and their moms come to hang out too!). My moms group is pretty active and we have about 200 moms in the group so it's pretty easy to get people to come out although there are a lot of regulars in my area that come out all the time. I've become really good friends with a lot of the active gals in the group and we have so much fun! Speaking of playgroups - we have another one tomorrow at Bryce's friends house so I better get some chores done around the house since we'll be out for most of the day!

Racecar Beanbag Game

So today we hosted a racecar playdate at our house. It was so much fun! The boys painted unfinished racecars this morning and then while we waited for them to dry we played a beanbag game that I made. After the game and some play we ate sandwiches in the shape of racecars and then after lunch we raced the cars down a racetrack! I'll post some pictures tomorrow but first I wanted to show you what I've been working on for the past 2 days...

Here it is cut out of the plywood:
Primed:

and painted!

The 68 is so that I don't forget when I made it. 6 for June and 8 for 2008. The boys didn't play with it too much but I'm sure I'll be able to pull it out a few times and get some playtime out of it!