Should we claim him?

When I looked back to see if Landon had fallen asleep on our trip back from Alabama, I saw this...

Why the bike helmet? We have no idea.

LA, baby!

A couple of weeks ago, we headed to LA--Lower Alabama for those of you not familiar with the lingo. Jason's grandparents live there, and we have not seen them in years. We joined Jason's mom, stepdad and his brother's family for a great weekend. It was such a relaxing day. We don't get to hang out with Nathan, Jennifer, and Addison much, and we had a really great time with them. Granddad was so happy to have us there, and Jason and I both agreed that we missed him way more than we realized. Grandmother had a stroke a few years ago, so unfortunately, she wasn't able to be with us through most of the day. However, she was able to see her great-grandchildren, and I think that made her happy. My little Noah was fascinated by her and kept going into her room to blow her kisses. I hope it warmed her heart as much as it did mine. Granddad said to me many times to cherish the kids now because it goes too fast, and you never get that time back. I have to admit that most days that's hard to live by that advice, but I've stepped back a couple of times since then, hearing his voice in the back of my mind. Thanks for the reminder, Granddad.

Granddad playing with Lilah

Debra with two of her granddaughters.
Jason with his grandfatherFour generations
Our niece, Addison

My Baby's Blues

Small victories

Yesterday I started "formally" potty training Noah. He's been going in the potty here and there for the last few months, but yesterday was the day that I said no diapers (well, besides overnight). Although he did use the potty a few times, he had two wet pairs of underwear and a wet pull-up (which was at the gym, so I wasn't there to encourage him to go). The last few weeks have been a bit trying for me. I don't seem to have enough time to do anything, and yesterday I hit that brick wall of defeat. I wasn't sure I was going to have the energy to potty train this little boy, and to be honest with you, I wasn't sure I cared. Then came my small victory. I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready (post-self-pity-crying-fit), and Noah came down from Landon's room in a hurry. He was holding his little underwearless self and running to the bathroom. He got there in time and peed in that potty like the big boy he is. I felt hope at this time but still had a feeling that I would find those undies upstairs wet as can be. When he finished his business, I asked him if his undies were wet. He replied with a sweet "no", but that really doesn't mean anything when it comes to Noah. So, we went and found those little Diego underwear, and lo and behold, they were DRY! I picked up my 38 lb baby and spun him around and around-a deserved victory dance for the two of us. It came at just the right time because not only did I want to give up on potty training, I was giving up on me. That little pantless boy made me realize that what I'm doing isn't a total waste. Contrary to what it feels like most days, I am making a difference in their lives. It was a small victory that allowed me to wash the underwear he wet in about an hour later without complaint.

Today has already been better. He has not wet in his pants at all and even went potty at the gym twice. He did give me a #2 treat in a pullup at the gym, but he had not wet. He just woke up from his nap, and he was dry. I'm proud of him even though I know we have a long way to go. This potty training isn't easy for any of us, so I'm taking it one step at a time.

Here's to dry underwear and small victories!

Noah, Noah, Noah

Although I've known for a while that Noah has little fear, his daily antics still surprise me. For example, the day I went into his room to see what he and Landon were doing, and I caught him midair doing a belly flop from the top bunk to the bottom one. Sigh...

Last week, I walked into his room to put his laundry away. I expected him to be fast asleep since he was put to bed an hour or two prior to this. However, this is what I found when I glanced over at his bed:


I figured he had gone into the little cubby below his shelves, but he wasn't there either. Good news was that he was fast asleep. The bad news was that he was on the top bunk.

The ladder was not down-we keep it on the top bunk to avoid him going up there. But my Noah had climbed up there via the desk with his pillow and blanket and proceeded to tuck himself in. We found Mickey Mouse on the desk. I guess his hands were full, and he couldn't get his buddy up there with him. Jason's response probably sums it up: "This kid is going to give us a heart attack."

A few days later, we made our first trip to the ER. Noah had fallen in the bathtub and cut open his chin. We're not exactly sure what happened. His story was that he was "climbing the tree (garden tub) like Diego". He received three stitches. Not surprisingly, he was a brave little guy. He was done crying within minutes of getting hurt and had no problems at the hospital. We're pretty sure the ER nurses will be on our Christmas list within the next year or so.

Her Mother's Daughter

Put down the phone. No need to call DFCS. She didn't have any. She's just fascinated by the bottle.

Walt Disney World

On March 11th, we loaded up the SUV and headed down to Orlando for a trip that was a first for my three boys. Jason, Landon, and Noah were going to experience Disney for the first time together. I have been there a few times, and I still feel like it's a magical place. Our very good friend, Brian, joined us. It was a great trip! I think that was the first time I've seen Jason really relax in two years. The boys enjoyed the parks, but I think they were a little overwhelmed by Magic Kingdom. We made a short trip to Epcot the day that we arrived. The next day was spent at Animal Kingdom and then the pool for a couple of hours. The last two days we did Magic Kingdom (along with some more pool time, of course). Jason's birthday was Friday, so he was able to celebrate with Mickey. Not a bad way to celebrate if you ask me. Lilah stayed with my parents for the 5 days we were gone. We missed her tremendously, but it really was for the best. From what I've heard, she had a good time just hanging out with Grandma and Papa and her aunts and uncles. She'll be with us next time--princess gear and all!

There were so many pictures, so I just made a little slide show for each park.