The Stress of Growing Up and Lots of Pictures

Christopher is changing so quickly right now. He is learning more and more each day and is trying his best to keep up with Daniel. One area of particular interest for him right now is the potty which is wonderful (at times). After the long and drawn out experience with Daniel, I've taken a much more relaxed approach to Christopher's potty training. My new approach is that the potty is there, but he's in charge of when to use it. And let me tell you, he's in charge. Like last night at 3:30 am when he woke up with a dry diaper and needed to go to the potty. Or when he woke up again at 5 am to let me know that he needed a sticker for his last potty episode. It makes me wonder if he was just lying in bed awake for 2 hours trying to figure out what was missing in the process. Or again, from 5:45 until 6 am when he was throwing a fit because he wanted another sticker. I'm hoping for an equal amount of potty enthusiasm during the daylight hours in the coming days.

We will see where this leads. Christopher really has the bug now because we recently finished a sticker chart, and he got to pick out a toy at the toy store. I guess he really enjoyed that activity because today when he was looking at his new sticker chart with three stickers on it he was musing about when he would get another new toy. Daniel, meanwhile, potty-trained so recently that he is recreating his experience for Christopher - now we get to put a space for blue popcorn (which pushed him over the edge from lukewarm to really hot about the potty), we turn right to go get the potty treat (when giving Matt directions on where they go to get ice cream), he also insisted that we go to the same toy store for Christopher's toy as we did for Daniel's toy.

Here is a picutre from our pre-Easter photo shoot on the porch. The boys loved modeling their new clothes and were having a blast posing for pictures. Lots of laughter and silliness.

I must provide an update since I wrote this a couple days ago. Christopher is still doing great with the potty! He also told me tonight that, "I am a big boy now because I can turn off my light without a grownup." I love that he can tell me what he is thinking in response to my little comments here and there. He is so specific and factual. I wonder what this will mean for him as he grows up?

Backwards pictures!

"Angel" pose.

Sitting like this is too much fun to get a nice face.

Yoga pose!

With "Thomas" one of our 20 pet rocks. Thankfully only 2 have names.

Daniel's turn with the camera.

Had to add this one. I couldn't figure out which was more entertaining - shoveling with a helmet (which he did attempt to wear to bed) or biking with the gardening gloves. Both were done.

Running with the Pack

Spring has hit Madison, and it's wonderful. In a matter of days, we went from winter weather (25 and cold) to summer weather (80 degrees and sunny). It has been warm long enough for all the spring plants to be coming up. My daffodils have blossomed, the lilacs are budding and the grass is green again. It is just amazing to see all the new life outside. The boys seem to sense this in an almost primal way.

Daniel has wanted to be outside since the moment it warmed up. I can see the difference in him.The joy and excitement of just being outside in the warm weather, seeing things grow must be soexciting for him. The kids in the neighborhood have been outside playing, too, and Daniel has been noticing them. On Sunday, we were working on the brakes on his bike when a pack of girls on Razor scooters came by the house on a mission. Being beckoned by the sound of their wheels, Daniel looked up at me, and as if he were taken over by some sort of trance said, "Mom, I have to go scooter. Goodbye." And just like that he was on his 3-wheeled Lightning McQueen scooter and off to join the neighborhood pack. It was quite the Mom moment for me, but I let him go. I'm sure he will figure out soon enough that his scooter will never go at fast as theirs or he will figure out that they are all 3 years older than him and have older siblings, but right now he is thirlled to be hanging out with the other kids.

Last week the boys and I had quite a few adventures while Matt was out of town for several days. We planted our garden and went to the Union to enjoy the weather on Friday night. Then on Saturday we marched in Madison's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Christopher was only slightly resentful that I disrupted his nap two days in a row. The routine is back in place more or less and Christopher seems happy with that.

I can't believe how much difference a season can make!

Our first snowman! Mine, too on March 2.

Enjoying the fresh air during naptime on March 11.

A little Union ice cream to help heal the "worst owie ever" on Daniel's chin.

Riding in the Notre Dame Club float for the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Practicing bike riding.

Picnic time for lunch today!