I needed some luck today.

Noah started potty training today. 

I thought he might end up going to kindergarten in diapers at the rate things were going, so today was a bit of a victory.  He has shown signs for months that he's 'ready,' but when your kid regularly says, "Mom. I am never, never, never, NEVER, going to do big stinkies on the potty!" he means it.  He's held it for 5 days in protest, he's screamed like I didn't know he could...it's just been super hard on all of us.  So I just quit pressuring him.  Every once in a while I'd ask if he wanted to go on the potty as he'd sneak off to his room to do his business, but that was about it.

Surprisingly, one day last week when I asked he said, "Sure Mom!" and ran into the bathroom.  And, oh boy, did we celebrate and do happy dances like you wouldn't believe after that big stinky was done.  It was almost bedtime so when I asked him what his reward should be he chose making brownies (recipe here) with me in the morning. 

I had no complaints about making brownies at breakfast time.

And Noah is just so cute.  "Mom, can I put in the ingredients?" and "Can you tell me what the recipe says?" were two of my favorites.

Later that day he told me he had to go again and did.  In the past we've tried just about any incentive we could think of to persuade Noah to cooperate.  It clearly was NOT about the stuff.  It was about control.  But now that he was going, he put that amazing memory to work and named off one of those promises.

So off we went for "ice cream with 'nem n nems' and chocolate sauce," as he had been enticed with like two months ago.

I don't know how a typical first day of potty training goes, but I'd say it was pretty successful.  Noah was happy, compliant and so proud of himself.  By the end of the day he was telling me that he had to go instead of me just taking him.  I guess that's good, right?  There were a few accidents, but he told me every time and added in the sweetest apology.

He's excited to fill up his McQueen potty chart, because that means that we get to go have lunch with Daddy at work.  I love how stickers are like magic to little kids. And he's already decided that the next chart he fills up will be rewarded with a ride on the carousel at the mall.  I'm trying to keep the potty chart rewards as something we DO instead of something we BUY, which will make it more fun for all of us, I think.

Here's to hoping day two is successful, and that I don't go crazy staying home for a second day!

Noah's First Scripture

Noah was assigned to share the scripture in Primary yesterday.

1 John 4:14

We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

He memorized it pretty quickly and was so proud of himself.  And then it came time to actually SAY that scripture in front of everyone.  He sure got quiet then.  But, in the end he got going.  I had to help him on one word, but he did it.  He recited it perfectly before then and later in the evening as well.  I know he's just a little guy, but wow, I love seeing him do hard things and then be so proud of himself when they've been accomplished.  It's such a great pattern for life. 

Cousins!

We were in Bakersfield last weekend for Sammie's baptism.

 I can't believe she's eight.  She had just been born around the time Nate and I started dating.

Noah had been asking for days before we left if it was time to go to Bakersfield yet.

He couldn't wait to see Olivia, Sammie and Abby. 

Our trip was too quick, but the cousins soaked in as much time as they could together.  They really are the best of friends, they take such good care of each other.

Fifteen Months

Luke is fifteen months old!

Height: 32.5 inches (91%)

Weight: 28 pounds (97%)

Head circumference: 50 centimeters (99%)

It was his doctor who noted he's looking more like an eighteen month old.

Oh, I am LOVING this stage we're in.

Well, except for this,

and this,

and the fall that occurs after something like this:

We've got a climber, which is new for me.  His big brother wasn't even walking at fifteen months, so Luke is teaching me not to trust him quite so much.

Putting a latch on the pantry was money well spent.  No more food raids when I'm off brushing my teeth or switching out the laundry.

And clearly I need to be more careful that the dishwasher is ALL the way closed.

Luke is just a busy kid.  He's always on the move and almost always running to get somewhere.  By about 9:30 in the morning he's bringing me his shoes because he wants to go outside.

Luke LOVES to be outside.

He doesn't care if it's the park, backyard, sidewalk or a store.  He just wants to be out moving and seeing.

There's so much to share that he's doing and learning right now.  Every day something new is happening.  Luke is starting to get good at using a spoon.

It's a messy learning process but also fun to watch.  He's so proud of himself and let's me know that he does NOT want help.

Luke continues to be awesomely noisy.  He's got a great snake, sheep and dog sound.  But now, a lot of those noises are also turning into words.

Some of those include saying "I did it," shoe, up, car, diaper, ba pa (grandpa), cracker, cookie, and  meh (milk).  The food related words have come easily.  Luke will point at the oven, turn on the light and say, "Cookie, cookie"  He's growing up right. :-)

And staying on the topic of food, wow, this kid can eat.  It's not longer than five minutes after he gets up in the morning that he's asking for breakfast.  He doesn't really discriminate much when it comes to food, but right now he is especially liking oatmeal, blueberries, quesadillas, green beans, and grapes.

I am amazed at how much he understands.  When I ask him to share a cracker, he does.  He follows Noah's example and often puts his milk cup in the sink when it's empty.  If he has a dirty diaper he'll walk up to me, pat his bum and say something that almost sounds like 'stinky'.  Luke likes to help us clean up the toys.  I just love that he's learning to love to obey.

But he can be a stinker too.  He runs away squealing with laughter when it's time to get dressed.  He tries to stand up in the bathtub because he knows it's naughty.  

And he loves to hide, especially in the closet.

Luke gives awesome open-mouthed kisses.  He loves to love on his mom and two of the most darling baby girls at church, Jade and June.  I can't blame him.  They are scrumptious.  He is quite the love bug though and really loves his daddy.  He sprints as fast as those short, chubby legs will take him when he hears Nate walk in the door.

He waves good-bye to Nate every morning from this window.

I love how he's multi-tasking by looking at one of his favorite books and watching the garbage truck go by.


Oh, I could go on.  Fifteen months old is awesome, and it just gets better all the time!

Loving our Cousins

During Christmastime we got all of the cousins together to take a picture for Grandma Shauna's upcoming birthday.  Look at these sweet faces:

I love every one of them.  And so do our boys. We turned that picture into  a large canvas for Grandma.

It still amazes me that such little people already know and understand that they're family.  They just love being together.

Having the girls here from Bakersfield is always a treat.  One day we ventured down to the State Capitol.

They were amazed at how big the state Christmas tree was.

They loved celebrating on New Year's Eve together.

The time stamp on this picture says 10:10 p.m.  Noah was happy as could be to stay up late AND be with his cousins.

At least they were eating carrots that late at night, right? 

We can't wait until we're all together again.  Hurry up March 1st and get here!

First Visit to the Dentist

This morning Noah visited the dentist for the first time.

I prepped him as much as possible, but really, he didn't know what to expect.

He definitely did not expect there to be so many toys and games, but didn't mind at all. Where was a dentist like this when I was a kid?

There were definitely some moments when he was tenative, but Noah was completely cooperative the whole time, even for x-rays.

It helped that he got to wear sunglasses to block out the bright light and there was a movie playing on the ceiling.  And, that from the second we walked in the door, everyone was incredibly inviting and patient.

Dr. Ryan reported that Noah's teeth look great!  His 19 teeth are cavity free, and that twentieth tooth that STILL hasn't come in may finally poke through soon.

Noah left with a new McQueen toothbrush, a balloon and a promise from Dr. Ryan that if he quits biting his fingernails he can choose a toy from her box the next time he comes.  Our first visit was a success!

He's a Sunbeam!

My big boy is a Sunbeam.  He went to Primary for the first time today.

A few months ago as we were talking about going to Primary he said, "Mom, they have toys in Primary?"  I had to be honest, right?  So we talked about how there weren't toys, but I assured him that there would be lots of singing and other fun things to do.  He responded with, "I don't think I want to be a Sunbeam, Mom."

Thankfully, he's come around, and it's just about all Noah's been able to talk about for the past day.   He was having a hard time falling asleep last night and said, "Mom, I just want to see Sister Stauffer." (She is his Sunbeam teacher who he hadn't even met yet.)

And all through the first hour of church he bounced and said, "Mom, can I be a Sunbeam now?"

When it was time, we walked down to Primary, hand in hand, and found Sister Stauffer and all of his Nursery buddies on the front row.  He looked around and said, "Mom, I can't go to Primary.  I don't know the songs."  Silly.  He DOES know a lot of the songs, and I stayed long enough to see him excitedly sing 'I am a Child of God.'  Thank you, Sister Reynolds for choosing a song he knows.

But, I had to leave.  I knew he needed to be there on his own.  I wasn't sad and I wasn't overjoyed or anything that he had finally made it to Primary, but I also couldn't hold back the emotion.  What is it about seeing my sweet babies becoming boys that sometimes brings on the tears? 

At the end of the two hours of Primary, Noah was an energetic bundle of happiness.  Sunbeams seems to suit him just fine.

On the ride home from church he said, "Mom, I listened to Sister Stauffer.  I think she loves me."

And that is all I can ask for.  I'm so grateful my barely three year old had a great first day of Primary!