Tara Paper

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Rolly Polly Olly

I commented on Facebook awhile back that the baby goes into stealth mode occasionally. This means she'll move, but only when no one's watching. She'll poop, but only if it's silent. And she'll spit up, only when it's strategically inconvenient. She spends a lot of time in stealth mode, actually. She you'll appreciate this gem, I call it Rolly Polly Olly, because she's actually very good at rolling, just don't try to watch.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Story Time

This was filmed awhile ago, but I haven't uploaded videos and pictures from this camera in awhile, so there you go.

Anyway, this is mostly for the grandparents (hi, in-laws!). I bring you:

Monday, January 09, 2012

Adventures in Potty Training

We have dove (dived, doven?) head first into potty training here at HQ. I only had 2 weeks off of teaching early morning seminary until the summer and neither of us could have waited that long. So awkward and frustrating as it was a few times, we charged ahead.

We've been planting the seeds for awhile. We bought this little potty after he turned 2 and he has enjoyed sitting on it.

We practiced taking off his pants and sitting on it with his diaper. We practiced wiping and throwing toilet paper in the potty. (I've been really lucky. The Captain has never tried to flush any foreign objects down the toilet. Also, he is not scared of flushing. Knock on wood.) We also told him he wouldn't be a big boy until he went poop and peep on the potty.

So we made a Big Boy sticker poster. As you can see there are lots of stickers. The Captain has been doing really well, but we'll get to that later.

The Captain really enjoys his big boy undies. In fact, that was a break through for us. This is still his favorite way to wear them.

And he is very good at getting dress by himself. At least from the waist down.

So, I have decided to break potty training into 10 steps. That way I remember it's a long process, and it gives us many things to celebrate along the way. So here are the 10 Steps to Potty Training (a boy) by Tara:

(I have no idea of the actual order of some of these)

Go pee on the potty
Tell me he has to go pee BEFORE going
Go poop on the potty
Go a whole day with no accidents
Make it through a nap with no accidents
Go pee standing up
Go on a big potty
Go on a public toilet
Go all by himself, without telling me
Make it through the night with no accidents

The blue steps are the ones The Captain has already done. Not a bad list for 3 weeks. However, he has only gone poop on the potty once, so I've cleaned up plenty of those messes. Also, we haven't had many accident-free days. He's not very good at telling me yet, so our accident-free days come from constant vigilance. And he only goes on the big potty when it's a public toilet.

In other words, we have a long way to go, but we've definitely made huge strides. I'm so proud of my big boy. He doesn't need stickers any more, he just likes to tell everyone around how he goes peep in the potty.

We also have teething to deal with (with Joy) so our plate is full. Also, there are mice in our kitchen, apparently. So pray for me.

Friday, December 30, 2011

. . . And a Happy New Year

As per usual, at this time of year I like to look at my life with the eyes of an Elementary School teacher and any area that "needs improvement" gets a chance to end up on my resolutions.

So far I have successfully made a dress every month (see sidebar) 2010

and cooked through a cook book (see other blog for a partial telling of this adventure) 2010-2011

Also this last year I started a book club, made friends with my neighbors, took every opportunity to sing, and have managed to finally (maybe) get a schedule for keeping my house in order.

I feel like I'm much more social and outgoing than I used to be. I'm also more assertive, though I still need some work on that one.

So for this year, to help with my socializing and my decorating skills, I have decided to make a wreath every month. I have a group of ladies willing to help me with this goal, so I'm confident it will be another success.

I will try to remember my camera and do some how-to's if you want to play along at home.

Then, if nothing else, I will be able to stick something passably cute on my door and fool everyone on the outside about my interior decorating skills.

Oh, and we're hoping for lots of photo shoots this year. So maybe in 2013 my goal will be to get a website up and start a business.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Year in Review Part 2

Part 1 is on Facebook, but since some of you are not, I thought I'd add some more year-reviewing here.

January

The Captain got lots of practice being a good helper for when Mommy got huge and pregnant and for after with the new baby.

February

Mommy and Daddy took a break to the summer in Brazil, while The Captain chilled with Grandma and his cousins and aunt and uncle in Kentucky.

March

I braved travel alone, pregnant, with a toddler for a wedding. It was cold. And all The Captain wanted to do was walk around in the cold. Side note: this is one of the last times he would consent to wearing a vest.

It was also The Captain's birthday.

April

In April The Captain's captain bed arrived (our present to him).

And he learned to die Easter eggs.

May

We planted our garden and got lots and lots of cucumbers this year. Also, Mommy got a flower garden. Happy Mommy.

June

Father's Day!

July

Lots of this:

which led to lots of this:

August

Look how handy all that training was now that I'm ready to pop.

This picture was taken a few days after my due date, but Joy was already 2 weeks old.

September

Not to be deterred by recovery time, we spent Labor Day in Williamsburg.

Because I started teaching seminary again right after. Any guesses on the book of scripture we're studying this year?

October

Halloween usually gets the spotlight, but we also have our anniversary in October, and Johnny's parents came to visit, so we got to go out. And Joy was blessed, and we went to Monticello, where The Captain decided he'd had enough.

November

Something about Jefferson must have sunk in because I walked in the basement one day to find The Captain reading 3 books at once (Jefferson would read up to 6). They are marked with the arrows.

December

Miss Joy is 4 months old. Super cute. Probably one of my favorite stages. She rolls, she giggles, she smiles, and she likes being naked. She really is our little Joy. (She's much smaller than The Captain at that age.)