Handley's First Dental Visit

Today Handley had her first visit to the dentist for a cleaning.  She actually had been to the dentist about 2 years ago when she fell and chipped her front two teeth, but that was a pretty traumatic experience that, thankfully, she really doesn't remember.  I had gone back and forth about taking her to a pediatric dentist and taking her to the dentist Robby and I see, but ended up taking her with me to the family dentist.  She was really excited about going and kept asking all sorts of questions.  She brushed her teeth longer last night and this morning than she ever has and after she was done she asked if I thought the dentist would think they were nice and shiny.

When we first arrived she sat in a little chair and watched as my cleaning began for about 10 minutes.  She was pretty interested in what was going on.  Then, the hygienist who was going to clean her teeth came to get her.  She was in the room right next door to mine and there is actually a window opening between the two so I could hear everything that was going on, but since I was still having my teeth cleaned I wasn't able to see her or be right beside her.  I got a little nervous that she might not be OK with that, but she did AWESOME!!!!!  I couldn't believe how well she did and how great the hygienist was with her.  She gave Handley pink sparkle sun glasses to wear so the bright light wouldn't bother her, explained every tool they would be using (including "Mr. Thirsty"- the suction tool), and showed her how the chair moved around.  Handley sat still and followed every direction they asked of her.  I was so proud of her.

Showing off her clean teeth

After her cleaning she got to pick out which princess toothbrush she wanted and also got to pick a toy prize from a big basket full of stuff.  She chose a calculator of all things.  They put all of her stuff in a little bag and she was excited as she ran over to me and exclaimed,  "Look Mommy, I even got a goodie bag!"  Ha!  I loved that she had a great experience and that she talked about going to the dentist the rest of the day.  She and Harper even played "dentist" this evening and Handley took on the roll of the hygienist as she explained all the tools to Harper.

Picking out her prize

A HUGE thank you to Tiara for watching Harper for me this morning while we were at the dentist!

SO proud of Harper

I don't have any pictures to share, but I do have GREAT news.  Harper has done SO very well these past two days with the potty training.  Yesterday was our first day out of the house and I don't know why I was so worried.  She used the big potty (for the first time ever) at Chick-fil-a like it was nothing.  She has also been telling me when she needs to go and acts like she's been doing this for months.  She's had no pee-pee accidents the past 3 days and today was 100% accident free.  We are so incredibly proud of her!!!

That little stinker has also learned to use the whole potty thing as a way to prolong her nap-time and bedtime.  Every time I put her down she tells me she needs to go, even though she literally just left the restroom before getting in bed.

Today when I was getting ready to read Harper her books before nap-time she told me, "NO Mommy, Ree-ree books." (She calls Handley, Ree-ree).  She wanted Handley to read her books to her so I left the room while they were sitting together in her chair and Handley told Harper the stories from some of her books. It was the sweetest thing ever and I tried to sneak in for a picture to capture that moment, but the second Harper saw me she told me to leave.  I just cannot get over how sweet these two are together and how much they love each other.  After her books I was allowed in the room and put her down for her nap, but not before she told me she needed to go potty.

Potty Training-Day 3

I've always heard that with kids it takes 3 days to create a habit and 3 days to change one.  Day 3 was definitely the magical day for potty training with us today.  Harper did SO well today and I couldn't be more proud of her.  She went ALL day without any accidents and did very well telling me when she needed to go.  She also stopped what she was doing outside on the deck this afternoon, told me she needed to poop, and actually went inside and did it!

I don't know what I'd do without my potty training helper, Handley.  She seriously helps me out in more ways than I can put into words.  Not only with the potty training, but with everything around the house and with Harper.  When Harper is in one of her stubborn moods, Handley can always break through to her and is so sweet and patient with her.  

While Handley is at school Harper has to make do with me, but when Handley is here she tells me no and prefers Handley sit in there with her.  Handley takes this job very seriously and always makes sure Harper is sitting when she should, helps her lift up her dress so she doesn't accidentally pee on it (a hard concept to remember), and keeps her company until I'm called in for clean-up and candy.

Handley is constantly by Harper's side

Besides taking and picking Handley up at school, we have been house bound for 3 days.  This evening we went outside for a little bit to play after dinner and it felt so good to just be out!  Tomorrow Harper has her gymnastics class and I have a ton of errands to run since we've been stuck at home all week.  We  will be slowly be making our way back into the world.  I'll be putting a pull-up on over her panties when we are out tomorrow, but I'm hoping that she'll be able to go in public restrooms as well as she did at home today.  

Potty Training

I'm potty training Harper this week and it is just about to wear me out.  We've had lots of ups and downs and I don't quite know how the rest of the week will go.  Yesterday after lunch time I had myself thinking that maybe now wasn't the right time for her because all she'd done up to that point was drink a lot of juice and pee on the floor.  However, she woke up from her nap and it seemed to "click."  She ended up using the potty a few times and got a conversation heart (her candy of choice) each time.  She was very proud and we were so happy to celebrate her success!

This morning she was happy to put on her panties when she woke up and again did really well.

She had no accidents before her nap and was even telling us nonchalantly when she needed to go.  I was thinking as she napped that this was it, she was set, and we were on the way to being diaper free.

Dancing and showing off her big girl panties

 After her nap she woke up in one of her stubborn moods and nothing I offered gave her any interest in going potty.  She was also really distracted by having playgroup at our house today and running around laughing like crazy with Handley later this evening.  Thankfully we ended the night on a good note so I'm hopeful that tomorrow will be an almost accident free day.

I know she can do it!  As my mom told me tonight, I just have to be more stubborn than she is and keep at it. :-)

Recap of our sick week

It's been almost a week since I've posted, but I've had a good reason.  We've been dealing with the stomach bug at our house. :-(

The week started off great.  On Monday we attended one of Handley's great friends' birthday parties.  Addyson was turning 4 and her mom had planned a super cute candy shop themed party.  The kids all had a blast jumping in the princess bounce house, whacking at their first pinata and filling up on all sorts of goodies.

That night around 2 AM Handley I woke up to Handley calling me from her bed where she had gotten sick.  After cleaning her up (and starting on the first of what would be about 20 loads of laundry for the week) I ended up on the couch with her all night.  Bless her heart, she just couldn't sleep because she was getting sick every 30 mins or so and couldn't even keep down a few sips of water.  Tuesday she layed on the couch all day and didn't eat a thing.  Harper couldn't figure out why Handley wouldn't play with her.  I explained to Handley that we wanted to try to keep Harper out of her face so they wouldn't share germs so every time Harper would approach Handley, she would yell out for me, "Harper is getting close to me!!!"

Later that day Harper seemed to have a touch of the stomach bug, but it only lasted for about 2 hours and then she was totally over it.  It was the weirdest thing, but I certainly wasn't complaining.  I kept Handley home from school on Wednesday to be safe and because she still hadn't eaten anything and was so incredibly weak.  She even asked me to help her walk to the bathroom and down the stairs.

Thankfully, after eating breakfast and resting a little more she perked right up and the rest of the day we spent at the library checking out new books and outside playing.  I was so thankful that this was all behind us and that everyone was feeling better.

I spoke too soon because that night after putting the girls to bed I started feeling bad and ended up spending 1/2 the night being sick.  I was very grateful that the next morning was "donuts with dad" day at pre-school, which meant I could stay on the couch while Robby took Handley to school and enjoyed donuts with her.  He also got to attend chapel with her class, so she was very happy he could stay even at her school even longer.  She had been looking forward to this day ALL year long.

 After not feeling so great yesterday, I woke up this morning back to normal and this time I am VERY thankful that this is all behind us.  We're looking forward to the gorgeous weather this weekend and can't wait to get out and enjoy it!

Carrie's Baby Sprinkle

Today I hosted a baby sprinkle for my neighbor and very good friend, Carrie.  Her daughter and Handley have been friends since they were just a few months old and now she is expecting a little boy!  I was so excited about this shower because it included all of our old play group moms (the play group that got too huge to continue holding).  It had been a while since I'd been able to catch up with a lot of these ladies and today was a great way for us to visit and help Carrie welcome her son.

I was lucky enough to have several co-hostesses that helped make today possible.  A big thanks to you all for all of your help! Pictured here from L-R, Samantha, Sheila, Carrie, Me, and Christy 

During the shower, Robby took the girls to a park to meet his parents and they were very happy to get see Gigi and Papa.  They also got to enjoy lunch at Chick-fil-a, which is always a favorite.  Handley was a little disappointed that every was gone when she got back home, but was happy to discover the sweet treats that were left over for them to enjoy.

Sleepover Success!!!

Well, they did it!  I when I got a call from Tiara around 8:30 PM telling me that she wasn't sure how it would all go down, I got worried.  Apparently Handley was telling her that she didn't think she could go to sleep.  However, both girls ended up going to sleep and didn't make a peep until morning.  They both felt that the going to sleep part of the sleepover wasn't quite as fun as the playing part, but had lots of fun the rest of the time they were together. 

To read Tiara's account of how the evening went, check out her blog here.

After Handley got back home we got ready and headed out to meet Jen for her birthday lunch.  The girls were more interested in seeing little Parker than they were to eat.  They just love him and Harper can't keep her hands off of his paci (she keeps trying to push it in his mouth every chance she gets).  Happy Birthday Jen!

A few funny things that came out of Handley's mouth today that made me laugh: 

As we were walking in a parking lot and Harper was not wanting to hold my hand, Handley told her, "Harper, you have to hold mommy's hand because cars are coming and then you might get hurt or dead and that wouldn't be good." 

At night she is really obsessed with being afraid of the dark and worried that a burglar is going to come to our house.  She always asks if our doors are locked and wonders if they have a tall ladder to get into her window.  I always reassure her that we are fine, there are no burglars and that she needs to go to bed.  Tonight she told me, "Daddy is here so he would punch a burglar in the face if he came in our house, right?" I wish I could help her to be calm at night and not be so afraid, but so far I haven't found anything that works. 

Handley's first sleepover

Handley is having her very first sleepover at a friend's house tonight.  She is spending the night with her best friend, Avery.  She's been talking about doing this for months now and all this week leading up to the big event she was beside herself with excitement.  So excited that she woke me up at 6 AM this morning to tell me she couldn't wait and, according to her teachers, she told them all about it today at school.

We met up with the Atkinsons tonight for dinner at a local pizza place and then Handley headed home with them.  All was going well until Harper realized exactly what was happening.  She was so sad and tried her hardest not to cry but as soon as the tears started rolling, they didn't stop.  She kept saying Handley's name and that she wanted to go in Tiara's car with Handley.  I asked her, "Don't you want to stay with mommy?" and her prompt response was "NO!"  Then after waving good-bye through her tears she kept saying Handley's name and telling me she didn't want to go with me the whole ride home.  I thought she'd calmed down, but apparently not because when we got home she started up again.

I promised her we'd see Handley in the morning and that before long she could have a sleepover of her own.  Thankfully, she used the potty shortly after these pictures were taken and got and M&M which made her perk right up.

I got a text from Tiara just a little bit ago that after tucking the girls in a bunch of times, Handley was finally asleep and that Avery was not far behind her. :-)  I'm so happy she is getting to have this fun night!  Thank you, Tiara, for letting her stay over tonight.

I had my big 21 week ultrasound yesterday and I'm so thankful that Hudson appears to be very healthy and is growing right on track.  Aside from gaining more weight than I'd like to admit, all is going very well with this pregnancy.  Harper tagged along with me to the appointment since Handley was at school and the rest of the afternoon she was pretending to go to the doctor to have the baby in her belly checked out. :-)

Harper's Big Girl Bed

Today was the day we had planned to put together Harper's big girl bed and give it a whirl.  Originally I was going to wait until after her birthday to move her to a bed, but honestly I got tired of looking at it in pieces all over our house, and having the mattress just sit in the new nursery, so I decided today was the day.   Plus, I wanted her to have plenty of time to adjust to being in a bed before Hudson started using "her" crib to avoid any feelings she might have that we took the crib away from her to give to him. 

I really wasn't sure how she'd do in a bed.  Let me take that back...she LOVES to sleep in the bed with me, but on her own she has never been the best sleeper and is stubborn as all get out.  However, I was pretty confident that the style of bed we chose would make her still feel like she was in a small space, similar to her crib.  My friend, Sheila, is letting me borrow their bed rail so that makes her feel really confined too.  I'm so thankful we have that rail because after looking at the bed put together with the mattress on top, it is REALLY tall.  The bed has a trundle underneath too, so Handley is looking forward to the next weekend when I promised her she could have a sleepover with Harper. 

After Handley and Robby got back from their donut breakfast, we all got to work taking apart the crib and putting together the bed.  The girls used their play tools and imitated everything Robby was doing.  Handley kept saying, "This is like a big art project for our whole family."  When it was all said and done we put Harper up on top and she seemed to love it.  I kept explaining to her that she was a big girl now so she got to sleep in a big girl bed.  

A "pretty" shot before the bed-rail went on and the decorative pillows went off. 

Naptime was the first test and she passed with flying colors.  I promised her a popsicle when she woke up if she went to sleep and that was all it took.  Bribery always works for her. :-)  She didn't make a peep and was asleep in no time.  When she woke up, two hours later, she was happy as can be and immediately asked for her popsicle.  

After she woke up I needed a pic of her in the bed so I asked her to show me how she slept.  

She was annoyed at this point because Handley wanted to get in the bed with her and she kept saying, "No!  MY bed." 

Tonight as I was putting her to bed she asked if she got a popsicle tomorrow morning. Ha!  I might just have to give her one though because again she went right to sleep without making a sound.  I really can't believe it has been so easy.  The good news is, until Robby finishes the step stool he's building for the end so she can climb up on her own, she really can't get out by herself and even if she did, she can't open the doors yet.  I think this is going to be one of the easiest transitions ever though.  She is so proud of her bed and every time she walks in her room she runs to point at it and tells us that it is HER BED! 

For those who care, we got her bed at Ballard Designs Backroom outlet store in Roswell.  It's kind of like a scratch and dent store for their catalog.   We just happened to have lots of luck the day we went.  We were there shopping for furniture for my new sewing area (which I know I still haven't posted pics of, but I'm looking for the perfect chair) and just happened to come across this day bed.  It was the perfect colors for her room, it was SUPER discounted and Robby was in the buying mood that day so we bought everything right then and there. 

Harper used the potty!!!

Today Harper decided that she wasn't in a napping mood so after spending about an hour in her crib I finally went to get her and let her "rest" on the couch with Handley. While they were watching a show I was in the basement sorting through some of their old clothes and trying to decide what to save, what to sell, etc.  All was quiet for the longest time and then I heard Handley's feet running and she was frantically yelling down to me, "MOMMY!!!  HARPER JUST PEE-PEED IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!" I flew up the stairs in record time to find Harper pulling up her pants over her bare bottom and walking out of the bathroom nonchalantly.  I asked her if she went pee-pee in the potty and a huge grin spread across her face.  I ran to the bathroom, looked in the little potty and saw it full of pee.  I could NOT believe she had gone and I could NOT believe that I missed it.  :-(  I didn't think about that at the time though. Instead, I started screaming with delight and Handley joined me as we started jumping up and down to celebrate and giving Harper the biggest hugs possible.  Her grin turned into a big smile and she was so proud of herself.  I ran to the pantry and searched through our stash of candy to find some M&M's and I ended up giving her a whole bowl full because I was so proud of her (and because candy bribes/treats really work for her and I wanted her to use the potty again).

When things calmed down I asked Handley to recap what had happened for me.  She told me that she had gone into the bathroom to potty and Harper had followed her, taken her diaper off (not an unusual thing) and sat on the potty.  Handley said then she thought she heard Harper going and when she looked in she saw pee-pee and ran to tell me.

I've been feeling like Harper is ready to begin potty training and if I hadn't already planned to put her in her big girl bed tomorrow for the first time I would probably start our boot-camp training tomorrow. However, I don't want too many big changes going on at one time so instead I'll stick to my original plan and do it later this month.  However, we will of course keep encouraging her to go.  Today she tried to use the potty a few other times, and promptly asked for candy when doing so.   I knew the M&M reward would work like magic for her.  :-)  That girl loves her sweets.

Enjoying her M&M's

Handley is reading!

I mentioned last week that Handley's love of letters, spelling, and reading has bloomed all of the sudden. I decided to take advantage of her eagerness and introduce her to a few easy-reader phonics type books.  We went to the library yesterday to try to find some, with no luck.  Then when we got home I remembered that I thought I had a few sets in the basement with my old teaching stuff.  I pulled out book #1 yesterday and she was very excited about the idea of reading the book.  After a few times of us reading it together she read it by herself.  She couldn't wait for Robby to get home last night so that she could show him her reading skills.  Today, on her own, she picked up the book a few times and read it.  Tonight I introduced book #2 to her and again she picked up on it very quickly.

I took a video of her reading one this afternoon and another one tonight before bed. To see it, click here.

Obviously, I know that some of this is from memory, but I'm so happy with the way she is sounding out words, using picture cues to help her figure out the story, pointing to the words and getting the general idea of the basic reading skills.  I also love that she feels so proud and so successful after reading it by herself!  I'm not trying to push her, but if she continues to ask to read then of course I'll be happy to continue helping her.

Today was an exciting day for Handley because Robby got to take her to school, she was the helper today, and she wore red (which is her teacher's favorite color) so she felt very special all day long.  When I picked her up this afternoon she told me that she would like for Daddy to take her to school everyday.  I wish he could, but every now and then is a nice special treat.

This afternoon we met our friends Chancey, Charlie and Madelyn Kate at the park.  The kids played and then got to feed the ducks.  They all loved that, but Harper was way more into it than I had expected.  After we ran out of bread she kept going over to the nice woman near us and asking for her bread (which she so graciously gave her over and over and over).

I'm 20 weeks today and I'm finding it hard to believe I'm 1/2 way through this pregnancy.  Besides the heartburn at night (which I never had with the girls) it has been pretty uneventful.  Hudson decided to let his little kicks be known for the first time yesterday, so I finally feel like he is really in there.  :-)  I love feeling babies move in my belly so I can't wait for him to start moving more.  I decided to take a picture so I can remember what I looked like at this point...I obviously did not dress up for the picture, but you get an idea of my growing belly.