Thursday, February 26, 2009

Breakthrough!

Cody actually pooped on the potty last night for the first time EVER! (Yes, I'm writing about poop AGAIN)

Granted, it wasn't very much, and most of it wound up in his little underwear (how was HE supposed to know he needed to wipe?). He came up and found me in the office and triumphantly shouted, "Mommy! I went poopy in the potty!" To which I replied, "Get your shoes on, we're going to Target to get you a BIG PRIZE!" (Wonder what we'll do when he gets his first home run or 'A' in school?)

I know in the minds of those without children this is rather disgusting, and most likely not at all exciting. But for me, and I'm sure the other parents of toddlers who have done the potty training thing...this is HUGE! We have struggled with potty training for almost a year now, so this is such a gift. 

Way to go, Cody! I'm so proud of you!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Confession Time

I feel the need to confess some stuff...you know, air some of my own dirty laundry.  Feel free to commiserate, or hold me accountable :)

1) I have been complaining WAY too much lately. I think as a mom we sometimes get into ruts, groundhog days, whatever you want to call them. Instead of making the best of each trying situation, I've found that instead I've just been really vocal about my dissatisfaction.

2) I've been way too lenient with my almost-four-year-old, Cody. He has been giving me some serious attitude lately. Most of the time I correct it, but since Mike's knee surgery, I think most of my energies are spent just getting him (and myself, Mike and Tyler, too) fed, dressed, and out the door to wherever it is we need to go. All that to say, I haven't put much energy into spiritual development. People tell me that he's just asserting his independence, that it's a stage he'll grow out of...but I'm beginning to wonder. I definitely feel the need to tighten up the ship. No more sparing the rod...ya know? I want him to reap good fruit one day, so I need to sow the seeds of good discipline now, right?

3) I'm totally a space cadet when it comes to money and bills. Mike's been telling me this for years, because he does all of our bill keeping (I think when you're not the one earning the money it's easier not to think about how you spend it). I don't mean that I just spend spend spend with no thought; I don't believe that I'm frivolous in that way. I just don't know where my/our money goes. I'm bad about receipts, and could probably spend Mike's entire paycheck at the grocery store (I just love that place). Our small group has been doing a bible study that has totally opened my eyes to this fact. Something to work on as well.

4) I think I have a lot of patience with complete strangers, but have a hard time extending that same patience to my own family. Why is that?

Ok, I think that might be enough for now. We all have our struggles...you just got a peek at mine. The joy I have in all this is knowing that God loves me anyway, and that there's nothing I can do to separate myself from his unfailing love. Thank you, Lord!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Love is in the air...

So it's almost Valentine's Day.

Ahh yes...bring on the chocolates and flowers. Actually, my Valentine's Day will be spent taking care of a husband who has just gotten out of knee surgery :( Poor Mikey. The truth is, there is nothing I would rather be doing than taking care of the Mann I love; isn't that what Valentine's Day is all about?

In honor of him, here's a little list of why I love that Mann of mine (those with a gag reflex, stop reading here):

1. He still makes me mixed tapes (although they are on my iPhone, and aren't called mixed tapes anymore...I guess "playlist" is a better word?)

2. He comes home from a long day of working with crazy kids and plays with our crazy kids to give me a break (and most weekends will get up early with them so I don't have to <sigh>)

3. He loves his mama...you gotta love a man that's good to his mommy :)

4. He brings me chai tea for no reason...yum!

5. He reminds me to keep things light, and still manages to make me laugh really, really hard sometimes.

The rest of the list is too private to share...but you get the idea...I've got a good Mann :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

xoxo

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Cute Stuff

Cody is at the age now that he comes up with the funniest things to say.

For instance, the other night we went to dinner with some friends of ours and their kids (which is quite a scene let me tell you, between us we have 5 kids under 5). As I was buckling Cody into his carseat and getting ready to head home, he turned to me and said, "Mommy, you have two babies in your belly (and proceeded to point to my chest), one, two." Mike heard him and saw him too, and we both started rolling. Where the heck did he get that? His new favorite word is "lasterday" instead of "yesterday". One of my other favorites is when he has a runny nose he says, "Oh, no! I've got sniffies!" 

I'm sure there'll be more where these came from...and I can't wait.

 

Update 2/25: Mike recently had knee surgery and is on crutches for a while. Yesterday, Cody pointed to them and said, "Daddy, I want to try your "crunchers". Cuuuute :)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

When things get crappy...

Literally. My days and nights lately have been made up of picking up, wiping up, and cleaning up POOP.

The Nights: We just recently got our dog back from my parents. We like to say that she summers here in Georgia, and that she winters in Florida them. Well, she's back....with a vengeance. My son Tyler (who is almost two and is STILL not sleeping through the night) woke up the other night at about 1 in the morning screaming his head off. I was on my way downstairs to get him a bottle (yeah, he still takes a bottle at night...sue me). When I got to the bottom of the stairs I stepped on (and proceeded to skid across the wood floor in) my dog's poop. The only problem was that since I wasn't used to having her home, I didn't at first realize that I had stepped in dog poop. I thought maybe I had stepped on some remnant of Cody or Tyler's snack from earlier that day. Nope...it was dog poop. So I cleaned it off my foot, and cleaned it up off of our floor -  all the while whispering profanities to myself (Lord, forgive me). 

The Days: Tyler still wears diapers, and has regular #2's throughout his day. I've heard of kids who can go 3 or 4 days without pooping...I wish I had one. He is a machine; in one end and out the other. Cody, my beloved almost 4 year old, is STILL potty training. He pees on the potty like a big boy and wears his underwear throughout the day, however, the child WILL NOT poop on the potty. Lately he has been pooping in his underwear in the morning before we even know that he's awake. So, my mornings have consisted of waking up to clean up poop...and it is NOT a pleasant experience. It's a real juggling act trying not to "spill the poop" as Cody likes to say, while taking off his little underwear.

This stage (where they can't wipe their own butts, I mean) is rough, but from what I hear, I will miss this one day. So I choose to embrace the crap (not literally), and move on.