Potty Training Update

I am happy to say I can almost call James a completely potty trained boy.  He hasn't had an accident in over a week now.  The only exception to that rule being the difficult #2.  He will generally request a pull up, so he can take care of business.  However, once James started consistently going pee on the toilet, he decided he no longer wanted to wear "diapers", so instead he would just go #2 in his underwear which is an absolute disaster.  The other day we picked up some small cars as incentive to go #2 on the potty.  He earned one last night and then today he has wanted to go poop like crazy on the toilet.  I already need to resupply my stock of cars for James to earn.  My husband and I figure James will only get a car when he makes a "big poop" and we will only continue the cars for a week...maybe two before we stop altogether.

I imagine at this point in time...now that James knows what it feels like to go poop on the toilet, he will want to use the toilet instead of his underwear in the future.  I talked with James about how nice it is not to have poop squished in his underpants.

I am so proud of my little guy!

Oreo Cheesecake

For my dad's birthday, I made him this Oreo Cheesecake.  My dad loves cheesecake.  We had my parents over for dinner on Friday.  I made corned beef, mashed potatoes, green beans and bread (another favorite of my dad's).  I have made this cheesecake on a few occasions, and I am also told how great it is.  This is the first time I have really been able to enjoy the works of my hands...in the past I have sent it into my husband's work or gifted it to other people.  The cheesecake was wonderful!  The sour cream layer and chocolate glaze definitely add to the overall flavor of this insanely rich cheesecake.

Here is the recipe I followed:
Oreo Cheesecake

Feeding Sam

This afternoon, when both boys had waken up from their naps, we had a snack at the table together.  I had given Sam a sippy cup with his formula as well as some finger foods while I attended to putting James' snack together.  Once I washed James up and sent him off to play, I pulled out some baby food for Sam, opened it and set it near the high chair with a spoon.  Then I was distracted for a moment...I cannot remember what caught my attention, but I turned to sit down and feed Sam, and James had already beat me to it.  He was sitting in the chair and offering Sam spoonfuls of applesauce.  It was adorable to watch!  James fed Sam almost the entire container of applesauce before James decided it would be more fun to play in the living room.

I absolutely love these moments of brotherly affection.  It just warms my heart.

Relieved

Today is the first day I have not been thrown up on by one of my children.  That is not a pleasant experience...for me or the kiddos.  I felt so bad for my babies because they were absolutely miserable.  I am also surprised that I handled being thrown up on so well.  Perhaps it is because I really didn't have much of a choice.  I would clean the child up, clean myself up and clean the surface up...thank goodness for leather couches!  I guess part of being a mom is dealing with your children throwing up on you when they are sick.

Unfortunately, Sam still is having digestion issues, so the runny diapers are still running rampant.  That has not been fun either...there have been a few nasty blow outs.  I will be thrilled when that stops.

Thankfully through all of this I have somehow managed to stay healthy and not get the flu.  From what I have been told, I probably was already exposed to this strand of flu when I was younger, and therefore I am safe at this point in time.  For whatever reason, I am grateful.  I can't even imagine how horrible this weekend would have been if I had been sick on top of my husband and two boys.

Stomach Flu

The reason people are encouraged to get the flu shot is to protect them from contracting the stomach flu, right?  I have already complained earlier that we had no choice in giving Sam a flu shot since he is still a foster baby.  Well...a week after his first flu shot, he ended up having a fever and throwing up.  Then he had his second flu shot on Friday and got the runs and spitting up more than usual starting on Tuesday.  Originally I blamed the grapes (see yesterday's post); however, this afternoon my husband came home sick...throwing up, runs, the whole works, and this evening James started throwing up as well.  Now we think perhaps Sam reacted to the flu shot with a smaller bout of flu and shared with everyone else.  My heart breaks for poor James who has never experienced this type of sickness.  The poor guy told me his stomach was full...then he said his stomach hurt...after which he threw up all over himself, me and the couch.  He threw up a few more times but not nearly as horribly.  Then when I laid down and snuggled him at bedtime, he threw up twice in his bed.  My poor, poor little baby.  I finally got him to cave in to sleep only to be confronted with my husband doing worse.  My husband feels so wretched, he had me call a family member to take him to the hospital.  That is where he is at currently, and I am waiting to hear what the verdict is for him. 

In the future, we will avoid the flu shot.  James is almost three, and this is his first time getting the flu.  It is pretty convenient that Sam recently got the flu shot.  My husband hasn't had the flu in years.  Hopefully I will stay healthy...if nothing else until my husband and James are doing better.

Say No to Grapes

I purchased some grapes recently because they sounded really tasty, and I know James likes them too.  Yesterday morning I cut some grapes into quarters and gave them to Sam as finger foods with his breakfast.  Well...today I started the day with a horrible diaper explosion...Sam was sitting in his high chair having breakfast in just his diaper since he had peed through his pajamas.  Let's just say, I had to clean Sean, the cover of the high chair and some straps and plastic too.  Yuck!  Anyway...the poor baby has had nothing but runny diapers all day long...I think we are going on number five so far, and the day isn't over yet.  The only conclusion I can come up with is it must be a reaction to the grapes he consumed (there was also evidence of grapes in his diaper explosion earlier).  He has had grapes in his baby food before, but that would be in tiny portions compared to everything else.  I am not sure if Sam cannot handle grapes at all or if it is just he consumed too many of them, but for now, I am declaring a boycott of grapes for Sam...at least for awhile.  Then we will try them again down the road, and if we continue to have the same reaction, we may just have to eliminate them from Sam's diet altogether. 

Preparing for a Hike

It is a lot of work to prepare for a hike...especially with little ones.  There are so many factors to consider...making sure you have enough layers to keep everyone warm, packing food that people will be willing to eat (James tends to be the nibbler or snack eater on hikes...rarely will he actually eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or other more hearty course), gathering all the important just-in-case essentials (headlamps, first aid kit, matches, etc.), making sure to email your destination and plans to someone just in case, and other such preparations.

Last night we packed up almost everything to get ready for a hike today.  We will be meeting about nine other people at 9 a.m. and then driving to our destination.  The temperature will be very cold today, but our family should definitely be warm enough with all the additional layers we put aside.  The hike itself is two miles one way to a beautiful lake (that will probably be frozen over).  We may or may not make it all the way because of our large group, but regardless it will be a lot of fun to get out into God's wonderful creation and admire the beauty around us.

James will be extremely excited because his cousin, whom he adores, will be going on the hike with us.  Grandma will also be joining our trek.  James was a little concerned that Grandpa would not be coming too, but he has to be available for work related issues, so he cannot make it this time.  Then some other friends of my parents will also be coming with their children (who are much older).  It should be lots of fun and worth all the prep work but sometimes the prep work seems so time consuming.

Have a great day!

Birthday Parties

We get to attend a three year old's birthday party this evening.  It should be a lot of fun!  A few months ago we went to a birthday party at this same children's gym location, and James had a blast, so I am really looking forward to it.  Also Sam is a lot older than he was, so he will probably enjoy crawling around and exploring as well.  Not only that, but last time we were here, I was still recovering from my appendix surgery, so I just sat on the sidelines with Sam.  This time I will be able to join the boys in their fun.

Speaking of birthday parties, I have been doing a lot of thinking and initial planning because in March Sam, James and my husband will all have their birthdays.  Since it is Sam's first birthday, we will have a separate party for him at our house with all our family.  Then in the coming years (at least while the boys are young), we will probably combine their parties, so we can have the birthday at a fun venue.  For James, we are trying to make a venue work this year, so we don't have two birthday parties in our house within a few weeks of each other.  It is hard to figure out, though, because a lot of places charge a lot of money or it adds up quickly when you factor in food and cake and everything else.  It wouldn't be so bad except we have a couple little boys birthdays to plan in the same month, so overall the birthday budget goes quickly.  I think we may have finally figured out a venue for James that will work this year...we just have to hope the weather cooperates because it would be an outside location.  We will be inviting our families and then perhaps a couple of James' friends this year.

My husband has talked a lot about wanting to eat at a Michelin star restaurant.  It is an experience he would love to participate in.  I have done some research, and most of the Michelin star restaurants are rather expensive.  I talked with my husband about a budget for his birthday dinner and knowing the price limit, I am better able to navigate the restaurants and try to find a reasonably priced one.  Since my husband is only turning 29, we figured we will save a really expensive one for perhaps his 30th...or have some sort of adventure or something.

On the subject of 30, I will be turning 30 this year, but it is not until September, so I have awhile to think about that.  I am not sure what I want to do, but I think it would be a good year to celebrate big.  When I say celebrate big, I don't necessarily mean a big party, but probably something special my husband and I do together...I just need to think about what I would like that to be.

Both our dads have their birthdays this month, so we have been trying to schedule separate dates to have them over to our house for dinner.  This year we made them personalized calendars for their work with pictures of the boys in them.  Technically my dad's calendar has pictures of all of his grandchildren...I figured it was only fair that way.  I made one for my dad last year, and he seemed to really like it, and he kept talking about all the compliments he received on it from his coworkers.  Snapfish does a great deal...buy 1 calendar, get 2 free...close to Christmas, so I took advantage of this deal because the calendars are great quality and allow you add lots of pictures...you can even put pictures on the date of someone's birthday.

Anyway...needless to say, birthdays have been on my mind a little bit.

Potty Training Update

Overall I would say the potty training is going well, and it seems to be getting a little better every day.  The hard part is when we are outside playing because James gets so wrapped up in having fun he forgets about needing to use the restroom.  I will prompt him every once in awhile, but generally he will say no.  Sometimes I can see his signs that he needs to go, and I will stop him and we will take care of business, but James is not always evident in his signals depending on what he is doing.  I notice that especially when he is riding his bike...he will just stop for a moment and next thing he has had an accident.

James is doing great getting to the potty when we are at home.  He has requested not to wear a pull up a couple of naps, and I have allowed it since he is excited to sleep in his underwear.  Both times he ended up having an accident, but I kind of expected it.  I just washed him up and changed his sheets when he awoke.  Yesterday James wanted a pull up for nap, and he stayed completely dry and even let me know he had to go pee when he woke up.

Things are going well and soon it will be like using the toilet is all he has ever known...or so I hope!

Adoption Support Group

Last night was our adoption support group.  Not only do we gain two of our required twelve hours of training  by attending, but we are also able to share experiences with like-minded people.  I realize my wording sounds a bit strange, but I cannot think of a better way to describe it.  There is a connection when discussing life with other adoptive families.  I think most of it goes to the fact that they too understand the same questions, concerns and worries for their kiddos...there is a greater breadth of understanding. 

People say adoption is widely accepted in the world today, and although that is true, there is a still a disconnect.  I run across it sometimes in my discussions with other moms.  I find myself often feeling like an outsider during certain discussions through no fault of anyone else...solely because my perspective can be so different and my worries for the future seem more complex.  On top of all the normal motherly worries for their kiddos, I am compounded by adoption worries...how will my boys react to being adopted...will they run off to their biological families and follow in those footsteps as they get older...even being honest and open about their adoption, how will we handle their questions, anxieties and identity searching.  Adoption is a wonderful thing, but it is not usually portrayed so well in society.

Anyway...we met a lot of new couples at the adoption support group last night.  The group has changed a lot because several families finalized their adoptions recently and will no longer be joining us.  It is weird to think my husband and I are considered veterans since we have been a part of the group for so long.  There is one other couple that have been attending a long time as well, so at least we are not the only ones.  Our perspective is different even in our group and being the longest as part of the group because our children are really young.  Most everyone in the group had children ages 5-11 in their homes, so the issues they are dealing with are not the same as the ones we will encounter...although a lot of topics mesh with all age groups.

Our group will be reading and discussing the book, The Connected Child, by Karyn Purvis and David Cross (both having a Ph.D.).  Perhaps as we trudge through the book, I will try to put little nuggets of information or even just journal my thoughts about the book here in my blog for those who are interested.  Our adoption support group only meets every other month, so it will not be quickly finished.  I believe our first reading assignment is to read the first three chapters and answer some discussion questions that were given to us.  Hopefully the book is a good tool.

I will miss the old structure of the adoption support group, where we mainly discussed what is happening in our home and did get some useful information or resources in the process.  Now we will spend the first hour on our book discussion and open up the second hour to talk about anything going on in the home.

As some else has mentioned, adoption is a life long journey.  It doesn't end at a particular age, and there are always modifications that will need to be made along the way...just as in regular parenting.

Mom's Morning Off

My husband is so sweet.  Saturdays are "Mom's Morning Off".  That means my husband gets up when the little ones wake up, and I can spend some time relaxing whether that be sleeping in, taking a nice, long, hot shower, painting my toenails, reading a book, etc.  He also makes everyone breakfast and tries to handle all the meals for the day, so I have a break from the everyday routine.  It may sound simple, but it takes a lot of work and it is a very loving gesture.

Technically my husband is up with James right now too, but that is mostly because I have a cold that he wants to give me plenty of time to rest and recuperate from.  Normally Sam would also be awake, but he had a difficult night sleeping, and I had to go in and reassure him several times before he actually fell back to sleep.  I am not terribly surprised he hasn't joined the rest of the family at the moment.

Anyway...I just wanted to praise my husband some for all his hard work as a father and a husband.

Drool Machine

I suspect Sam must be working at cutting some teeth again.  Under normal circumstances, Sam hardly drools at all.  However, whenever he starts working on new teeth, before they have even hit the surface, he becomes a drool machine.  It is the kind of drooling that soaks the entire front side of his shirt.  Sometimes it is so bad, Sam will end up going through three shirts in one day because they are soaking wet.  Then once the teeth push through the gums, the drool lessens and dies off.  Sam hasn't allowed me a chance to poke my fingers inside his mouth to search for where the new teeth may be appearing...he isn't a fan of that in general.  I am thinking they are probably bottom teeth because recently he pushed through two top teeth...for a total of six teeth at the moment.  Poor baby...I imagine that is why he has woken up a few times fussing the past couple nights.  Sam is a little trooper though...he just fusses briefly and falls back to sleep without needing a reassuring cuddle or other means of comfort.

Learning Process

I would say James is doing pretty well with the underwear all things considered.  He managed to stay dry all morning.  However, then he told me he had to go pee pee, so I rushed him down the hall to the bathroom, but in reality, he had already used the restroom and was telling me after the fact.  I have confidence that in a few days, James will be doing super in underwear.

I am still keeping James in pull-ups for his nap because I don't think his control is good enough for sleeping.  Also at night we will continue to use overnight diapers for the same reason.  Once he has control and has dry diapers after sleeping, we will start that and see how it goes.

Big Updates

Sam took his first steps last night!  How precious is that!  He kept walking back and forth from me to my husband, who was only two steps away.  We had gone on a hike all day, and when we returned home, we allowed the boys to burn up some energy, and that is when it happened.  Once he gets the walking down, I will really be in trouble!  : )

Sam is also doing really well drinking from a sippy cup.  I have started to slowly replace some of his bottles with sippy cups, so it won't be such a drastic change when he is completely weaned off the bottle.  So far, Sam doesn't seem to mind the sippy cups at all.

Also tomorrow I have decided to put James in underwear all day long...no diapers (except nap and bed time).  However, this time I am biting the bullet and going all the way and hoping I don't go crazy in the process.  I definitely think he is ready, but I am not sure if he will be willing to cooperate or not.  If he has a dry day, we purchased some matchbox cars as a reward (one car for every dry day...at least at the very beginning).  I am not sure how well he will understand the concept.  I told him tomorrow we are going to wear underwear, and if he goes pee pee in the potty all day, he can get a surprise, and he seemed very excited about that.  Wish me luck!