Chaos dot to dot

I LOVE my kids, I love this phase and I am so encouraged with how smoothly everyone's falling into our new world. However, It's a lot to manage, even with the Insane hours Kevin works I still have to get him to team clean with me for the floors and bathrooms on Saturday mornings. Also I so wish my washer dryer closet was on the main level. Ours is in the basement we have to take a four person train down 15 stairs to get to the washer. Also our stairs are wood so I can't wear socks ever and I literally pray every time I walk down them with two kids in my hands that God will protect us. Sometimes I leave Ethan upstairs and listen to Audrey scream while I go get Him. Sometimes I hold Audrey's hand as she walks down and hope she doesn't fall (the steps are tall). Usually I hold one in each arm and have Audrey put her arm around Ethan. Audrey and Karaline are both so sweet to Him. They love holding Him, and petting and kissing his head. Those are the things that melt my heart. Moments of love between all of my kids make it so addictive, I don't dwell in the challenges, I live in those moments. The chaos connects the dots I guess. This week we've all been fighting a sickness of some sort (cold like) and Audrey's been super fussy, she's sick and teething. Karaline my super big helper has been cranky yesterday/today too, I'm running low on groceries. I'm Getting creative, we had bacon and eggs for dinner last night. Not feeling well has landed Audrey in a diaper. and back to taking two naps a day. I had to change my first Audrey toddler poopy diaper yesterday (nap time special), oh I'm so glad we did this potty gig. That was nasty. However, even in the midst of it all I can't help but feel joy (ok some times frazzled) and overflowing love for my little blessings. All in all, no matter how the day (and upcoming night) goes every day does end with all three of my gifts happy and asleep in their room. This phase has its trials, but it is so worth it. I am so honored that I get to have three. Although I am thinking a Friday morning cleaning lady may be the next person in our lives :)

To be out numbered

So I'm a little over three weeks into this mom of three gig. Week one my mother in law was here, week two I was w/o a helping visitor, but my friends kept me fed and week three my mom was here. So yesterday was the first day that I had to venture to the pool for Karalines swim lesson with all 3 by myself. I was nervous for sure, with 2 kids you have two arms but a third arm doesn't grow with the third kid so I felt out numbered. Anyway I prepped for the event, timing everything down to the last minute. Breakfast, followed by play with girls for an hour, nap Audrey, get ready, nurse Ethan, load Ethan (we have a garage, which makes this easier), wake and load Audrey then head out. We get to the pool and Karaline leads us In with me holding Audrey on one hip carrying Ethan's car seat in the other hand with our pool back pack on my back. Phew we made it :) ..... Just in time for them to say "no one called you?....I'm sorry the swim instructor called out sick". Well, we were already there, so I put all of our suits on and brought them swimming while Ethan slept on the side lines. Everything was going great and as soon as I began to feel like wow I can do this Audrey slipped and hit her head. Well, an ice pack and a cuddle fixed that, then Audrey had to poop which meant a parade to the bathroom and back, but she didn't mess in her swim suit so I'm happy.
When swim time was over we headed out and immediately Karaline had a melt down in the vehicle, but I was simply so happy the pool process went well that her melt down wasn't even stressful (plus all kids were contained at the time). So, there you have it, first outing down :) we all lived to tell and we even had fun, smiled, and even laughed. I am truly overjoyed with my little blessings, but I've certainly had moments that I'm not sure I can make it through the day. Ethan's ready to go back to sleep now so I'm going to take advantage of it. Happy thanksgiving.

Birth story

So several months ago Kevin's dad said he wanted to go to the penn state Ohio state game in state college. This game fell on October 27th my 38 week gestation date. Now pregnancy is technically 40 weeks, but any time past 37 weeks you're supposed to be prepared for a baby right. So, to make a long prefix to a story a little shorter I didn't want Kevin to leave town, then found out if he didn't he would be pretty much just as unavailable to me on the 28th due to work. So I encouraged the fun option. Then an hour and a half into the game with Kevin out of reach and 5+ hours away my water broke. I was quite nervous, but I put the kids to bed, prepared my help and went to bed to pray for no labor. Labor didn't come..,phew and Kevin got home at 11 am Oct 28th with still no labor. Kevin's mom got into town at 3pm....still no labor. So, we headed to the hospital. At 4:30pm they started my pitocen drip and we began our slow acceleration into labor. I was dancing next to the bed doing squats anything to get this party started and at 6pm the party turned to breathe, relax and progress. My nurse was amazing, she had 9 children of her own all delivered w/o epidural and she was so helpful. She continually gave me new positions to help progress my labor and even taught Kevin proper counter pressure. It was an amazing difference with the counter pressure it almost completely relieved the discomfort. Also thanks to some hypno birthing techniques the "pain" of the contractions really did just feel like intense pressure and I was able to stay in a much more relaxed state physically and mentally. Another thing that made this time around easier was that I knew how to tell I was in transition so instead of the signs bringing fear they brought hope. Then my neighbor stopped by to bring dinner expecting that we would be in the beginning stages of the game, but instead she walked in right as I said I was having some involuntary pushing followed by me screaming "I feel like I have to take the biggest shit if my life!" So, Juli held my right hand; I was on my left side as Ethan crowned and that's when my serenity left and I began pushing while screaming. Then they told me if I wanted to pull him out to lay on my back so I rolled to my back and pushed/pulled him out onto my stomach (I'm pretty sure he was delivered in three contractions) Ethan Wiley was born at 7:28 pm. I'm much more wounded than I was with Audrey, but much less than I was with Karaline. Ethan is nursing well and we are all adjusting well to our new life. Also big bonus Audrey's still 98% potty trained :D and I'm still in shock I'm not pregnant.

Party on

I'm two weeks and two days from my due date. This final trimester of pregnancy has left me super tired, my body is now at the point of continual discomfort, I'm super excited to meet this little man despite the challenge the new born phase will be......but, I am two weeks into a potty trained Audrey and so I would like a little more time to ensure it sticks before I bring a baby into the mix. Oh well, whatever will be will be. Bottom line I'm happy to report that except for an accident or two when we can't get to the potty on time all waking hours potty happens on the potty. Audrey even tells me when we're shopping or at friends houses :D.. Although the last time I left her with Kevin she peed on him twice, so who knows what me in the hospital for two days post delivery will bring. Only time will tell. On a side note before I go, my right leg was seriously hurting today, no clue why. However, I could only laugh at myself limping while nine months pregnant and Waddling with a one year old and four year old in tow just to get a few veggies in the grocery store. It ended up taking me nearly 40 min. These are the little adventures that make life more entertaining. Oh yeah and I almost laid out my comfy pants to wear again tomorrow and then remembered that when I couldn't waddle/limp to the bathroom fast enough one time Audrey peed on me a little. Ok enough randomness from me, I have a nice comfy bed waiting for me.

Time is ticking away

So in my experience having one two year old and moving into a two level apartment town home with plenty of closets, takes two weeks to get organized to my standard. However, being pregnant, having a one year old and four year old while moving into a three level (ugh) town home with very little closet space, takes five weeks to get organized to my standard. Tomorrow is the five week mark :D
I can't believe how quickly the weeks are passing. I'm blown away. Between putting my energy and focus into my girls, managing our home (including grocery shopping and food prep which are huge time tasks), doctors appointments (including chiropractor, because pregnancy rocks my lower back), Karalines' swim lessons; gymnastics and the daily routine of nap time/rest time, along with mommy/Karaline preschool hour, and meeting up with friends (I still haven't seen everyone I know in this area), all starting with my mommy Pilates and prayer time at 5:45 (because if I wait til after 6am I can't creak down the stairs w/o waking the girls up), the days pass into weeks so quickly I'm stunned. Ok, I said all that to lead up to the fact that somehow Audrey has already been in training panties for 3 weeks. She's doing great at home, but I haven't attempted it outside the home (she will at least use public potties). She still doesn't always tell me she has to potty at home, mostly I just put her on the potty often enough that she doesn't have to. Although there are times I'm to busy and she ends up wet, but more often than not she's dry. Karaline has now learned Audrey's I've gotta poop grunt which is helpful. Oh the other day Karaline says "mommy Audrey's said uh but I have to poop super bad" then she runs to the potty and hops on. Audrey chases after her then stands by the potty rocking her hips and signing please. They are often on the same schedule, which also helps. I'm glad that I started this so young with Audrey because it's helped me to continually be aware of my need to focus on her and teach her things, but from a potty training stand point I still think that 16 months (when I started with Karaline) is the best potty training age. Although, because of our potty breaks Audrey knows a lot of her body parts and can answer yes and no to my questions. We spend potty time showing her lots of things. Karaline has also gotten very in tune with teaching Audrey and reading Audrey's needs. I'm sure there would be other ways to make a point of this type of investment, but potty parties have been our way. So, the task is still a work in progress, but we are at least making progress. In the meantime I'm moving on from move in organizing to gonna have a baby in about six weeks prepping mode. Here's to the adventures of mommy hood.

Keep on keeping on

Is this square one? Maybe....right before our move Audrey was doing great telling me when she needed to go potty. It was more of a run to mommy grunt three times then I put her on the potty and there you have it. Now three weeks later we've moved, Kevin's started working super long hours and Audrey hardly uses the potty. However, I think this is not square one because two steps back don't eliminate the previous steps forward. So, I'm still morning my inability to use cloth with Audrey and I really wish I could use cloth when our baby boy comes. Although, I have come to understand that (due to research, mommy conversations and my own experience) purchasing a HE washing machine was the end all of my cloth diapering.

So now where to go from here? I could do the naked baby route, I could put her in panties or I could keep diapering and putting her on the potty. I'm gonna start with panties, can't hurt to try. Although I was surprised to read that some people think your kid will have issues later in life if you potty train to early. I personally doubt that, but figure you're gonna run into opinions on everything so, to each their own. Speaking of to each their own, I read a blog the other day where a mon was talking about life as a stay at home mom. She was saying you're going to have chaos, stress and disorganized living so get used to it and get over it. Man, If my house is chaotic, disorganized, or my life isn't structured I can't relax. My big thing right now is trying to figure out the best way to invest in Karaline individually (daily), continue potty time in a relaxed manor, re-establish a yoga/Pilates routine, take walks with my girls nearly daily, maintain a clean well organized home, continue to prepare and plan healthy tasty meals, including quality lunches for Kevin and bring Karaline to her weekly gymnastics and swimming all without taking a nap (nap is something I long for daily and get a few times a year). These things can be done and done well, but I have to remember my key, the key is early to bed early to rise so that I can start my day off alone with God. God created me for this and I won't make agreement with "ah it can't be done well so just relax". Ok having said all that let me also say, if and when these things aren't all in line it is hard for me to leave my home for a play date or something social. So, I do know that a certain level of balance must be achieved, I do need to allow myself a little slack. I'll get there again, I had a balance in Pennsylvania, I will find it again in Virginia. You know there were two days last week that ended with me being so tired my body hurt, one day that ended with me in tears simply because I was so tired, one day I wished for a reset button on my day and actually used the tv sitter for an hour of escape ( i seriously limit and dislike tv) and all but one day I wondered how my energy would last through bed time, but at the end of the week I know that my girls are healthy, happy and growing so life is well lived. I'm excited about this phase of mommy-hood. I can't wait to tell you more of the adventures this panty party will hold, but for now I have a few organization projects to take on. Oh yeah I got a nap today for the first time in a long time, I feel almost normal :)

Sike

Ok so no plunge taken. I ordered everything I need: travel potty seat, gerber training panties and car seat piddle pads. Then the day the final item came in the mail we left on a last minute trip to see my family, so I never went diaper free. However, the travel potty seat ensured for the first time since we started potty use that a trip didn't eliminate potty progress so far. So, Audrey is still using the potty regularly, just using her disposable diaper too. So the new plan was to go diaper free when we got home, but we came home to orders to move in about a month so now I don't know. We are also going to be spending a week at the beach in between now and when we move so I'm thinking of just treading where we are and progressing once we have moved. In the meantime, we're living the great life. I wish this summer could last a year.

I'm taking the plunge!

Here goes nothing, I'm stocking up on potty Patty training panties and plunging into a diaper limited world (I'll certainly still diaper at night).
      The beginning of another yeast rash is my final motivator. How will this go? I don't quite yet know. We may have to try for a month or a year, but we will eventually succeeded. Bottom line disposable diapers make me less motivated to keep up with potty time and cloth diapering is not functioning perfectly like it did with Karaline, so training panties are my option of choice for now.
    I have to tell you a few fun stories:
Kevin has now learned to recognize the poop face, today it saved him from a major bath time clean up. Great job super daddy!
Last weekend at Audrey's first birthday party at a lake I was holding her naked on my hip well I prepped her change of clothes when I saw what looked like a possible poop face and at that second realized she was beginning to poop on me. Luckily I was able to hold her out and remain mostly clean, but what a laugh. Apparently she's not quite at the point to boldly inform me of her poop intention every time. Oh another thing, if you've trained your one year old to go pee when you say "ok go pee pee" don't use that same line on a two year old you're watching for a friend while holding your one year, who is only wearing a swim diaper (they don't hold pee) on your hip. Yep that's right in the last week I've been pooped on, peed on, and even used the underside of my dress to wipe my daughters mouth. I am all mom and Kevin can still find my appeal, even in the moments when I feel like it's unimaginable.
   Well, I'm going to go enjoy a productive night to myself as one happy wife and mama.

Three's a party, so baby lets potty in a hurry

I just have to say I am so excited right now. Summer has come to Pennsylvania, I'm four days into cloth diapering again with no rash issues and Audrey's potty party is still going well. We're eating a lot more berries now that she's one and the season allows, so that has made for a few diaper messes but still most potty happens on the potty. I would venture to say if I were more diligent to make potty breaks consistent I believe I could be a diaper free baby mama. However,  I have always said that if potty time is a stress its not worth it so I'm not stressing. I do have to say that these potty time chronicles will continue long after Audrey's potty story is a thing of the past because I'm currently incubating baby number three. I am due November 10th and unless the ultrasound tech was wrong we're going to have a boy. We're very excited! I must admit I'm slightly nervous about the closeness in age (17 months) but mostly about having a boy. Although any nervousness Kevin may have had about the closeness in age went out the window when he read BOY!
So I'm on cloud nine, this summer is going to be great, my girls are amazing little gifts and I love being their mother and we get to have another little blessing.

I'm enjoying project baby lets potty and as my brother says we're filling up the mini van. Cheers buddy! (Oh wine sounds nice right now)

Progressively learning

  I'm so excited! The last few weeks have been great! Audrey has started walking here and there, (not more than six steps) and she's responding to more communication. As far as potty time goes she's improving greatly. She doesn't let me know when she has to pee and so she wets a lot of diapers because, I have a lot going on. Also sometimes she pees on the potty then pees on the potty again thirty minutes later, but has a slightly wet diaper in between. The only time she signs potty is when she's in her booster seat eating and pees. It's really funny, she'll pee while signing potty and then clap for herself, all while in her booster seat eating. I'd say she doesn't entirely get it, but it's a slow progression. As far as poop goes, she hates to poop in her diaper, she will go to the bathroom door and hit it when she has to go or give me a panicky face with a distinct grunt. She rarely poops in her diaper. I am hoping that this new diaper laundry soap I'm going to try will fix my cloth challenge and the uncomfortable feeling of wet cloth will inspire a dislike for wetting her diaper. I imagine if I were super motivated I could buy panties and really rip the band aid off, but I'm not quite there. In the mean time I'm just happy to not have poopy diapers :D and I'm very happy that we started potty time months ago. As we approach her first birthday I'm excited to think by her second birthday potty use should be an old habit instead of a new concept.

Disappointed

Well three days back in cloth and she has a diaper rash. I don't think it's yeast again, but I'm running to the grocery store later to buy disposables so I can use diaper cream. I'm also going to try a new diaper soap and give cloth one more chance. I'm so sad because I like cloth better and never had an issue with cloth diapering Karaline. On a more dissatisfying note Audrey is still covered in a body rash. The doctor said its probably a food allergy, but that he wont send her for allergy testing at only ten months (not sure how I feel about that). Coincidentally Karalines' allergy symptoms began at ten months and after battling with the doctor I finally found out at twenty months that Karaline is allergic to peanuts and sensitive to dairy. So I'm starting a food journal for Audrey and hope to solve this through elimination. We'll see.

On another note I cut my friends hair today, it looks great, she loves it and while I was cuttting I enjoyed it and enjoyed my friends company. However, I have now decided that I will no longer kitchen beautician. The romantic experience of doing something you love is lost when you're stopping more times than you can count to take care of kids (even if taking care of your kids is another thing you love). So, my new goal will be to find a hair stylist wherever we move to refer my friends too . I'll cut hair again when my kids are in school and I work at a salon.

So now to take Henery to the vet and buy diapers.
Til next time, be blessed.

One step forward two steps back

First off I just want to say potty time is going great. Despite the one step forward two steps back dance phase that life seems to be stuck in right now, potty time is successful. Audrey is still not telling me when she needs to potty, but I've gotten really good and noticing her natural potty signs. If I am paying attention we can make it through every waking hour with a dry diaper. Oh yeah, since the diaper rash is gone I have been keeping her in diapers which has eliminated carpet clean ups....phew. 
The reason I feel like we're in a dance cycle avoiding moving  forward in life in general, is because as soon as I almost catch up on things something comes our way to say, just kidding. Now I'm not complaining, I am a blelssed positive person and I love my life. Having said that, (I think) we're finally past a stomach bug that lingered on and off for nearly two weeks and now Audrey's body is covered in a rash that I am guessing is due to the added use of borax in our laundry. So just as all the virus laundry was finished, I began a strip everything in the house and rewash without borax process.  This too shall pass and around the bend will be another mommy adventure which challenges, but ultimately fills my heart with gratitude for the blessing of mothering my two beautiful gifts. Til next time.
PS when the laundry drama ends I'm going back to cloth.

C'mon mom

So I must admit I am sure I'm a little bit crazy. I am continuing with potty time even though it is a little much to keep up with. I'm thinking pre-toddler potty training would probably work better if I had nothing in my life distracting me from giving Audrey 100% of my focus.  However,  that is far from the case. The other day I tried to keep up with diaper free baby (as in pants only) living while hosting preschool for four kids (including Karaline, with the help of one other mom). Six pairs of pants and two carpet pee clean ups later, I realized baby potty time only works when you pay attention to your baby (duh). Then the next day while out and about she didn't even pee in her diaper, go figure.  So now Audrey is diaper rash free, and eating yogurt and bananas regularly (even the banana rash hasn't come back after eating a whole one yesterday).  Having said that I don't feel in the clear enough to start cloth again, just yet. So, w/o diaper rash in the mix it has been quite tempting to stop potty time, just because it requires so much attention simply because she's not ready to tell me when she needs to potty. The thing is every time I think of quitting I hear a story from a friend about how terrible of a time they're having training their toddler. So, that makes me think this may require a lot right now, but clean ups are way smaller then at two. One of my friends kids climbed onto the kitchen table to poop. Another friend has been attempting to potty train her almost three year old for a year. I have several other friends whose kids give huge issues about training or simply refuse to train, so I'm thinking Audrey is using the potty when I put her on it, so I will keep it up and once I can get cloth back in the mix I think that will be the best option to use while continuing potty time. Well, I have an evening to myself and two sleeping gifts so I'm going to go make the most of it, be blessed.

Mommy moments

So last Wednesday while the Penn state sleep study was recording Audrey's night sleep she woke up with croup. Just that nasty sound like a seal barking cough and that thick striders like breathing. The following day Kevin left town, since then Audrey's improved greatly and honestly never stayed bad, she would just have a rough hour here and there. However, six days of single mommyhood have been quite the adventure. Just little things like sitting in the steaming bathroom with Audrey while Karaline is in there bouncing off the walls. I finally say "ok that's enough please sit down" and she sits in a slide like maner on the toilet seat which causes her to slide right off landing in my lap on Audrey. Then I set off the smoke allarm with the steam and had two crying girls, the smoke alarm going off and a howelling dog. Or like tonight when I was filling up the humidifier and Audrey pulled herself up to standing on the toilet, so I put the humidifier on the back of the toilet to remove her from the bathroom just to hear it slide off the toilet and dump gallons of water on my floor. I really feel like at the end of the day there should be a warning sign on my forehead: may contain trace amounts of urine, snot and vomit wash before use ;) yes I am a mom. Some how in the midst of all this I still can't imagine not having another one. So I'm excited that my single mommy time hasn't lasted long and glad we have at least a year before Kevin is deploying. As for potty time, I slacked a little when Audrey was sick, but mostly because she would whimper on the potty and I didn't want to force anything. Since she's feeling better we're back to it and pretty much its the same as before if I put her on the potty every half hour she will use it but she only signs potty sometimes when she has to poop. Oh and the rash is back in almost full swing but I had a two day break during the croup :)

To all my temporary or permanently single momma friends .....you're my heroes.

This too shall pass

I remember when Karaline was just a few months old (she's three and a half now), she was dealing with colic like symptoms (starting at six weeks she would cry from seven pm til about midnight every night). The Doctor told me she had reflux and I should put her on zantax, the lactation consultant told me to cut out diary (since I was nursing), another woman said cut out peanuts, you know everyone knows the right course of action. So to make a long story short, I avoid meds as much as I can so I cut out dairy, it helped, I cut out peanuts it cured =D. Well, then I have people telling me you're loosing to much weight drink a milk shake, babies are just fussy you over reacted so on and so on.... yet again when you're a new mom everyone knows the answer, but you of course. So, I call my mom and share my heart ending with "well, this to shall pass, right mom?" she politely said "yes and around the bend will be another". I'm thinking "thanks mom, I could use a little cheering up here." Now my mom was not trying to tear me down, just share the truth and man was she right (although those were the hardest months of my life to date). I have since learned that being a mother is a life filled with one phase after the next, colic phase, chronic cough for ten months phase, sleepless nights due to some transition phase, night time terrors phase, panic attacks at night which result in lamps knocked down or daddy getting slapped in the face (not by me ;) or simply the phase of new born with out colic like issues, followed by the rash phase and the baby potty training phase... so I say, this to shall pass and around the bend will be another. All of these phases are so worth the gift of being a mother to two beautiful little girls. At the end of a day, I am at peace, whatever the phase I am honored that I'm so blessed and so pleased that God provides the strength to enjoy these wonderful blessings even when the phases of chaos do linger.

So I said all that to simply lead up to this.....we still have rash central, the doctor gave me nystatin a week ago and it hasn't helped much. She did say eventually a yeast rash does pass even the resistant kind like we seem to have. So, I have been letting Audrey be diaper free (as in just wearing pants) as much as I can and she usually does well. She is slowly training, she usually stops peeing on herself and finishes on the potty so that's a bonus (because then I don't have a carpet to clean). She signs potty when she has to poop so I've only had to clean one poopy mess and that was due to diarrhea (which was contained in the pants...yay). I do put her in a diaper when we go places, for naps and for bed. Kevin is letting her go diaper free when I'm gone and putting her on the potty now too so even he is on board. We're not there yet though, earlier today I had Audrey on my hip, Karaline in my bed melting down and Audrey let out her entire bladder full onto my hip, now this is living right ;).

Well, I'm certainly encouraged to keep it up and I'll be sure to keep you posted.

An adventure for sure

After a.week of purple living with continued use of gentian violet we are thrush free. I must say I totally understand why women give up breastfeeding over thrush, it sucks. However,  nursing is now pain free and I am very happy about that.

I may have to take Audrey to the doctors over her yeast rash the over the counter stuff is keeping it at bay and has cleared it up some, but not entirely.

So in the midst of insanely huge amounts of cleaning, disinfecting, stripping diapers, dreading nursing,  Audrey not feeling well and life continuing despite it all, I am happy to say we continued potty time. Also on Monday morning we had a break through, Audrey signed potty for the first time. I put her on the potty she peed and poooped and even seemed finished so I signed finished and she signed potty again and then continued. Since then she signs potty every time she uses the potty and has signed potty in advance three more times. I have only had to change one poopy diaper in the last week and typically only have four wet diapers in twenty four hours.  One for night, one for each nap and one during my hectic time of day (4-6 pm) when I don't usually manage to get her on the potty.

Now to be fair she is not necessarily potty trained just yet, she did pee on me right before I put her on the potty earlier. The funny thing is as I sit her writing this I realize that I haven't changed yet and men wonder why its hard for moms to switch into sexy mode. So, I am closing out the night in dried pee, but it was a day well lived. So here's to the comfy bed with my coughing mess of a stuffy three year old waiting for me. I truly love this stage of life, so I'm willing to survive the insane moments to soak in the great ones.

My Rash Epiphany

So on Monday as I was changing Audrey's diaper for the gazillion time that day and I thought this rash is not normal. None of the foods that caused a rash have been in the picture for a month, I'm changing your diaper every hour, it's no longer anywhere but in two spots one on each thigh.....what's up? I can tell you exactly what type of rash each of the issue foods have caused, but I can't tell you when this groin/thigh rash started, but I can tell you that the effected area is growing and raised, which is not a normal rash. My first thought eczema, my second thought fungus. I don't know, my prayer "God please show me how to get rid of this". Then Audrey bit me while nursing and I mean, ouch scream, she bit me and now I have thrush. My rash epiphany moment came on Wednesday night 48 hours after my child wounded me because nursing now causes shooting pains throughout my body, Audrey must have had thrush accompanied by a yeast rash followed by a mommy bite which gave me thrush. I research online (thank you iInternet) and yup, unless all my mommy gut and research are wrong that is the problem. So, I am using Gentian Violet for me and a fungus cream mixed with Vaseline for Audrey and using disposable diapers for the time being. We are and have been both taking probiotics and eating yogurt. So only six hours after beginning treatment we are both looking and feeling better....although there is a lot of purple in the mix (gentian violet) I do believe we're on our way to recovery. So, I guess God answered my prayer....well, I hope this self diagnosis is correct, but if not we'll be at the Doctors office in four days.

As far as potty time goes, the other rashes from the issue foods are still a possibility if those foods entered the picture (and I would love to feed them to her) so I'm going to stick with the diaper change every hour and the potty use. I've come this far, no turning back =D

Send your prayers our way. Thanks!

Good habits start young =D

I fully believe that each mother has to parent according to her personality. When I first became a mother I felt like I was drowning in a pit of opinions and no one really had a clue how to parent my baby well, not even me. I was wrong, I came to realise that I am made for this, I was designed to be Karaline and Audrey's mother and therefore through faith and growth I know how to parent them well . So, I have learned a lot.... from no cry sleep solutions to cry it out, from cloth diapers to disposable diapers, from college funds to nutritional needs, from time out to communication, there are times when I still feel like I'm drowning in it all. However, chin up this is my gig and I will do it well. All that to say, when I look at the grand scheme of things I think potty training is truly not that big a part of it, but that's what being a mom is all about. All the little things add up to the large sum of being responsible for another persons life, training and development. To me that makes all the little things important.

So what began with a rash has turned into a blog, Kevin gets a kick out of the fact that I'm blogging about potty time. He walked in the bathroom the other day while I was washing Audrey's little hands and hadn't flushed the toilet yet and sees her little poop in there. He said "what are you waiting for are you going to take a picture of it or something" I say "ew no" he says, "well you blog about it". Ha ha, point taken. So, I've been reminded by several people how weird I am for this, that's okay =) we're enjoying our potty breaks.

Audrey is using the potty regularly, she is not telling me when she needs to use it and still has plenty of diaper use, but she uses the potty about 50% of the time I put her on it. Her rash is almost all gone, but comes back if she sits in a wet diaper at all so I am changing her the second I notice she's wet and therefore checking her diaper a lot. I've read for an adult it takes 27 days to develop a habit, I wonder if that is the same for a baby. We'll see, so far I've been diligent and intend to continue this routine. No, I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands, actually on an average day the only time I stop moving from the time my kids get up til they go to bed is when I sit to eat meals, read to Karaline or nurse Audrey. I have no clue where all the little minutes in life go, but I'm not by any means sitting around looking for something to do.

So, I'm going to keep this up, so far so good. We'll see what happens.

Day 4

I must say I imagine when Kevin married me he didn't expect the mom version of myself that I have become over the last four years. As I put Audrey in a front pack today and put Kevins coat on so that it was large enough to cover Audrey and tucked my not so properly done hair behind my ears to bring Karaline to the park, I thought wow, Kevin look at your Vogue wife, haha. I've never thought of myself as vogue, but I certainly didn't imagine I'd become as granola as I am now. I'm a breast feeding, cloth diapering, infant potty training, home-preschool hosting mom who is more concerned with baking my kids snacks to avoid artificial junk than I am with up keeping my hair. Far off, I imagine from the cosmetologist who wouldn't leave the house without make up on pre-mom version of myself .

So my ever expanding mommy heart is enjoying this baby potty time. We make it a little potty party every hour the girls and I all go into the bathroom and we all hang out enjoying three minutes cut off from the world. It's actually become something I look forward to. Audrey didn't use the potty much today, she's teething and clingy so she didn't really want put down much today. I just let her lead if I put her on the potty and she cried I picked her back up.

Well, Karaline and I escaped for a mommy daughter time and now I have two sleeping little girls and a semi clean house, who could ask for more.

If you decide to start potty training, my advice is to make it fun, no stress baby trained or toddler trained they won't go to school in diapers.


Good night =D

Day 3

So I intended to put more research in here, but I haven't had much time this week.....eventually I'll post more research.

Day three of baby lets potty went like a dream. Audrey is not by any means potty trained, but she certainly knows what the potty is for and used it six or seven times today. Every time I put her on the potty she peed within thirty seconds except the last time, I got nothing. Also I put her on the potty as soon as she finished eating instead of snacking her to hold off so I could clean up and then putting her on the potty and she actually pooped on the potty.

Two things that I've read about infant or pre toddler potty training that I've taken to heart: one is to change their diaper every time you notice that it's wet so they are used to the feeling of a dry diaper. Two the older you wait to potty train the more trained they are to ignore the urges they naturally feel so starting earlier should and most likely will result in training earlier.

I'm feeling encouraged and motivated to keep putting her on the potty every hour and changing her diaper every hour. One note I don't worry about any of this during nap or night time.

Not to many diapers to wash tonight =D

Day 2

So it was a hectic day all around but we still managed to take potty breaks. Audrey went pee pee on the potty five times today :) . However, there are still plenty of diapers in the washer. Atleast potty doesn't trump sleep, good night.

Day 1

So just to set the seen about five weeks ago Audrey (7mts) was constipated from eating carrots so for three days every time she pooped I would put her on the potty because she would be screaming in pain. So when she would finish I would praise her and sign potty ever since then I put her on the potty before bath and sign potty and sometimes she goes potty. That's the base I've started from.
Today was day one of baby potty time and I think it went great....mostly ;) The good thing that's come from this so far is that I've been changing her diaper every hour therefore she already has less diaper rash. So, if that's all that comes out of this I'm happy. Quick run down I put her on the potty first thing this morning and she signed finish so I moved on then when she started using her diaper while grunting I put her on the potty and signed potty and she finished potty. Next few times we just hung out in the bathroom for a few minutes laughing while she threw a toy fish at me so no potty use, but a good time. My older daughter Karaline hung out with us and made it a goofy fun time. Then this evening Audrey finished dinner and I put her on the potty not thinking about it I didn't check her diaper and flung poop all over my jeans as I pulled her diaper off. Ahh, but on a good note Audrey peed on the potty while I was cleaning the poop off of me =D. Then lastly I put her on the potty right before bath and she peed instantly so that's a bonus. I think I'm a little crazy to be blogging about this, but what the heck I am crazy.

I read a great article about this http://www.babycenter.com/0_infant-potty-training-what-it-is-and-how-to-do-it_1745035.bc my favorite part was when they said that if you consider success having your child potty trained earlier than the average American you'll be successful not necessarily that you'll have a potty trained baby.

Here's to day one =) the cloth diapers are in the washing machine and I'm no longer covered in poop. Cheers.

There must be a reason

I have a three and half year old and a seven month old. My pediatrician told me the best time to potty train girls is between 16 and 24 months so I started potty training my oldest at 16 months. She was potty trained at home by 18 months and potty trained home and away by 22 months. So, my plan for baby number two was to start at 16 months, well she's only 7 months and I have changed my mind. I'm starting now, because there has got to be a better way. My 7 month old is constantly dealing with diaper rash, if I eat tomatoes or chocolate she gets a rash , if she eats yogurt, bananas, sweet potato, pears or peaches she gets a rash, if I leave her in a wet diaper for longer than an hour without diaper cream she gets a rash. I've tried switching from cloth to disposable, I've tried switching laundry detergents I've tried it all. The only options I have are to keep all of the above named foods out of the picture or attempt and hopefully succeed in potty training my pretoddler who is only one week into crawling. So my stories will follow =D I'm not sure how motivated I'll be with this process or how successful I'll be, but like everything else I do I'm gonna give it my best shot so wish me luck.