Thank heavens for best friends

Here is a picture of Dawson and his best friend Cara in the budding stages of their friendship. They were just a little over one year old. They were having a contest for who could get the dirtiest at Bear Lake, but they tied. Cara is Dawson's best friend, but maybe only by default because their older brothers are best friends. Their friendship has REALLY come in handy for me in the last few weeks because of the peer pressure I created for Dawson.

"Cara goes potty, she doesn't wear diapers!" "If you want to go to school with Cara next year you have to go potty."

That was phase 1 of the peer pressure. When he started going potty then he would ask me if it was time to go to school with Cara.

"Cara wakes up dry, she doesn't sleep in diapers anymore."

Phase 2. Check.

And Phase 3 was implemented yesterday. I started getting Dawson's things out of his crib and moving Bubba's things in. Daws FLIPPED OUT! "It's my crib! Not Henry's crib!" But then I pulled the peer pressure in. "Cara sleeps in a big bed. She doesn't sleep in a crib anymore." About 10 minutes later Dawson came to me saying, "Cara sleeps in a big boy bed? Big boys sleep in a bed?" (I think he forgets Cara is a girl sometimes)

Thank you Cara!

So the first night of all three boys in the room (I have a crib and bunk beds in there). Henry was wired. He was giggling and jumping all over. It probably took him 30 minutes to fall asleep. Isaac and Dawson both got out of bed to tell on him. Dawson got a time out at which point he begged to go to bed and we didn't hear from him again. Mission accomplished. Although I'm sure we'll have our moments with Dawson, he's pretty young to have this kind of freedom in my opinion. Not that he couldn't get out of his crib, but those bars do make it harder.

Dawson is completely done with diapers. He has slept dry both mornings since my last post. We just put him in underpants, and he wakes up to go potty if he needs to. He still asks for a cookie first thing in the morning though. "I'm dry, I want a cookie." That's the first thing I hear from him. The only problem with that is that I reward all the boys if their brother does something good. I think it encourages them to help their brothers to accomplish things. Isaac always cheered on Dawson with the potty training because he knew he would be rewarded too if Dawson went potty. Anyway, I have to come up with 3 cookies every morning and I'm hoping that doesn't become a lifelong habit.

Changes

So you want the truth? Dave and I were both bedwetters. There, it's out there now! I fully expected that with a genetic disaster like that we would have our kids in diapers at night until they were 18 or so. But instead, Mother Nature took pity on us, and both our boys are night trained.

4 out of 5 nights Dawson has woken up dry. I guess I really can't declare him night trained from that, but I think it means he is capable. Last night I just left him in underpants because I felt pretty sure that if I didn't give him a big drink before bed he would wake up dry. He gets a cookie if he wakes up dry, and he really likes that!

As far as the potty training goes, he is doing great. He did drop his pants at a soccer game last week, but hopefully that doesn't happen again. It was funny, he walked quite a distance away from me and the crowd, but was still very visable! I ran to him as fast as I could and told him you don't pee on grass. He looked up at me with big blue eyes and said, "Pee on the dirt?" No, not on the dirt! In the potty! *Sigh*

So we have lots of changes going on at our house. First of course was the potty training. Which is honestly my least favorite part of being a parent. One of the big reasons he started sleeping dry all of a sudden is that we took away the bottles. That was the second big change. Henry and Dawson both got a cool new sippy cup and all the bottles got shelved. It was a perfectly smooth transition, quite amazing. The next big change is up and coming. As soon as I get a new bed rail, Dawson will be joining Isaac in the bunk bed. And Henry will be moving into the crib in the boys room to free up the nursery for G. Jesse.

If the next big change is as easy as the first two, we will be VERY lucky. I'm not counting on it though. Stay tuned!

My conversations with Isaac

Isaac: Mom, did you decide when you were little that you wanted to be a parent?
Me: Yes
Isaac: Daddy's friend Ryan is a doctor and a parent right?
Me: Yes
Isaac: Well, when I grow up, I want to be Indiana Jones and a parent!

Isaac: Mom when the baby came out did it go PSHHHHT then waahhhh?
Me: I guess so
Isaac: Cause I heard Daddy say that it went PSHHHT and then wahhhh (Hand motions included, kind of like cracking an egg?)
Me: Yeah, it was kind of like that
Isaac: So your CUP broke, and then the baby came out.
Me: Yeah, something like that (Cup-water same thing, right?)

Providence 150th birthday

My awesome husband organized and dreamed up this incredible celebration for our city. He spent SO many hours working on this, and it turned out to be just awesome! I am sad that I didn't go, I just didn't think I could keep my kids under control alone, but I know just what happened there after hearing him talk on the phone to a million people planning it. I am so proud of you Dave for putting on such a fantastic production!

Here is the newspaper article, and yes he is the good lookin guy at the microphone
http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2009/04/21/news/news02-04-21-09.txt

Providence toasts 150

People watch a presentation on the history of Providence at its 150th anniversary celebration in the Old Rock Church in Providence Monday. (Alan Murray/Herald Journal)

By Kim Burgess

Published:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 2:58 AM CDT

Old Rock Church fills with residents, stories of beloved community

PROVIDENCE — Over the past 150 years, this small community has gone through many changes, but one thing remains the same: Providence residents love of their town.

That pride was clear on Monday when several hundred people gathered at the Old Rock Church to celebrate Providence’s birthday with cookies, music and reminiscences.

“I fell in love with this place,” said City Councilman John Russell. “Somehow we are blessed enough to live here.”

While Russell is a relative newcomers to the area, other speakers at the event have roots that go all the way back to the community’s founding on April 20, 1859.

Elizabeth Campbell Brown’s grandparents, Joseph Campbell and Elizabeth Mathews, were among Providence’s first residents. The couple married in 1861, uniting two pioneer families.

Brown said that every day, she appreciates her ancestors’ struggles and sacrifices.

“My grandmother, Elizabeth, was 11 years old when she walked across the Plains,” Brown added.

Over the generations, Brown’s family has married into other prominent local clans like the Zollingers, connecting her to enough of the town that she joked, “Don’t talk about anyone in Providence because I might be related to them.

Businessman Stan Checketts, the Emcee for the celebration, is another lifelong resident who remembers “the good old days.” He told stories of dancing at a pavilion that was torn down long ago and making sauerkraut by stomping on the cabbages.

“Eventually they gave us wooden paddles because they said it was unsanitary,” he explained. “It ruined the flavor.”

City Council member David Low said that connecting with this past in this way was a major reason that he put on the sesquicentennial celebration.

“There was a sparkle in everyone’s eyes (in the audience),” he added. “It was great.”

Oops

We missed our anniversary. It was yesterday, and neither of us had any idea! Hey, it saves a lot of money.

I'm due today!

My ticker on the side says, "It's go time!" I am SO, so, grateful that I am not having a baby today! I held him this morning as I fed him and felt sick thinking about this monster being inside me. I think there is a reason for my preterm labor as I don't see how I could physically carry this baby inside right now. This week he weighed 7.5 pounds. Can you believe that? He is going to be HUGE! I am so glad I have had the last 5 weeks with this precious little baby. He has been so much fun. I sometimes feel guilty for having another angel baby after Henry, and then I think about my pregnancy and I feel like I deserve it!

As I look back on what happened 5 weeks ago, it seems unreal. I almost feel like we made it up. Did I really deliver my own baby in the car? It seems like a dream now.

I love this little boy! He is so sweet and we DO love little boys at this house! It seems funny that I was disappointed to be having another boy. Now I can't figure out why I wouldn't want 4 boys. It seems perfect. Here is a picture of him, I need to post some other great pictures from his photo shoot. She did such an awesome job.

Happy Birthday Isaac!

Happy birthday to my number one monkey, Isaac! He is five years old today. I am having a hard time comprehending that I have a five year old son. I can't really post about Isaac without bragging, he really is brag-worthy. He is an exceptional child, and we love him to pieces! He is smart, obedient, sweet, and thoughtful.

Isaac is on a major Indiana Jones kick after he got the Lego Indiana Jones game for Christmas. So Isaac and Dave decided to have an Indiana Jones birthday party. Dave is planning the party games and I made the announcements and cake. I don't think I've ever made a theme cake before, it was really fun. Isaac wanted it to be of the scene where he runs from the "ball" as he said. So here it is.



Check out the little idol, whip, and box with the ark in it.

And here is his invitations


All of Isaac's presents are Indiana Jones. He got some other Indy action figures to go with the one on the cake, an authentic Indiana Jones hat, and a soft whip that plays the theme song and makes "cracking"noises.

Yesterday I called Isaac "Indy" and he corrected me, "No, call me Indy five year old, because it's almost my birthday!" Okay! So then at the store he wanted to sit in the cart. They don't make carts to fit four kids, so I told him to act like "Indy five year old." and walk. He said, "I'm not five yet!" Convenient...

This morning I told him happy birthday, and he came in my room a few minutes later and sweetly told me that I could tell him happy birthday two times. He left happily after I wished him a happy birthday a second time.

I'll post pictures of the party later...

Birthday Videos

I've mentioned several times on here that I lost a lot of memory (due to the Ambien I took) on the night I had the baby. I originally posted on here that I didn't see G. Jesse in the NICU or get any pictures until 2:30 am. I later learned that wasn't true. I held him at 11:30 before checking into my room and that was when the pictures were taken. I plugged the video camera into the computer to download what little footage we did get of the baby at the hospital, and to my surprise there was video of our little NICU date at 11:30. I was so thilled to see that! I can't believe how well Dave handled everything that night. It was quite a whirlwind. So I am very pleased to see that he thought of taking video, especially since I don't remember it. One of the best parts of the NICU video is hearing the nurse explain what all his NICU equipment was. I was very confused as to what the tube in his mouth was. She explained that it was venting air from his tummy. I've never heard of that before.

I have had a lot of people amazed at how calm I was through the whole process. It really wasn't scary. So in the first video you can see how I was less than an hour after the birth, I still have memory of this time frame. And really I felt pretty normal at this point. Then in the second video you can see the Ambien really taking over. I slur my speech and feel dizzy with my eyes half open. You can see why I forgot the whole thing ever happened!

So feel free to click on these short video clips.

$139.39

is what it costs for an "Out of Hospital Delivery." Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen.... You deliver a baby in your own facility (car in my case) and if you show up at the hospital afterward, they are still going to charge you for the delivery. $139.39 in fact. It has it's own billing code and is ridiculously labeled "Out of Hospital Delivery." Forget about the $250 charge for the 3 minutes I spent in the Emergency Room, or the $180 for Patient Evaluation in Labor and Delivery, or the $180 for Labor and Delivery Recovery. My friend wondered where the charge for conception was. That didn't take place at the hospital either, but they might as well throw that one in there too!

Funny how the medical billing world works isn't it?

Potty Training Update

So far so good. Accident-free day.

Next thing to conquer: POINT DOWN.
Which is VERY IMPORTANT!

"I peed on Buzz Lightyear."

I didn't hear that phrase yesterday. Peer pressure has led me to the desire to have Dawson potty-trained. He's been able to go potty for awhile now, since he tried to potty-train himself back when I was pregnant. His little friend Luke who was born a week after him got potty-trained very easily 2 weeks ago. (He only had 2 accidents) So that gave me some hope. I went out and bought the 10-pack of Disney underpants. Dawson was thrilled!

Then right before I was ready to start, my friend Hilary posted about her week long potty-training extravaganza with her daughter and how it took somewhere around 80 accidents. Strangely this was encouraging for me, as I really have no tolerance for accidents. If she could handle it, I would find it in myself to handle it too.

So I guess this was about a week ago. I finally decided to put the underpants on him, but there were always events that pulled us out of the house and made me not want to put underpants on him. And of course, I didn't want to actually have to DO anything, I just wanted him to be magically potty-trained.

Every day I have put underpants on him until I got sick of hearing the phrase "I pee-pee on Nemo mommy." Replace Nemo with any other disney character he happened to pee on. He went potty when I asked him to sometimes, but other times he told me he already went. I think he was wishing it was a once a day kind of thing, so if he checked it off his list once he had already gone and taken care of that thank you very much! If I threw the peer pressure at him, he almost always went potty. "If you want to go to school next year with Cara, you have to go potty. You can't wear diapers at school."

We went through a few pairs of underwear a day until I gave up and put a diaper on him. Luckily there were no pooping accidents. I DON'T want to deal with those. If he starts having those, I'm putting diapers on him until he's 12. But yesterday, he wore the Incredibles underpants the WHOLE DAY! He never peed on them. And he started just going potty on his own. At the end of the day I rewarded him with a treat for one successful day of pottying by himself. Hopefully that's enough incentive for him to do it again today... and tomorrow.

When he finally is potty-trained I will be saving $13.99 a month on diapers. Maybe I'll take that and go to lunch. Oh wait... I have a new one in diapers. I guess it can just go to paying for G. Jesse's diapers. I'm okay with that. :)

So I didn't name this post "Potty trained!" for a reason. I still don't trust the kid. But I do have hope that I won't have to hear, "I peed on Buzz Lightyear." forever. Wish me luck!