Potty Training and Other Stuff!!

So, this is definitely NOT a post for people who don't have kids or who have never potty trained.  If you read it, please be warned, it might be a little gross to you!!.

The other day, Maddie approached me and said that she would like to wear underwear now.  Oooooookay, she's 2 and I've been asked her about this for 6 months and she's flat out refused to use the toilet.  But, apparently now she's ready.  And, boy oh boy, is she ready.  She literally put on underwear the other day and hasn't looked back since.  Now, she did have a few accidents when our poor, sweet, saintly babysitter was here today, but other than that I would call her potty trained.

To tell you the truth, this irks me a bit.  Why?  Because it's literally taken me YEARS to potty train Logan.  YEARS!!!!  I started when he was 3 and now, at 4.5 he's probably about 90% done.   But, it has not been easy, it has not been without tears and really, really hard work and a lot of frustration.  Potty training Logan was perhaps one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life.

However, I seem to say that a lot when it comes to things we've taught Logan.  For example, it took me months to get that child to use a straw.  He finally "got it" when he was about 9 months old and I coined that particular accomplishment, "my greatest feat EVER"  Haha, I was a little naive and way over dramatic (some might say I still am).  Anyway, that was before the walking challenge.  Logan took his first step when he was 13 months old, walked 5 steps when he was 18 months old and started to really waddle when he was 20 months old.  It took him a looooooong time.  But, that's life with Logan. 

Things take a little longer and are a little more challenging.  BUT, the most amazing thing about Logan is that he always gets it.

The other day I watched my little Georgie roll across the floor to get a toy.  I kinda felt sad about it because I wasn't prepared for her to do it.  I didn't anticipate it because I hadn't been "working on it" with her.  All my friends who have kids with DS will understand that.  We "work" on everything with our kids.  It's awesome a lot of the time because they always get it, and it's such a great accomplishment.  But, it's still hard to get there. 

The other day my niece asked me when babies usually crawl, and I went into this long story about the first time Logan crawled, I'll NEVER, EVER forget that minute as long as I live.  He was 10 months old and it was Easter Sunday.  It was the best day.  Then she said, "when did Maddie crawl?"  I floundered a bit.  "Ummmmmm, ummmmmm"  My sister-in-law giggled because she gets it and she saved me by saying something like, "Oh you always remember when your first does something."  But, truthfully, I have NO IDEA when Maddie crawled.  How terrible am I?!?!?  But, it's because she probably did it one day when I wasn't looking.  When I didn't anticipate it would be happening. 

Anyway, what is the point of this very long, drawn out blog?  I don't know.  Ha ha.  It just has occurred to me lately that people always say how great it is when our kids do something, but I don't think people often talk about the time and patience it takes to do teach them.  It's tough a lot.  And, it's not just tough for us.  Lots of moms struggle to help their kids with all sorts of thing.  It's really hard to be a mom!!!  It really is.  So, I think the purpose of this blog is to say "Go Moms!!!"  All of the moms I know totally, totally rock.  You keep on doing what you're doing.  And, one day, when your kids are older, they realize how great you were.  Just as I appreciate how great my mom is today.

Love you mom and all my other mom friends :)

xoxo.

"Are We Old?"

First, I want to start by saying NO, I don't think I'm old, nor do I think Sam's old.  I don't really think of anyone as "old" until they're in their 90's.

My grandmother is is her 80s and just returned from a 3 week trip to Turkey!!  She's definitely not old.

But, the reason I bring it up is because Sam asked me this question, "Are we old?" last night on a return trip home from a little jaunt around the reservoir. 

The catalyst for this question was Logan YELLING at us to stop singing a song.  I don't remember the song we were singing (which is kind of ironic since I'm claiming to NOT be old) but it was a GREAT song from the 1980's that we both loved.  This was the 3rd awesome song in a row that had come on the radio and we were literally singing at the top of our lungs and Logan was begging us to stop.  Begging us!!!  Maddie was covering her ears and, at one point, screamed out, "you're hurting my ears."

At that point, Sam looked at me and said, "I think we're those parents already.  We're old and embarrassing."    Why is that?  Why are we already old to our kids?  Shouldn't we still be relatively cool to them.  They're 4 and 2!!!

But, the more I thought about it, the more I thought, maybe we are old-ish.  We had spent Saturday afternoon and evening "hiking" the NCR trail, we had so much fun that we nerdily joked that it was our new, "happy hour."

Then, yesterday Daylight Savings Time ended.  This used to honestly be one of my favorite days of the year.  It meant we had an extra hour to drink on Saturday night, and then an extra hour to sleep in on Sunday.  NOT the case when you have kids.

Logan, the morning monster that he is, woke EVERYONE up at 5:40 Sunday morning.  He started by taking Maddie's pacifier out her mouth WHILE she was sound asleep, then he went into Georgie's room, got right up in her face and screamed, "GOOD MORNING GEORGIE!!!!"  Then he moseyed on into our room and declared, "I have to poop and I'm thirsty."  Wow, I thought, Daylight Savings actually stinks!!!!

So, I guess we're getting older, and we're definitely probably getting to that period when our kids are thinking we're really old but, guess what, I'm going to KEEP singing my songs, LOUDLY, and I don't care if they think I'm nerdy.  I'm going to embrace my new old, nerdy self :)   I'm pretty sure Georgie still thinks I'm cool!!

2 Updates:
Literally, just "posted" this blog and went upstairs to check on my crock pot meal which has been "cooking" since 7:30 this morning and, surprise, surprise, I FORGOT to turn the frickin' crock pot on.  Sooooooo....maybe I am old.

Also, I remembered the song we were singing.  It was Billy Idol's, "Dancin' With Myself" which was a cool song.  It really was.  You remember it?  Here are the lyrics.  GREAT song.

"Dancing With Myself"

On the floor of Tokyo
Or down in London town to go, go
With the record selection
And the mirror's reflection
I'm dancing with myself

When there's no-one else in sight
In the crowded lonely night
Well I wait so long
For my love vibration
And I'm dancing with myself

Oh dancing with myself
Oh dancing with myself
Well there's nothing to lose
And there's nothing to prove
I'll be dancing with myself

If I looked all over the world
And there's every type of girl
But your empty eyes
Seem to pass me by
Leave me dancing with myself

So let's sink another drink
'Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancing with myself

Oh dancing with myself
Oh dancing with myself
Well there's nothing to lose
And there's nothing to prove
I'll be dancing with myself

If I looked all over the world
And there's every type of girl
But your empty eyes
Seem to pass me by
Leave me dancing with myself

So let's sink another drink
'Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancing with myself

Oh dancing with myself
Oh dancing with myself
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance

[Scat]

Dancing with myself
Dancing with myself
Dancing with myself
Dancing with myself

If I looked all over the world
And there's every type of girl
But your empty eyes
Seem to pass me by
Leave me dancing with myself

So let's sink another drink
'Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancing with myself

Oh dancing with myself
Oh dancing with myself
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance
I'd ask the world to dance