Potty Training Horizon?

So as I was changing Isaac, he started getting a really weird look on his face and then out puffed a little fart. Then, as truly the Son of Jack, giggled. Sometimes farts mean poop. Sometimes they don't. So I threw it out there - do want to go potty on the potty? To my surprise, he nodded so I followed him into the bathroom and put him on the toilet. He sat there for about a minute or so and then wanted to get down. I think this was more pretend pottying than truly a conscious effort on his part to go, but I found this encouraging. Madeline really didn't have a true interest in the potty until she after she turned two. I had tried to no avail to start her at 18 months with her just as willing to potty in her trainers or panties as regular diapers. And then of course you hear that boys hold out to the bitter end to train. My friend's little boy is fully potty trained just as he nears his Kindergarten deadline. So the fact that Isaac even considers the potty something other than a bowl of water to play in is highly encouraging to me. I'll take it on his time and cross your fingers he trains up faster than Maddy did.

When Madeline and scissors go wrong . . .

Um, yeah so this is my dear daughter's handiwork. I guess she must have thought that her bangs were too long or was pretty confident that cutting hair was a piece of cake. This is the result. I'm very glad that her hair grows pretty fast, especially her bangs. I guess we'll be visiting you Amy Ann in a couple of weeks.

Birthday Girl

Madeline turned four years old on Thursday. Time seriously flies. She amazes me every day. Here is a little picture of Madeline at 4:

She can be so sweet and loving, and then defiant and stubborn.

She loves her preschool class. Brycie is awesome with her and she's doing really well.

She loves church and bugs us all the time about going to nursery, until she found out how much fun Sunbeams is, and now she wants to go there all the time.

She loves being outside, and she can't wait until the weather is warmer so she can ride her new Sleeping Beauty bike.

She loves her brother Isaac - a lot. They fight and pick at each other but she is so mothering to him its funny.

She loves to play dress up.

She loves to color and draw. She's not the best at keeping her crayons, chalks or pencils out of harms way. But she loves chalking up the sidewalks, and coloring in coloring books, reams of paper and walls.

She loves animals. Her new dog Ebony and her haven't quite figured out not to harm each other but I think with age, Ebony will be one of her best friends.

She loves to play with friends. She has a fit when they or we have to leave.

Her favorite foods are chicken nuggets and pizza.

She could watch Disney movies all day long if I let her.

She comes up with the strangest comments like "Your grandma's daughter aren't you?"

She is very helpful when she wants to be. She gets me things all the time and usually has a good attitude about it. She gets distracted easily so cleaning her room takes much longer than it should.

She loves to sing and dance. When her Aunt Peggy comes over, there is nothing better in this world than when they dance around to music on her iPod and sing Disney princess songs. She loves the Veggietales CD that has her name referenced in it and will sing along with most of the songs. She even makes up her own little songs as well.

She has the best mad face!

She loves going to the library. She loves storytime when we can make it on time. She loves to look at books and I'm pretty sure she's getting close to reading them on her own.

She LOVES McDonalds.

She will repeat the same question over and over and over again until I acknowledge her asking it.

The best time in her whole small life was when she went to Disneyland. She still talks about it and keeps asking if we're going today.

She loves talking on the phone. Her favorite people to talk to on the phone are her Aunt Amy Jo, Peggy and Grandma and Grandpa. She is such a little teenager about it too - she'll hold the phone to her ear, then cock her head to one side, her other hand on her hip, and walk around the room while she's talking. Most people don't understand what she's talking about because after the initial hello, she really isn't listening to the other person.

She loves to take baths. She'd take a bath multiple times a day if I let her. She pretends to swim in the water. Occasionally she'll say she wants to go back to her old home. She means the apartment we used to live in that had a pool. She loves the water and misses the pool.

Insists on going to the bathroom by herself. If she can get a small stall, that's the one she'll use.

She demanded the other day that I buy her a Beauty bed. After many questions I figured out she was talking about a canopy bed. She only relented when I told her we don't have enough money for it.


There's about a million more but there are so many things about her that are great, frustrating and lovable.

I love you, my little nugget!