We are Moving!!!

Our house is SOLD!  It all happened so fast!  We put it on the market January 18, had an accepted offer February 4 and subjects were removed February 10-and the sold sticker was placed on the sign!  And the best part...the new owners move in February 23!!  Which means I need to start mad packing and cleaning like a crazy woman!!!!  I forgot how time consuming packing is!  Kev told me yesterday that it shouldn't take us too long to pack because "we really don't have that much stuff"-coming from the man who won't be packing or unpacking!  And I'm just fine with that!  I love packing-it's like a good cleanse!  And it feels so good to chuck out the junk!  Our new place isn't quite ready but by next week it should be cleaned and done and ready for us to move in!  Let the decorating begin!

Goodbye Boxed Nursing Bras...Hello New Beautiful Nursing Bra

Now I wouldn't normally be sharing my new lingerie with the world but this I must share!  Today I bought a new nursing bra and have fallen in love with it!  It's beautiful, it's feminine and it serves a purpose (to nurse my baby).  And this is it:

Goodbye nasty, old, "use to be" white nursing bra, goodbye "look I'm flat chested" nursing bra, goodbye "very uncomfortable" box nursing bra!  Hello I'm a breastfeeding sexy mama nursing bra!

These bras are seriously beautiful and comfortable and everything a nursing bra should be!  And I will be getting more!  Here's the website: http://www.you-lingerie.com/.

I got mine in Abby at Nine!  How did I live without this?  I feel like a woman again!!!

Lincoln's Bedroom

I need some inspiration!  I've been having a hard time finding bedding for Lincoln's new room.  Boys bedding is hard to find!  I love Restoration Hardware and have started to fall in love with this bedding:

It's got a vintage feel to it and I kinda like that!
I also really like:

It's masculine and very boyish!  I just don't know if the navy sets too much of a sailor or nautical theme.

I think my hearts set on the first picture but I'm a little iffy with ordering bedding online-you can never really tell what the true colors look like and I don't really want to go through the hassle of having to return it if I don't like it!  I also want to make sure I'm going to love this bedding for a long time because it's not cheap and I hate having buyers remorse.  I'm looking for bedding that Lincoln can "grow into."  I know if he had it his way he'd probably have a Thomas themed bedroom.

And Potty Training Has Begun

Wednesday was disastrous!

Thursday was miraculous

Friday...well Friday was UNBELIEVABLE...5 pees, 1 poo...all in the potty and dry after his nap...this is where the clouds open up and the angels sing "Hallelujah"

And today...he knows what he's doing and he's doing it!!!!  We are potty training baby!!!  And I am so proud of my little man and he's so proud of himself!!!!!

Well...That Worked!

So after a night of reflecting, being grateful and feeling a tad bit guitly for feeling frustrated I decided to take a different approach to potty training this morning.  I decided to try the Michelle Duggar approach...drug induced patience.  Now I know she probably doesn't do drugs but that woman is uber patient...she's always so calm and kind and speaks so softly and nothing seems to ruffle her feathers-I seriously don't know how she does it with 19 kids.  And for the record I didn't start my day off doing drugs.  I just thought I would go with the flow, be patient, speak softly, move at Lincoln pace.  All the other times we had tried potty training I'd just keep asking him and asking him and asking him and if he wanted to sit on the potty then he'd sit on the potty and if he had an accident then we'd talk about it-there was no forcing him or crying or screaming and me begging and pleading-it was very low key and we just went with the flow.  This time around I really thought that I needed to be a little more forceful and aggressive and just give him that little push to let him know that we meant business (which clearly didn't work).  We had a showing at 9:30 so the kids and I needed something to do for an hour and a half.  We headed to McD's for some breakfast and to take advantage of the McDonald's play place...Lincoln peed his pants.  It wasn't a big deal at all and he denied peeing when I asked him.  When we got home he wanted to be changed and we talked about how uncomfortable it would have been to wear wet underwear and pants.  He was hanging around naked when I asked if he needed to go pee (I decided I wasn't going to force him to sit on the potty any more and if he peed on the floor or carpet - then oh well accidents happen and we've had plenty in the past (thank God for hardwood:-)  He said no like he always does.  I brought the potty out into the living room  and asked if he wanted to sit on it while watching TV-again he said no.  A few minutes later he sat on it (with the lid on), then I told him he needed to put the lid up...he listened and sat back down on it...a few minutes later..."Mama I peed"!  Yes he did!!!!  YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!  I was so unbelievably proud!!!!!  And before his nap I told him he had two choices-1. take kitty, teddy and b and go have a nap or 2. sit on your potty and watch cartoons...of course he chose to watch cartoons and he came out to tell me he peed!  Yes!!!  And tonight before bed I told him again he had two choices (love this whole choice thing-it totally helps during melt downs too)-1. go and put your pj's on or sit in mommy and daddy's room on your potty and watch cartoons.  Sure enough a few minutes later he came out to tell us he had peed!  There were high fives and cheering!  Needless to say it was a VERY successful day...and yes I've tried this approach before with no such luck.  I think a lot of it had to do with timing (I don't think he was ready before), moving at his pace and letting him feel as if he's making the decisions!  Today was great...actually it was better than great!!! Lincoln mommy is so very proud of you!!!!!  Ahhh I feel so refreshed after yesterday and I know tomorrow will be a whole new day but I just need to follow Lincoln's lead-my stubborn, hard headed little boy!

Potty Training is Exhausting

I knew this wasn't going to be easy but this whole potty training thing is sucking the life out of me!  And tonight I am drained.  Lincoln is my stubborn, hard headed, move at his own pace type of child-he's been like that since the moment he was born!  People have been telling me when he's ready to potty train he'll let me know and I believe that to some extent.  I also believe that some children just need that little push-and that's what I am doing and I am  hoping and praying I don't scar him in the process.  Lincoln hates sitting on the potty and I feel like I am forcing him and he screams and cries and it breaks my heart but he'll hold his pee for 12 hours and that can't be good!  Even with a diaper on he wouldn't pee!  And I feel bad cause I told him not to pee in his diaper and that big boys go pee on the potty and sure enough he wakes up dry but then refuses to pee on the potty and I know his bladder is full and it's gotta be hurting!  Do I go full steam ahead and keep on him or did I back off and hope and pray he comes to me and tells me he's ready!  I really don't know what to do in this situation.  He did so good the first and second day and the last three have been exhausting and I've run out of patience. 

I took a break from writing this and looked on Kelle Hampton's blog (she's so inspiring) to read her updated blog post...it's about her friends son who's eight and has died from a sledding accident...it makes my potty training trials seem so unimportant...minor...insignificant compared to the loss this family is dealing with.  I needed that...to be reminded of what really matters...Lincoln will NOT wear diapers until he is eighteen and even if he does I will love him any way.  Tomorrow is a new day...a fresh clean slate...and we will start over with lot's of hugs, snuggles and kisses and I will encourage him and be a better mama.  I will try not to get frustrated, and I will dig deeper into the patience bucket and I will be thankful for the little things in life.  We will get through this...he will get potty trained and if not tomorrow then in the (near) future.  I am just reminded at how fragile life is and how important living each day to the fullest is!  I am blessed to have two little boys...the loves of my life and I am grateful for each and every minute I get to spend with them!  And right now I need to go kiss my babies and whisper in their little ears "Mama loves you so much."

De-Junk

I had to de-junk my closet!  I had clothes in there that I kept telling myself "I am so going to wear that again one day" and the truth is...I know I won't!  They're clothes from back in the day...before I became a mom and honestly a Guess lace midrift that laces up in the front exposing my skin probably isn't something I am going to be sporty any time soon but I'm holding onto it because it cost a lot and I think I've maybe worn it once.  There is no hope for that shirt!  I tend to do that...hold onto clothes that cost a lot, barely worn and just don't have the heart to take to MCC.  Then there's the mens Tommy Hilfiger sweater I bought because I thought it was cool...I might still need to hang onto that one. 

I think I am a hoarder at heart...everything has a memory and I have a hard time letting go...but at the same time I really really do hate junk and clutter and I much prefer organization.  I started on my closet which led me to start going through the rest of the house.  I have a huge bag of boys clothes that I need to donate and next on my list is the kitchen cabinets.  I try to clean out our closets every few months and it always seems like we have so much stuff.  I am really trying to get organized before the big move...it'll just be easier that way.  And there is something so refreshing and rejuvenating about getting rid of junk.  Once spring comes I don't want to be stuck in the house cleaning...I wanna be out walking with the kids or taking them to the park or taking them on impromptu trips to white rock.  Bring on the warm weather! 

Right now both kids have snotty noses...they are gross.  I'm not a fan of snotty nosed kids and it's the first time that both kids have had a snotty nose for more than a day...and it's the kind that runs all day long constantly...and their coughs sound like seal barks.  I was almost embarrassed when snotty nosed Lincoln started barking like a seal in the McDonald's play place...he was like the child you don't want your kid to play with.  But then the other kids started barking like seals and I didn't feel so bad.  My poor kiddies!