Jumping Right In

{Okay so maybe waiting 7 months to post again doesn't count as almost back. We'll see how we do this time? Too much time has passed to really catch up, maybe I'll just hit a highlight or two in no particular order.}



Corbin lost his first tooth about a month or two ago. He was so excited! And darn does he look cute with out it.
Sweet boy was not that excited at first to put his tooth under the pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Turns out he was worried about being embarrassed when he came ( yes we decided that boys have a boy fairy and girls get a girl fairy). But he sure did love the dollar that was left. He still hasn't spent it and if you come over he would be more than happy to show it to you. Maybe this boy will be a saver?

Oh and I just happened to have a new pare of Jammies that didn't make it under the Christmas tree so I gave them to Corbin the night he lost his tooth. Maybe we will make that a tradition with the first lost tooth ~ new jammies.

Almost Back...

We did a good job keeping busy this summer.

I'm gearing up to blog again.

This is just a warm up.

Where's the camera when you need it

I wish that I could download memories or little snippets of our day as if I had walked around and captured it on film. I guess that is what a journal is for, but it would be so much faster if I could just press a send button.

The last few days I have witnessed little moments that I wished my camera was there for. Little moments that if I had run out to get the camera I would have missed.

One night after dinner the boys decided to do the dishes for me. The image of Corbin and Cooper standing on the same chair with their backs to me, their hands all sudsy and water splashing warmed my heart. Cooper wearing shorts a tool belt and a batman mask and Corbin with just dish gloves and boxers. What a cute site.

Or when I heard a sound downstairs and it turned out to be a bare Cooper sitting backwards on the potty with a bike helmet on going #2 for the first time with out my help. Oh he was so proud.

I also got proposed to by both my boys just days apart. Corbin says he will buy me 2 rings {just like daddy did}. Of course I will marry both of them rings or not.

Today I spied Corbin doing push ups in his room before getting dressed. He didn't get that one from me. That is all him.

I love when Cooper puts his arms around me and says in the sweetest little voice "I protect you mommy" then sighs and holds me tight.

These are just a few of the memories I wish I could download. It has only been a day or two and I already forget details. I know these are just little moments, but they are the moments that remind me how lucky I am to be a mom to these two boys.

Zzzzzzzz....

Cooper usually wakes up around 6:00 in the morning.

It is after 10am and he is still asleep!

{I think I am a little jealous}

I have peeked in and yes, he is still breathing...but I have to admit that i was a little worried

Guess we'll be skipping nap time today, but I can deal with that.

The BIG question is "Will He Wake Up Dry" (Smile).

**He finally woke up at 12:40, after I opened his door and started doing laundry by his room. The rest of the day was hilarious. He we so confused he never quite caught up. Oh and yes he did wake up dry. happy day.

Splish Splash

Corbin's Last Ear Tube Came out Monday.

WE CAN SWIM THIS SUMMER!

Ahh we are so excited.

However, he has been disappointed every day since, that the coolest thing he has gotten to do is shower with out an ear plug. He wants to splash.

Two weeks later...

So it has been two weeks since the last potty update and things are going great. On day 4 we put some pants on and got out of the house for the first time. And by day 5 I was running full mornings of errands and Cooper was staying dry.

He still has the occasional wet undies, but really nothing that has needed more clean up then a pants change and those are rare now.

Nights are going okay. We are having more dry nights than wet, but still not 100%. Lots of nights we wakes around 1am to pee, but he has gone whole nights with out waking and he surprises me with dry jammies. He wakes every morning and happily asks if it's his potty training day!

I am still giving him potty treats for most of his efforts and sometimes he doesn't want any.

I was worried about public bathrooms but he does great and will even go #2 while we are out. So while he prefers his little potty at home I don't have to worry about bringing it with me {except to the parks that have no facilities}.

Yea Cooper, he's a natural at this potty training stuff.

Milk and Cookies

Derek went out for milk one night this week and came home with

Milk, cookies, a movie

and a new dishwasher!

I have been washing dishes by hand since we moved in here, there was almost always a pile of dishes on the counter...either they we dirty or cleaned and drying.

Ahhhh

It feels so great to have a clear counter top again.

Let me just say, I will be sending him out to run errands more often. Maybe next time he will bring home a painter.

Thanks babe.

It's Official

I'm a Soccer Mom.

Day 3

Last night Cooper woke up at 1:30 shouting "Mommy I going potty" so I jumped up and he had started wetting the bed but stopped and finished in the toilet. I think that is progress.

I think tonight I will wake him before I go to sleep to see if I can get one more trip to the bathroom out of him. I would love a dry night!

Today went great! Not one accident. Amazing. I haven't really left the house now for 3 days and I still feel a little nervous about that next step. He will not go in the big toilet, only his little potty chair. Any tips out there to help with this one? He did try standing and peeing in the regular toilet tonight and did well, but he's still a little short for that to work great, especially out where toilets are higher. Hmmm, not sure what to do about this one.

Our final tallies at the end of day 3 are...

Potty in the toilet- 14
Accidents in the undies- 0
Nap- dry
Poops-1

Hurray! He's got it.

Day 2

We had kind of a rough night last night. I heard Cooper starting to stir around 10 (and in our limited experience we have learned that when a kid wakes in the night, they need to potty) so I got him and took him to the potty but that made him so mad. I gave up and took him back to bed and just moments later he was wet.

So we changed sheets and undies and put him back to bed. He woke up about an hour later screaming for a drink a water this time he did go potty and woke up an hour later screaming again for some water. It was hard not to let him have any. Poor kid.
Last night was awful. I'm really glad that Derek was home last night to help. Tonight it is all me. I hope it goes better.

But other than a hard night he has been doing great. He woke up dry and went right to the potty. He was very excited that he had "peed a circle" (filled up the little tray all the way around). We have had one accident today so far {it is nap time again} and another good poo.
.....

The rest of the day went well. We had one more accident. I have realized that the accidents happen when I'm not close by him (that's all my fault) and he is outside. This one I was talking to Corbin about his school day. He has started to shout "I going potty" all by himself. But I still have to remind him to get up and run to the bathroom.

So the tally is in:
Potty in the toilet- 10 times
Accidents in the undies- 2
Nap- Dry
Poops-1

Hoping tomorrow will be even better.

Day 1

It is nap time at the moment so I thought I would steal a moment and get this post started.

Things are going pretty well so far. Cooper is really happy in his new undies and what a cute little un-diapered bum he has.

So far no messes to clean up. He has has a couple accidents but he was out side and just wet the undies.

Right now I'm just crossing my fingers that he will wake up dry from his nap....

Fast forward now to evening.

The boys have been asleep for a couple hours. Cooper really did a great job today.

Here are the final numbers:

potty in the toilet-9 times,

accidents in the undies- 3,

nap-woke up dry,

poops- 1

I am hoping for the best tonight. I could really use a good nights rest. Following an almost 3year old around all day is a lot of work. He did pee twice before bed which is perfect...but he also talked me into a swallow or two of water in bed...I may be paying for that one.

More tomorrow

Let the potty training begin!

So we are gearing up over here to potty train Cooper. I picked up the potty chair Saturday. Have a supply of new undies, lots of stickers, popsicles, little candies, toys and carpet cleaner.

Today (Sunday) Cooper was so excited about the whole idea that when I got him out of bed this morning he had already taken his diaper off (the bed was soaking wet of course) and had put his jammie bottoms back on. He went potty in the potty chair twice on his own {well with a little help from his experienced big brother} One of those times he even got out of the shower to go potty. We had to practically tie him down to get a diaper on him before we left for church.

So I have high hopes for the next few days. We officially begin Monday morning after breakfast. So if I don't answer the phone it's because I'm busy following a freshly undied Cooper around. I will be posting his progress, so if you don't like poop talk look out!

Sweet Cooper

I just need to get a few things down in writing before I forget them.

On Easter I was putting Cooper down for a nap and he was upset, he was having fun and didn't want to stop for a rest. So he was crying and complaining as I laid him down so I started to list all the fun things he had already done that morning- Easter bunny, playing with his brother, Grandma and Grandpa came over for breakfast, watching conference- he started to cheer up and add to the list. Now he was happy and ready to sleep. As I walked out of the room he called to me and said "mommy tanks for hewping me tink of happy tings we did today. I happy now". Melt my heart, what a sweet kid.

Just now as Cooper is laying down for bed he called me in to his room. He wanted me to take his lambie. Apparently Lambie was hitting him so he didn't want him in his bed. So I had lambie whisper into my ear that he was sorry and he wanted to give Cooper a hug. So cooper accepted lambies apology and hugged him tight under the blankets and as I walked out I heard him say to his little stuffed lamb "I's otay wambie, I wuv oo. I not hit you eever, otay otay"

I'm telling you this kid says the sweetest things. {I know there are a few more that I wanted to get down, but I can't think of them now. I may be adding to this post later if they come back to me.}

Little Snowman

Derek took Corbin snowboarding a few weeks ago. Corbin is in love and thinks that every Monday should be

'skip school and snowboard day'.

Shamrocks and Cute Little Knees

Happy St. Patrick's Day

We have our green on...Do you!

Rainbows and Cupcakes *with an updated photo*

Really isn't this about the cutest idea for St. Patrick's day Dessert. I'm gonna give them a try tomorrow. If you want to too...here is where I found it.

** So I added a picture of the cupcakes we made today, St Patrick's Day. I think they turned out super cute. We have already shared the broken one in the picture. Yummy.**

The First Change

So we have been in the house now for almost 2 months. That sounds like longer than it feels. But I am loving it and having fun getting settled. We have lots of big plans but things are moving a little more slowly then Derek would like. Mostly because I have a hard time deciding what I really want, especially when it comes to colors. But the first thing to do was obvious. TAKE DOWN THAT BORDER. It's amazing how such a small change can make such a big impact. It feels like a whole new kitchen. Ta Da our first before and after pics..

Green eggs and Ham

Today was my birthday and since I share it with Dr. Seuss I dedicate this short post to him

Me: "Corbin do you want green peas or green beans with dinner?"

Corbin: "mmmm" {short pause, then bright smile} "green french fries?"

the end

Maybe we'll give that a try on st. patrick's day.

Mooo ven on up

Here is some proof that, yes, we are still alive over here.

{Haven't been in a photo booth for a while, that was fun!}

But we are moving {this weekend} for the second time in just under 2 months. This moving thing is for the birds...but I am excited to get all settled in our {new to us} home. It's not far way, but far enough that our phone number is gonna change {sad face}. Thanks to my mom we will be packed up and ready to go. Wish us luck!

Sorry 'bout the empty box

One of my favorite things about this season is opening my mailbox and being greeting with piles of Christmas cards. I love the family pictures, the updates, and the cute card designs that fit each friend.

So don't hate us or worse boycott our box....but we didn't do a card this year.

We will be back on track next year. So please don't scratch us off your list, that would make us sad.

Merry Christmas From Shannon and the Fam!