We can't see the end of the alphabet past the PEE

We work with Bear every day on the letters of the alphabet. We also incorporate the alphabet sign using our hands (of course). In that, he loves to sing the "alphabet'' while clicking his little fingers together and moving his hands all around.

Today we were out and about and on our trip to Target we were singing the alphabet and he was in his car seat singing and "signing" right along with us. Then it happened! We got stuck on the P. Every time we would come to the letter P he would say "POTTY!" (we use the term Pee for peeing and Poop for poop... black and white here folks :)) So indeed the letter P reminded him of ... well you get the idea.

Not a big deal typically BUT seeing that he is potty training and can now tell us when he has to go it is a BIG deal. When he says potty he has maybe 5 min of holding time then he HAS TO GO! So when he says it, it sets off a trigger and then he HAS to go!

No more alphabets in the car.

Broken down Quazi Moto

I am not even going to ask if anything can get worse b.c IT CAN!!! and IT WOULD if I were to ask about it! Day before Yesterday morning I pulled a muscle in my back and could barely stand for the pain.

I kind of hobbled around and had all children do what they could by themselves.

I did a lot of lifting with my legs and knees and much more picking up with my feet!!! Funny the things you can manage without hands! LOL.

I was sitting in Miley Bird's room when J called (he had already left for work) and said that work called him and told him to turn around and go home... they didn't need him to come in after all!  THANK YOU JESUS!!! I took that as opportunity to get to the chiropractor. I went in and got an adjustment and some therapy. I came out a little sore but able to stand straight.

He told me to go home and NO LIFTING! LOL I think he must've thought I was someone else... WITHOUT 3 CHILDREN! So anyway... I did try to take it easy.

Later that night my back was feeling a bit sore and in a very uncomfortable state. J came into my art room and was talking to me. I told him my back was in serious pain that I wanted him to pray for my back. He did... no difference. I told him that it was still hurting he needed to pray again. He did and it STOPPED HURTING IMMEDIATELY!!! I couldn't speak... I just cried and smiled A LOT! So thankful for a healing FATHER!!!

Yesterday morning I woke up with a bit of a sore throat from allergies and a fuzzy head. My back was a bit sore and I just decided that I would take it easy. I had a bit of a busy day yesterday so decided to get an early start seeing it would take a bit longer than normal. I called a sitter for the boys so I could take Miley in for an appt without the extra chaos (boys) seeing I was not 100% . I go outside to get things in the car while waiting on the sitter.

I see the trash never made it out to the road for pick up so I start getting bags from one can to combine it with the other can to wheel it down to the road.

As I was lifting a bag I pulled the muscle in my back again and so as I was hunched over trying to finish my trash obligation I stepped straight on a 4 in nail sticking out of a 15 ft board hidden in the overgrown grass!



I finally make my way toward the front door leaving a trail of blood behind. I find a cloth garden glove (fairly clean) sitting in a dish of fresh rain water (nice and cool and fairly clean as well) I grab it and slap it on the bottom of my foot to get the majority of the blood off.

I hobble inside to sit down and assess the damage leaving a trail of blood all over the carpet. I apparently bleed EASY! I get in and hover over the deep freeze trying to gain composure.

The children had been laid down for their morning naps so they were confused and scared... screaming in their rooms. I kept hearing Bear saying "Mommy hurt, Mommy hurt" then he wold start crying out my name.

I finally made it to a chair on linoleum and my aunt came barging through the front door calling for me. She said she heard the scream and come running. She apparently called first but when i didn't answer it made her nervous.

She said when I screamed all the animals over there all stopped and stared over here. She got here and said she was afraid to come inside b.c she heard the scream and then saw the blood trail; she didn't know what was going on! I am glad she did decide to come in!

So then I couldn't remember the last time I got a tetanus shot. I thought we had to have one to be licensed foster parents but I could be mistaken. So I had to get another one. It had been over 2 years anyway.

Finally the sitter gets here and I take Miley to the DNA testing then was finally able to get to the Dr. for a tetanus. It was never looked at; I was just told to keep an eye on it and make sure it does not get infected. Hmmmm...okay!

After a bit of rest (thankfully all the children obliged that rest) I got up and made dinner and bathed all 3 children then put them all to bed after playing for a bit.aaahhhhhhh rest time!

Overall it was a terrible experience but I am glad it was me and not one of the children or even J for that matter. I could not imagine having to work at his fast paced/ on your feet all day long job (UPS driver/loader) with this kind of injury! Excruciating!

God sustained me and allowed me to continue on with my daily chores and take care of my children even in the midst of turmoil!

Today is another day. I got out of bed to unhappy children and managed to take care of them all! I feel like i have a severe sinus infection so I am hot and stuffy. I am hobbling around pretty good now and my back is in minimal pain! WE ARE GOOD TO GO! AND J's mom came to pick up all kiddos and take Moe to his daddy F to spend some UNSUPERVISED time with him on this fine Saturday!

Now what to do! I know rest WOULD be the ideal thing... but when you get a break from three children you HAVE to make it worth while and actually get something productive done! I am sure J will take care of the resting for the both of us! :)

Wishing you ALL a GREAT Saturday!!!

ALMOST THERE!

So we are in month 2 (I believe) for "hard core" potty training Bear. Before we started hard core training we were potty familiarizing him from 11 mos old. Just at different times we would take him and put him on the potty and let him "try" to go.

Finally he got the point where he knew he was supposed to be doing something more than just sitting and playing with the toilet paper. He started going more and more when we took him to sit on the potty.

Then Moe (9 mos old) came back home when Bear was 14 mos old so the training got put on hold a bit. Working with Moe to get back on track took a lot of work but was every bit worth while.

So anyway we took back up with familiarizing/training when he was about 18 mos old... soon after his adoption was finalized. I had read in SEVERAL different articles and testimonies of boy mommies that 18 months old is mostly as young as they can "catch on". I have heard of younger BUT 18 mos was the AVG age so I figured we would pick it back up.

From that point on we started taking him to the potty more often and talking the potty lingo to him. "gotta go potty?" "poo.poo" "pee.pee" and explaining when he "soiled/messed" his diapers what he had done and where it needs to go.

About a month after that we started leaving him without diapers on during the day (and when there was no company around). When/if he would have an accident we would cheer him on.. "yay Bear you are going pee pee... we need to get it into the potty, hurry let's go" and then I would cheer him on as he would run to the potty.

**Now, we do not condone peeing on the carpet BUT when training you have to be okay with accidents. If you get angry or raise your voice at them they do not do so well in training. We have always taken the cheering on progress even in the presence of accidents but one time J was caught off guard and saw Bear peeing on the carpet... he yelled "BEAR NO!" and Bear started bawling and did not want to go to the potty. He was so heartbroken and baffled. I took him to the potty and told him he was doing a good job but he just sat there and cried. I went in and asked J to come apologize to him and tell him that he was proud of him for going potty "outside of a diaper"... He agreed that he needed to come and let him know he was proud of him. As soon as he did Bear was happy again and automatically peed in the toilet!**

SO all that to say... cheer them on and encourage them even when accidents occur. The best thing we started doing with Bear when he had an accident is getting him to help clean it up. We would tell him "okay Bear, you had an accident and made a mess on the floor. We need to go clean it up now." I would hand him a rag and I would go in there with him. he would clean it for the most part by rubbing the spot with the rag... then we would go wash his hands and I would come back with carpet cleaner and deep clean it.

Then a month after going with no diapers and a couple weeks with no accidents we started underwear training. He did amazing. He has had accidents and we have had to pack extra clothing but again we have to allow for accidents. We were leaving him in pull-ups during naps and at night. Mostly wakes up dry from naps and goes directly to the bathroom when he gets up.

He has been GREAT at not going in his underwear for the most part... BUT he would not tell us he had to go. We just took him appx every hour and he would go. So he would hold it well and then relieve himself when on the potty. Unless of course we got careless and let him go too long.

So finally about 2 weeks ago he got to where he would tell us potty for PEEING  BUT it would be right after he had gone. A bit more work and dedication to go. (I was just thankful that he was telling us potty BEFORE he went poop.)

THEN it happened... yesterday he came up to me and said "Mommy, potty" and I looked and he was dry... I took him to the toilet and he PEED ON THE POTTY!!! THEN it happened again, two more times. Today was the same thing!!! He let me know he had to go BEFORE he went. He did have an accident but luckily I planned for error today seeing it was a visit day meaning a LOT of driving time. So he was in a pull-up. But he did tell me "potty" every time he had to go. We made it to a toilet for the majority of the time. He couldn't hold it one time and from that time on he was telling me "mess, mess" thankfully it was just pee and that is always far better than the other! :)

I am so proud of our Bear. I dare say he will be potty trained before he is 2! As previously advised, I am not pushing the overnight training.... that, too, will come in time!

It has been GREAT and I am so thankful to finally see all the training going into effect! Even Moe baby has been potty familiarizing lately. He is loving it and when he turns 18 mos we will start with him as well... he already goes on the potty when we take him and he can tell us potty but only if we ask him. He on the other hand has not been great at "holding" it as well as Bear was... but he has been doing wonderful at going when we put him on the potty.

I am just thankful the 2 hour screaming fits are OVER from putting MOE on the potty! That was work all in itself!