Potty Training has begun sort of.

So, we were not planning on potty training at age 17 months, but little man has shown interest!  I have always been really vocal with him, telling him "mommy is pee-peeing on the potty"  etc.  So, about a month ago he started peeing in the tub while standing up.  He saw it and started laughing and he figured out how to start and stop the flow; little boy giggling was contagious!  I, of course, cheered him on!

I am impressed by him, but then IT happened.  Because he was getting so much attention when he peed that he started doing it on the changing table!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  He hasn't peed on the changing table since a month old! 

So, we bought two froggy potties and thought we would see what would happen.  I told him this is Owen's potty.  This is your potty to pee pee on!  You tell mommy when you need to pee pee.

And low and behold the golden stream happened the first day we had the potty!

So, we have had the potty for 9 days now and he has peed at least once a day if not twice!  I will admit I am sort of a proud mama.

Now, I don't have delusions of underwear in our near future opposed to diapers.  But, we are one step closer!

Now, that we are almost to 19 months he has lost all interest.  Oh well.  Mommy's not ready for him to be potty trained!

Owen: 18 months

This update is a bit late because as you can imagine life with an 18 month old!  We had Owen's check up on Tuesday and as usual his pediatrician was giving him glowing reviews.  She said he is advanced in his speech!  He even showed off his counting skills for her!

But.

She did hear a heart murmur.  I then felt a wave of shock go through my body.  His dr. stressed that this is common and that most kids grow out of it but that she wanted us to move forward with an ECHO.    At this point Owen was done sitting in my lap or being in that room and it was hard to hear everything she said.  All I remember was she said it might take a while to go away so she wanted to do the ECHO so that next time we would know what is was.  Also, she made me promise to not loose sleep over this.

After talking to my inlaws, I did find out that this is common and so far a few of his cousins had it and they are all fine.

But.

The ECHO will cost us $1500.

UGH!

Conversations with Owen

When Owen's pediatrician told me that he was advanced in his speech, I might have puffed with pride.  Chris and I call Owen our smart boy all the time!  I have a strong feeling that we will be dealing with learning disorders later in life so to start out ahead is a good thing!  We just need to keep it up!

 

By the end of 18 months, your child may: (source)

• Point to an object or picture when it's named (Owen loves to point out items in books, or we play bring mommy the "object" and Owen finds it)
• Recognize names of familiar people, objects and body parts (Owen point to almost any body part, and even can name most of the familiar family members and friends)
• Follow simple directions accompanied by gestures (got this one!  This kid understands more than I know)
• Say as many as eight to 10 words (LOL!  We stopped counting at 16 months when he was saying 50+ words)

By the end of 24 months, your child may:

• Ask for common foods by name (Owen can ask for: strawberries, yogurt, cereal bars, milk, juice, water, chicken, ketch-up)
• Use simple phrases, such as "more milk" (He has done a few of these, but my mind is drawing a blank on specifics) 
• Begin to use pronouns, such as "mine" (not yet)
• Ask one- to two-word questions, such as "Go bye-bye?" (not yet)
• Follow simple commands without the help of gestures (oh yea!)
• Say more words every month (yup)
• Speak 50 words and understand more (yup)

Some of the more funny conversations I have with my son!

• This morning as Owen was sitting next to daddy.  He asked for some "coppy" (coffee-first time saying that word).  He drank several sips making hilarious faces!!  Then he looked at daddy and said: "more guitar"!  This boy keeps us laughing!
• Last night as I was sitting on the sofa in the living room, Chris was getting Owen out of the bath and I told him Owen had been helping me put lotion on his belly recently.  Then, I heard this from Chris:  "Son, it's way to early to be using lotion there--its getting a little weird son.  Rub it on you belly!"
• One night as we were saying night-night prayers.  Owen thanked Jesus for his milk and me-me and he now says ahhhhh-men! Then he said "tawka jubba jubba, a mamma" which Chris and I both believe was "thank you Jesus for momma!" 
• Counting:  Onne, tooo, onne, tooo, tooo, tree!

pretend play

riding the choo choo at the Park, his favorite thing!

one cool dude!

inspirational words

I have read some really inspirational words recently.  They were just written in casual conversation, but they are so powerful to me and others in my life right now.

"I've asked myself many times if I'm selfish for wanting more. I've even been called selfish and told I should just be thankful for the one I have. I try to look at it this way... Would you call someone who wasn't having fertility issues selfish for having as many children as they want? Just because we're dealing with infertility, we should accept less? That's very unfair. You are absolutely not selfish." by Lainey

and this one:
"I remind myself that others success have NOTHING to do with mine. I believe that my story is still unfolding and still being told...just as theirs is unfolding and being told. My story has nothing to do with their story, even though we've crossed paths." Lainey  

source

And b/c you cant have a post without this face in it:

we might be why there is a recall!

Owen: 17 months

(this never got posted...i guess i got busy!)

Wow, this month has flown by (does that ever get old).  Owen is getting good at this walking business and now chooses to walk over crawling.  Literally, the pitter patter of his feet makes my heart melt!  He likes to carry different objects around the house, no more sitting and playing for this boy!

The tour de'Owen (read in your best announcer voice):
Watch out, Ladies and Gent's Owen is about to get this tour started.
Ok, he is down from high chair, and walking slowly as if he might have forgotten how to walk over night!
He is moving into the play kitchen, opening up the kitchen cabinets, pulling out baskets and saying "Oh no" as he dumps them onto the floor.  
Ok, now lets see what items are worthy of his attention and get to take the tour today!
Looks like today it is a play spoon and a green plastic broccoli! 
And.....he is off! His legs are a-moving and he rounds the corner of the dining room table.  He is toddling into the living room.  Oh no, he was tripped up by the carpet! He's DOWN!
It's OK folks, he is up and going again.  Looks like a pit stop is needed at the ottoman.  The broccoli has been traded for another random piece of plastic!
And we are back on track and headed into the kitchen.  He is rounding the corner and is in the blind spot, but by the pitter patter of his feet we know he is almost back to the sunroom!
Its a full loop~GO OWEN!!

first carousel ride on a hot thursday.  He loved it even though you can't tell! 

organizing kids clothes

Here are my tips for dealing with kids clothes.  I have been very blessed to receive many hand-me-down clothes from family and friends.  It is almost a full time job sometimes dealing with them.  When you purchase clothing from the store you can buy the correct size for the season and most likely your child will be wearing them immediately or at the coming season.  When you receive hand-me-downs it is a wide variety of items!

Closet size dividers are great for the first year.  I made my own or you can purchase them most baby stores.  I sized the clothes by:  0-3m, 3-6m, 6-9m, 9-12m.  The newborn clothes were in his dresser and if an item said 6-12m size I put it in the 3-6m location.  Better to see it sooner than later and it was too small.

The thing that I didn't realize as a new mom was that once he reached the 12m size clothing that he might be able to wear his clothes more than one season.  The 12m t-shirts fit him snugger for a more trendy look, but I had purchased a handful of t-shirts at the end of the last season that were 18m size.  These t-shirts I am planning to layer with in the fall.  I was able to score a bunch of long sleeve t-shirts (that I hated the fronts) for really cheap.   Also, shorts if they are long enough for boys (we don't want nerdy short shorts happening) can last more than one summer.

For example, Owen's waist is so narrow if he is in a disposable diaper his 12m shorts might fall off!  He is also wearing 0-3m gap swim trunks, 9m polo swim trunks...etc!  See what I mean.  It is hard to organize all these little clothes!  If I had put up his swim trunks I could have ended up messing myself up and he would have had to purchase more!

What I am realizing now is that it is easier to organize his closet by season.  The smaller stuff does go towards the front of his closet and the larger items the back.  The top rack is the season we are currently on.  So right now, all shorts, short sleeved items, summer pjs etc are on the top rack.  That rack might range 9m-2T.  If I have received hand-me-downs that are much larger they go on the opposite side of the closet to be dealt with later.  The bottom rack then becomes fall/winter including coats, jeans, sweaters, long sleeved shirts etc.

I have also found it is easier to fold the pants and shorts.  I have a bin on the floor that I size the items, put a rubber band around all of them and then use a piece of paper with the size on them so later I can easily identify the size.

Tips on hand-me-down clothes.  My newbie mom mistake was to wash everything and sort as I pulled from the dryer.  Now, I know better.  Sort items and then wash before putting in his closet (will save you some laundry!).  This is because there are some things that I will NEVER put on my son.  This might be winnie the pooh, stained or damaged clothing.  If I really like the item that is stained I will try and get it out.  Usually, I have great success with a week long oxy clean soak, a regular wash and dry in the sun.  If it still doesn't come out, it goes back in the bin to hand to the next person (I would normally not save the items as other suggested, but my in-laws might freak out if I accidentally got rid of a family heirloom!)

Another tip is to create some bins/drawers for the following categories.

• swim items
• hats 
• bibs
• shoes
• nursing items
• keepsake items

For instance, when we went to the pool for the first time I might have forgotten items, but since it was all in one place and most was hand-me-down stuff from other mom's they usually had everything we needed!

Also, when Owen out grows some shoes my first thing is to look through the shoe bin and usually we can find what we need!  I have had to purchase chucks b/c they are just too darn cute!

This is the bottom of his closet.  The green bin I put the clothes I want to save for future children.  I will sometimes put items that were out of season for Owen that were so adorable.  The diaper box under the clothes I put the items that Owen never wore or that I didn't like on him.  For example, after he could sit up I didn't prefer onsies anymore.  

I hope some of these tips helped you!  Or you enjoyed looking into my over organized brain!~hehe!

new eyes

It is so true that when you have a child you bask in the glory of them.  I love watching Owen learn his body parts so far he knows: hair, eyes, nose (beep beep), mouth, hands, feet, and belly button.  I haven't even tried to ask him if he knows his head, shoulders, knees and toes!

Today my sweet boy came up with a new game; teapot turned rocket! What a boy!