Wear your baby!

So, I love to wear Caroline in a sling. I have several... a Peanut Shell pouch, a borrowed Hotsling pouch, and a Maya Wrap ring sling. I really like all of them but they all are one-shoulder carriers. Last week I decided I'd make my own wrap-style sling like the Moby Wrap, but for much less than they sell them online. I went to the fabric store and got some stretch cotton Jersey fabric (5.5 yards of 60 inch fabric) and cut it down into 3 strips and now have 3 wraps! It took me a while to figure out how to put it on correctly and how to get Caroline situated in it. I finally got it right today. I must say, I much prefer the comfort of the wrap to any of my one-shouldered slings. It's pretty much awesome.

I know it's hard to tell where the shirt ends and the wrap begins. Sorry about the black shirt... and the myspace-ish mirror pic.

Lotty dotty, it's time to potty!

Disclaimer: I'm a mom of a toddler. There will be talk of pee and potties in this post. If this is something you are not comfortable with then... get over it. I'm sure it won't be the last time I post about this subject. Carry on.

So, I figured I'd start officially start potty training Jack after his 2nd birthday. I bought him a potty seat to go on the big potty and we "play" potty just to get him comfortable. He loves to go in the bathroom and go through the motions of getting on the potty and sitting for a bit, getting some toilet paper and putting it in the potty, getting down and flushing the potty, and then washing his hands. He LOVES to do this, however, he can't get on and off the potty by himself so I have to be very available to help him (which, of course, is expected and no big deal). We've been doing this for several weeks now and Jack has yet to go "pee pee on the potty".

Today Jack came to me and said "pee pee", which usually means that he just went pee pee and wants a diaper change. I asked him if he wanted to sit on the potty and he said "K!" (which means yes if you'll remember). Now, it might not have been the best time to put him on the potty as I'm watching Drew today and was wearing Caroline on my chest in the sling which limits my mobility just a bit, but I digress. So, off with the pants and diaper and on the potty seat we go. Of course, Jack doesn't want to actually GO on the potty, he just wants to go through the steps described above - twice! However, through the entire process he kept saying "pee pee, pee pee". I just figured he was talking about going pee pee since he'd just gone in his diaper. He wanted back on the potty a third time and I asked him to wait, sans pants, in the bathroom so that I could go take Caroline off and put her in her crib. I come out of Caroline's room and look into the bathroom. No Jack. I hear a squeal of joy and see Jack and Drew at the end of the hall, Jack looking bewildered and Drew playing in a huge puddle of PEE!!! EWWW! Apparently, Jack was telling me he needed to go pee pee and did so all over the living room floor. Thank goodness he was not standing on the rug! Both boys were promptly plunked into the bath for some bubble time since they were both soaked. Wow.

So, this afternoon, we'll be heading to Babies R Us to pick up an actual potty since Jack can't maneuver onto the big potty by himself. It looks as though we'll be potty training sooner than we expected - as in now! I was not at all prepared for this!

The paci says it all

Me and my shadow

Jack's really starting to imitate us and repeat things that we say a lot now. This morning, he and I were sitting at his table coloring and I was resting my cheek on my hand. Well, he picked up on it really quickly!

Sweet Caroline

Jack and Drew

I'm watching Drew, my friend Crissy's little guy a couple of days a week while she works part-time. He and Jack have so much fun together and could play chase forever! I finally got a shot of the two of them sitting still and near one another. I did have to use food to accomplish that but, still...

Having a snack...CHEEEEESE!!!

Big Bro and Lil' Sis

Jack, eating his favorite snack... BAR!Hanging out on the road rug. Jack looks a little put off.

Look at that cute double chin!

When blogs collide

Yesterday was a beautiful day to go to the park. Yaya and I took Jack and Caroline down the street to Bicentennial to let the Jackster blow off some steam and to enjoy being outside on a lovely afternoon. After only minutes of being there I recognized a little boy I had never met before. You see, Jaxson has his own blog. Jaxson's dad is a friend of mine from waaaay back - I've known Corey since I was in the 6th grade. I just knew that if I saw Jaxson then his mommy or daddy had to be close by so I surveyed the playground and found his mom, Robyn (who I'd also never met). We've kept up with each others families in recent times by the wonderful world of blogging. I get a peek into Jaxson's world and the Wheats see what's going on in ours. It was really neat to be able to meet Robyn and Jaxson and to see the boys playing together yesterday. They acted like old friends.

1 month old!

Sweet Caroline is one month old already?! We had her check-up yesterday and everything looks great. Baby Girl is 10 lbs, .5 oz and 22 1/8 inches long. She's still an awesome sleeper but has become quite addicted to my pouch sling. Every time she's ready to go to sleep I just pop her in it and she's out within minutes. I have no idea how I survived not using this thing with Jack. It's been a lifesaver!

22 months old!

Jack is so close to being two that I can't believe it. In just a couple months we'll be celebrating his second birthday and he's growing and changing more and more everyday! Jack is such a great joy to us and so much fun. He's recently discovered jumping and now does it all the time - along with running, and climbing, and talking, and yelling. He's such a little boy now and we're loving this stage. We have so much fun! He loves to give hugs and kisses and to love on his baby sister. He is so sweet with her and it just makes my heart melt. I am so lucky to have such a great little man and am falling more and more in love with him each day.

Smile!

So, I haven't any proof as I didn't have the camera with me but guess what... Caroline smiled at me today for the first time! It was absolutely beautiful!

Okay... okay... no.

Really quick... I was just asking Jack if he'd help me with dinner and the conversation went as follows.

Mama: Jack, will you help me cook dinner?
Jack: K. (his version of OK - also means yes)
Mama: We'll make chicken...
Jack: K.
Mama: and rice...
Jack: K.
Mama: and brussels sprouts.
Jack: No.

It made me giggle a bit.

Gabby's new (old) home...

Well, with the arrival of a new baby, poor Gabby's been going even more unnoticed than usual. While we love our puppy, we simply don't have the time, energy, or patience to care for an aging dog who's becoming more and more high needs. Poor puppy needs love too, right?! So, Gabby's gone back to live with my mom up at the farm. We're sad but relieved at the same time. A little less responsibility for us and more animal friends for Gabs to spend time with. Thanks Mom for being so willing to take her in!

My little loves...

Are they not precious?