POTTY TRAINING WEEK!

oMy two trainees!  Olivia and Sully!  Normally I would say ladies first but since Sully is a few months older and has a few weeks of training under his belt he gets to train first.

I am not so sure Sully enjoys me taking his picture while he is trying to poop! =)  Sorry Sully!

This week I am dedicating to Potty Training Sully and Olivia.  I am training Sully first because we have tried all month with some success.  My goal: no more accidents and no more diapers.  Thanks to some friends of mine (Katy and Misti) I was referred to a site called http://www.3daypottytraining.com/.  I am going to follow the techniques to see if they work.  We have to "deprogram" Sully as we have been putting him in a diaper during nap and bed time.  So now he will be diaper free forever.  Angie and Dave are surprising the kids with a Disney Trip this Friday so my goal is to get him diaper free before the trip.  I then can focus my attention on Olivia.  Hopefully by the time the Superbowl is over on Sunday she will be trained!  I am keeping my fingers crossed!  Olivia has only sat on the potty a few times but nothing has come out so I have my work cut out for me.

It is 10:30 a.m. and so far so good for Sully.  I have given him 2 cups of orange juice and some water and he has gone potty twice. Once when he woke up at 8 a.m. and again at 10 a.m.. I did have to ask him to go, he did not tell me on his own.  I am following him like a hawk to make sure I catch him in act...one of the rules to this potty training theory.

At 11:45 Sully finally went poop....but only a little.  I gave him some M&M's and I had to give one to Olivia so she would stop crying.  She keeps saying she wants to go potty to so she can have some chocolate!  I am holding off so I can keep my attention just on Sully so it works for him. 

My next challenge will be driving the kids to and from school with no accidents and checking in on him during nap time.

1:10 p.m. - I dropped off Avery, Addison and Cullen at preschool and Sully did not have an accident.  I put him on the potty when we got back and he went pee and I put him down for his nap.   I will be checking in on him to make sure he doesn't need to go potty.  He should be OK since his diaper was usually dry when I put one on him for nap time.  SCARY!!!!  I can't wait to see if he makes it through nap with no accidents!

3:15 p.m. Sully is dry and he went potty after he woke from his nap!  I went to pick the kids up from school and left for home shortly after.  So it is up to Angie to get him through the night. I will let you know how it goes.

Today for me was a success!  No Accidents =)

ON TO DAY 2!

Potty Preparation

Today I researched and bought a potty training method at http://www.3daypottytraining.com/.  Thanks to a couple of friends I was told this works like a charm!  Supposedly if you follow this method of training your child will be potty trained in 3 days.  So my plan is to do Sully first.  He will be 30 months on the 8th and I have been working with him for 3 weeks and during the day he is still having a few accidents.  I was putting a diaper on him at nap and Angie would put one on him at night.  This method says stop the diapers cold turkey!  Sully's journey begins here!

Olivia will be 22 months on the 7th and it says the earliest it will work is when your child is 22 months.  So with that I went out and bought big girl panties, M&M's and little presents for rewards when Olivia is successful.  Olivia knows we will be training her on Friday, Saturday and Sunday!  Whoo Hoo!  Hopefully it works...no more diapers!

Tonight we enjoyed a steak dinner with Travis, Michelle and Bryce.  Olivia played and beat Travis at Candy Land and Zingo.  I just went out and bought Zingo today because she enjoys playing it with her cousins and actually beat all the McGee's on Friday at Zingo not once but twice. Little Stinker!  I can't believe she is not even 2 years old and she is beating her cousins and grown men at games.  Bryce (Travis's brother) just flew in from Hawaii.  I am so jealous!  It looks like he had a fabulous time.  Michelle and Travis put their baby room together...I can't wait to see it!

Baked Chicken Tortillas

I made these a couple of weeks ago.  Steve and I thought they were OK.  I actually enjoyed them more as left overs for lunch.

This is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken breast.

1 cup bottled salsa, divided
8 oz fat free sour cream
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 3/4 pound)
1/3 cup chopped tomato
1/3 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion ( I did not add this ingredient..I am not a fan of onions)
cooking spray
3/4 cup (3oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350
Combine 1/2 cup salsa and sour cream in small bowl, and spread evenly over each tortilla
Divide chicken, tomato, bell pepper, and onion evenly down center of each tortilla, and roll up
Place rolls, seam sides down in an 11x 7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray
Top with 1/2 cup salsa
Back at 350 for 15 minutes sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Number of Servings: 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 335.3
Total Fat: 7.3g
Cholesterol: 17.5 mg
Sodium: 696.1 mg
Total Carbs: 53.8g
Dietary Fiber: 4.9g
Protein: 14.2g

Olivia goes sledding for the first time

Olivia with Bennett

Olivia waited patiently with Bennett while Steve looked for a sled.
Bennett is Travis's doll from when he was a kid.

 Travis brought over a boys snow suit for Olivia to borrow and no joke...Olivia started screaming because she didn't want to wear it.  I bet if it was pink or purple she would have put it on.

Olivia trying to kick her way out of the snow suit.

Her lips were quivering and she wanted her blankie

"TAKE IT OFF!"

Once we got everything on she was still crying.

Travis putting on her new gloves daddy bought her.

Whew!  We got everything on and tried to bring her outside.
By then she was crying uncontrollably and did not want to go sledding.
So I brought her back inside, took everything off and cuddled with her to calm her down.

Steve and Travis went out in the back and started writing her name. 
Olivia watched from our living room and said "I want to go outside".

So...Daddy and Travis pulled her around the neighborhood in a sled.

She was giggling and laughing....BTW she did not wear the snow suit. 

All Smiles!

Yay!  Olivia went sledding!

Olivia's face was so red and cold! 
Because she didn't wear the snow suit her little legs had to thaw out for 30 minutes.
If we go sledding again this year I will make sure we have a pink snow suit for her to wear!
Who would have thought a 21 month old would have so much fashion sense.  =)

Awesome Breakfast Casserole

Ummmm....Delicious!  On a snowy morning and after Steve shoveled the driveway and patio we enjoyed this dish along with some cinnamon rolls.  This dish reheats well in the microwave too!

1 12oz package Jimmy Dean 50% less fat Pork Sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (lowfat)
1 cup Heart Smart Bisquick mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups skim milk
4 eggs

Brown sausage and drain.
Arrange cheese and sausage in bottom of a greased 9x13 pan
In separate bowl, beat milk, ggs, Bisquick, salt, and pepper until smooth
Pour mixture over cheese and sausage
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Number of Servings: 12
Calories: 178.2
Total Fat: 9.1 g
Cholesterol: 96 mg
Sodium: 564.4 mg
Total Carbs 9.7g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Protein 13.9 g

Children's Musuem and Games with the Havlovics!

This morning Steve, Olivia and I went to the Children's museum for the first time!  It took Olivia a good 10 minutes to loosen up but by the end of the day she was having the time of her life!

Having a good time in the Science area

She loves golf!

It snowed all weekend so we spent our evenings with Travis and Michelle playing dominos and sequence.  Not to brag but Travis and I were partners for Sequence and we killed Michelle and Steve in 4 rounds.   =)  I do have to say that I am proud of myself for beating Travis and Steve in dominos too!  Finally!  Last game day I couldn't win a game to save myself!  Olivia even tried to play with Steve and Travis.  She thought the calculator was a phone so she kept trying to call people.

Olivia playing dominos with the boys

Calling people on her calculator

Happy Birthday Angie!

Click here to view these pictures larger

We celebrated Angie's birthday last Friday at the Firebarn in Waterloo, NE. 

Happy Birthday!

I got Angie this wine glass! Perfect isn't it?

Lindsay & Michelle's Baby Shower!!!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Today, Stacy and I threw a shower for Lindsay and Michelle.  I met Michelle through my husband Steve in 2003.  Travis, Michelle's husband and Steve lived together in college and I have come to know Michelle and her two best friends Lindsay and Stacy.  Ironic as it is, Michelle and Lindsay are due within weeks of each other and are both having boys.  What a better way to celebrate then having a dual shower!

I had the pleasure of hosting with Stacy, so I knew everything would be perfect.  Stacy is the walking caterer!  When she arrived at my house at 9:30 a.m. this morning she said she only had a few things to bring inside.  After several trips and three laundry baskets later we had all the food, decorations and flowers in the party room. 

Hershey Kisses with "It's a Boy" on the tag.  Flowers in a glass baby bottle.

Party Favors!  Lip gloss and Hershey Kisses and Fruit Snacks for the Kids.

More Favors!

Baby Blue M&M's

Look at the Spread!

Home made Salsa!  YUM!

Fruit with Whipped Frosting

Tortilla Rolls

 

Meat, Cheese and Crackers

Stacy's Famous Oreo Balls



I didn't get a picture but Stacy's mom made scotcharoos....OMG!  They were delicious! 
As everyone ate we watched a video of Travis and Brent.  I interviewed them both and then put them through a baby obstacle course.  Giving Olivia a bath and getting her ready for bed.

Brent



Travis


Brent and Travis getting Olivia ready for bed - "The Baby Test"


The girls got a lot of great gifts and I want to thank everyone for coming to help celebrate!

The 3 Amigos!  Lindsay, Stacy & Michelle

Lindsay, Stacy, Michelle &  Emily

Sorority Sisters from Alpha Xi Delta



The party crew! =)  Dee (Happy Birthday!), Nicole, Emily, Ally, Denise, Jan, Katie, Michelle, Nikki, Julie and Haley.



Lindsay with her mother-in-law and mother

Michelle, Olivia, Heather and Lindsay

Mom's and Daughters

Heather has a new friend!....Olivia =)

It was good to see Chris, Travis and Steve all together in the same house again!  =)  We all celebrated into the night with Travis, Michelle, Brent, Lindsay, Steve, Stacy, Michelle and Dusty.  I just met them but the are a lovely couple.  Dusty and Michelle are moving to Australia so Dusty can play professional basketball.  How exciting!  As always Travis and Steve stayed up until o'dark thirty.  I think they finally went to bed at 3:30 a.m.!  Ouch!

As all this was going on we learned around midnight that Miss Nebraska won the Miss USA pageant!  She is the first contestant from Nebraska to win and the youngest at 17 years old!  Pretty Cool!  Congratulations to Teresa Scanlan!  You can follow her blog at teresastravelsandtidbits.blogspot.com.

Please keep Heather and Chris's 8 month old nephew Kale in your prayers.  He is waiting to have a heart transplant in the next couple of weeks.  You can read more about him at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kalesoneson.