week 38

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's no secret I love this time of year.
The lights, the music, the decorations, the joy, the packages tied up with strings..
these are just a few of my favorite things.



Another favorite,
the traditions.
Now that we've got our own little family, we've made a few of our own.

Last year we wrapped books to be opened each night of December before Christmas,
an advent calendar of sorts {as seen on Pinterest}

It went so well last year we did it again this year and it's been another success.

Lauren looks forward to opening her 'gift' each evening,
I look forward to reading her a book with a special Christmas message
and surprisingly we have had no issues with any presents being opened during the day or unattended.
That's a big toddler success.

We added another advent calendar into the mix this year
{because I don't believe you can have too many}

Each morning we check our bag for the day.
Somedays we find a simple fruit snack, a fun size bag of M&M's, or maybe even a lollipop if she is really lucky.
Other items have been a book, a new hair bow, or a Santa yo-yo.
My favorites are the activities, baking cookies with Mom, spending the afternoon at a bounce house, riding the Christmas Train, or a movie with Mom & Dad.

While our advent calendars have been successes, our visit with Santa was not.
Again.
Lauren talked up her visit with Santa.
She was going to sit on his lap and ask for something Elsa, Anna, & Olaf.
But that didn't happen.
She lost it as we approached and couldn't pull herself together.
To top it off, Dad had some difficulties with the camera and managed to get just a few photos in focus.
His work Christmas party was the night before... I'm just saying.
So here's our 2015 Santa photo:


Lauren got a balloon out of the deal and was completely thrilled that her visit was over

Now, anytime we mention Santa she reminds us that 'she cried'.

Oh honey, we know.

We've also enjoyed our share of Christmas outings.
Last weekend, we enjoyed The Christmas Train and our local Santa in the Park celebration.
We've looked at a lot of lights,
had multiple Santa sightings,
and even got to pet a reindeer & a cow
{Lauren's dream come true}





And what has become a favorite tradition of mine,
Lauren's annual Christmas tree photo.
There's something about the magic of Christmas the comes through in these photos,
quite a bit more than that Santa picture.
And to see how much she's changed from last year...
my goodness.
There is magic in these for years to come.





Until she won't cooperate with me anymore,
but the Christmas magic in the air doesn't allow me to even go there...

week 37

Whew.
We're getting closer.
And I'm ready.
I'm uncomfortable.
My lower back hurts.
I'm not sleeping well.
and I am ready to meet this sweet babe.

My appointments are weekly at this point and as of two weeks ago I was 1 cm dilated.
Please note: I was entirely too excited about this news. Probably because Round 1, I was 1 cm dilated 12 hours into labor.
Last week my doctor had just left for a delivery and the NP didn't check me.
So this week I am hoping for some more exciting news to make me believe that we're getting closer,
but I am also trying to keep my expectations in check...
That this baby, may indeed, not be prepared to meet us until 2016.

Lauren's Big Girl Room

While Lauren has been in her Big Girl Room for a couple months now, I am just now getting around to sharing it.

I  thought I may never get to share it when trying to deal with our crazy daybed debacle, but in the end it all worked out.

It's still a bit of a work in progress.
There's a few shelves that remain empty and some spots that are waiting for the perfect Lauren-approved item,
{you saw the cow picture right?}
but we're happy with how it turned out and are even more thrilled with how much she loves it.
She can often be found reading books or putting her dolls to bed, and sleeps through the night.
Finally.
This didn't happen in a crib.

Now the nursery is referred to as the 'baby room'.
The traces of Lauren are slowly being removed ,
while empty frames and freshly washed blankets make their way in
for a new little baby to make all their own.

Mom Fail: Potty Training

This post could alternately be titled:

Mom Fail: Why you shouldn't potty train your toddler in your third trimester of pregnancy when you can't bend over or get up from the floor without sound effects and some sort of assistance.

or my personal favorite

Mom Fail: Why you shouldn't potty train your toddler sober.

Like all parent's I think I've got one smart cookie on my hands.
Our little Lauren amazes us daily with her vocabulary, memory, comprehension, etc. etc.

So when she turned two and started randomly telling me she needed a
'diaper change'
and hiding, to do her other business,
I thought she was ready.

She was ready to be potty trained.

Maybe not completely.
Not over-night. But she was surely capable of using the 'potty' during the day.

And if I'm being completely honest, I've had this fantasy about having her potty trained before we welcomed another diaper wearing sweetheart to the family.

Lauren was introduced to the potty many months ago and had used it successfully a number of times.

So after doing some research, I decided on going the '3 Day Method' route, in which you stay home for three days straight and do nothing but focus on getting your toddler to the 'potty chair' each time they need to use it, while they walk around in cute little toddler undies and you try to keep them off the carpet.
According to my research, it was quite messy, but by day three, it clicks and you have a potty trained toddler.
Pretty straight forward.
And to sacrifice three days for such an outcome sounds like a pretty amazing deal to me.

Well, I still think it sounds amazing, because it didn't happen.

I'll spare you the play by play details, but we had a lot of cleaning up, changing of pants, holding it for hours, treats, prizes, frustration, and failure.



It wasn't perfectly executed.
On Day 3, {the day the magic happens, but hadn't happened at our house} our babysitter came over for a few hours to get reacquainted with Lauren before Matt's Christmas Party and since this was the only time that worked for her, we were forced into a date night.
I didn't want babysitter practicing the three day method, so I put a pull-up on over Lauren's Ariel undies. Same outcome.

The moment I realized I may have to wave the white flag was at the end of Day 4.
Please note: Day 4 is not a part of the 3-Day Method.
Lauren and I sat on the potty for a long time.
Well, she sat on the potty.
I sat on the floor.
But it was a long time.
Sitting on the floor, next to her, singing every song we knew, reading book after book,
and...
nothing.
I set the timer for 15 min,
{because that's what it had come to at this point}
told Lauren I was going to put my pajamas on
and we would try again before bath time.

Within three minutes of me slipping into sweatpants, I walked out to my daughter in a puddle
{more like a lake}
of her own urine.
Did I mention she was laying in it?
Playing Disney princess?



And here's where the FAIL happens.

I was upset.
I was angry.
I was frustrated.

All things you shouldn't be when potty training.

It was then I realized that my stubborn self had to let this one go.
She wasn't ready.
That's what my similarly stubborn little daughter was trying to tell me
in all those wet little undies, messes on the floor, and refusals to tell me she needed to use the potty.

It was a big lesson for me.
And the hardest parenting moment I've had thus far.
But I have a new understanding for allowing her to do things in her own time,
not on the time line I believe they could or should happen.

And this big lesson
probably came at the right time.

Right before we mix things up and add another sweet
{hopefully not as stubborn}
little darling to this family.

But my goodness gracious,

she does look cute in undies.

And despite the 'FAIL' this go around, she's still one smart cookie.

She now tells me she needs to go potty...
right around bed time.

week 36

november

Nesting has taken over.
We're crossing things off the to-do list.
Things like Christmas shopping & wrapping,
packing a hospital bag,
{and trying to remember exactly what I brought the first time and what I wish I would have brought}
and organizing the pantry.

Fortunately there is a couple of references to trying to get some blogging done on that to-do list.

November ended with a wonderful little birthday celebration followed by a Thanks/Friendsgiving.

Lauren and I started the birthday off with donuts.

Because when you are 34 weeks pregnant and it's your birthday, this is what you do.

In the afternoon, we had a special appointment to take a peek at sweet little baby #2,
which made my birthday.


And yes, Lauren's little brother or sister resembles her quite a bit.
{take a peek yourself}

We spent the rest of the afternoon with Dad and enjoyed a nice dinner out,
possibly our last as a family of three.

We came home, excited for a dessert of gourmet cupcakes that dad brought home from our local bakery.
I was ridiculously excited.
But Bella got to them first.

I should have seen this coming.
She did the same thing on Matt's birthday.

So we substituted with ice cream.

Which Lauren was completely okay with.

With baby on the way soon, our holidays are being spent staying cozy at home.
We were lucky enough to have the Fisher's join us for Thanksgiving.


We had a lovely meal and it felt good to just spend the day together.

Lauren's favorites this year were strawberry pretzel salad and the cranberries.
She's more sweet than savory.


We spent the rest of our long weekend together doing projects around the house,
{my favorite weekend project, a manicure and facial scheduled Friday morning. heaven.}
catching up on sleep,

and decorating for Christmas.



Lauren's more interested in all things Christmas this year, which is making it even more wonderful.

At times, I look at her and think about how special this time is.
We're moments away from welcoming another little bundle into this family
and can't wait,
but these little moments with this funny, curious, sweet girl of ours
are about to change.
It is a special, wonderful, happy change as we can't wait to see her take on the role of Big Sister,
but it's still a change.


So despite the to-do list ignited by nesting,
I'm determined to be present,
to take in the moments,
and make special memories.

Because this year we have so much to celebrate.