Ashley's 3 Month Onesie Pics

 Ashley was less than impressed with her Mommy getting out the camera to capture her three month onesie pics.  

 That's okay.  Doesn't stop Mommy from clicking away!

 Oh wait, there's one smile!

 We should really call her cheeks!

 Yes, I'm talking to you cutie!

 Ashley loves her crib.  Loves it!  If we need to set her somewhere safe while we do laundry or go to the bathroom she is perfectly content laying there looking out the window!

 She's in a phase where she almost looks past you.  It's like she wants to see through you to everything else! 

 Happy 3 month birthday pretty girl!  We sure love you!

Poopy Training

Yep, you read that right.  We are talking about poop.  What has this blog come to?  :)  Trevor rocked potty training back in early September but that's all it was.  Pee pee in the potty.

Trevor has always been a nighttime pooper, even when he was a baby.  He didn't go a lot during the day.  Strange but everyone is different!  So after he learned to pee pee in the potty he wore pull-ups at night (or as we called them, 'special cars underwear') and he would often do his poopy business in them at night.  Of course he didn't like it because he'd always come get us to change him right away.  Well we didn't do a lot with this behavior for whatever reason - baby coming, trying to soak up fun time and sleep time, then baby here and had other focus, whatever it may be.  But, the time was here.  Call it Mother's intuition.

Lately he had been holding it in.  Dancing around, crying, squeezing those butt cheeks so hard because he was afraid the poopies would hurt.  We felt so bad.  We read books like 'Everyone poops' so that he knew it was a normal activity for boys and girls, he watched us go, we made a new poopy chart, we bribed with candy to sit on the potty and wait for the poopies to come - which he obliged to until the timer went off.  Finally he was so constipated and his tummy was so distended that Sara brought him to the doctor to see if he had a blockage or something.  Well when Sara told her about Trevor's situation - holding it all day then dancing around and saying he wanted to go to bed (so that he could get his 'special cars underwear on'), she said we needed to go backwards.  Meaning don't talk about it.  Just let him wear his cars underwears all the time and when he had to poop just to go in them.  Do that for a few weeks then say to go in the cars underwears but he had to do so while in the bathroom.  Do that for a few weeks and then say he had to be sitting on the potty while going poop in his cars underwears.  Do that for a few weeks then cut a hole in his cars underwears and remind him tat he had to go poop on the toilet while wearing his cars underwears but the poopies would go in the toilet where they belong.  Once comfortable with that switch to real big boy underwears full-time!  Oh and load him up with a daily dose of Miralax to help clear it out!

Sounded good in theory.  We we were on-board and excited.  Mommy remembers Nana Jeanne asking Trevor what the doctor said about his poopies and Trevor said 'go in my cars underwears.' So that weekend Trevor did just that.  It was just a little at first but at least he was going!  Sara and Brian sent him to school (Petsmart daycare) on Monday in his cars underwears and from what we hear the teacher saw him digging around in his backpack.  He pulled out a pair of his special cars underwear and headed for the bathroom.  Well she intercepted him and said 'no Trevor you have to go on the potty' and he just burst out crying :(  Brian got a call saying that he could wear the pull-ups but would have to go back to the 2 year old classroom because the 3 year old room didn't have the facilities to clean up pull-ups or he could wear underwear and stay in his classroom.  The teacher did take him to the other room to clean up this one but then we put Trevor in underwear the rest of the time.  Can you imagine how confused Trevor was?  He's like wait the doctor said for me to go in my cars underwears.  Ugh.

Moving on to Tuesday.  Sara brought him to preschool in his cars underwear and told the teacher.  She got a concerned look on her face and said we don't really allow those here, the kids need to use the potty (same reason as Petsmart - no where or no one to clean it up).  The teacher said it would be fine this time and Sara said he probably wouldn't go anyway but to call if he did and she’d be there in less than 10 minutes.  Luckily he didn’t go but we seriously needed to rethink our strategy.  The doctor’s way of doing it wasn’t going to work in the real world. 
It was time.  We went back to what worked for the first potty training. We talked about the fact it was time to be done with his special cars underwear.  We picked a date.  We talked about the party  we were going to have.  We made another new poopy chart.  We  were ready!

So we woke up on Friday morning and Trevor was so excited!  We had put up decorations, he got cake for breakfast. 

Santa had written him a note telling him how proud he was of him for starting to go poopy on the potty and that he left some special presents for each time he went.  (Trevor still talks about Christmas and Santa and what presents he wants next year).  He went with Daddy to throw away all his cars underwears and he said he was ready. 

 

 All day off and on he sat on the potty and waited for the poops to come.  Nothing.  After dinner he was doing his dance but wouldn’t sit on the potty so we tried our financial advisor’s trick that he did with his son.  Daddy took him up to the bathroom and they had a standoff at the potty.  Trevor wasn’t allowed to get up until he went.  Three long hours later he did go a little.  His trick?  Shutting the door and going in peace.  Success!  We celebrated even the little amount!  He did go a little in his underwear at night that night but whatever.  The next day there were a few more standoffs at the potty but he did go each time.  Same thing on Sunday.  The standoffs got shorter and shorter and Trevor was prouder and prouder.  Being able to put stickers on his chart and the presents didn’t hurt either.  Oh, and the fact that if he got this poopy training thing down we said we could go to Mickey’s house again!  By Sunday night he was a pooping pro!  He still wanted us to go with him (or at least outside the door) and then to wipe his butt but whatever!  No more night pooping – woo hoo!!!!  Way to go Trevor!! 

Ashley's 2.5 Month Mall Pics

There was a super cheap Groupon for a portrait session at a mall photographer so we bought it and took Ashley in for some new pictures.  Not too bad for a girl that wasn't feeling all that great.  You could see snot running down her face in between shots :(

 She's obviously  bored :)

 Good thing we had a pink headband and pink outfit on or we'd mistake her for Trevor.  We have one of Trevor's 1 month photos with this same pose hanging up in our house!

 Ashley loves her big pink blanket.  She's very into textures right now so kept grabbing at it - which doesn't make for the best picture but still good memories!

 Pretty girl!

 So sleepy! We done yet?

 I will not keep this cloth where you want me to!

 See?!?!? :)

Big girl

Ashley spends a lot of time looking over at her brother when in her infant carrier in the car.  She probably wonders what it is like to sit in a big girl seat....

...so she got her chance one day when we were waiting for Dada at the hotel he was staying at in Scottsdale for a three day work event.  She looks rather comfy!

 Trevor at first thought it was cool that she was in his seat but quickly wanted her out!

 So back to her infant carrier it was :)  

 We sure had fun at Dada's hotel though.  We ordered room service for dinner and hung out watching cartoons before heading home.  Love her pink outfit?  We're pretty sure this is an outfit we picked out as a gift for our niece Brooke when she was born.  Fun to have it on our daughter now!! 

Ashley still isn't feeling the best.  Very congested yet has a runny nose.  Mommy had been good at limiting dairy (she seems to be a bit intolerant to it) but has been a little looser as of lately.  Time to get back on the bandwagon.  She's worth it but it isn't the easiest to stick to!

 When Ashley isn't feeling so hot she loves to just cuddle on Mommy.  Mommy doesn't mind one bit!  Even if it means this blog isn't getting updated and is way far behind ;)

 But after a good rest, she's back to her smiley self.  Stuffy nose and all!

 Thanks to our old neighbors for her pink flower blanket!  She loves to hang out on it because of the texture!

 Pretty neat that it's two sided with different colors! Hello world!

 She continues to grow like a weed.  Although her 0-3 month clothing fits width-wise they are much too short for our tall girl.  Can't wait to see how much she's grown at her next appt (4 months).

Precious

Ashley is getting up still just once a night to feed and although she has speed up her feeding time to just 25 or so minutes, Mommy can't help but cuddle her beautiful baby girl a while at night.  She is so precious.  Soaking up every second because she's changing and growing too fast.  Mommy snapped a quick picture last night because she always wants to remember this special time....along with her long eye lashes.  Just precious!

Random Happenings

As mentioned earlier we are taking a 'Love and Logic' parenting class at Trevor's preschool.  His teacher teaches it so she has a lot of examples that we can relate to since Trevor may or may not be one of her examples.  Ha!  We decided to take this class so that we could have a common language in our house.  Sara's Mom used 'Love and Logic' with her Kindergarten class and with Trevor and cousin Sam since they were toddlers so we understood the fundamentals a little bit but wanted more understanding.  We have friends that recommended it too.  So glad we are taking it because not only has it helped shape Trevor but it has improved our relationship because we aren't getting so frustrated with each other when dealing with Trevor.  Love this class.  There is a book too that we are going to read (well, Sara is at least!)  

The second night we learned about the 'uh oh' song and got to put it to use after getting home when Trevor was having a hard time listening and following the bedtime routine.  Well you do your little saying and then put them in their room.  You let them choose door open or shut and if they choose open they can have it that way as long as they stay in their room.  Trevor was inching out so Brian told him he had to shut the door and Trevor did not like that at all.  He was crying and trying to open the door, then he was trying to claw his way out because you could see his fingers under the door.  He was pleading quietly 'someone help me' (this was so sad) and then was screaming it like someone was hurting him (even sadder) finally he screams 'I HAVE TO GO POTTY!' so he got out and did his business and went back to his room for a few minutes of quiet time before Daddy gave him a hug and said how much he loved him.  Where was Mommy through all of this?  Feeding Ashley of course.

Roll around to night two or three and this kid knows the routine.  If he gets the 'uh oh song' and goes to his room, he cries and then settles himself down.  Then he proudly announces 'Mommy/Daddy I'm done crying' so we wait a few minutes and go get him.  These days you pretty much just have to say 'uh oh' and whatever behavior stops.  Life is good!

Ashley just continues to be a smiley, happy baby.  Mommy always thought she'd always be accesorizing her daughter but as it turns out she rarely does it.  Matter of fact this is only time she has worn a headband for just a normal day.

 Other 'Trevorisms' while we're thinking about them:

-  He's become a paper hoarder at school.  At soccer shots they hand out coloring sheets after they are done and apparently Trevor has taken more than his fair share because we find quite a few sheets in his backpack at the end of the day.  What is that about?

- Trevor is very attentive to everything going on around him.  If Mommy or Daddy has a conversation with someone he wants to know what was talked about.  If he asks us a question and we say we don't know we'll have to ask so and so (and we do in front of him) he says 'what did the man say Mommy/Daddy.'  He's so inquisitive!

On one of our fun Friday outings we headed down to Sara's parents house they are renting this winter with her Uncle Don.  Uncle Don's girlfriend was in town too and boy did Trevor have fun playing with her!  She even got a new nickname - Clancy.  Apparently Nancy is too hard to say.  :)

 Here is an example of Trevor taking care of his little sister.  He said she looks cold Mommy and promptly hopped up on the table and covered her up with his blanket.  The biggest shocker?  He gladly shares Skip It with her!!

Weekend Fun....depending on the day!

On Fridays Mommy has both kids home during the day and we sure know how to have fun. Poor Trevor though started this Friday out with a rash.  He's itching like crazy and it's all over his body although it looks the worst on his face.  The rest of his body has raised bumps that feel like sandpaper.  

 Turns out 8 days into his Augmentin for his latest ear infection that he's allergic.  We thought this once before when he was younger but because he was on two different antibiotics we didn't know which one was causing the rash.  Guess he's allergic to penicillin like his Mommy. 

So like most Fridays when we don't really have to go anywhere we have pajama day!  Trevor always says 'thank you Mommy' when he gets to stay in his jammies or we also love when he says 'thank you Mommy for making lunch.' He really is such a polite boy!

Ashley was in a really smiley mood so we took some pictures of her in her crib.

Of course Trevor wanted in on the action too.  Not sure why this picture won't turn the right way.  Grrr....but you get the idea.

 He LOVES his baby sister.  He loves to hold her, sing to her, poke her face (let's be real, he is a boy), get diapers, throw away dirty diapers, cover her with her (and sometimes his) blanket when she's in her swing, go in and say hi to her in the morning and so much more.  We think she likes it too because she lights up anytime he is around!

 We got out the blocks that Nana Jeanne and Papa Steve gave to him and built fire station after fire station.  shy boy apparently didn't want any more pictures taken!

 We played soccer down the hallway and he taught Mommy all about 'trap and release.'  Guess those soccer lessons are actually paying off!

 

 After Daddy got home we decided to try out bowling again and this time Trevor had a lot of fun with Daddy helping him!  We enjoyed bowling next to a family with two little girls who were quite the dancers.  We think Trevor was showing off his mad bowling skills to them :)

 What did Ashley think of bowling? Zzzzzzzzzz.......

 On Saturday it was a wet gloomy day so Trevor decided he wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese for lunch.  Not Peter Piper Pizza this time.  Not even sure where he heard of Chuck E Cheese but away we went.  He liked the horse racing.

 He also really liked the big monster truck that went up on two wheels! 

 On Sunday though, it was back to work.  Our backyard has a bit of a draining problem when it rains a lot in a short amount of time (which is just how it rains in AZ).  So Daddy had a not so fun Sunday installing drain tile to alleviate the problem.  His first dig he hit the sprinkler system so it's turning out to be an even bigger project than he anticipated. Yuck :(