Potty Patty Rant!

We all desperately want Maryn to be potty trained. It seems we have tried everything. Incentive charts, special potties (I think we have about 3 varieties), and treats. We have done everything but bribe her with money. Because I am so desperately ready for this moment I broke down and purchased a very highly touted on-demand potty doll. I felt this was a hopeful last resort.

I got the doll with very high hopes. I had visions of my daughter and I skipping to the potty with big broad smiles on our faces! This sadly has yet to happen and the life of Potty Patty has dwindled down to Bathtime Patty and I have now accepted the fact that I purchased a $40 bath toy.

Had I been clearly aware of the workings of Potty Patty, I likely would not have bought her. And, to my credit, if I had ever witnessed her being used by anyone, I most certainly would not have purchased her. But, what I found out after we first used Patty is that she does not "pee" unless you are squeezing the holy crap out of her leg. I can assure you that there is no way to do this discreetly. And if you get too passionate about the squeezing, her leg falls right off. What I imagine would be horrifying is apparently quite amusing to Maryn.

Maryn tried this by herself just once. She gave her a bottle and then proceeded to take her to the potty and she squeezed little Patty's leg with everything she had in her. I watch this process a little disturbed and wonder if this is the least bit confusing to her. She gave it a great attempt and seemed somewhat pleased as the "pee" came out with all the sound affects of a nearly empty bottle of lotion. Spewing and spurting along with every squeeze. It was short lived.

And now resigned to the tub what disturbes me the most is Dylan's pure delight that Patty squirts pee on his face when he bites her foot.

Oy vey! What are we going to do?

My Conversation with Maryn

This morning on the way to school I did my best to explain to Maryn where Daddy was.....again! :) Here is the result of our conversation:

R: He is in FL.
M: Where is that?
R: Where Mickey Mouse lives.
M: Daddy's at Mickey Mouse's house?
R: Yes
M: Show me which one.
R: You can't see it, it is in FL
M: Is it that one? (pointing to random houses along the way)
R: You won't be able to see it, it is too far.
M: Is it that one?
R: No honey, it is not that one.
M: I think he is lost.
M: You need to go get him.
M: We need to go get him right now...he is lost.
R: I think he can find his way home.
R: Do you want to say a prayer that Daddy gets home safe?
M: Yes
R: Dear Lord, please bring Daddy back home safely to us because we miss him very much,
M: and he is lost
R: Yes Lord he is lost. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
M: Good job, Mom
R: Thanks honey!

When Daddy is Gone

Rex is out of town for a couple days and as the kids get older there reaction to this changes. For me, since the kids have gotten older the process is not so daunting. They are easier to manage. For them, they are more aware than they used to be. At this point it is more endearing than tragic because they don't quite get it. This morning was our first morning with Rex not there to fulfill his usual morning duties (he gets them up and dressed while I get ready and start breakfast) and it went very smoothly. It was after our routine that Dylan started to get curious. He starts to walk around the house saying, "Daddy...where he go?". He wasn't doing this in a screaming, I am gonna make all the noise my body can muster until I see Daddy's face kinda way like I normally expect from him. It was just a very curious, I miss Daddy way. We all do!

Rex has a very ellaborate good-bye routine with the kids that they very clearly missed this morning. Normally he straps them in while I gather all the bags and put them in the car. He starts with one and gives them hugs and kisses and high-fives's (you know the highs, lows, and too slows kind) and then goes over and repeats this with the other. As I am heading out of the driveway I generally roll my window down so Daddy can hear the enormously loud "bye, Daddy" that erupts as he stands at the top of the driveway. It is a wonderful send-off I have to say. Today instead they said, "bye daddy in florida!"

Silly, Silly Kids!

Just wanted to throw up a couple of photos of the kids that really show their personalities. Dylan, although a bit tempermental at times, is a regular nut. And Maryn, although a bit tempermental at times (see a pattern?) is a sweet little girl with always so much to say.

Beautiful girl!!!

Super boy!!!

Maryn loves ice cream at Papa Bear & Grandmama's house!

I swear the boy is going to cross-dress when he grows up... Please pray for him!

Father's Day!

This is my first ever blogger. Is it called a "blogger" or just a post? I don't really know. I thought Rex was such a weinie when he first started blogging (I feel silly just typing it) because it seemed so cliquey, but I am thrilled now that he put this blog together for the kids. I know they are so loved and many people care about how their little lives are going. I am thankful that everyone has a place to marvel and admire them as much as I do every day.

I do not think there is a single person, outside my family that I relate to more than Catherine Newman. Did I just claim to relate to my family? I really don't, and I am not sure I am supposed to. But anyway, Catherine Newman. I have been reading her weekly journal in ivillage since I became pregnant with Maryn in July of 2002. Since she began her journal at this same time, she has written a book (Waiting for Birdy) which I vow to one day own and pass on to my children and anyone I know who has kids. She has this way of putting what it feels like to parent, in all of its up and downs, in a way that no one else has for me. I adore her and anxiously await every weekly submission. I even have Rex reading them!

This week's journal was about Father's Day and I wanted to share a snipit of it with you all because it completely sums up how we all feel about Rex.....the bestest, bestest (do not read perfect), bestest daddy ever!

From Catherine Newman:
On a recent evening car ride, Birdy was so miserable about missing you that when somebody in a song we were listening to mentioned being sad, she burst into tears. The fact that it was a line from the song "I'm My Own Grandpa" seemed somehow beside the point. This was the same car ride during which Ben announced, "I have some gross comments and a normal question." I won't reproduce the comments here, but this was the question: "Mama, would you eat the grossest, unhealthiest, rottenest, grossest thing in the world if you had to, to stay partners with Daddy?" I pictured brains in aspic. I pictured liver flan with liver sauce. Chicken sushi. "I would," I said to Ben. "Anything." And he said, somewhat inaccurately but his point was perfectly taken, "I would too."

So, yes, to sum up I would eat cow brains to be with you! And even though we can hardly get Maryn to even eat toast at this point and all Dylan wants is Cashews and Cheese, I can guarantee they would too! WE LOVE YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH!

Welcome to Our Munchkins

Since Dylan came into our world, life certainly got more hectic. We had a website for Maryn where we added photos of her and stories of her first year of life. Then Dylan came along. We started a website for him, but it wasn't long before we were finding that time was hard to come by.

Now here we are at 2006. Life is still busy, but more manageable. AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO REPORT! The kids are really growing, learning and changing. So we hope that this site will be a place where family and friends can log onto from time to time to check out the latest pictures and stories.

To save photos, click on the photo - this will open a larger copy of the photo in a new window. Then right click on the larger photo and choose SAVE PICTURE AS.

ENJOY!


Maryn and Dylan ride their first pony at Tanglewood Farms in Canton, GA.