They Make the Rockin' World Go Round

We've been waging a war against diapers at our house. A few weeks ago I decided that I was tired of having two kids in diapers. Instead of waiting for him to be ready to potty-train, I stopped buying diapers in Cooper's size.

It's been a struggle, but we've been pushing the potty.

This afternoon I asked Cooper if he needed to use the bathroom. He said no, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Phoebe nod her head yes. I turned to her and repeated my question. She grinned and nodded yes again.

I took her hand, walked her into the bathroom, and placed her on the porcelain throne.

She was thrilled.

During this time Cooper wandered in and the following conversation took place.

Cooper: Does Phoebe have a tiny little bottom?

Me: Yes she does.

Cooper: And do you have a huge giant bottom?

Me: Not exactly-

Cooper: I bet it's super-giant!

I Thought This Was Appropriate Based on When I'm Posting Today

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Progression of a Tantrum

Me, Myself, and Daddy

Phoebe's newest trick is to answer questions with the word, "Me!" Here's an example:

Me: Who wants breakfast?

Phoebe: Me!

My favorite application of this new skill happened tonight after dinner.

Bryan: Who wants some bread?

Phoebe: Me!

Bryan: Who wants some more bread?

Phoebe: Me!

Bryan: Who loves Phoebe?

Phoebe: Daddy!

Few More Zzzzs

Today I am thankful that Bryan stayed home from school this morning so I could sleep.

We had a night full of waking children. When I woke-up I was worn out and could feel a cold creeping into my ears and throat and nose. The extra sleep got me through the day.

And now I'm going to go crawl under a blanket and tell this cold to go away.

Toothless

There were several days that Peter's smile looked like this:

He had wiggled the tooth halfway out, but refused to pull it the rest of the way. The result was a snaggle-toothed appearance and a tooth that wiggled whenever he spoke.

Today I am thankful that the tooth is out.

Do you think his teeth will wait until after Christmas to come in? I can't resist a good song cue, and I've been humming "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" since the second one came out.

Monkeying Around

My phone ran out of memory while we were there (most of these pictures were taken by my friend that we went with) so you'll have to imagine the rest of our day of fun at the zoo.

Health and Strength

Today I am thankful for healthy children.

Cooper was a sick little boy yesterday. He spent most of the afternoon on the couch, moaning every now and then. Today though, he was bouncy and energetic enough that he earned himself a timeout for whacking Phoebe on the top of the head.

I don't like the naughtiness, but I do like that he's feeling well again.

Game Changer

Last night at dinner Peter announced that we would be doing something new during the month of November. He reached out to the middle of the table and picked up the Halloween pumpkin he had placed there as a centerpiece. Then he said that whoever was holding the pumpkin would say one thing they were thankful for. He went first. After we had each taken a turn, Peter told us that we would this same activity each night until Thanksgiving.

He's on to something.

I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. I could blame it on November and Thanksgiving looming, but the topic has been occupying space in my brain for the last month or so. I have much to be grateful for, but I often get sucked into the Complaining Game. You know, the one where you compare all the awful stuff that's happening to you to see who wins with the worst situation. I'm good at that game, but I never feel very good after I've played it.

So I'm going to play Peter's game instead.

Today, as the temperatures outside drop, I am thankful for a warm house in which to live.

What are you thankful for?

The Big Reveal

Throughout the month of October the boys and I discussed various ideas for Halloween costumes. Cooper talked about being a pumpkin, Peter mentioned being a skeleton, but nothing really caught anyone's fancy.

Then a week and a half ago I had an idea.

Last Monday I gathered supplies, then spent the next three days cutting and sewing and gluing and generally pushing myself past my known skills.

The result?

The cutest family zoo I've seen.

Bryan made my costume. He and I were the zookeepers. So, in other words, we went as ourselves.

I don't have any close-ups on Peter's elephant costume. He wanted to be a pirate for his school party and I didn't see any point in forcing him to be an elephant without his animal counterparts.

But I do have a few of Cooper and Phoebe.