Calgon, take me away!

Read "My wonderful Children" first. This day came just two days after that one (Feb. 28th). My, how things change! Is it one step forward two steps back, or two steps forward one step back? All I know is that I have got to type out my feelings or I am going to explode! I'm on almost no sleep again because Serena got a cold and can't sleep, and I'm on my third bath of the day and third load of laundry because every time Connor puts on a pair of underwear, he pees or poops in them! We've had two successes with pee on the potty this morning, but that is not enough to keep me sane! Calgon, take me away!!!!! We only bought one pack of underwear so far, but I think I will go to the store today and buy a million more! What did women do to deserve this punishment of potty training?! That's on top of childbirth. Frankly, I don't know which is worse at this point. At least you know that labor will end shortly! Make that 4 times now. Too bad, he is staying in his wet underwear now, I can't keep up.

Pictures of the kids

The past 2 weeks have been full of sickness at our house-sinus infections and ear infection. Of course Mike is the only one that didn't get sick (thank goodness!) We weren't nearly as sick as some families have gotten this past month though! We count our blessings. Once a week the boys get to go swimming, usually with just Daddy. They look forword to time alone with Daddy, and it helps them keep up the skills they have learned. Right now Connor has the art of kicking mastered. He just hangs on to Daddy! Hayden is doing a great job of swimming without floaties on, and they both like to jump in. Pretty in pink! And blue! (It brings out her eyes.) Just this past week Serena started showing some more personality. She loves playing with her hair! Any chance she gets her hand is back there. I keep telling her she's going to rub her hair right off!

Isn't this a great picture of big brother with Serena!

This is the best one I could get with all three.

Learning about nature

One day last week when the weather was warm, we went outside to clean up our yard. As we were clearing a pile of leaves that had collected around our landscape area in the side yard, I noticed a pile of fur. And under the fur were about 5 or 6 bunnies! I had never seen that in our yard before, and the boys had never seen baby bunnies before. They were so excited.

Potty Training!

I hadn't planned on starting quite yet, but since last week when Connor kept taking his diaper off, I thought "maybe I should just let him run around in the buff and bring the potty downstairs." Well, miraculously, it has been working like a charm! We started with the nakedness last Fri., and whenever we are at home, he runs to the potty to pee! I tried making him sit on it every hour or so, and of course he doesn't like that because he's not in control. But he can sense the urge to go and runs over on his own!

Sat. I took him to Target and let him pick out his own big boy underwear. He has been doing so well I think we will take him someplace special to celebrate.

We haven't mastered the pooping yet, but I am just thrilled at how it is going so far! The only thing I hate is when we start to go places and have to find a bathroom quick or have an accident.

Hayden has been a big helper. He's telling Connor to squeeze it out! He also had all the necessary precautions-plastic bags, Clorox wipes, diaper wipes, newspaper on the floor! It's like we're breaking in a puppy!

New blog address

I checked to make sure I could use this address, so I will change it in the next few days. http://partyoffivepa.blogspot.com/

Grammy Thomas

This is my Grammy (my mom's mom) who is now 77. She looks really good for her age and physically still pretty healthy. Unfortunetely she has Altzheimer's which has progressed rapidly since Christmas. Last week she was sent to the hospital for malnutrition. Up until that point she was living alone (her husband died about 10 years ago), but wasn't remembering to eat or take her medication. So after about a week in the hospital, she was transferred directly to a nursing home in the special wing for Altzheimer patients, where she will spend the rest of her life. Even though I knew this day would eventually arrive, it is still a shock. It has been especially hard on my mom. She has a brother and a sister, but she has done most of the work for Grammy. It's so sad what the disease takes away. She's already forgotten a lot of family which is heartbreaking. How do you live not knowing the person that you have become through a lifetime of experiences? I hope I don't ever have to find out.

I am grateful for the memories I have of Grammy and the family getting together. We continue to share with her as we visit her now in her new home.

Valentine's sleepover

Here is my little Valentine! Some friends of ours the Ashtons had a family tragedy and had to fly to Texas suddenly, so we had 2 of their three kids stay at our house last night. The boys were so excited to have their friends sleepover, especially on Valentine's. Abby and Tyler are such sweet kids we were happy to have them. This is Connor and Tyler, showing who they really are! Mike read each child a book before corraling them into bed. (We're glad we don't have 5 kids all around the same age! (John and Kate plus 8-no way!) The younger two slept in Connor's bottom bunk (we didn't trust them on the top!) Mike and I went down to the living room and watched a movie together and pretended we were on a Valentine's date!