Lost Hat

Saturday morning Liam, Alanna, and I headed to the mall to get my ring from the jewelry store.  We spent a few hours there after picking up my ring, and while walking around, I suddenly realized that Liam did not have his hat on any more.  I went back to every store we had been in but I could not find it.  I assumed some other little boy had picked it up and it was gone.  I thought maybe Liam would be ok without it, and I could either get him a new hat, or this could be the end of him wearing his hat all the time...I was wrong!

When we got out to the van, Liam asked for his hat.  I explained to him that we had lost it, and that I had tried to find it, but I didn't know where it was.  He seemed ok and went down for a nap when we got home without asking for it again.  When he got up from his nap, he immediately asked in a very panicked voice "where's my hat?"  I told him "we lost it baby!"  Now, this means nothing to a two year old who's hat is like a security blanket to him.  He continued to cry for his hat, which ended up turning into screaming for his hat.  I knew I had to find his hat.  I got up, and called several of the stores we had been at earlier.  When I called Old Navy, the man who answered said that no one had turned it in, but he went to look for it.  It was there!!!  It was hidden behind some shirts where Liam had been looking.  

So at 6PM, we headed back to the mall, in the rain to get Liam's hat.  He was so happy when the man at Old Navy gave it to him. 

All is right in Liam's world again!

(This picture was taken back in December 2013, but I thought it was so fitting for this post)

Procrastination almost cost me a diamond & $500

About two weeks ago, Nathan and I were laying on our bed talking.  I held my left hand up in the air while I was talking about something (I have a hard time talking without using my hands) when I realized...my diamond had fallen out of my wedding ring!!!  

You can imagine the horrible, terrible, most awful feelings that were going through me!  My ring is my favorite gift from Nathan.  I did not want to have to replace my diamond with another diamond.  It would not be the original diamond he gave me.  It would not be the same!

Then another terrible feeling came over me...guilt!  You see, with the company Nathan purchased my ring from, if I got it inspected once every six months, they would cover loss of a diamond at no charge to me.  The problem was, I hadn't had it inspected in almost two years!  And to make it worse, Nathan had just asked me about a week prior to this, to PLEASE get my ring inspected.  He is always asking me to take it in and get it inspected but I just either don't think about it, or if I do, I never feel like taking the time to wait for it...even though it only takes a few minutes.  

I knew I had lost it that day because I look at me ring frequently throughout the day, and I didn't notice anything until that Thursday evening.  I had been home all day, so I assumed I had lost it in the house somewhere.  Nathan went to sweep the house but I had already swept the entire house that day, except for Alanna's room.  We spent the next day looking through the house, re-sweeping, Nathan went through the trash bag to see if he could find it, and he even went through the vacuum cleaner bag!  No diamond though. 

A week passed and I finally made it into the jewelry store to find out how much it was going to cost to get the diamond replaced.  It was going to cost $500!  That's exactly what I had thought it would cost.  I decided not to have it sent off that day because I wanted to check with Nathan on what he wanted me to do before paying that much money.  I called him after I left the mall.  He told me to "go ahead and pay the $500 to get my ring back to where it needed to be, and to please from now on, keep up with the inspection."  It would have been easier I think, if Nathan had been upset with me.  But he handled it all so calmly.  He didn't keep reminding me that if I hadn't procrastinated so bad, that none of this would have happened.  He told me once that I should have kept up with it and then let it go.  I'm so thankful he is so good to me!  

A few more days passed.  I hadn't had a chance to get back up to the mall to have my ring sent out.  Nathan had just got home from his part-time job one evening, when he went into Alanna's room to rock her.  When he sat down in the glider...my diamond fell onto the floor!!!  He came out of the room so excited saying "Lauren, look!!!"  You can imagine how happy both of us were!  I was so happy I had not sent the ring off a few days prior.  Nathan took my ring in and they sent it off to be fixed, at no charge to us.

God is so good! 

Moral of this story...

Don't procrastinate

I have been pretty convicted since this incident.  I am working on not procrastinating so much any more. 

{Ephesians 5:15-17}

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Photo Credit:  Justin Hankins Photography

Family Trip To The Zoo

This past weekend, Nathan was off work and it was not snowing for a change, so we decided to head to the zoo.  My Dad came with us and we had such a wonderful day!  We got family passes this year, so I'm really excited about lots of fun times with the boys.  

It was Liam and Alanna's first time at a zoo.  Alanna of course, was too young to understand, but Liam LOVED it!  He loved the monkeys and the giraffes.  He was really scared of the camels though because of the noise they kept making.  He grabbed me and said "They going to get me Mommy!"  I felt bad for him, but it was actually pretty cute. He liked the flamingos as well.  He has a hard time saying the "fl" sound.  He usually says a "th" sound instead.  So when he saw the flamingos he said "thlingos!!!" 

 Ruy loved the Orangutan.  The Orangutan tried to spit on Ruy and my Dad, which Ruy thought was awesome!  Boys...why do they love anything that is gross? :)  Ruy also loved the giraffes.  Both the boys got to pet one and feed one.  Giraffes are so soft and sweet.  I loved them too! 

We spent about three hours there and by the end of the day, Liam was pretty worn out.  He wasn't too thrilled when I asked for a family picture.  But I'll take what I can get :)  He crashed out pretty hard on the way home.  The boys have talked about all the animals at the zoo for the past few days and can't wait to go back!  

Closing Lauren Zeigler Photography

Yes, you read the title to this post right.  I am closing Lauren Zeigler Photography.  

A part of me feels so relieved, and the other part feels like I am a failure.  I have struggled with this decision for some time now.  I had thought that after I had Alanna, I would try to build my business up, get more fans, book more sessions...but there was always this feeling in my heart that that was not the right thing to do.

Once I had Alanna, I knew.  I knew there was no way I could continue the business, but I didn't want to admit it to myself or anyone else.  I felt like a failure.  I saw so many other moms running their photography business successfully, and having young children.  What was wrong with me?  Why could I not handle it?  

I have finally realized...I am not those other photographers.  Their life is not my life.  What they do does not determine what is best for me.  I am not a failure just because I feel I can not run a business at this time and give 100% to my family.  I am putting my family first...and that is not failing. 

My husband works over 300 hours a month and is full time in school.  I am home taking care of three children, and home-schooling.  I do not have family members that can watch my children.  Running a business is very time consuming.  And at this time in my life, it is not the best thing for our family. 

 I have every desire to one day start my business back up, but I do not know when that will be.  Maybe one year from now, maybe five, maybe ten.  Until then, I will continue to learn and grow.  

 I will continue to capture my children's lives through photography.

They were my inspiration for starting my business...the whole reason I fell in love with photography.  My family is my world.  And right now, they need me more than my business does.

I am finally at peace.  

 

Menu Plan / Week of March 23

I used to be SO good at sticking with a menu plan.  The past few months though, I have not done so well.  So I am working really hard starting this week at getting back into writing up a menu and sticking with it.  I am trying to loose the last 10 pounds I gained with Alanna's pregnancy, so my breakfasts and lunches will be different from the boys, except for Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday and Sunday will be my relax days :)

Monday:

Breakfast - 

Boys/ Pancakes (make double batch & freeze for next week,) 

Me/ Yogurt Parfait 

Lunch-  

Boys/ PB & Jelly, smoothies

Me/ Salad with hard boiled eggs, smoothie 

Dinner-

Hamburgers on homemade buns, homemade fries, homemade applesauce

Tuesday:

Breakfast-

Boys/ Cereal

Me/ Yogurt Parfait

Lunch-

Boys/ Bean & cheese quesadilla, fruit

Me/ Salad with grilled chicken, fruit

Dinner-

Spaghetti, salad, breadsticks

Wednesday:

Breakfast-

Boys/ scrambled eggs, toast, fruit

Me/ scrambled eggs, fruit

Lunch-

Boys/ Grilled cheese, chips, applesauce

Me/ Salad with hard boiled eggs & chicken, applesauce

Dinner-

Leftover spaghetti

Thursday:

Breakfast-

Boys/ oatmeal, fruit

Me/ oatmeal, fruit

Lunch-

Boys/ PB & J, smoothie, almonds

Me/ Salad, smoothie

Dinner-

Homemade Pizza

Friday:

Breakfast-

Boys/ Banana muffins

Me/ Yogurt parfait

Lunch-

Boys/ snack-y-lunch (crackers, fruit, cheese) 

Me/ salad, cheese, fruit

Dinner- 

Bean & Cheese Burritos  

Saturday:

Breakfast-

Muffins

Lunch-

Ham & Cheese Paninis, fruit

Dinner-

Breakfast for dinner (waffles, eggs)

Sunday:

Breakfast-

Cereal

Lunch-

Chicken Parmesan

Dinner-

We usually just eat leftovers or cereal on Sunday nights. 

Snacks: (We eat snack at 10:30 & 3:30 every day.  Liam has been napping from 2-5 every day the past few weeks though, so his snack schedule has been a little different than mine and Ruy's.)

Granola Bars

Popcorn

Fruit

Goldfish

Peanuts

Almonds

Raisons

Homemade soft pretzels

Muffins

If you have any good recipes you'd like to share, please leave them in the comments!

Alanna Four Months

Four Months

March 14, 2014

? pounds ? ounces ? inches *(I had every intention of taking her in and getting her weighed and measured within a few days of turning 4 months.  However, a storm came, then my sister came into town, then we got sick with the flu and I just haven't been able to get it done.  I'm hoping to take her in this coming week.)

You are now sleeping between three and eight hours straight each night.  The past two weeks you have slept eight hours almost every night.  The first night you slept that long, I woke up just minutes before you did.  I jumped out of bed to make sure you were ok.  You could probably sense me near you because you woke up right after that.  I moved your crib into your room on March 12.  I was very nervous about doing this.  Ruy slept in a crib next to my bed until he was 2.5 years old, and Liam slept in bed next to me until he was 14 months old.  You sleep so much better at night than they did though, so I felt that it would be good for Daddy and me to have our room back.  I still plan on putting you in bed with me to nurse once you wake up though.  I love that time with you.  Before I know it, you will not want to nurse at night and I will miss these moments.  

You love kisses.  When you feel my lips, you open your sweet little mouth.  You leave drool all over me but I don't mind.  Daddy loves your sweet kisses too!  Ruy and Liam do not appreciate the drool.  Liam always says "ew yuck!  Lanna drooling on me!" 

You found your fingers.  You like to suck on them.  Sometimes you suck on them and put yourself back to sleep.  The other night, you were making such loud smacking sounds it won't me up.  

You have the cutest double chin when you smile really big.  You have a little dimple in your chin.  I love the little dimples on your elbows and your hands.  I love to kiss them.  I love your soft baby skin.  It is so smooth and perfect.  You love when Daddy or I kiss your belly.  It makes you laugh.  You have a small bald spot on the back of your head.  It is adorable.  

You try to talk more and more all the time.  You coo and laugh.  You also make an adorable high squeaky sound when you are really excited.  

  You get so happy to see Daddy when he gets home from work.  As soon as you hear his voice, you start looking for him.  You will turn your head to watch him as he is walking around the house. 

You are so alert.  You love to look around and see what is going on.  Your brothers distract you a lot while you are nursing.  Sometimes it is hard to get you to nurse because you want to see what they are doing so bad. You are very sensitive to loud noises.  You do not like screaming, especially when you are trying to nurse or sleep.

Your favorite things are your pacifier, your bunny, and your little brown blanket.  You fall asleep holding onto your blanket for every nap and at night.  You do not fall asleep as well without it.  

You still love taking baths.  You love feeling the water.  If you are upset, you will stop crying once you get into the bath tub. 

You like to roll over from your tummy to your back.  You are trying to roll from your back to your tummy but you can't get it just yet.  I have a strong feeling you will crawl and walk earlier than your brothers did.

You are the sweetest little girl ever!  You bring so much joy into all of our lives!
Happy Four Months Baby Girl!

The First Day of Spring

Today was the first day of Spring! I was so happy today when I woke up and realized we were going to have a warm, sunny day!  I knew today was going to be a major cleaning day, so I was looking forward to being able to open up the windows and doors while I cleaned.  The 24 hour flu bug that is going around, just came through our house this week.  So our house really needed to be cleaned and disinfected. 

We headed out for a little family walk/bike ride (Ruy & Liam ride bikes while we walk) after Liam and Alanna's nap.  I had Nathan snap a few pictures of me and my sweet girl before taking our walk.  I tend to forget to get in pictures with the kids and that's something I'm trying to work on this year.

There is something about the warmth of the sun that just fills my soul with such happiness.  I have been aching for Spring to get here.  I'm hoping we are pretty much past the cold, rainy, snowy days!

Welcome Spring 2014!  

Our Story {Part 2}

Our Story

{Part 2}

It all began in the Fall of 1999.  I was in 6th grade.  One of my best friends at that time Ashleigh, started going to the same Christian school that Nathan went to.   I was home-schooled but Ashleigh and I went to the same church.  Ashleigh started talking to me about her new school and all her new friends.  It seemed like a really wonderful school and I enjoyed hearing all about it.  It wasn't but a few months after she started going to her new school, that she began speaking of a boy named Nathan.  She spoke of him fairly often and even before meeting him, I knew a good deal about him...(his hair color, eye color, his height, how cute he was, how a lot of the girls liked him)...all the important stuff right :) After that, I had a strong desire to meet him.  

In May 2000, right after my 12th birthday, Ashleigh invited me to an activity at her school.  My parents said I could go and I was so excited.  I had wanted to meet Nathan for some time and now I was finally going to.  For the entire week leading up to the activity, my stomach was in knots.  I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me.  I had never met Nathan.  I had never even seen a picture of Nathan.  And yet I was having all these crazy, weird emotions. 

The evening of the activity finally arrived and Ashleigh's Dad came to pick me up.  I remember walking into Ashleigh's school for the first time.  I remember the smell.  I remember the sounds.  I remember the overwhelming excitement that was going on inside of me. 

All of the kids/teens were meeting in the Chapel.  Ashleigh and I walked in and she lead me over to a group of young kids.  It was her class.  I sat on one of the benches a few feet away from where Ashleigh was standing.  I was very nervous about meeting her friends and felt better just sitting off by myself at first.  I remember I was sitting there putting some lip gloss on when I heard someone say "So is that Lauren?"  At hearing my name, I looked up.  A tall boy was standing next to Ashleigh and looking at me!  Ashleigh said yes it was Lauren and called me over to introduce me to her friend.  Of course, it was Nathan!  My heart was pounding!  I thought surely he could hear how hard and fast it was beating!  I was terrified of saying something stupid and embarrassing myself.  I remember just saying a quick "Hello, nice to meet you!"  and sitting back down on the far side of the bench with another boy I knew from my church.  

Once every one had arrived, the leaders led all of us out to play some games.  I don't remember what games we played or really any conversations I had with anyone that night other than one conversation I had with Nathan.  I don't know how it got started but during one of the games Nathan decided it would be a good thing to tell me he thought I had "gorilla lips."  Anyone who knows me, knows I have very full lips.  I used to think this was a bad thing.  It wasn't until I became a teenager that I realized that most women wish they had full lips.  Anyways, as a 12 year old, this comment from Nathan was devastating.  I thought to myself  "he must think I am the ugliest girl alive or he would not have said such a thing!!!"  I did not understand how 12 year old boys minds work.  I did not understand that 12 year old boys flirt by teasing.  He continued to call me gorilla lips the rest of the evening despite my whining for him to please stop. Of course, I didn't realize that me whining to him, is what he was hoping to achieve. 

After the games, we moved into a time of preaching out on the outdoor bleachers.  I was sitting next to Ashleigh and Nathan was on the other side of her.  At the end of the service, Ashleigh went forward to pray with one of her friends.  This left me sitting next to Nathan!   My heart was once again beating faster than I had ever known humanly possible.  I kept thinking to myself "Seriously Lauren, what on earth is your problem? Get it together!" The service ended and I said good-bye to Nathan.  I walked towards the car with Ashleigh...wondering if I would ever see Nathan again...

I had no idea that I had just met my future husband.

to be continued...

Our Story {Part 1}

Our Story 

{Part 1}

I have started this post over and over again, only to delete it before finishing it.  I'm not really sure why I haven't been able to bring myself to publishing it until now.  Maybe it's because I am afraid my words won't mean anything to anyone, or maybe it's because I'm afraid they will.  Maybe it's because I'm afraid words won't do it justice.  Whatever the reason...

 Our Story is a beautiful story.  It is a story of friendship, of joy, of anger, of forgiveness, of love...the deepest truest love. 

To be continued...

Moving Alanna To Her Room

 Alanna's crib has been in my room since she was born.  I have always attempted to lay her in her bed first at night time before putting her in bed with me.  If she wouldn't fall asleep or she woke up as soon as I laid her down, I would just put her in bed with me.  If she did stay asleep after I laid her down, she would just get in bed with me once she woke up the first time.  I don't have the energy to sit up at night nursing her and trying to get her back to sleep.  It's so much easier just to put her in my bed, nurse her, and go back to sleep while she nurses.  

Alanna has been a really good sleeper since she was about 8 weeks old.  That's when she started taking her morning nap and afternoon nap pretty consistently. At night time she was going to bed in her crib most nights and sleeping about 3 hours before getting into bed with me.

About 2 weeks ago, she started sleeping 8 hours straight at night almost every night. The first night she slept that long I jumped out of bed to check on her and make sure she was still breathing!  Neither of my boys slept through the night until they were much much older (Ruy was 2.5 & Liam was 1.5), so it has been a nice change to have a baby that sleeps well at night.  I decided to move her crib into her room 3 days ago.  I felt it would be good for Nathan and I to have our space back.  

She did not sleep very well the first night because the night-light was too bright and her favorite blanket was in the wash.  She only slept about 3 hours before getting into bed with me.  But after adjusting the lighting, and giving her her blanket, she slept almost 8 hours both nights.  It has felt strange going to bed knowing she is in a completely different room, but overall it has been a good transition. 

Family Day

Sunday was such a good day!  

Beautiful weather. Wonderful church service.  Amazing afternoon spent with family.

My heart was full.

Playing Zorro

My boys love to dress up.  We have a Rubbermaid container filled with cowboy hats, guns, firefighter clothes, army clothes, etc.  You can find Ruy on most days running around either inside or outside, shooting a bear, fighting a bandit, or using the force to capture Darth Vader.  Liam usually is fighting a lion.  I love that children have such amazing imaginations.

Our most recent addition to our dress up bin, was swords and Zorro costumes.  My Mom bought the boys swords from Five Below and then made them masks and capes.  My Mom is an amazing seamstress, crafter, painter!  The masks and capes didn't have to be sewn but she can sew just about anything. The boys have had so much fun lately running around the house sword fighting each other.  

We have an old black and white Zorro movie that Ruy loves watching.  Eventually I'd like to get him the Zorro Show that Disney put out back in the 50's.  My siblings and I LOVED this show. 

Last night, the boys spent the entire evening playing Zorro.  They laughed and laughed at each other!  They even HAD TO keep them on during dinner.  It was such a fun evening, just enjoying watching them play!

I snapped a few pictures of them with my P&S (point & shoot) since it was closer to me.
Love my crazy boys SO much! 

Monthly Post {Ruy & Liam} February 2014

 

Ruy - February 2014

- You held Alanna while standing up for the first time.

- One day while we were driving to a store, you saw Jared's.  You said "Look Mom! That's the only place that sells jewelry made of chocolate! I saw the commercial on TV!" 

- We took a family morning to the Children's Museum, and then you went to the batting cages with Daddy for the first time. I can not believe I forgot to send a camera with Nathan that day!

-We had a fun Valentine's Day party with Chloe, Lily, and Ruby.  You and Chloe had lots of fun making chocolate covered strawberries!  You painted a beautiful picture of a tree made from your hand print!  You accidentally poked your eye with a wire while trying to do a craft.  I thought you tore something in it but thankfully you did not and you were ok! 

- You lost your second tooth!  

You were so sad when you got up the morning after you lost the tooth.  You didn't find any money under your pillow!  I told you it had to be there.  I went into your room to help you look for it and found Liam holding $2 on his bed.  The money must have fallen down onto his bed while you were looking for it.  Liam looked pretty confused as to what he was holding and why it was on his bed.  We got a good laugh from it and you were very happy to have your $2.  

- We built a snowman together.  We named him Pete.  We used M&Ms for his eyes and nose. They made the snow turn blue,orange and brown.  He didn't last long though.  You destroyed him.  You said you were wresting him..Poor Pete! 

 - You decided Army men were awesome and wanted everything army.  Daddy went out and bought you some army clothes and now we can't get you to take them off!  You want to sleep in them every night and then wear them every day.  :) You do not understand why I have to wash them.

...

Liam - February 2014 

- You got your hair cut and for the first time, didn't cry through the whole thing!  You sat still and only whined for a little bit because you got stressed about having hair on your hands.  You REALLY wanted a sucker!  I was so proud of you. 

- You had fun at our Valentine's Day Party as well.  You loved the chocolate covered strawberries but mostly just the chocolate.  I kept finding you licking the chocolate off the strawberries and then re-dipping it back into the chocolate. 

- You got really sick again this month.  I know...we are both over it.  You got another double ear infection, and some sort of throwing up virus that lasted about 48 hours.  

- I started potty training you.  You wanted nothing to do with it at first but have progressively gotten better and better at it.  I still have to remind you to go potty most of the time but you are dry after your nap and at night time (10-12 hours of sleep) which is amazing!  

- I kissed you good night the other night on the cheek instead of your lips.  You grabbed me and said "No Mommy, on my mouth!"  And made me kiss you again on your lips.  Your little hands on my face, pulling me down to kiss your sweet little lips was so precious.  

- I was taking off your socks and said "I got your sockys!"  You thought it was funny and have now been calling me "socky" ever since. 

A Hat & Some Crocs

Some children have a blanket they keep with them at all times, others carry a stuffed animal...

Liam wears a hat and crocs.

It all started last Spring.  I bought both the boys straw hats from Crazy 8.  When I first tried to get Liam to wear the hat while we were in the store, he wanted NOTHING to do with it.  He screamed and kept throwing it on the floor.  I bought it anyway because we were heading to the beach in a few days and I didn't want him to get burned.  I called my sister and told her I wasn't sure what to do because he didn't want to wear the hat.  Her advice was pretty simple..."You tell him NO.  You will wear the hat."  I know, I should have thought of that myself! :)  So, I decided to get him used to the hat before we went to the beach.  He tried to throw it off but after a few firm "nos" and me pulling his hands away from the hat and making him leave it on, he got the point and left it alone.  I had no idea how much he would fall in love with the hat after that moment.

Once he decided to leave the hat on, there was barely a time when he wanted it off.  If he had it off, it was usually because I had purposefully put it out of his site, or told him we needed to leave it at home.

I don't remember exactly when it happened, but at some point he decided to switch from wearing his hat to wearing Ruy's hat.  Ever since he made that decision, he will not let Ruy (or pretty much anyone else for that matter) touch the hat.  Ruy had stopped wearing his hat after the beach so it didn't really bother him when Liam started wearing it.  Ruy hasn't really ever been big into hats unless it was baseball season.  

 He started loving his crocs back in September when I pulled them out of the "shoe box".  I kept all of Ruy's old shoes and thankfully, Liam has fit into almost all of them.  (Ruy loved his crocs about the same way Liam loves them.) The funny thing is, he likes to wear them on the wrong feet.  I will even sit them in front of his feet the right way, and he will cross his feet over and put them on wrong anyway. 

He wakes up every morning wanting his hat and his crocs on.  He is sad when he has to take them off for nap time, and if he can't find them after his nap, I hear him walking around the house saying in a very distressed voice "Mommy, where my hat?  Where my crocs?"  And he will repeat asking for them over and over again, his voice getting more and more upset, until we find them.

His hat is getting pretty worn out.  I am planning on getting him a new one this Spring.  I have a feeling he will not want to part with this one though. It has kind of become a part of him.  And even though I have missed seeing his adorable curls...

I will never forget how much I love this sweet little boy in his  

hat & crocs. 

A week of potty training

I decided to start potty training Liam this past Monday.   The whole week prior, you might remember that Liam had been sick with an ear infection, throwing up, irritable bowls, and having to get multiple shots.  The doctor had told me that Liam was not contagious...but then Ruy started struggling with irritable bowls and then last Sunday night he woke me up saying he had thrown up.  It was terrible.  He threw up over the side of the bunk bed.  It went all over Liam's quilt, all over the floor, and the train table.  I had to turn on the light, mop, wash the table, and change Liam's quilt.  I could not believe that Liam SLEPT through the whole thing!!!   I was extremely thankful for that.  I put Ruy to sleep in my room the rest of the night and went back to sleep wondering if I really wanted to attempt to start potty training Liam in the morning....

I woke up already exhausted from the night's adventures.  But I really wanted to get Liam potty trained and as much as I wasn't looking forward to cleaning up pee the entire day... I pressed on.  

The first two days were kind of hard.  Liam DID NOT want to wear underwear.  He kept crying asking me for his diaper.  He cried every time I put him on the potty.  It took me 15-20 minutes to get him to actually relax and go.  He had several wet accidents those first two days.  He loved getting M&Ms though.

On the evening of the second night, Nathan came home from work and took him potty.  I was trying to take care of Alanna and asked Nathan to help out with him.  I heard laughing coming from the bathroom and went to see what was going on.  Nathan was sitting on the side of the tub, giving high-fives to Liam and Liam was just laughing and laughing.  After only a few minutes, (and no crying) Liam went potty.  

The next morning started out with me trying to get Liam to go potty and him just crying and not wanting to go.  Then I decided to sit on the side of the tub like Nathan had.  I started talking to him about how Nathan had made him laugh by giving him high-fives.  He stopped crying and starting talking about Daddy.  We talked about how Daddy was at the fire station and then he wanted me to sing to him.  I started singing a song I learned in "Junior Church."  For those of you who grew up in a Baptist Church, you know what I'm talking about.  It was the one that goes "one two three Jesus loves me, one two Jesus loves you."  I didn't even get through the whole song and he had finally gone.  It was the least stressful moment I had experienced in his potty training.  After that, I had to "sit on the tub" and sing to him, per his request, every time he went potty.

By the end of the week, he had significantly less wet accidents and was even telling me when he had to go potty most times without me having to ask him.  He hasn't figured out when to tell me he has to go #2 and has pretty much only gone in his pants this past week (including when we were at Chick-fil-a).  I'm hoping he will do better with that this week.  

Potty training is not something that I love to do.  But I have been trying to stay positive and find the joy in the sweet moments it has brought.  For example, the other night, I was making dinner when Liam said he had to go potty.  I quick grabbed him up and took him to the bathroom.  He was taking forever to relax and go, so I started singing to him.  He finally went and then quick pulled up his cute little Thomas underwear and his pants, and jumped into my lap saying "yay, I did it!  Go get M&Ms!" I sat there hugging him looking at his sweet face...he had his hat and crocks on (he hardly goes a minute without wearing them) and had the biggest smile on his face.  He was so proud of himself!  And in that moment, even though I didn't feel like stopping what I was doing to take him potty, I found such joy.  Yes, it's a small thing but that's what makes life worth while....

finding joy in the little things!