Splash Park!

After naps, we took a family outing to a nearby splash park.

Kate was so excited!

She ran...

and jumped...

and played in the water...and had a blast!

This was Bryn's first Splash Park (or swimming experience) ever!
Parker showing her the water... Bryn sitting in front of a sprayer...

A little unsure...

And the tears start flowing... (her foot was in the sprayer and water was getting all over her face)

Daddy to the rescue!

Could they be more opposite? Kate loved the water in her face!

Bryn was happier watching on the side with Momma...

Kate made a little friend. Parker and I watched/heard her walk up to this little boy and say, "What are you doing?" She then sat down by him for the next 5-10 minutes... We are so intrigued by watching Kate make friends.

When we got in the car I asked her about her friend and she said, "He was doing nothing." I guess when she asked what he was doing, he responded "nothing." So funny.

Bryn!

Time to go!

Visit from Houston

CC, Katie and Quinn spent a few days in Dallas this week. We had so much fun playing with them.

CC and the grandbabies...Kate (2.5 years), Quinn (15 mos), and Bryn (7 mos)

the babies upclose...Katie was scream-singing "this little light of mine" to get them to look...

Bryn and Katie...

Parker and Quinn...

The Little One

Here are some pics of the little one...

Check out the insane amount of drool/spit-up on her shirt. I've stopped changing her because there is always something on her... Love this expression... Getting some Bailey love... Don't be fooled...still not rolling...She is scooting...backwards. But not able to get on all fours yet...Parker is ready for her to crawl...I am not.

Last Day of CLC

Today was Kate's last day of CLC.

I can't believe the "school year" is already over. This seems like just a few weeks ago...but so much has happened since August...
Kate has loved every minute of school! She especially loved that she got to ride the train today! I wish I could have been there to see her excitement. She learned the Lord's Prayer at school (they say it every day before lunch). I will try to get it on video...it is really cute!

Puffs

We have found our way back into the season of Puffs. And Bryn loves them!!!Unfortunately she is only batting about .250 when it comes to successfully putting them in her mouth. Most of them end up stuck to her body somewhere, or in the chair, or on the floor.Bailey is also batting around .250 as she is the beneficiary of Bryn's failed attempts.

Bryn also has to deal with a serious theft problem! Look at her trying to fight off Kate. One day Bryn you will be able to hold your own and protect what is yours....but that day is not today!

Who knew Puffs...the .02 calorie each, tastleless, basically all-air snack could draw such a crowd?

And the thunder rolls...

Today it stormed on and off all day. And by stormed I mean pouring down rain and loud thunder. This morning it thundered a couple of times and then made a LOUD thunder...so loud I jumped and car alarms started going off. Kate immediately started laughing and said, "WOW, that was LOUD!" Bryn immediately started screaming. It scared her to death. Funny how different their little personalities are already.

Kate was really intrigued by the rain and thunder. I let her sit outside and watch it for about 3o minutes...

PT Update

It's officially been 7 days since we started Potty Training...quite possibly the longest 7 days of my life. But Kate is doing great...

Yesterday we only had one accident all day but it was at a playdate (sorry Sarah!). I was really nervous to send her to school today in Big Girl Panties. I was totally prepared for her to be in a diaper and different outfit when I picked her up...BUT she made it all day with NO ACCIDENTS. I picked her up in the exact same outfit I dropped her off in (and she even took an hour nap)! I was so proud of her! So when we got home, she got 2 "chocolate peanut butter" (mini reese's pb cups). YAY KATE!!!

I am hoping this is my last Potty Training blog...as they say, "No news is good news..." Right?

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Kate reading her new favorite book...Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

No More Shedding

We love Bailey! I have mentioned it many times before but she really is the best dog. But Bailey does have one flaw...she SHEDS! It is her biggest downfall. No matter how many times a week we vacuum and sweep, there is still Bailey hair in the house. Well, today Parker took Bailey to the vet for her annual vaccines. We have always heard shaving a Golden is terrible for their hair...it never grows back the same. The vet mentioned that she shaves her Goldens every year in May and by winter, the hair is back long enough to keep them warm in the winter. Apparently that was all Parker needed to hear because he came home with an electric razor, instructions from the vet on how to do it, and a naptime project for us.

Here's Bailey before...

During...

The Mess...

and AFTER!

She is not scalped...her hair is just really light!

We are not professionals...we couldn't figure out how to "fade." Sorry Bailey!

Bailey may or may not be traumatized...but Here's to NO MORE SHEDDING!!!

Thursday...

Thursday was probably the hardest day I have had since having 2 kids. Kate was having meltdowns over not going potty, Bryn was crying every time I left the room, Kate pushed Bryn over and Bryn hit her head on the wall, Bryn wanted to be held, Kate bit Bryn in the tummy, Bryn took terrible naps, Kate had a major accident, we'd been stuck in the house (thanks to potty training)...

I had a few of those thoughts like, WHAT HAVE WE DONE? But I know every day is not perfect. Some days are just hard. And it just happened that these things happened all at once. And I love being at home with my girls...so I just did a little exercise for myself...just to change my perspective...and I started trying to look for the GOOD things that were happening.

Kate was JUST on day 2 of potty training (not day 222), Bryn is typically such an easy, happy baby, Kate is sweet to Bryn 95% of the time but she is 2 and looses self-control and plays too rough sometimes, some days babies take bad naps, Kate will be potty trained one day, and we will be able to leave the house again...eventually. This is the stage we are in and when I look at the big picture I wouldn't trade it for the world...I love each and every phase of watching these girls grow up.

Why is it so much easier to dwell on the bad things instead of the good? I took a few pictures of the sweet moments just to help me keep perspective...
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Phil 4:8

I love that the verses before that one say, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

And just because I want to remember...this is how Bryn sits in her carseat...

Potty Training

Can you guess what we've been doing this week???
Potty TRAINING! I have been dreading/putting this off for a long time. My first "excuse" was pregnancy, then a newborn, then the holidays and traveling in the car, then Kate's surgery and then our trips...and then 8 months later I ran out of excuses. And it is time. She is interested. So Monday, we made a trip to Target to get all the "supplies." I let her pick out her new big girl panties. She picked Dora (there was not a great selection). So we started on Wednesday morning. No more diapers...we started immediately with accidents...3 of them (not that anyone was counting). Then, she did great! She even had a MAJOR success if you know what I mean. Wednesday afternoon was good too. No accidents...I never let her more than 2 steps away from me...but things were good. I was encouraged. And then Thursday came. I am not sure what happened overnight but we started with accidents...3 of them, again. I kept saying, Kate, tell me when you need to go potty. She would say ok, and then just never say anything. So, we tried a different tactic, which lead to lots of, I can't do it, I don't want to go potty, I don't want to try, No!, and tears! We were both frustrated and in tears at one point. M&M's weren't working, Reese's PB cups weren't working, nothing was working. And to top it off, Bryn decided to scream every time I left the room (separation anxiety???) so that was AWESOME! Figuring out the balance of letting Kate have accidents and learn that way, or pushing her to go potty was a challenge. I mean, I know you need to go when you have had 3 capri suns and 2 sippy cups full of lemonade. SOOOO, I ended Thursday pretty defeated thinking potty training was OVERRATED! Not to mention I had to clean up a MAJOR accident! I woke up Friday seriously contemplating just never taking her night time diaper off. But after she ate breakfast, she asked for her big girl panties...and I reluctantly obliged. Thankfully, Friday was much better...we still had a few accidents, but no screaming I don't want to go potty meltdowns like we had on Thursday. We even got in the car and drove thru Chick Fil A (and made it home dry). Today, was pretty good too...she had 2 accidents all day (and one was playing outside...we just didn't make it in in time). We still have a long way to go on the #2s but I think we are close to consistently getting the #1s. She even said, I need to go potty a few times without me asking/prompting. I am starting to read her better and know how long she can hold it. The 4 of us went out to eat for lunch and she went twice while we were out...no accidents! We really are so proud of her!

This is how Kate's looked the last 4 days...t-shirt and panties. She likes to put them on by herself...notice they are inside out :).

I have to keep reminding myself this is a PROCESS. We are not potty trained...we are potty training! And we will be able to leave the house (confidently) again one day!