Saturday, May 31

PJ woke up at 6:30 and we only laid in bed for about 15 minutes after that - then we got ready for our big day at the Magic Kingdom. We ended up bringing 2 back packs to carry a change of clothes for the kids, diapers, wipes, water bottles, cameras, sunscreen, hats, etc. We got in the car and headed toward Disney. We stopped at a Chick fil a for some chicken minis and LJ played at the play park they had...with some other kids who were also headed to Disney.

At 9:05 we pulled into a parking spot in "Pluto" on row 16 and were told several times to remember this...which we did. It was a short walk to the Tram that would take us to the Tickets & Transportation Hub. We bought our tickets after chit chatting with the ticket sales lady and then boarded the Monorail to Magic Kingdom. So far, everyone is excited and we've had a very easy time of it so far.

We arrived at Magic Kingdom and right as we entered, we rented a double stroller. They gave us a half-sheet cardstock with our name on it so we would know it was our stroller for the day. You can park your stroller anywhere off to the side throughout the park and come back to it when you are finished with your ride. We walked through Main Street USA - which is pretty much just dining and shopping and walked right through the center of the castle to get to Fantasyland.

The first ride we rode was Dumbo. We waited maybe 10 minutes and in that time we sun screened up and got acclimated. LJ and I rode Dumbo together - we got an orange one because orange is LJ's favorite color (although about 2 weeks ago he said, "I've changed my mind about orange, I think green is my favorite color today") and LJ liked that he could pull the lever up or down to make us go up or down. PJ, RJ, and Jfer seemed to enjoy the thrill of the ride too!

After Dumbo we rode Cinderella's Golden Carrousel. I strapped PJ onto a horse and stood next to him while RJ, LJ, and Jfer all got on their own horses. By this time, PJ was an hour past his normal naptime, so he was a bit cranky until the carrousel started - he liked going up and down.

Next, we stopped at the Mad Tea Party and rode the tea cups. We all got in one cup together and PJ and LJ both loves spinning round and round and round - I tried to keep my eyes on a spot so as not to trigger a dizzy spell. LJ wanted to ride again - and we could have - there was seriously no line...we walked right on, but PJ was tired and we wanted to see if he would go to sleep if he was in the moving stroller.

So, we headed to Mickey's Toontown Fair, but stopped at Tommorrowland's Indy Speedway so RJ and LJ could race around the track. Jfer got PJ to sleep by gliding his stroller in a shady spot and I poised myself to take a photo as RJ and LJ sped around my side of the track.

When they came off the race track, LJ said that he wanted to ride a roller coaster, so we headed into Toonstorwn and RJ, LJ and I rode The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm. Once again, we had virtually no wait - we practically walked right on the ride. I was anxious to see how LJ would react - RJ video taped him - LJ loved it...he was laughing and screaming with glee the whole time. We exited to the ride to find PJ still asleep and Jfer catching up on her texting! She was so great to stay with PJ so much.

Next, we caught the Walt Disney World Railroad Train and took a ride around the park - Jfer stayed with PJ who was still asleep...and no strollers allowed on the train. LJ liked the train and will likely tell you it was his favorite ride.

Right next to the train is Mickey's Country Home, so we took a tour and at the end - got to meet Mickey and Minnie. LJ loved them and talked and danced while we took picture. PJ warmed up to them and, according to RJ and Jfer - he said, "Mickey Minnie" after the meeting...I was walking ahead, so I didn't hear it, but the sound very convincing when they tell the story.

LJ wanted to go into the "house with the hearts" which is Minnie’s Country Home, so I went in the souvenir shop - I bought mouse ears with embroidered names for Jfer (in pink) and LJ and PJ (in white). We also bought a coffee mug (which we collect on trips) and a magnetic "story book" for LJ. They had this "Mr. Potato Head" outfitter and I wanted to by some mouse ears for Mr. Potato Head, but you couldn't buy them separately - you had to dress a potato head and then buy the whole thing...so forget it. On the way out of Toontown, we rode the Barnstormer roller coaster one more time.

Then we headed back to Fantasyland where we had our first encounter with a Fast Pass with Mickey's PhilharMagic - you can get a card that tells you when to come back and then, when you come back - you don't have to stand in line...the Fast Pass has its own line and it let's you get on rides quickly. While we waited for our time, we had lunch at Pinocchio Village Haus. LJ and PJ shared PB&J, grapes, applesauce, and milk. I had a cheese pizza and Jfer and RJ both got chicken nuggets or something like that.

After lunch, we headed over to Mickey's PhilharMagic, but the line was so short, we didn't need to use our Fast Pass. This is 3-D movie with many Disney characters and songs. You wear 3-D glasses and there are scents they release in the air - like cinnamon when there is a pie on the screen. They also spray water or puff air at you at appropriate times. LJ was a bit scared by the Lion King lions roaring out at him in 3-D. PJ was kind of scared and clung to me, but both boys did great.

Next was It's a Small World - we had to wait about 5 minutes before boarding the ride and it has not changed in the 30 years since I've been. LJ liked it and PJ sat pretty still.

Frontierland began with us collecting a Fast Pass to Splash Mountain and then heading over to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster. You must be 40" to ride and LJ is over that, so RJ, LJ and I rode while Jfer thought she might be able to get PJ to take another nap. She was wrong, but they watched a parade go by while we rode our coaster. LJ kind of liked it, but this roller coaster spent a lot of time in the dark as it is supposed to be a runaway train in a mine. He didn't like being in the dark, but he likes the ride part of it.

When we got off the ride, we couldn't find Jfer and PJ (because they were watching the parade), so RJ looked for them while LJ and I got an ice cream bar shaped like Mickey's head. It was like an Eskimo Pie and once we found PJ, he loved eating it too - we got some pictures of the kids with ice cream all over their faces.

Once we finished our ice cream, it was time for RJ, LJ and I to use our Fast Pass for Splash Mountain. Once again, LJ liked the ride just fine - he just did not like being in the dark. We didn't get wet at all - and we were glad!

We stopped off to see the Country Bear Jamboree on our way to the Haunted Mansion. I remember the bears from my last visit - this time - they really just seem bizarre. Truly odd.

I didn't think we should go to the Haunted Mansion because LJ had not liked the dark...but RJ wanted to see how different it is now. We got right in (Jfer was acting a little scared herself) and LJ made RJ hold him and LJ buried his head in RJ's neck the whole time. The effects were pretty cool, but I hope these kids don't have nightmares!

Then we headed to Tomorrowland and picked up Fast Passes to Space Mountain. It is about 5:30 by now - we have some drinks and then head over to the ride. Jfer and RJ rode Space Mountain together first while I stayed with LJ and PJ. Then RJ and I rode while Jfer bought the boys some cotton candy and took them over to the train. Space Mountain is WAAAAAY cool - I could ride that a few more times.

We decided to end our day by taking the train around park ending at Main Street where we got off, to the Monorail to Tram and then the Tram to Pluto 16. LJ was still being very good...walking well and holding my hand with minimal complaining. PJ, who had been stellar despite his lack of sleep, was getting cranky. We weren't in the car 5 minutes when PJ was sound asleep...LJ was asleep within 10 minutes. When we got back to the hotel...around 8:00, we gave the kids quick baths and PB&J for dinner. PJ did not eat his - he just wanted to go to bed. LJ ate his, but he was so tired and when he went to bed he was asleep within 5 minutes. Jfer went to one of the restaurants on site and picked up a pizza for us. We also introduced her to canolli - I think she's a fan! RJ went to meet a work-friend and I'm finishing this entry. I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go to bed.

We are amazed at how well the day went - despite not napping, both boys behaved great and we only had to deal with crying as we were trying to get to our car. It wasn't crowded - we think the park closing at 7:00 discouraged a lot people from coming today - great for us! We could not have asked for a better "1 day at Disney" day!

Friday, May 30

PJ woke up at 6:00 - I guess he's adjusted to the time change and is now waking at his "normal" time. It was nice when he slept until 7:00 last week. We watched TV for a little while and then RJ and I got ready and Jfer got the kids ready for breakfast. I heard that she took the kids to a restaurant (on site) that has a buffet and the kids eat for free...she thought that sounded good - and the kids' section had a playground (LJ has been talking about going back there all night). I think she realized that it was going to be impossible for her to go through a buffet with two kids to watch, but I think there was some wait staff who helped her out. I'm pretty sure she's realizing that she surely does not want to have kids in the near future! They played at the pool and LJ made new friends. I think this trip has confirmed that LJ could stand to have a more healthy aversion to strangers...right now, he has no aversion at all.

Today was the last day of our conference and RJ and I spent the day talking to people and attending sessions. We ended the day by going to eat dinner with some friends from Clemson. PJ is in bed, LJ is watching Curious George and Jfer went to get dessert with the student leader we brought.

Last night, I looked to see what time Magic Kingdom opens and closes. Would you know that tomorrow it is closing early - at 7:00 pm - because they are having a "princess and pirate" treasure hunt special occasion from 7:00 pm - midnight...it is an extra cost $40.00 per person. Whatever. I'm telling you, Disney has figured out everything you *might* want to do and has built in a way to charge you for it. So, we are going to show up at 9:00 am and stay as long as PJ can take it (hey, maybe he'll nap in the stroller - right.) then come home for naps and go back until 7:00 - I hope it isn't insanely crowded, but I'm mentally preparing for it.

Thursday, May 29

This day did not start out nicely. PJ cried out at 5:15 - he couldn't find his paci in his swank crib. RJ went in and found it, gave it back and all was well...until LJ tried to turn on the light and Jfer said "no LJ, don't turn on the light" and then LJ started crying...so PJ started crying. I went in and got LJ and brought him into our room to try to keep his crying from bothering PJ. PJ kept crying, so RJ went to get him so he wouldn't bother Jfer. So...I had a crying LJ next to me...whimpering and flopping and sniffing...I don't think he ever went back to sleep. And, RJ had a woken up and flopping PJ who slept intermittently until 6:45 next to him. This is the long way to say...we pretty much woke up at 5:15...by far the worst night of sleep this whole vacation.

RJ and I got ready for the conference and Jfer got the kids dressed and went to find some breakfast. RJ and I spent the day networking and in concurrent sessions and we both got our concurrent sessions presented...successfully and with accolades. Jfer and the kids played at the pool, took naps and played. At 5:30 we met up with our friends from work and rode the water taxi to a Latin restaurant for dinner. We stopped and fed the ducks in our version of Lake Como - we are in an Italian-themed hotel. We met up with 2 of LJ's girlfriends from the pool...Helana and Caitlin - the are British and are both 5. Oh my - they are so cute and I loved asking them questions just so I could hear them talk...their accents and the way they phrase their sentences was precious (and I don't use that word much). The boys were tired and are now in bed. I think we're going to watch the Lost finale, but we are recording it at home.

We've decided to do one day at the Magic Kingdom, so we are going to go on Saturday...early in the morning - come home for afternoon naps and then go back until dark. We may have a horrible sleep/cranky issue Saturday night and Sunday, but we'll be on our way home and maybe the crankiness will make us excited to get home...because right now, we are still happy as can be on the work part of our vacation.

Wednesday, May 28

We wished it was raining when we woke up - so that we wouldn't feel so sad leaving our blissful house by the ocean. LJ woke us up by opening our door to check and see if it was ok to get up yet...we said no - and about 15 minutes later, PJ woke up and then LJ was back in our room. We goofed around a little and then got up to pack everything up. Our goal was to leave by PJ's nap time and we were out the door at 10:15. We waved goodbye to the beach and dropped of our keys...saying "see you next year" - and I really think we might...we loved it this much. On to Orlando...


The kids were pretty good in the car - really good actually. They napped and played. We ate lunch at Burger King in Perry - unfortunately it did not have a playground. LJ says some really funny stuff...like, "when we get to our house with my crib..." - I guess when you stay at another house for a week, he thinks his own home is "the house with his crib". He also calls hotels "show and tell" sometimes. What is really funny (and can be really annoying) is that LJ just says whatever his is thinking most of the time...we get a running stream of what he's thinking in his head.


We arrived at our hotel around 5:30 - really no traffic to speak of - got checked in...this hotel is super-nice, but kind of big and overwhelming. We would probably never stay here if our conference weren't here...I think it is pretty expensive otherwise. We ate pizza at a place "on-site" and then found the kid's playground and pool. We had the hotel bring a crib to the room - it is full-size, wooden, has a sheet, blanket and bumper pads and came with a complimentary CD of lullaby music. There is a DVD player in each room (we got 2 connected rooms), so LJ got to watch Curious George before bed. We put the kids in one room (and Jfer will sleep in there too), so that we could use the other room to hang out and watch TV after they are in bed. Tonight, Jfer is making phone calls since we now have cell reception again and RJ and I are looking over our presentations and making sure those are all good to go.

Tuesday, May 27

Ok, so today PJ woke up at 6:15...this time zone...which we've adjusted to, to I'll cease to act as though the time difference really matters. Except to say that PJ has totally adjusted...except in the morning waking...we've been really lucky in that he's slept until 7:00 while here - his usual waking time is somewhere in the 6:00 hour. Basically, PJ has been sleeping an hour later - great for vacation!

RJ let me sleep in a bit, but I was up by 7:00 because we were going to head to Money Bayou to catch crab. RJ hadn't fed the kids any breakfast, so we all had to subsist on some kind of cereal bars or - nothing at all. Fine for a little while, but we did not crab for just a little while. Everyone was happy and crabbing...and we actually caught one kind of quickly. Our goal was 6 - so that we could justify keeping them. Not much time passed before LJ says he has to go to the bathroom. It is hard to judge when he really needs to go vs. when he wants to stop doing something and knows going to the bathroom will shift the activity vs. when he wants to see a new bathroom. So, we told him to hold it - and he agreed to do so. Not too much longer passed when he informed us that he was going to have to go #2 in his pants if he didn't go to the bathroom. RJ took PJ and LJ and they left to find a bathroom. Jfer and I continued to crab and we were moderately successful - we netted another one. But, then we ran into a bit of a snag...we just couldn't coax the crabs we were getting into the net. It was like they knew just how far to come and then let go of the chicken. Plus, we had not yet perfected our net skills. So, we either could have had 8 crabs - or we could have caught the same crab 8 times...either way, we caught nothing. All the while, I'm started to get really hungry, the sun is starting to beat down on me, and I'm getting a headache from my lack of coffee this morning. RJ and the kids have been gone for over an hour, so I can't wait for them to get back so we can leave. When the finally get back, RJ wants to try to crab a bit longer...I'm not happy about it, but I can understand, so I go along...but, I didn't put PJ in his backpack because I didn't think we were staying too long. (also, it turns out they went to Burger King in the town 15 miles away - and ATE...grrr!) 45 minutes, 5 crabs and one spilled coke in the driver's seat of the car later - we left (to quote Jfer, "I'm not gonna lie" - I was in a bad mood.)

PJ fell asleep on the way home (it was past his naptime) and I stewed. When we got home, RJ transferred PJ to his crib and then he and Jfer went to the store to buy some more crab boil spices while I played "Don't Break the Ice" with LJ. LJ tries to break the ice, so this mean I have to put the ice back together a lot. Once they got home, we boiled the crabs and then ate the feast. Just between you and me...there isn't a lot of meat for all the work you have to do to get it...but, it was fun and it was an experience! I was exhausted, so I took a nap with LJ while RJ hung out with PJ until his naptime...and Jfer worked on her tan.

After naps, we headed to the beach for one last time this trip. RJ and LJ made yet another spectacular castle, PJ ate yet another pound of sand and Jfer and I added yet another layer of reddish tan to our skin. The ocean was super-clear and would you believe I saw a crab! The waves were not good for the boogie board - there really weren't any waves. PJ wanted to charge into the ocean, so he was a bit of a challenge.

We came home, got our showers and left for town by 6:40. We decided to eat out and then play at a park while RJ vacuumed out the car. We ate Chinese food and did just that. We didn't get home and get the kids to bed until 8:30 - this is an hour late, but they seemed ok. Now, we are doing the last loads of laundry so we can leave with clean clothes. We are planning to pack up in the morning and leave in time for PJ's morning nap...:-(

Here's to the next leg of our journey...!

Monday, May 26

Today started as a lazy day around the house. PJ woke up around 7:00 and then LJ arrived in our room. I took them downstairs, put on the coffee, gave them their milk and then looked on the internet to determine the "best time of day" to go crabbing. While I found nothing specific to the Gulf Coast, other crabbing locales suggested that an hour before and after high tide is the best time to crab from the shore. High tide is at 1:00 pm, so we planned to go crabbing in the Money Bayou (located here) - after PJ woke up from his nap.

We are to the part of our stay where we start eating and making plans to eat the perishable foods we bought - so this morning we had eggs, turkey sausage and biscuits for breakfast. The kids played inside up until PJ's nap time. RJ and I sat on the porch - RJ snoozed a bit under a blanket (it was kind of chilly) while I surfed the net to scope out possible houses for our next trip. We thought we might drive by and look at them while we are here this trip. Jfer and LJ went for a walk. When Jfer and LJ returned from their walk and RJ, LJ, and I went to buy some water and to scope out potential rentals for next summer. I think we've decided that this house is really the best price with the best convenience for us.

PJ was awake when we got home, so we hurried to get everything together to go crabbing. Down at Indian Pass, you can drive on the beach - with a permit...which we don't have. Permits can be bought at city hall Monday - Friday. Today is Monday, but I think it is Memorial Day...I'm sure city hall is closed...I'm lucky I know it is Monday - you could seriously lose all track of time here. We went ahead and drove on the beach without a permit - our brush with lawlessness. We parked and walked a few yards to Money Bayou and threw our chicken necks in. Jfer was by far the most successful - she caught a crab really quickly, but it was pretty small, so she threw it back. Then we waited and waited...got some nibbles, but nothing great. LJ actually caught the first "keeper"...he was so proud. We put it in our tub and kept going. All told, we only caught 2 keepers - and about 5 crabs total, so not a success, but WAY more successful than at the state park. We didn't stay more than about 45 minutes because we were late for lunch time and I hadn't put sunscreen on the kids. We threw the keepers back in the bayou and decided to go back tomorrow morning.

We got home, ate lunch and put the kids down for naps...they both went with no problem. Jfer and I went to the beach while RJ stayed home to work on his presentation for the conference (real life creeps back in). Jfer wins the prize for "she who is most dedicated to getting a tan". RJ wins the prize for "knowing how to relax and trying to teach me how". I win the prize for "getting a sun rash and being the best at planning to relax".

Jfer and I came home from our jaunt to the beach as the boys were waking from their naps. We got them all ready and headed back to the beach. I was feeling a bit "sunned out", so I stayed covered up and did not get in the water. Actually, Jfer didn't get in the water either. LJ and RJ made another great sand castle and PJ collected more shells and ate more sand.

We got home about 6:30, got showers and then jfer made the kids some quick dinner while RJ made a dinner of Italian sausage and spaghetti for us to eat after the kids got to bed. I applied lotion to my rash-y arms and legs. After dinner, Jfer and I raced to update our respective blogs and RJ went for a walk. Tonight, I plan to get to bed before 11:00, but I haven't checked out what is on tv yet!

Sunday, May 25

PJ let us all sleep until 7:30 this morning, but my eyes opened promptly at 7:00 - of course. I closed them though. About 5 seconds after PJ cried - LJ opened came out of his room to say good morning. I took them downstairs and let RJ sleep-in this morning...he made it to 8:30 before the kids could take no more time without him and went upstairs. We ate breakfast and played around the house until PJ's (and Jfer's...they seem to have the same nap schedule!) nap time. RJ, LJ and I went to the beach and really just played in the sand. RJ and LJ built one terrific sand castle, RJ played on the boogie board and I mostly got some sun. LJ did not want to go in the water...I'm not sure why, perhaps he didn't like getting in his eyes...he's given that as a reason or perhaps he doesn't like the sea weed...he's given that as a reason too? Whatever the reason - he isn't the water loving boy he was on the previous days. We came home right as PJ was waking up and we ate leftover hot dogs for lunch.

After lunch, we all headed back to the beach and the boys played in the sand while RJ, Jfer and I took turns on the boogie boards. The water was pretty calm, so we had to wait a bit longer for good waves to use. The water is still murky because of the dredging...this is a bit disappointing, but we could go up the beach if we really wanted to get to nicer water. This would entail getting in the car as it would be too far for LJ to walk, but that is a pain in and of itself, so we just deal with the dirty water. The water and the sand are still really nice - MUCH better than the TX coast. After about an hour and a half, we headed back, got showers and put the kids down for naps...RJ napped with LJ today - once again, to ensure that sleep happens. When LJ gets tired, he isn't too horrible, but he becomes less easy-going and less willing to try new things.

PJ woke up around 4:30 and was kind of cranky - I gave him a snack, but that didn't really help. At 5:00 we woke up RJ and LJ and got in the car to go buy some crab to cook. We didn't catch any, but we still wanted to have a crab boil. We bought some shrimp from a local fresh seafood place and the lady there told us about a man who caught 100 crabs in an hour using chicken and string...in Money Bayou. On the way home, we checked out and decided we'd give it a try tomorrow. We stopped at the convenience store on the cape to pick up some more milk and other necessities.

We got home and started our crab/shrimp boil - fed the kids PB&J and got them into bed before we started our feast. Dinner was finished and all cleaned up by 9:00 and I hope to get to bed before 11:00 tonight!

Jfer, RJ and I are kind of starting to be sad that our time is half-way over...we leave on Wednesday (morning) and we are just loving this lifestyle WAY too much to want it to end. RJ asked if we are going to do this every summer - and indicated that he wants to do it every summer. Jfer vigorously shook her head that she wants to come every summer. We agree that we seriously think we could stay for a month and not get tired of it at all.

Saturday, May 24

LJ came in our room around 7:00 and we told him to go back to bed until he heard PJ cry - which happened about 10 minutes later...and LJ promply returned. RJ and I tried to lay in bed a few minutes longer by letting the kids play in bed while we gave them various things to play with. One such thing was the Maglight flashlight - which PJ brougt down on the right side of my cheek bone...this got me out of bed and I promply put a package of frozen corn on my eye in an attempt to keep the swelling down. It is a little swollen, but not too bruised.

Today was the day we were going to catch a load of crabs! We got ready to go rather early - by 7:45 we were out the door and headed to the State Park (the entrance is about 1000 yards down the road from our house) as we'd read on the Internet that the crabbing was pretty good there. We paid our entrance fee and asked if we should try the bay or the ocean. The cashier said the bay side was the best - you could actually see the crabs, so we looked for a place to work our magic. We didn't want to have to walk through reeds or grass - we didn't want to have to worry about alligators or other critters sneaking up on use. We finally found a decent place - you could walk out pretty far and could see the bottom the whole way...we, of course, kept our shoes on. LJ loved being able to walk in the calm water and PJ loved being in the back pack - even though he was clearly tired for his nap.

RJ tied our chicken necks to our string and we cast our crab-catcher...and waited. Jfer and I often thought we had a bite, but it was just a mess of minnows chopping our chicken to shreds. We did this for about 30 minutes without a single crab. This was really disappointing - I went crabbing when I was about 13 and we caught crab after crab after crab, so what was up with this? When I went crabbing as a youngster we were on a pier and crabbing in deeper water - so maybe that was the problem. Whatever the problem, no one else out there as having any luck either...we packed up and headed home for the morning naps.

During naptime, RJ, LJ and I headed to the beach. It was close to high tide and the water was murky due to the dredging they are doing for a major "beach restoration" effort, so we were leary of getting in the water. LJ must have sensed that it didn't look right because he did not want to get in the water. We came home, changed clothes and headed to the fire station to pick up our sandwiches...this time we were successful! We arrived home to find PJ and Jfer awake and we all ate lunch. LJ was clearly tired and needing a nap, so I went upstairs with him to ensure napping (plus, this allowed me a nap too!). We slept for about 2 hours and when we woke up, PJ was down for his nap, RJ was on the computer and Jfer was laying on the porch. RJ decided to take a nap and LJ and I went outside to clean up the shells we collected the day before. We sorted them into big, medium, small, and broken and LJ decided which shells he wanted to give to who.

PJ woke up and we woke up RJ and all headed back to the state park (since we'd already paid our entrance fee for the day) to play on that beach. The state park beach is beautiful and was really not crowded at all, but more crowded than our "regular" beach. Jfer and I boogie-boarded and then RJ boogie-boarded. RJ and LJ made a sand castle and I walked with PJ as he collected shells. It was funny to see him pick up one and show it to me, then carry it around for a while until he found a different one he wanted. Then he'd throw down the one he had and carry the new one around for a while. We buried RJ in the sand and then Jfer - they seemed to like it!? After about an hour and a half, we showered off, changed LJ's clothes, but PJ rode home in the buff.

Once home, the adults showered and RJ cooked pork chops on the grill while Jfer and I fed the kids PB&J. As we were finishing eating, PJ kept climbing up the stairs and waving, which I took to mean he was ready for bed. As an aside - we were kind of worried about the stairs with PJ, but he figured them out really quickly. They have carpet and he crawls up them no problem. Coming down, he turns around and slides down - feet first - on his tummy. So funny to see! We put PJ to bed, then got LJ into bed and Jfer suggested that RJ and I go to the beach to watch the sunset. So, we did - but we didn't really want to get all sandy, so we sat at the top of the steps on the "private" pier. This was right by the current work they are doing to restore the beach, so we watch that - 3 bulldozers pushing sand up. A person staying at the house on the beach - with an entrance to the private boardwalk - came to ask if we wanted him to take a picture...so, he did and we chatted with him for a while. He is friends with the owner of the house - which he says was the first house built on the cape...in 1984. He told us about the restoration project and how the houses on the beach and the houses on the first row back are the only houses being taxed to pay for the project. They are, of course, not happy about that as the whole cape benefits, but only a few are paying. Plus, the general consensus seems to be that the project is a futile one. He pointed to the dunes around the house and said that used to be flat sand after a hurricane in the 90s, but "mother nature" replaced the dunes over time. The whole project is fascinating - they have pipes that go into the ocean and a big ship sits off shore and dredges the bottom of the ocean and shoots sand through those pipes up on the shore. Then, the bulldozers push the sand around.

When we got home from our chat, we watched a couple of episode of an apparent Iron Chef America marathon on the Food Network and, once again, did not get to bed until 11:00.

Friday, May 23

A big storm with lots of thunder and lightening came through around 1:30 am and lasted a good couple of hours. I figured we would hear from one of the kids during this fantastic display of light and sound in a somewhat unfamiliar place...and at 3:00ish LJ showed up in our room. I got up and we went back to his room and slept in his bed for the rest of the night. I awoke (I didn't know what time because my watch battery ran out the morning we left and we haven't really found a place to get it replaced - can you believe there is no Walmart here or anywhere near here? Kind of refreshing, but the Piggly Wiggly doesn't do watch batteries, so kind of annoying too) to LJ saying, "it is morning momma"...and as if on cue, PJ started crying.

We came downstairs and I made coffee and got their breakfast ready. It was still raining, so we were a bit bummed that our second day at the beach was marred with inclement weather. We used the rainy time to go into town to return some flip-flops that didn't really fit RJ - RJ, LJ and I went and Jfer and PJ stayed home and napped. After returning the flip-flops and buying a couple of other things - like more snacks...we are all really hungry at the beach...except PJ, he's just really tired at the beach - we went to the "Outrigger's" next door and commenced the 45 minute search for flip-flops for RJ. In the process, I found a pair of chocolate brown Crocs and then we left to partly cloudy skies on the way home. PJ and Jfer had just woken from their naps and we loaded up the car to go to the lighthouse to look for seashells.

We found some great shells and PJ really enjoyed riding in the back pack on RJ's back. The lighthouse has a locked chain link fence around it, so we guess this means we aren't supposed to actually go in it. There are a lot of tree stumps and fallen trees and the beach is very shallow...you can really tell that there has been a lot of erosion there. In fact, there are piers out in the water where building used to be. I'm glad it is not my job to have to worry about things like that. But, the seashells were great and we were not selective about picking them up, so we have quite a few. By this time the skies had cleared and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day, so Jfer and I arranged for RJ to stay home during afternoon naps while we went to the beach.

On the way home from the lighthouse we stopped at the only store/rental shop on the cape and rented some boogie boards and bought some water. RJ grilled hot dogs for lunch and then Jfer and I took off for the beach. We had a terrific time riding the surf and laying in the sun, but then decided it looked like a storm was coming. We came home to find that PJ was sleeping just fine, but LJ was not napping...just "resting" and being a little trouble in his room. He was pretty quite, so we let it be. Jfer and I dried off by laying out on the porch - since we knew we would all be going to the beach later, we didn't want to change out of our suits.

Once naptime was over, we all got sunscreened up and headed to the beach. We can get to the beach by walking to the public beach access or by taking a "private" boardwalk over - the boardwalk is closest, but private...we figure pretty much everyone here is renting, so who would care/know if we are using a boardwalk we are not supposed to be using. Plus, every though most of the houses are filling up for the Memorial Day Weekend - there aren't THAT many houses AND we hardly see anyone on the beach. I think a lot people bring their boat to fish in the bay because we just don't see more than 3-4 groups of people (families) on the beach. We had a great time at the beach - LJ loved "surfing" and PJ loved playing in the sand and going out with me or LJ to let the "boofers" (waves) crash onto his legs. He didn't care for the boofers that crashed onto his face, so it was kind of a love/hate for him. Either way, the ocean wears these kids out!

We got home around 6:30 and got showers. I stayed home to feed PJ dinner and RJ, LJ, and Jfer went to the volunteer fire station to pick up pulled-pork sandwiches for dinner...they are having their annual "butt roast" fundraiser and we had seen signs that they had sandwiches for sale. Turns out, they were only selling them at lunch time on Saturday, so they went into town and came home with a pizza. This whole venture took an hour and a half, so by the time they got home PJ was in bed and it was past LJ's bedtime. We ate, got LJ into bed and then watched a Jesse Stone movie on the Hallmark channel while Jfer caught up on her computer time. She was smart and went to bed around 10:00 - RJ and I finished our movie and, once again, didn't get to bed until 11:00.

Thursday, May 22

We woke up around 7:00 - this is as long as PJ will let us sleep. I say PJ because we can make LJ go lay in his bed, but PJ just cries and there is no sleeping through that. The first order of business was to go to figure our what we want to eat this week and go to the grocery store to buy it. We had no food in the house, so really, the *first* order of business was to get some breakfast and then go to the grocery store. So, we all got in the car and drove the 2o minutes into town - ate at McDonald's and then shopped at a Piggly Wiggly.

Piggly Wiggly was not too big, but had most of what we wanted to buy - at slightly higher prices than we normally pay. Since it wasn't our store, my shopping list was not in the order in which we'd encounter the items, so it took a while to shop. Among the normal food-type items we also needed chicken necks, string, and a net for all of the crabbing we plan to do. They had the chicken necks, but we had to go to the "outfitter's" store next door for the string and net.


By the time we got home, it was time for PJ's nap - actually, he fell asleep in the car and RJ transported him to his crib. Jfer and I unpacked the groceries while RJ and LJ went exploring - namely, they needed to figure out where we have access to the beach. After we put away the groceries, Jfer decided to take a nap, so she stayed at the house with PJ and I went to find the boys. I found the beach access and saw them off in the distance - with LJ charging into the waves like he's been in the ocean every day of his life. The sand is white and the ocean is blue/green - just beautiful. There was one other group on the beach - a man, his son, and his 2-year-old granddaughter. LJ wanted her to go in the water, but she was more timid than he. After a little more playing, we headed home to find LJ still asleep.


Once he woke up, we ate lunch (grilled cheese sandwiches) and then all got ready to go back to the beach. PJ liked the surf too - and everyone had a great time playing in the ocean and in the sand. We came back for showers and naps...kind of late naps, but the kids were exhausted so they both slept until almost 5:00. We got in the car, explored a bit more and then ate cheeseburgers and popcorn shrimp at a local dive...one of the few here.


Cell phones have no reception, but we have wireless internet, so we are not totally cut-off. The kids went to be (it is still light out about 90 minutes past their bedtime, so this is a little tough) and we adults surfed the net and watched TV. I don't know how these east-coasters stay up until 11:00 to finish their shows. We would use the DVR at home, but here - it is just cable, so we have to stay up if we want to watch.

Wednesday, May 21

We woke up around 7:00 at "our's new place" (what LJ calls any hotel - this one was a Homewood Suites) and the Js went to eat the complimentary breakfast while Jfer took a shower. RJ took the kids to the kid's pool - which was really great for kids...1 foot deep with about 10 little fountains in it - while I packed up the insane amount of stuff we had to have just to spend one night. We loaded up and left the hotel by 9:15...and started the final day of the first leg of our drive. PJ feel asleep pretty quickly and slept all the way through Mississippi and Alabama. LJ did not sleep and seemed as though he might have been trying to be just naughty enough to wake up PJ...because I had told him he could have his sack-of-fun after PJ woke from his nap. We ate lunch at Cracker Barrel Pensacola and then figured we only had about 2.5 hours left before we reached our destination...

We were wrong...this was a case against the typical notion that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Do NOT drive on 98 if you don't have to. It is that simple. I cannot imagine what this road is like during Spring Break - we are talking insane traffic and you are never moving a highway speeds. We did this for about an hour before we bailed and headed north so we could move east. Once we did this...there was little traffic and we made much progress. We stopped at Subway for dinner and arrived at our beach house around 7:00 - which was now 8:00. We explored the house, unloaded the car, got LJ set up in his room and PJ set up in our room...and the kids went to bed. Jfer and I got out our computers to touch base with civilization...then I turned the computer over to RJ and Jfer and I watched Top Chef.

Tuesday, May 20th

We intended to leave by 8:30 and swing by to pick up Jfer on our way out of town...of course, this did not happen. It was around 8:00 that we finally decided to put our hands on the back-pack-that-you-carry-a-small-child-in and we could not find it. I determined it might be in the travel trailer -which is a 40 minute round trip...in the wrong direction for where we were headed. RJ packed up the car - complete with our new hitch carrier - and then went to get it. We left the house after checking everything off of my list and got to Jfer's around 10:15. PJ had already fallen asleep by the time we got there.

The trip in the car was somewhat uneventful. RJ was happy to have Jfer in the car because she actually called the 800 number to complain about a trucker blocking the lane so no one could pass prior to an impending merge...a major pet peeve we encounter on every road trip. I had packed lunch sack in which I put snacks, a juice box and a toy for each child. I decided that each child would get one on each leg of the trip...at a critical moment where none of us could take any more. These bags were an anticipated excitement for LJ and managed to keep everyone occupied for 30 minutes. Of course, we ate lunch at the Cracker Barrel and LJ had great fun looking at all of the toys and candy in the gift shop.

We arrived at our first destination - a hotel half-way to our final destination - around 7:00. PJ went to bed and LJ, Jfer and I explored the kid pool. Then LJ went to bed - in fact, we were all in bed by 9:45.

Egg-Cracker

I came home from work this morning to the smell of freshly baked chocolate cake. YUM! It is a nice smell to be sure. LJ says, "Oh Momma, I'm so glad you're home - we baked you a cake." Great - what a sweet boy. Turns out, there was a reason for baking a cake at 10:00 in the morning...RJ showed me the pictures of LJ perched ON a stool next to the counter ON which there was a bowl IN which there were 4 eggs that LJ had cracked. The shells were in the sink and the eggs didn't have a single shell in them. Turns out, LJ wanted to make cookies, so he helped himself to some eggs in the refrigerator, got himself a stool and a bowl and started. I have no idea how he knows that eggs might go in cookies and I have no idea how he decided on 4.

I applaud RJ for making a cake - I would have made scrambled eggs.

I asked RJ if he got onto LJ about it and he said that he didn't get onto him too hard because he did such a good job and RJ was actually pretty impressed. He did tell LJ that he shouldn't do that again. Hopefully, that will do the trick.

I'm sure when LJ is featured on Food Network after his successful training at the Culinary Institute of America and his meteoric rise to fame - we'll use the pictures and the story to illustrate how we knew he was headed for cooking greatness.

What I've Read About Varicella

One very big thing to consider with varicella (chicken pox) is that since the vaccine is given at such a young age, many of the kids who get the vaccine will have the vaccine "wear off" by the time they are in their late-teens/early 20s. This leaves them unprotected as adults - which is when getting chicken pox/shingles is most troublesome. Getting chicken pox as a young child isn't so bad, but getting it as an adult can be. "They" (some of the research I've read) indicate that there is an increase in adults getting chicken pox/shingles despite having had the vaccine. So, you'd have to be vigilant about getting the booster if you get the vaccine in the first place...otherwise, you are just setting yourself up to have a higher likelihood of getting the chicken pox/shingles at an older age.

Basically, having the vaccine won't prevent you from getting shingles as an adult and might actually increase the likelihood of getting full-blown chicken pox and/or shingles. Vaccines are not "forever" - you have to continue to get boosters and there is some debate as to how long vaccines last...I'm sure it isn't the same for every person, but there is a general range of 8 - 15ish years. The idea is to get your kids through their infancy and childhood with some level of protection.

Kathy's mom: I have read several sources that recommend that "older people" get a varicella vaccination/booster (it is different than the one for kids) for the exact reason you bring up...shingles isn't pleasant and is something to consider.

I enjoy the questions because they give me more to consider!

Vaccination Research

First - please read this statement: We are NOT anti-vaccination, so don't start worrying that our kids are going to get polio.

I've been reading about/hearing about delayed/spaced out vaccination schedules, but this whole issue of vaccinations is something I've been "meaning to research" for some time. I do have an emotional response when it is time to get these kids their shots - not because of the pain - they can handle that, but because of the "I-don't-really-know-what-is-going-on-here,-I-mean,-I-get-the-gist-of-vaccinations-and-how-they-work, but-what-are-all-of-these-and-what-else-is-in-there" nagging that my brain does. So, to heck with it - I need to figure this out so I "feel" like I'm making an informed decision and not just blindly following some schedule that the CDC recommends and the dr. will tell you is "absolutely the way to go".

This research is not as easy as it seems. First, what you might read on the internet will scare the fool out of you if you aren't careful. Second, there is a lot of stuff to read on the internet. Third, I HATE the part of research where I'm just gathering information...I need a plan...the plan doesn't have to be a decision about the thing I'm researching - it can be a decision for *how* I'm going to collect data...I just need some kind of plan because I get very uncomfortable just reading page after page and source after source...I need a plan. RJ does not need a plan - he is perfectly happy gathering information until we'd have to home school by default because the kids would not be current on their vaccines...ok, this is an exaggeration, but he *is* very comfortable gathering information. Usually, the plan just naturally falls into place for me. This time, it took some doing.

Once again, we are not "anti-vaccination" - but, there are some vaccines that we seriously question...like Hep B, for example. It is spread through sexual contact and shared needles. Hmmm...my 1 year old is at risk for this? I think not. The most common way for an infant to get Hep B is from being born to a mother who has Hep B...so, if I don't have Hep B things should be fine. Plus, these kids are not in daycare, so it is highly unlikely they will come in contact, at a young age, with someone who has Hep B. And, what's the deal with chicken pox? But, perhaps there will be more of this from me later.

I've finally found a book that I consider *reputable* and I'm digesting the information and mulling it over. "The Vaccine Book" by Robert Sears. I dig it because he attempts to give a balanced look at the pros and cons of vaccinations so that I can make an educated choice. He breaks it down with each vaccine receiving a chapter in his book. With each vaccine he discusses: What the disease is, How common the disease is, How serious the disease is, How treatable the disease is, When the vaccine is given, How the vaccine is made, What ingredients are in the vaccine and if those ingredients are controversial, What the side effects are, Reasons to get the vaccine, Reasons some people don't get the vaccine, Options to consider, and finally the way he sees it. He also gives the brand-name of the vaccine along with the manufacturer. He also suggests a schedule to follow if you choose to delay the vaccinations - that will have the child on-target for starting school.

RJ picked up the vaccinations records for LJ and PJ along with a list of the actual vaccinations (brand-name) their dr. uses . RJ and I have discussed it and I think we have a plan for the rest of the kids' vaccinations, but I'll leave it here for now...don't want to have too much to read at one time!

Happy Birthday PJ!

Where does the time go???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PJ - at this time last year, I was crying because I had the biggest sinus headache ever and I was tired of not being able to take any good meds! Then, I noticed my contractions were rather consistent...and the rest is history. PJ has a bit of a cold, but I remember that LJ had a cold on his first birthday too. We are having a small celebration (with my mom and my niece - I need to call and invite them over...) - by having breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, and waffles). LJ is going to help me make PJ's cake later today. We are giving PJ a pool (think small hard-plastic kids' pool) and I'm sure the kids will want to splash around in there after dinner.

Things You Never Thought You'd Say...

Last night, I heard myself tell LJ, "Don't put your head in the toilet."

I have more of these than I care to admit!

Anyone else?

6 1/2 Wide

I took the boys out after their naps on Friday - we went to buy shoes. I decided to buy LJ some Crocs...(RJ was not with us and, if we're lucky, he won't inquire regarding the price). Considering we will be spending some time at the beach this summer and LJ plays outside a lot - I think Crocs are a good choice. PJ - he needed his first pair of shoes. I was FLOORED when he was measured at 6.5 - W, of course...both the boys have wide feet. 6.5???? LJ wore a 4.5 when he was PJ's age. No joke - the 6.5 fit. Unbelievable. These boys are going to cost us a fortune when their teenage growth spurts hit.

Whew - Glad That's Over!

While I'm late in posting this, I wrote it on Monday of this week...

It is over - thank goodness - and I am tired, but I suppose it was a success?!

RJ and I are on the planning committee for a regional conference on college teaching. We've been on this planning committee for years (probably 8) and the committee meets once a month all year long. We tend to enjoy the other committee members and we enjoy planning the conference, but the conference itself is a beating.

First of all, it is very informal, even though there are a few "presentations" to the whole group (100 college faculty) and "resource sessions" where people choose what to talk about - these are more conversations than presentations...and the participants are the facilitators of conversation. It is held at a campy-resort on a lake in the hill country - the wildflowers are in bloom and the weather was beautiful. Those who attend are, for the most part, faculty who want to be better teachers...which is odd at the major research college campuses. Since I am not tenured, I don't have to do research - just teaching and service...so, I get to focus on being a great teacher all the time - and things like this conference are a part of my service.

RJ and I conducted a "community forum" on student development...this is not our background, but the nature of the course I teach and RJ's job is such that we observe student development and actually try to get students to develop more quickly, if you will. With some research we discovered the major theories that one would need to know to be somewhat educated on student development theory - considering there are entire graduate programs devoted to this, what can you really do in 1 hour? The general concept is - while no one would argue that you can see physical, cognitive, emotional, etc. development in children, these types of developments are also occurring during the college years...do you want to keep this in mind when teaching? What do you see as your role in the development of your students? Are you a person who is merely an evaluator of their cognitive development (for example, they earn a grade on their exam and it may not be a good one if they have not cognitively developed to the level you want them to)? Are you someone who facilitates their development? Or are you wholly unconcerned? I won't go into it in more detail because I doubt most people are interested. But, we did weave in a student survey by playing Family Feud - and I think this was wildly popular. I'm not going to toot my own horn, but I think (judging from the # of people who told us so all day long) that most people thought it great.

But, now I'm tired and I have to go to class - and while most conference participants are likely re-energized regarding their students...I am not particularly so. Of course, in general, I'm usually perfectly happy to see my students. I've just noticed we only have 4 weeks of school left...this makes me very happy!

For the Record

For the record - since my brain will fuzz over and I won't be able to recall these things...

At 11 months old, PJ's schedule is something like this:
Wakes up around 6:30 - I nurse him and he's back in bed...usually up for the day around 7:30
Breakfast around 8:30
Down for a nap around 10:00 - usually sleeps 1 and 1/2 hours.
Lunch at 12:30
Nurse and down for a nap around 2:30 - usually sleeps 1 and 1/2 hours.
Snack around 4:00
Dinner around 6:30
Bath, nurse, down to bed between 7:30 and 8:00

At 3 year and 4 months, LJ's schedule is something like this:
Wakes up around 7:00
Breakfast around 8:30
Lunch at 12:30
Down for a nap around 1:30 - sleeps/rests/reads until 4:00 (I'll let him go as late as 4:30)
Snack around 4:00
Dinner around 6:30
Bath and to bed by 8:00

PJ - Cruisin'

We think PJ will walk any day now! Yesterday, he cruised most everywhere he wanted to go - and he's good at walking a couple of steps to bridge the gap between furniture. He walked a good 5 steps to get to me, so I think he's figuring it out.

I cannot believe that he will be 1 year old next month - crazy!

Success!

To catch you up (and then we'll cease with this topic unless something note-worthy occurs)...

On Saturday, LJ had a bit of a set-back...he tried to make it to the potty for "#2", but didn't make it and had messy underwear...twice. This was a set-back, but we did not make a big deal out of it...we just reiterated that we don't like messy pants anymore than we like wet pants, etc. In a day filled with playing outside with his cousins...he didn't have any other issues.

On Sunday, LJ went into the bathroom on his own accord and called out for me to tell me that he had gone "#2" in the potty...all self-initiated! We are very pleased! Also, during church, LJ told me he needed to use the potty, so I took him and all went well. Once again, we were very pleased. In fact, LJ went the whole day with dry pants and was very happy to take James (his new Thomas train and the reward for making it a whole day with dry pants) to bed with him!

We are going to give it a full-week to make the final analysis, but this method has yielded success in our book. This time last week, LJ didn't want anything to do with the potty and now he takes himself sometimes, but has no problems with going when we tell him to go. He is self-sufficient...he pulls his pants up and down, gets on the big potty, and flushes all by himself. He has done a very good job at learning a tough skill and we are super-proud of him!

The Day After T-Day

We consider yesterday a total potty success! LJ had 2 "accidents", but we wouldn't even call them that. Twice he bolted to the bathroom and pee-peed, but when told me that us underwear was wet and he needed new underwear. Well, his underwear was barely wet - so, we're pretty sure he started to pee-pee, stopped and ran to the bathroom to finish...pretty good, we think. We did have to tell him to go potty, so it still was not initiated by him - except those 2 times. He did wake up from his nap wet. RJ and I went to check on him before we went to bed - his underwear was wet, but not his sheet. He got up and went potty. Then, RJ had him get up at 1:00 (PJ is being a pill at night again...he's getting over a cold...so RJ was up anyway) - his pants were dry, but RJ had him go potty. Then, this morning - around 7:00, we heard LJ talking in his room, so RJ got up and had him go potty...his pants were dry!

Seriously, this potty training technique has been wildly successful for us and we cannot believe that LJ is in underwear 24/7 and really seeing so much success! Some of his cousins arrived for the Easter weekend - Uncle R was here when LJ woke up, then MawMaw came over, then his cousins came back from their shopping trip...with all of this excitement and distraction, LJ did not have one accident.

He did have one sad thing the first night in his new bed - remember we (RJ) took the front rail off of his crib. Around 1:30 in the morning, we hear LJ crying...we go in to find him in his bed, but he said he'd fallen out. He is about 1 foot above the floor, so no big deal, but he did have a little scratch on his leg confirming his story. I felt sad for him - but last night - he managed to stay in his bed!

T-Day, Part 2

LJ has been successful several more times!!! But, things have become a little more tense - not from the parents, but from LJ starting to say "no" more and not wanting to sit on the potty, but he does go get on the potty (rather easily), he just says "no, I don't like it" on the way. We think he's 1) getting bored with it and 2) getting tired.

As you may know, LJ is still in his crib. He actually really likes it and does not climb out, so up until now, we've left good enough alone. We've decided that he will not wear pull-ups - he's going to be in underwear from here on out. So, we took the front rail off the crib (it is not a convertible) and he is napping in his underwear. We've told him he can get up to go potty and nothing else until he sees the 4 on the digital clock (we have the minutes taped over) - if it is 4, he can get up and come find me. If he he has dry pants when he gets up at 4 - he gets a prize...if he needs to get up and go to the potty to keep his pants dry, he needs to do that.

I'm expecting to have to wash the sheets 2x a day for a while.

I think we are miles ahead of where we started this morning, but I think we have many "accidents" in our future...and I'm hoping I don't have to hear NOOOOOO too often! Only time will tell.

T-Day, Part 1

I fed the kids breakfast while RJ reviewed his procedures and got all of the supplies set up and then PJ and I left the house and RJ and LJ began to teach baby Joe how to use the potty.

PJ and I did some shopping - which resulted in some buying, so this toilet training cost us a little bit of money! LOL. We stopped to return some stuff to Bed, Bath and Beyond and then headed to Target. While in Target, I got a call from a very excited LJ telling me "MAMA - I PEE-PEED ON THE POTTY" - to which I replied with how happy and excited I am to hear that and how proud I am of him and how I'm sure Daddy must be so proud too! All in the most excited voice I have. I'm sure anyone who overheard me thinks I'm a total fake.

Then, PJ and I headed to Kohls. That store is evil and I cannot go in there very often. They have everything and it seems like the prices are so reasonable that I can easily rationalize buying. While in the shoe department, I got another call from a very excited LJ telling me "MAMA - I PEE-PEED ON THE POTTY" - once again, I was all EXCITEMENT! LJ then wanted to tell PJ, so I put the phone in PJs hand and he put it up to his ear (PJ pretends everything is a phone and babbles).

Alas, it was 10:15 and PJ was very sleepy for his nap, so we can home and I darted in to PJ's room to get him down for a nap. LJ was in the midst of wiping up an accident (his first). The book calls for having the trainee use a towel to blot up the accident as you want them to learn that 1) it is no big deal, but 2) you need to clean up after yourself (a great lesson for a boy to learn and I think many boys do not - judging from what I see sometimes). After the accident, LJ did his practice runs to the bathroom - from different parts of the house, he walks to the bathroom quickly, pulls down his underwear, sits on the potty, gets up, pulls up underwear and repeats from another location - 10x total.

LJ has now pee-peed on the potty about 7 times, has had dry pants and the "dry pants check" about 10 times, has had tons to drink, has had snacks, and has 3 matchbox cars for filling up parts of his potty chart. RJ is starting to phase out the "let's go sit on the potty" talk and is phasing in talk that isn't a command, but serves as a reminder - like "what do you do when you need to go potty?" The only real discouraging thing is that LJ just said, "if I pee-pee I can get another car" - which is showing a cause and effect, but one that we don't want dependence on. It was bound to happen, but I'm sure we can phase that out by the time he goes to college.

The Countdown Continues

I spent the "found" free time I had yesterday (due to not having a meeting, but having a Jfer here) gathering up the supplies we need for "T-Day". T-Day will be this Thursday. I don't have class and will take PJ out of the house until his morning nap time so that RJ and LJ will be able to focus total attention on the task at hand.

I like this method because it acknowledges that there are really many things for a toddler to learn in order to be self-sufficient at using the potty. He has to learn how to pull up and down his pants, how to get on the potty, how to know when to go, how to use TP when necessary, how to wash his hands...and this method teaches all of that.

Supply List:

Variety of drinks - the method calls for frequent drinking (so there is frequent need to go) and to encourage this - have a variety on hand. For LJ, who seriously only drinks milk and water, this means we have milk and water. I have some chocolate syrup to make chocolate milk - which is a treat LJ has rarely. I also bought some Capri Sun as LJ has had one before and he drank it. He thinks soda tastes "yucky" and he "does not drink juice".

Variety of snack rewards - Successfully teaching Joe how to potty gets a treat. Successfully pulling down his own pants gets a treat (in the beginning). Each time he has dry pants and the dry pants check (which come every 2 minutes at the beginning) he gets a treat. Each time he pee-pees in the potty, he gets a treat. Once he is successful with a step without needing help or prompting - you phase out the treats for that step. For LJ, we have snack packs of Skittles, snack size Twix, cheese/crackers, mini-chocolate donuts, and gummy bears.

Chart - I made a chart (on orange card stock because orange is his favorite color) and each time he 1) is dry at the dry pants check, 2) pee-pees on the potty, 3) poo-poos on the potty, or 4) went potty without help - he gets a sticker. 5 stickers in any of the above gets him a matchbox car.

Underwear - I bought tighty-whities in the size he might wear (but he's on the small end of the size spectrum) and one size bigger - which should be huge. The method says that when training, use underwear that is all but falling off so he can easily get them up and down.

Pants - I bought a few pairs of bigger pants (one is sweat shorts) so that he can get those up and down easily. It was a bit difficult to find pants that have an elastic waist in the bigger size. I think they think if you are wearing pants this big you can snap and zip.

Prizes - once he goes a whole day without an accident - he gets James - from the Thomas trains. I went ahead and bought it because TRU was having a "buy one get one 1/2 off" sale yesterday. Once he goes a whole week with no accidents - we get to all go ride on this steam train that runs between some towns that are about 2 hours away - LJ is looking forward to this, so I hope he can make one week with no accidents rather quickly.

The training itself - which lasts as long as 5 hours, but ends when he goes pee-pee on the potty without being reminded or prompted - whichever comes first...is a bonanza of postive reinforcement...candy, drinks, prizes and praise. But, once he masters the individual tasks (ie does them by himself without being prompted) thus ends the candy and prizes...praise lasts forever! I think LJ is actually going to have a lot of fun. Hours with just daddy, prizes and happiness - I imagine him really having fun. We'll see...

The Day is Coming

LJ *MUST* pee-pee and poo-poo on the potty. Enough is enough. So far, we've been VERY relaxed and he has been able to "not want to use the potty", but no mas. The end. Many people have told me that "when they're ready, they'll do it and it'll be no problem"...well, *we're* ready and LJ seems no where near "wanting" to do it.

There are no more diapers, he's in pull-ups and that too is about to come to el fin. Every so often someone on my mommy message board will tentatively ask if she is the only one who has a child who is no where close to using the potty. Turns out, she is not the only one - not even close to the only one. While I don't usually participate in those threads, I do glean bits of information from them. One lady mentioned a book that she found helpful, so I checked into "Toilet Training in Less than a Day" - read the reviews on Amazon and went and bought it. It sounds very promising. With the kind of all-out blitz this book's method promotes - I do think it might work. Plus, it takes like 5 hours or less. Terrific. Even more terrific is that I work in the mornings, so this will really be up to RJ. Frankly, he is better suited to handle this training. He has the capacity to be much more patient than I am and I think LJ is interested in learning from Daddy. We (RJ and I) have settled on the bonanza of food, drink and prizes needed to accomplish this 5 hour blitz and then DH needs to drill a hole in Joe's (LJ's doll - we gave him to have when he learned PJ was coming) bottom and mouth - so LJ can teach Joe how to pee-pee on the potty and we are pretty close to good to go! I need to buy a few other supplies like a better toilet seat (the one we have makes the "hole" too small for comfort), a bigger stool for LJ to use to get onto the potty, bigger underwear and pants so LJ can get them up and down more easily...things like this.

We have Thursday slated as "T-day". I don't have class, so I'll take PJ out of the house so there are no distractions and we'll see if this "nothing (and I mean NOTHING) but potty for several hours and tons of positive reinforcement" works.

Surprise!

I'm kind of glad that Daylight Savings Time is ending (or beginning - whatever) this weekend. These kids are waking up 5 minutes earlier than the morning before each morning this week. On Sunday morning - that will be 7:35 - 7:30 - 7:25, etc. instead of 6:35 - 6:30 - 6:25... If it weren't for the beginning (or the end - whatever) of DST, I fear we'd be into the 5:xx's soon...not good. This morning it was "good" that LJ woke up early because it was SNOWING outside. Snow is unheard of here. I think it snowed in 1984, but not again since then. We get an ice storm every 3 years or so, but never snow. It did not accumulate, but we all got dressed and went outside. We took pictures, but I don't think you can see the snow falling in them. This was quite the treat for us!

On the cleaning campaign, RJ swept the living room, dining room, and kitchen and I mopped all of those areas. I cleaned the hot spots in the living room/front entry/dining room and I plan to clean the glass storm door. That is all that will happen - this week was kind of a light week...I'm finding that all of the weeks are kind of light as we're doing a good job of "keeping up" what we've already done. This is fantastic! I did 4 loads of wash yesterday and folded it and put it away. I need to bless the rest of the house - which really means I need to clean the bathroom - that doesn't take long.

Trees!!! and 1959

TREES!

The tree mover came yesterday and we now have 2 HUGE trees in the front of our house!!!! When I say huge, I don't know what you may be visualizing...but we are talking about trees that are moveable. The trunks are about 7 inches in diameter and the trees are about 24 feet tall - this makes a big impact in curb appeal. The truck and equipment that moved the trees is amazing. The spade digs a hole that is about 5 feet deep and about 70 inches wide - and it does it so quickly and effortlessly. Then, the driver lets go of that dirt and scoops the tree up and deposits it in the hole. Since the size of the spade is the size of the spade - what is moved from one hole fits perfectly into the other hole. This truck was the talk of the neighborhood. 3 different neighbors came over to watch the action and everyone who drove by slowed down to look. It is truly amazing to see.

1959

My mom brought me one of her "journals" - she's always kept a daily journal - really nothing more than what she did that day, what the weather was like, who was sick, what notable things occurred...no emotions - just a record. She brought me 1959 because she had a 3 year old and then had a baby in March, so she thought I could relate or would find it interesting. It is very interesting and I see things that are special to me since my Dad is no longer alive. Things like Dad taking my oldest brother for a walk or to play in the snow or making breakfast so mom could sleep in...

Well, my sister was born on March 24th - there was a piece of paper paper clipped to this day - where dad had timed mom's contractions. So fun to see. Dad wrote the entry that day because mom was in the hospital - my sister weighed 7 pounds and some odd ounces and was 20 inches long. Mom stayed in the hospital 4 days. My sister was "perfect" on the "perfect" 4 hour eating schedule, etc. etc. Flash forward to May 2...my sister had her check-up. She now weighed 10 pounds and was 23 inches - great, now she's as big as PJ was at birth. But, then I read, "Dr. says to start cereal and then vegetables in one week" - WOW! My sister is about 6 weeks old and starting solids. Then I read about how she likes green beans, but really likes peas. This made my jaw drop - my how times have changed!

Rain Rain Stay Away...

The tree mover is scheduled for Wednesday and as of now, no rain in sight. In fact, highs in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s are the forecast, so I'm soooo hoping it'll happen this week.

This is exciting news because it has rained every 5 days all winter long. Rain, in general does not depress me, but...we are running out of time and the ground has GOT to dry out enough to transplant some trees we have. We have zero trees in our front yard - there used to be tons there, but they were "water oaks" and they were native to the land - they lived their life and were cut down before we bought the house. So, we've never had trees in our front yard. There are 2 trees next to the garage RJ built that will have to be cut down, but we want to move them instead. This would be costly, but not as costly as buying trees of a much smaller size - and to have "instant tree" in our front yard would be terrific.

We FINALLY found someone with a tree spade - this was not easy to do. For those of you who aren't "in the know" regarding the world of tree moving, I present:

Tree Spade:

Graphic so you can see how it works:


The problem is - we have a winter weather pattern that equals 5 days of dry then 2 days of rain - then repeat. This truck is big and heavy and will sink into the ground and get stuck if the ground is too wet. The guy was supposed to come last Sunday...it POURED rain all day Saturday, so that was a no-go. Then, he was supposed to come Thursday afternoon, but it rained Wednesday night. Wednesday night's rain was not so bad, but the ground was already on the wet side from Saturday's down pour. So, Thursday was a no-go. To have any chance of the trees surviving and thriving, we need to move them while they are dormant - and that time is rapidly dwindling. AUGH!!!!!

This is why I'm particularly pleased by the weather forecast!

Rainy Saturday

Flying - this week I did clean the bathroom (it doesn't take too long, so there really is no excuse for not doing it more frequently) as this was the Zone of the Week. I decided to buy a new bathmat - ours is missing quite a few suction cups. I also bought one of those spout cover things - because now PJ is in the tub with LJ. PJ has completely outgrown his infant tub that goes in the sink. Plus, he LOVES the bathtub. Loves it. He'll go in the bathroom and beat on it with his hands and if I run the water - forget about it - he's trying to climb in. But, with both of them in there - and with PJ knowing no fear, he's destined to hit his head on the spout, so now we have a duck dressed like a fireman raining protection from our spout.

I also "blessed" the house yesterday (this is how the FlyLady has you keep the rest of the house clean while focusing on one Zone a week) - some rooms got the "over the lips and past the gums..." blessing - crude, but got something done. Today, I need to do laundry and mop the kitchen floor. RJ has to work all day today, so it is me and the kids...all day. Then, he has to take this person out to dinner (he's in charge of a conference that is going on today and his dinner companion is a guest speaker at the conference) - so it is really me and the kids ALL day. PJ fell asleep for like 10 minutes on the way home from Target, so I'm trying to let him play until he gets a little tired again - then it'll be nap time for him. This means I won't have to hear "MOOOOM - PR is getting me - come get him away" for at least 45 minutes!

LJ spent the last of his Christmas Target giftcards this morning - he bought yet ANOTHER Matchbox car fold and go thing. They really are nice, cheap, and the pack away well, so I like them and he enjoys them a TON.

And then there was sleep...

I went out of town last Friday night, for an overnight trip...RJ was super-sweet not to freak out (it isn't his nature) when I told him about going away for Friday night on the Wednesday before...I got together with some ladies from my mommy messageboard and we had a great time - moms only.

The MOST exciting thing about the weekend is...while I was away Friday night - RJ did not feed PJ in the middle of the night. He said that PJ cried around 2:30, but fell back asleep (on his own) and RJ didn't hear from him again until 7:30. So...we decided to dispense with that one last night-time nursing session. Saturday night, PJ cried around 3:45 - and on and off until 4:00, but then we didn't hear from him again until 6:00. I fed him at that time because I want to feed him before I go to work (so I don't have to pump at work) - I leave for work around 7:15...so, anytime between 6 and 7 is fine with me. Sunday and Monday nights we heard him cry around 3:45, but each time - he's put himself back to sleep and we've not heard from him until 7:XX. THIS IS SPECTACULAR!!!! We are *finally* getting our sleep-life back to normal. It was ok getting up with him 1x and, truthfully, I'll miss it - it is the *one* nursing session that is calm. The other 3-4 are an exercise in acrobatics. It is amazing how contorted PJ can get his body and still hang on and nurse. Truly amazing.

PJ's 9 Month Stats

Weight - 25 pounds 10 ounces
(weight for age = >97th percentile)

Length - 30 1/2 inches
(length for age >97th percentile)

Head Circumference - 19 inches
(head circuference for age >97th percentile)

Weight for Length percentile = 75th - 90th

Once again - he is a big boy, but when you factor in his lenght and weight - he's pretty proportional. FYI - LJ was 21 pound 3 ounces at 9 months old.

He's been crawling for months, pulling up for months, cruising for months - but still no walking (thank goodness). He's eating just fine - prefers to have nothing to do with baby food, so he eats mostly table food. He nurses around 4-5 times in a 24 hour period. The Zantac seems to be working well, so our reflux issues are under control. He's more "vocal" than I remember LJ being - he screams a lot...which I do rememeber LJ going through a screaming stage. He's more agressive and adventursome than LJ is - LJ is very aware of his abilities and is cautious with physical things - PJ would crawl off the edge of a cliff without hesitation. PJ is napping 2x a day and usually the naps are an hour and a half each - sometimes only 45 minutes. He wakes up one time at night to eat. He usually wakes up 2 or so other times and fusses/cries, but puts himself back to sleep. All-in-all, happy, healthy and just doing fine.

3 Days and Nights is Enough!

I've started to make a dent in this house de-cluttering. I read much of the FlyLady website almost a year ago, so I'm kind of following her suggestions, but since RJ is gone today, I'm using this as a way to really get ahead. I de-cluttered our #1 hot spot - the dining room table. Put a fresh table cloth on and put RJ's random stuff in a box. I have the back porch - aka - kids' play area in an organized state of chaos and when PJ wakes up from his nap, we are going to Target to buy yet MORE storage containers. I already know we (LJ and I) are going to have to devote 15 minutes every night to this room alone...if I don't oversee the process - everything gets all out of whack.

We went to visit baby E yesterday. This is an hour long car ride there and back. PJ slept on the way there and LJ was, as usual, great in the car. That kid can sit there and look out the window and be perfectly happy. E is a cute cute cute little boy and when I picked him up, my arms floated up in the air - he is so light. Of course, at 8 weeks old, he weighs less than PJ did at birth. PJ was very interested in trying to kiss (?) or take a bite out of (?) E's face - we'll go with kiss!

RJ comes home today - he was helping my brother and one of my brothers-in-law rebuild the boat dock at MawMaw's house. 3 nights and days alone with the kids - well, I'm ready to have some "help" again! I cannot fathom how single moms do it. I suppose you do what you have to do, but whew - I'm so glad I'm not in that situation. I have enjoyed watching movies RJ would not want to watch - last night was The Devil Wears Prada - still not as good as the book, but better than the Nanny Diaries.

More Random Catch-up

PJ's Sleep Training:
He wakes up a couple of times a night and cries - it is rare is does so for 3 minutes solid, so he just toughs it out by himself. Since RJ is on duty unless it is 1:00 or 6:00 (the times he's allowed to eat), I just roll over and put the pillow over my ear...we are all sleeping much better.

PJ's Eating:
Pretty much all table food - with random baby food at breakfast (fruit) and dinner (meat/veggies). If there is regular food around - he's not interested in the baby food.

LJ's Potty Training:
I consider it major success that LJ has been willing to wear underwear first thing most morning and has been willing to sit on the potty. No fuss, no complaints - it has all been just fine.

Here is the problem...we get through all the underwear we own - 6 pairs. He pees very often...every 15 - 20 minutes. Not a lot, but enough. So, on the first day, I set my timer for 20 minutes, but we'd sit on the potty and nothing, but then about 5 minutes after getting off the potty - I notice he's got wet pants. Sometimes he tells me, sometimes I just notice. So...? He doesn't seem to mind being in wet underwear. He's not even trying to get to the bathroom...he just pees, like he always has. And, he obviously doesn't "hold" his urine for any amount of time. I read that others ask them to sit on the potty every hour or two - um...that is 4-5 urinations for us.

So - this is a slow process, but I suppose it'll all work out eventually. For those "old school" people out there - the current literature considers using the potty to be a developmental milestone like walking - they'll do it when they are ready and when they are ready, it'll be easy. Boys are typically ready around 3 and 1/2. Frankly, it is easier for him to be in diapers - but you didn't hear me say that.

LJ's Health:
LJ threw up yesterday morning - for the first time in his life...so, I shouldn't complain. Plus, he did it while I was at work, so RJ had to deal with it all - so, I REALLY shouldn't complain. I knew he wasn't feeling well because he asked to take a nap well before nap time - even though his blanket was in the dryer...poor kid. This morning, he's still not feeling well and has spent the morning on the couch. He hasn't thrown up again this morning - he apparently did last night, in bed, a little, but RJ took care of that this morning...LJ didn't seem to notice. This illness is likely going to put a kink in our Saturday plans...

Exciting Family News:
LJ and PJ have a new cousin!!! Aunt MJ and Uncle BJ *finally* made it through the whole adoption process and are now the proud parents of a very cute 6 week old baby EJ - who at 6 weeks is smaller than PJ was when he was born, but sleeps WAY better than PJ does now. I'm trying not to be jealous about that part! We were going to go see them tomorrow, but might postpone that a day or two depending on how LJ's health progresses. Don't want to take any chances...

Interesting (?) Family News:
We are all eating much more healthily as I have just completed Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. I decided to do it! I'm still nursing, so I've been hesitant to do any "diet", but - in researching SBD, it makes soooo much sense to me AND it has me eating a way more healthy diet than I have been. Day 1 I even went out to lunch - Chili's. So, I did some Internet research first and found that the Guiltless Salmon is Phase 1 friendly. Salmon, black beans, and broccoli...I didn't feel deprived in the least. I found the South Beach Diet Cookbook at the library and checked it out. I really like how portions are not limited - just the sugar/enriched flour - which makes so much sense to me. I've told so many people about the concept, so I can tell you if you are interested. Or, you can just search on the Internet and you'll find information about it...I checked out books at the library. We are eating lean meats, cheese, etc...*I'm* limiting my carbs, but the rest of the family is not, but they are eating whole grains - brown rice, whole-wheat bread/pasta, etc. RJ is pretty on board because the science behind it makes sense...he still drinks Coke though! I've been very successful so far and I'm happy with the nutritional changes we are making.

Sleep Training for PJ

First - Happy New Year! We did stay up (RJ had to convince me - I wanted to go to bed) to ring in the New Year on the East Coast...and then we went to bed. On New Year's Day we drove to S&R's house with Jfer in tow and had a really nice visit. We enjoyed seeing their house and the delicious meals S cooked for us. We were so happy to see M&B and I think S&R survived LJ at their house...he decided to feed their frog - all of the food in the container. This resulted in syphoning and cleaning the tank - once again, we are sorry. This little 3 year old is tough to reign in. Seriously 3 is CRAZY.

We have been "sleep-training" PJ for 3 nights now - here is the little journal I've been keeping (thus far)"

Night 1 - Jan 3, 2008
PJ has survived (or should I say, we have survived) his first night of "sleep training" - it wasn't that bad. We did our normal routine, but added a story in his room before we put him down - awake - for bed. Previously, he was bounced to sleep in the bouncy seat. He feel asleep on his own - no crying. Then, when he cried in the night we did a 3 minutes of crying, 1 minute of back patting - then, 5 minutes of crying, 1 minute of back patting - then 10 minutes of crying, 1 minute of back patting...and 10 minutes every time after that. He never got past 3 minutes of crying. He cried once for 3 minutes, RJ went in, patted his back - left and PJ never cried for another 3 minutes. Later in the night, he cried for fewer than 3 minutes, so we never went in. Um...I'm not holding my breath that tonight will be as good, but the first night was sooo not bad I'm kicking myself for not starting sooner. Except that RJ's parents have spent 2 -3 nights with us mosts weeks for the past few weeks and I hesitate to subject anyone to what could be a long night of crying. I just put PJ down for his morning nap - no bouncing and no nursing to sleep and he fussed for a few minutes, but now it is quiet in there.

Night 2 - Jan 4, 2008
He cried out about 3 times, but never for long enough for RJ to go in there...um - this is either a fluke or WHY DID WE NOT DO THIS SOONER?! Do you have any idea how much my quality of life will improve if I can have some down time at night AND still get a good solid 6 - 7 hours of sleep. I'd prefer 8, but 6 straight hours is so foreign to me that I *know* that alone will be monumental.

Night 3 - Jan 5, 2008
Great! - he cried out 1x (when it was not ok to eat) and put himself back to sleep quickly. He went 6 1/2 hours without eating and then 3 1/2 hours, so I'm ready to take him down to eating 1x a night and then, eventually (within a few days) 0. LJ just did all of these things on his own, so it is foreign to me to have to "teach" PJto do them.