toilet camp round 3

I guess it was time.  Being dry after a nap and night was always a tell-tale sign it was time to begin.  Unfortunately, with our third I have become tired and lazy or maybe more relaxed?  I stumbled my way into toilet training over spring break at the suggestion of my mother.  Until she suggested it, I hadn't given it a serious thought even though I knew it was creeping up on us.  After thinking about her idea, I decided spring break would be a great time because it gave us the time to be at home for a few days without interruption of pick-ups and carpools.

My little camper was extremely excited about picking out her own underwear at the store, especially with her older sisters in tow.  We stocked up on baby wipes, Clorox wipes, clean underwear, books, a potty chart, stickers, M&Ms (yes, I do use those as a reward) and an episode of "Daniel Tiger" to begin "toilet camp."  

We played at home for 4 days with many accidents, urine stained grout, an overflow of laundry, eager big sisters, an exhausted Mommy but an excited little camper. 

As we continue on this "camping" journey which I know will take a few weeks to completely master, I consistently pray for patience which is harder to come by this time around.  Even though it is sometimes frustrating and hard for all of us, we are so proud of out little camper and her toilet accomplishments!  Way to go!

springtime strawberry, cucumber & mint salad

In our neck of the woods, strawberries are plentiful and sweet this time of year.  After some warmer days, sunshine and a few good rains, my mint is bounding out of it's pot with fresh leaves a plenty.  In my half-hearted attempts to eat seasonally with my family, I put together a little springtime salad with what we had on hand.

Mixing together strawberries, cucumber slices cut into quarters and fresh mint leaves, 

turned into a refreshing salad that my whole family devoured.  

With the mint added, no dressing is needed.  

(for the mint, I just cut it finely with our kitchen shears -- 

I find it far easier to cut herbs rather than chop them)

On a side note, it is incredibly easy to grow mint.  My mother refers to it as a weed.  It can grow almost anywhere.  Mine in thriving in a dilapidated old pot that has been chewed on by the dog on our back deck.  It is wonderful to have on hand to embellish fruit and vegetable salads alike.

spring in the air

The pink blossoms on the tree at the far corner of the yard have risen high above the fence and glisten in the warm afternoon sun.  They beckon for us to reach high to touch, pluck and inhale their delicate flowers.  They are always the first sign of warmer weather and spring's arrival.

This view

I had forgotten how lovely it is to look out and see such a bright sight in normally such dark woods. The way the snow illuminates the ground and the bare trees is breathtaking indeed.  It is a view worth savoring!

balloon magic

As she stood there with the balloons a friend had left for her, she slowly let go and they gradually ascended above her.  She was in complete awe for a quiet moment before she began to cry and reach upward to the balloons that were effortlessly floating with the wind.  She dashed over to me and cried for the balloons that were disappearing into the sky.  We talked about how balloons that get away rise up to heaven for all the babies and children there.  That seemed to appease her enough to carry on that day.

ice day

This morning they dashed out to the playhouse to see the ice that had been predicted the night before.  There were delighted to find the tiniest icicles dangling from the roof.  A layer of ice covered the wooden decking, steps and railings which made for an interesting arrival into the playhouse.

My big girl promptly reached out the shutters and tippy-toed to pluck an icicle off the roof.  She grabbed as many as she could reach for herself and her sisters.

The youngest was happy as a lark to be wearing her big sister's fur trimmed coat and watching her older sisters' enchantment with the frozen water.

From a child's perspective, it was a winter icy wonderland that lasted for a lazy Saturday morning.  From a parent's perspective, it was charming to watch three girls take such interest in the smallest bit of frozen precipitation.

how easily I forgot

I had forgotten how pitifully hard it is to take the binky away.  With the third, we waited a year longer then we did with our second.  Part of that was laziness and another factor was the thumb.  Our second began to suck her thumb after we took the binky away at 18 months.  We wanted to try not to repeat that with our third.  But mostly, I dreaded taking away her sole source of comfort.

When a dear friend came to visit for the week, she suggested taking her to Build-a-Bear to make a bear and stuff the binkies inside.  I happily agreed because I felt like it took the pressure off me.  That Wednesday morning, she woke up and we collected all the binkies from all their various hiding spots.  After zipping them up in a bag for transport, I explained that she would make a bear for these binkies.  She didn't seem too concerned about the binkies but was so excited about the bear.  My hopes were that the idea of making her own bear would lessen the shock of getting rid of the mound of binkies we had collected.

When we arrived, I could tell my girl was a little hesitant.  My friend was wonderful and suggested that she take my girl in and accomplish the binky bear task with her while I busied myself at another store.  I left them at the door and quickly snapped a few pictures before I nervously dashed to a store.

Within 15 minutes, it was done!  All the binkies were inside her new bear which was firmly sewed up.  Other than being scared about the sound of the stuffing machine, she gladly helped stuff each one of her beloved binkies inside that honey-colored bear.  She was very excited about her new bear!

She proudly held her bear and showed me how she could feel the binkies inside.  I was so relieved that it went so smoothly.

When we arrived home, I knew sleeping would be a new problem.  She asked me many times that afternoon for her binkies and cried on and off for 2 hours during her usual naptime.  I was a mess and almost ran to the store to get some more binkies to end the hurt in my heart.  Any mother will tell you how sad it is to see your sweet child relearn how to fall asleep without the one item they have used since birth to soothe.  Thankfully, my sweet friend was there to calm me so that I could calm my girl.

After the naptime chaos, I knew Daddy would have to help with bedtime.  Thankfully, she was so tired from no nap and the stress of the day, her bedtime woes only lasted 30 minutes.

For the past 5 days, she has done remarkably well as long as we keep the routine exactly the same each time she sleeps.  But every time I get ready to put her in her crib, she sweetly asks, "do you have my binkies?"  I calmly respond, "no more binkies."  Each time she asks, she pulls at my heart and causes me a little sadness.  I suspect this sadness is more about the passage of another baby stage and less to do with the actual binkies.  

I am so grateful to my sweet friend who had the great idea and helped me carry out the binky removal plan.  If it was up to me I am sure she would still have a binky in kindergarten.