Seriously

Today I am wondering if I Ethan will ever be potty trained???? Yesterday, I had to clean poop off the slide and I stepped in it in the yard (reminder to self: always wear shoes in my own backyard). I've tried it all, REALLY, well except: I'll get you a puppy if you learn to use the potty . . . that's a last resort, I'd have to potty train the puppy too -- ugggghhhh!

The last thing I tried was naked. Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, I've read said if you let them be naked they will not "go" on the floor. Well whoever "they" is has never met Ethan. Not only did he pee on the floor a few times, he pooped too. The first time he did it I thought it was just an accident, but he did it again on the hardwood floor right by me (while I was on the computer). He just squatted and went. I guess it's a bonus that he tells me so no one steps in it but it really doesn't phase him, he isn't sorry, he doesn't really care.

He usually tells me when he has wet his pants, sometimes he tells me when he poops. I've tried to be nice and funny and give him rewards of stickers on charts and M&Ms and we've yelled and spanked a couple times too (I know, turn me in, don't worry I'll be paying the therapist bills (for him and me)). I know what the majority of the problem is: STUBBORNNESS. I have never meant a child so stubborn in my life. And I've met some really stubborn children in my ten years of teaching. I can even remember a couple of names (which I won't name) but I think Ethan could give them a run for their money in a Stubborn Contest.

He holds it for a couple hours. When I put him on the potty, it's like a 10 minute thing of getting him to go and normally he does have to go but just doesn't want to. There's crying and screaming and laughing and begging and lots of "NOs" from everyone in the bathroom and here, everyone is usually in the bathroom at once! So if you have any advice, I need it! I want it! I want to hear it all! School will begin in 4-6 weeks, I have to get him mostly potty trained.

He did it!

Ethan made it through one FULL day of Preschool. He's going to be going all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays from now one. Both his teacher, who I love, and I agreed he was ready. He's done 2 full days previously but it was on days there were field trips so that's not really the same as the regular full routine of eating in the lunch room, nap time, and ending the day. The preschool aide said he had a rough start but did well the rest of the day. I was most concerned with lunch which I packed for him and nap time. It was reported he had some trouble laying down a little but it was the first time and he slept for a total of 20 minutes. He was pretty subdued when I picked him up but he played quietly for most of the afternoon. I thought he would be wiped out but somehow as soon as this tired boy hits his room for about 5 minutes, he is re energized every single time. It's 9:45 so an hour and 15 minutes has gone by and everyone is asleep but Ethan is sitting with Daddy in the playroom laughing it up watching who knows what on TV. I'm really looking forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays however my first Tuesday was spent on taking Addison to the eye doctor in Peoria but I hope to enjoy these days home more than doing errands.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

At least until I have a vehicle to take these kids to school. I don't mind rain but I do mind walking 2-1/2 blocks pushing a non-cooperative stroller while holding an umbrella and having to stop every 5 seconds to yell at a equally non-cooperative boy who is also holding an umbrella and standing in a huge puddle saying he is stuck. It only rained one of the three times I had to walk. I'm glad it was the last time, we all had to change our clothes, wash coats, and air out book bags. We were completely soaked. As soon as we stepped out the door to leave it started raining harder. I really didn't want to go but I had no other option, none of my neighbors were home to ask if I could borrow their car or at least stay with Ethan and Reese. We didn't melt, I got good use out of my rain boots (yes, I had to mention them again, Keely) and I took photos so it must not have been that bad, huh? Maybe the truck will be fixed tomorrow night . . . at least no rain is forecasted for tomorrow.

All Pooped Out!

Dear Ethan,

I am at a breaking point (and I don't feel I get to breaking points easily) with you and potty training . . . seriously you are almost 4 and a half years old, it's time actually way past time and then some. I started potty training you and your brother and sister when you were about 2 and half years old . . . almost 2 years ago. Your sister, being a girl and all, pretty much did it herself. Your brother, on the other hand, was a slower go and took about 9 months to be officially potty trained. I didn't push you, I didn't want to traumatize you for life as all the propaganda says. We're gently nudging and encouraging, but I'm losing stamina.

You're so very stubborn . . . you don't seem to care about incentives. Your siblings were thrilled with charts and stickers and promises of "guys" for pooping on the potty. Even with bribes of special fun things like extra visits to Grammy & Papa's house . . . you have the so what? attitude. Maybe if I got the real live Wiggles to come here in person and live at our house you'd do it . . . doubtful. I'm even thinking would a puppy help? No, that's something else I'd have to potty train, I need to regroup.

The comment that I always jokingly say: He'll have to find a wife who will change his pull-ups . . . isn't so funny anymore and I'm beginning to think seriously what are you going to do? What am I going to do? I still have to potty train Reesey after you . . . maybe I'm just tired after all Daddy and I changed approximately 6,000 diapers your first year and probably close to 14,000 to date all in the short period of 4-1/2 years so I am just all pooped (and peed) out! So will you please at least pretend your interested in going instead of ignoring me when I tell you it's time to go try and when you want me to sit on the tub by you for what seems like endless hours could you at least put some effort into the whole experience instead of just wanting to get down only to wait 5 minutes after I put a new pull-up on you then you say "I stinky, I poot." I really want you to be a big boy and I know you do too.

Please, please, please, maybe there's a puppy waiting for you on the big boy side . . . puppies have got to be easier to train than their 4-1/2 year old owners.

Love, Your tired mom

Ethan at 4

1. He’s obsessed with the movie “Monsters, Inc”. This was one of the first movies (that and Nemo) that the kids started watching when they were almost 2 years old. Lately he loves this movie and let’s you know by saying “I want Mike” about 1000 times over and over again until you put it in.


2. He knows all the lines to several movies and TV shows and can say the lines exactly with the characters and he includes hand and body movements with his lines – an actor in the making, maybe.3. He loves to play football in the house – Daddy says it’s okay but they hit everything. Every person playing must have a football, at least they are nerf ones. He is usually the initiator of the game and like a true man he must rip off his shirt during some point in the game.


4. Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn. Last week he started telling his teachers “NO!” and some of his friends too. Nice.

5. He still is not potty trained although he has used the potty several times. I can’t find something that “works” for him.

6. He continues to get naked in bed. He has to sleep with a zip up footy PJs or he’s naked.

7. He’s good about trying to give Reese a different toy if she tries to take one of his however, she was quick to realize that she can get a really good rise out of him if she even looks at his stuff so now she’s taking it and running and making him all crazy. He will also push her down by her head if she makes him mad.

8. He still sleeps with a million and one things in his bed. Now he likes to brings all his “stuffs” downstairs and pile them in a laundry basket and sit and play or watch TV. Reese likes to climb in his basket just to make him mad it works every single time.

9. Now that he talks he's super BOSSY. For example if I say it’s time to eat and he’s the only one that comes to the table he’s yelling at the top of his lungs for everyone to come but it’s certainly okay with him if he doesn’t follow requests made by others.

10. He likes to say “it’s eat time” when we’re ready for a meal and lately if we are doing something he doesn’t like he will say to us “do you want a spankin?”

11. We call him “The Water Buffalo” he drinks almost a half bottle of water every night. It’s not all at once just a stall tactic to call us in there several times.

12. He’s been singing Happy Birthday a lot lately. A few mornings ago I went in to unzip his crib tent and he said so enthusiastically “happy birthday, Mommy!” Too cute!

13. He doesn’t comprehend the words: wait, just a minute, or patience at all.

14. His temper tantrums are award winning but getting better -- there aren't as many and they don't last as long. We see the light at the end of tunnel.

14. He still jumps on the couch and the chairs and the train table and anything else he can get on. He sits in time out a lot for jumping on the couch . . . I don't think it's making a difference.

15. He hates yogurt, eggs, milkshakes, hot cocoa, and vanilla pudding.

16. He loves Tootsie Rolls and chocolate candy which are new favorites since Halloween. He will dip about anything in ketchup: green beans, grapes, pancakes, apples but most of the time he eats it as a side dish.

17. His creative play has developed so much since school started. He now plays appropriately with toys and has some pretend play going on.

He's still a sweet little guy that I love with all my heart!

ER Trip #2

It's amazing that we went about 3-3/4 years with crazy, overly energetic triplets without a trip to the ER. Caden broke that record last August needing stitches in his lip. Now Ethan made his debut at the ER last night.

He was sitting on the top of the recliner. Yes, I mean the back part sort of like a bird. And yes, we've told him a million times plus not to sit there. He's even fallen off a couple times but nothing deters him -- nothing. He fell off backwards and started to cry but I knew it was bad because just after a second or two, he sucked in his breathe forever, you know when you don't know if they are going to breathe again and let out a painful cry. Immediately there was blood. Aaron got a wet washcloth and it soaked through right away. I'll admit I was panicking. I'm usually good with stuff like this but it was a lot of blood and it was his head and it was Ethan who usually isn't bothered by much. Aaron said he needed to go to the ER -- he worries about concussions a lot, rightfully so. So I took him. By the time we got there (15 minutes later) it wasn't bleeding much and he was talking and being himself all the way there.

It took about 2-1/2 hours there and he wasn't in too much pain since I had to try to keep him busy so he would stop jumping on the waiting room furniture. He got a numbing shot (that worked immediately) and 2 staples in his head. Did you know the stapler looks just like an office stapler, sounds the same and everything -- I could have just done it at home -- I even have decorative scrapbook staples and gave him something cool -- just kidding!

He was fine after the procedure was over and came home at 9:30 ate a little dinner and went right to bed and fell asleep immediately. Did he learn his lesson? You be the judge!

Birthday Wishes and Back on the Patch

Been busy around here this week . . . so busy that I didn't even post about Aaron's Birthday on Wednesday. The kids were excited about his birthday and I never have any idea what to get him because he asks for impossible things like a fuss ball table (where are we putting that?), snow blower (sure.), or a new PlayStation that was like $600. So I just picked up some small stuff turns out I had 5 gifts so the kids each picked out one thing to give him and the wrapping paper to wrap it in. Caden even had the idea we should hide when he came home and yell "surprise" which we did. They wanted to know what kind of party he was having. They were a little disappointed when they found out they were going to Grammy's and we were going out to eat. We went to the Packing House for Aaron's free birthday dinner. It was good and nice just to eat by ourselves. Happy {late} Birthday, Aaron!

Ethan and Addison had eye doctor appointments yesterday. They are seeing the Pediatric eye doctor about every 4 months and yesterday was their yearly dilation. We were there for 2-1/2 hours. I hate appointments that never seem to end! Anyway we didn't get the best news. Addison eye and head turning is getting a little worse so she may have to have another eye muscle surgery to correct that. She goes back in about 4 months to see her progress. Now that Ethan is older, he is able to help with the eye exam and give them information on what he can an can't see. So yesterday it was determined that his eyes aren't of equal strength which is very important. If you have one eye that is stronger, it will keep getting stronger and eventually the other eye will not be give much or any benefit at all. So the doctor said the dreaded "P" word: patching. We've been through patching before. So long ago that I can't even remember when but I think we patched for more than a year before he was 2 years old. He fought us on it all the way. 4 hours (of awake time) a day. We managed to get 30 minutes in yesterday. You can see the battle we're up for! More on this to follow.

This is the first day this week we didn't have to be gone! YaHOO! I'm off to put dinner in the crock pot, do laundry until I run out of soap, and make a couple fun things for Reese's party! Have a great day!

The Story Matters Challenge

Here's my entry for The Story Matters Challenge Blog. I haven't missed one of these challenges yet. I am really tired from the birthday party festivities but I haven't missed doing one of these challenges yet so I made myself do it and whipped it together in an hour. It shows but I love this photo of Ethan!

I think I should get extra credit for using papers that Keely got me almost 3 years ago! No kidding. The "I am her to live our loud" tag is that old too. The birdie circles are brand new though. Way to mix up, huh?

The last challenge I did for this blog I won! Check it out here!

I will post about the birthday party tomorrow. I need to get some sleep!

So you think you can . . .

Here's my layout for The Story Matters challenge blog. The challenge was "so you think you can ________?". I love these photos of Ethan eating a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich. I took these the first day I got my new camera.

Journaling says: "mmm . . . delicious" you love food PB&J is a favorite but you have to dissect it before you eat it - messy, messy, messy. You'll never be awarded for table manners - but you are a good eater! Ethan 8/08

Preschool Update

Where have I been? I don't know except for a busy weekend with a carnival and zoo visit and this is our first 5 day week of preschool. If I don't blog almost every day I get used to not blogging need to do better!

Addison and Caden still love preschool. Caden normally starts to cry when I pick him up but I think he's tired. He's usually ready to go back the next morning except Tuesday he kept telling me he was "sick" and didn't want to go -- where do they learn stuff like that? I think he was cold and tired!

I've been concerned about Ethan. Last week he started to cry when I dropped him off. I don't mean a few tears but fall down in a pile screaming crying "Mommmmmeeeeee, stop, wait, come back" kind of thing. Nothing I can do but walk away. I just hate having him start his day off that way. The first day I think it was started by the fact that he heard me tell one of the other kids I was taking Reese to the doctor and when we drove to school I think he thought he was going with us to the doctor because he wouldn't get out of the car seat. Everyday after that, he was crying. On Sunday and Monday when I asked him if he wanted to go to school and see his friends and his teachers he said "No thank you, Mommy!" Ugggghhhhhhh! seemed like this is going to be one long school year and then he only has 14 more years to go!

On Tuesday when I took him to his room, he tried to push me out the door and say "get out". No tears . . . and yesterday I told him it was time to get dressed and he said "go to school?" so he's getting it. His teachers told me he has had two really good days in a row. Ms. Flynn came for a home visit last night and she said the first couple days she was really worried about him. But she says he's beginning to get the routine down and follow the rules better and she's on to him that he knows a lot more than he lets on -- which is the understatement of the year. He's probably smarter than all of us put together in this family but he likes to act aloof and like he doesn't hear or understand anything he doesn't want to do (which is most things)! She informed me he is yelling at his friends -- nice! but they try to tell him to use nice words then he shushes everyone and stops yelling -- I'm sure it's in his gibberish and he's saying "stupid" 5000 times (thanks, SpongeBob). She said yesterday that he went up and hugged her (first time) and then he started laughing. He starting to like it -- it will just take more time for him. Ms. Flynn said he has bonded with Mrs. Cornell which is good because she probably spends 90% of her time with him when he's there and he has to sit on her lap during circle time or he runs away. He is interacting with the other kids too something I was concerned about but that's a good sign. She also said that she thought the half day schedule was perfect for him (whew!). We were/are having a meeting about him attending full day after one month of preschool and Ms. Flynn had kept mentioning this the first week or so of school but I just didn't think he'd be ready and she agrees. Maybe later in the year he can go all day but were definitely going to wait on that.

So we are all adjusting to the routine. I've gotten one closet completely cleaned and took a humongous garbage bag of clothes to goodwill. Only three more closets to go, and two of them are like black holes if I don't post again you'll know I was swallowed in the abyss.

This just in . . . Latebreaking News

I reported last night that Ethan pottied on the potty for the very first time ever! Well, he did it again this morning. Then before his nap he pooped on the potty and if you know anything about potty training this is a huge step! Then he pottied again for me this afternoon! This is unbelievable! I started potty training these kids more than 18 months ago. He is so stubborn and it has to be his idea I guess. Anyway, he's doing well at preschool, seems to be getting the potty training thing down too, so now I think I'll have him start looking for a part-time job next week!

Having Faith

The challenge for One Little Word blog was "faith". This one was easy as to what my subject would be: Ethan's NICU story. It's one I can't tell enough and have documented several times in layouts before and I'm sure I will continue to revisit this story over and over again. It actually becomes harder to think about the further down the road it gets -- seems like it would be easier to deal with but its not. I love this photo of him holding my pinky -- wish it wasn't so blurry but I still love it! Click on photos to see them larger.

The 8th Wonder of the World

Today we had some errands to run and I told the kids we could do something "special" if they were really good and they were through both stores. We went to a park, new to us out at Lake Storey. They had a ball and they ran around for more than hour. I picked up lunch and promptly at 2pm said it was nap time and they all went to their respective beds/couch. I was even considering I may take advantage of nap time too. Staying up every night until 12:30 or 1 am is taking a toll on me which I blame partly on scrapbooking and partly on Nancy Grace and her quest to understand the disappearance of 2 year old Caylee Anthony which I am officially obsessed with but that is another story. My diligence on nap taking and separating my two party-goers has worked and today both Caden and Addison were out in about 5 minutes. Ethan had other plans, he took a 10 minute power nap in the van on the way home and therefore decided he didn't need to sleep. And he's my rock at naptime -- I can always count on him but not today. He was so loud that he woke Caden up after an hour so there went my plans for a much needed and wanted mommy nap.

This little boy is such a puzzle sometimes. Look at this ritual that he performs several times a day. He empties his bed which is no easy task because there are no less than 45 stuffed babies in there.
He throws every one of them on the floor.

Then he goes to the top of the stairs and throws all of them down, one by one to the first landing.

Then he must repeat this on the second set of stairs.

It's quite a time consuming process.

It accumulates to a large pile.

Then he starts to pile them all in a nest of his choice: laundry basket, playroom, chair, today it was the couch.

He likes to lay on them all. Sometimes he does this about 5 minutes before his bedtime so then it all has to go back up, which he is pretty good about taking them back to bed but it can take a while especially if he decides to do it one by one. Why does he do this? I don't know.

And why is his face so filthy (besides the fact that his mom didn't wipe it off) -- that's M&M's -- you know the candy that melts in your mouth, not in your hands. Well, apparently it melts on your mouth. How can he look like that and spill strawberry milk all over his shirt in the van first thing this morning and then become covered with water and sand at the park; yet at preschool if one drop of paint gets on his hand he has a meltdown and cannot, will not paint one more second and finger painting? Forget it!

This morning he was playing with a wooden alphabet puzzle. He held one up to me and said "R" and I looked and yep, it was an "R". So I picked up another and he told me "M". He knew "P", "S", "O", "K", "L", and "B". He thought the "V" was a "K" and the "Q" was an "O". I was impressed. How does he know all that but he can't go potty in the potty chair? I don't even think he should know any letters yet except maybe an "E" for Ethan but he should be at least attempting to potty train. Oh the puzzlement of it all!