Tahoe

I let the iPhone do the picture taking in Tahoe this week.  Oh, how we needed to get away for a few days! This week had a rough start, and we needed some family time in a big way.

(Noah's first try at picture taking.  Not bad!)

We love relaxing at the cabin.  Luke, however, approached life at the cabin as his new territory for exploring, opening and closing and pulling out everything possible within reach.  So, while our family time was awesome this certainly was not a relaxing trip.

Noah loved riding his bike and going in the backyard to throw pine cones in the river.  We ventured over to Taylor Creek where the water was much higher than last September.  The boys loved heading down to the beach and just exploring everywhere.  

We found snow on Echo Summit.

Every time Luke put some in his mouth he'd say, "Yum!"

I blame some last minute packing and scattered thinking on forgetting to pack Noah any extra pants or shorts.  He didn't mind wearing the same ones every day (clean, of course), even in the snow.

It was a short trip, but sorely needed.  And the fun just kept coming with Easter weekend!

A Whole Lot of Croup

When my big boy started coughing yesterday afternoon I thought, "Here we go again."  He had croup for the four hundredth time about a month ago, so I was pretty annoyed that it seemed that we were heading down that path again so soon.  At about 9:30, when he was sound asleep, the coughs started coming.  It was only a matter of minutes before they were coming on top of each other.  That wicked croup cough reached a whole new level of horrible that we hadn't experienced before.  It was terribly scary for Noah and incredibly frustrating for Nate and me.  Nothing we tried helped.  We worked with it for almost two hours, and our efforts only resulted in a few minutes of relief here or there.

So, at about 11:30 p.m. Noah and I headed off to the ER.  Why can't croup get bad at lunchtime instead?  It's pretty great walking into the emergency room with difficulty breathing, because you get put to the front of the line.  There was almost no waiting for us. 

But while we did wait, Noah wanted to take pictures. :-)

 Still smiling despite all the misery at midnight. I love this kid.

From the moment he was seen by the triage nurse, Noah was a champ.  He was polite, cooperative, obedient, and even tried to be happy while the constant coughing continued.  The nurse said, "We don't see kids like you, especially at this time of night."  When the nurse was just making conversation with him and asked him about his brother's name he didn't skip a beat and said, "My 'bruder's' name is Lukiepottomus."  I clarified that one.

After a short wait we got some cough medicine, ibuprofen, a steroid and a breathing treatment on board.  Things improved after that.

I think Noah was most excited about the apple juice another nurse brought him.  He kept saying, "Give me some more apple cider please mom."  And he made sure anyone who walked into the room knew he has been to an apple orchard.

Today things were better, except for the exhaustion part -- for both of us.  Hopefully that nasty croup will give us a break so everyone can sleep better tonight.

Potty Training - Check!

I could have written this post two days after we started potty training.  Noah has got this down.  Oh, the magic of McQueen stickers and a chart.  By the second day he was earning stickers for coming to the potty still dry.  He was so super excited to show me that he was dry before going potty. And, he's still incredibly proud of himself that he's doing all of this big boy potty stuff so well.  I am too.

The little boy who not long ago declared he was never doing big stinkies on the potty is actually quite cooperative now, although he usually asks if he can go play in his room instead of telling me he has to go.  I just follow up with the right question and he says, "Oh, yeah, mom.  I need to go."  I can't help but laugh that every time after he's all situated he says in a grown up voice, "Give me some privacy please Mom."  So, he gets his private time and takes care of business.  AND, this little boy stays dry at night, EVERY night.  Hallelujah. 

Me? I'm loving having only one kid in diapers.  I can't believe how our diapers are NOT disappearing now.  I dreaded it, but potty training was NOT hard.  It was inconvenient, but definitely not hard.   I waited a little longer than some, but it paid off with the whole process being fun for the little one and not so hard on me. 

Sweet Baby Kate

Our newest niece, Kate Elizabeth arrived yesterday.  She is precious, perfect, and just so, SO sweet.

The boys and I visited the hospital last night and again today, because I just can't get enough of her cuteness.

And, I'm just overjoyed that my sister is a mom.  This is one lucky baby.

Noah wanted to go see Kristina.  He's a smart kid, and I think he knew Kate's arrival meant he was taking a step back in the priority line.  He wasn't exactly interested in all of the baby business.  Like a good auntie, Kristina thought of something fun to do, and the two of them counted Kate's fingers.

He's going to love her eventually. :-)

Luke on the other hand, couldn't get enough of Kate.  Yesterday and today he's walked around saying, "Baby, baby, baby," and "Kuh, Kuh, Kuh."  We'll work on getting her name right, but that's a good start.

Notice that Kristina has a tight, loving grip on that little boy because he just wants to love on her a little too much.

 
Kristina and Jason are such good sports to welcome my chaotic duo.  Today they were great partners in crime as Noah used the foot pedals on the sink and Luke got himself wet.  They couldn't have been happier.

 

Could tomorrow just get here already so I can go love on that sweet Kate some more?

 

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.