Mara Joy – Page 23 – Embracing the Insanity

I never thought I would blog about potty training

Posted on March 27, 2009March 27, 2009 by Becky

Funny how having children changes you. This morning as I came upstairs from the basement carrying a basket of laundry, my 2-year-old ran toward me wearing shoes and socks, but no pants or underwear. ??

“Lop-a-lop!” she announced with a smug grin, hands clasped behind her back. (Lollipops are the reward for going #2.)

“Did you go potty?” I asked, looking into her little potty. “No,” I answered my own question emphatically. “No lollipop.–There’s nothing in there.”

“I fushed it,” she explained.

First of all, her potty doesn’t flush. Second, if she had gone #2, she would be calling for me to wipe her.

But she insisted, pointing to a random piece of plastic protruding from the potty seat. “See? I fushed it right there!”

Oh, my . . . you’re not convincing me, little girl. NO lop-a-lop!

Potty Power

Posted on March 27, 2009April 9, 2009 by Becky

Our friend loaned us a DVD called “Potty Power,” and Mara has been watching it the past couple of days. I don’t know how long it will last, but she went in the potty three times this afternoon, after watching the DVD. She would say, “Mara go potty! Mara big kid!”

When Daniel came home from work, Mara strutted around the house, arms over her head, shouting, “Power! Power!”

“What’s she saying?” he asked.

“Power,” I translated. “Potty power.”

“Mara,” Daniel said, shaking his head. “That is not power. If you have power when you’re going potty, you need to see a doctor.”

And Mara, who has begun the endless “why” stage, came to me, “Why, Mommy? Why Daddy say ‘not power’?”

All Organized

Posted on March 25, 2009April 10, 2009 by Becky

In my endless pursuit of home-organization, I purchased three stackable bins at Target for my daughter’s toys. I want toys in the living room. I want the kids to be able to play downstairs but the growing pile of toys, books, puzzles and stuffed animals is becoming quite unwieldy.

The bins were on clearance for $2.99 each. My 2-year-old daughter loves them. (They are purple.) She walked behind me in Target dragging one of the purple bins behind her the entire way, garnering all sorts of attention on every aisle.

“We’re going to get organized!” I told her. “One for books! One for puzzles! Little toys in the top!”

When we got home, I put all the puzzles in one, and then I got interrupted, so I instructed my daughter: “Get all your books and put them in this bin.”

She is a good little worker, and I watched as she picked up each book. When she set the last book in the purple bin, she clapped with her signature enthusiasm:

“YAY!!!!” she cheered. “Mara! All! OR-nun-ized!” she shouted.

I couldn’t help laughing. “That makes one of us,” I thought. “It’s a start.”

And Daniel said, “Maybe she can teach you now.”

Will I ever be able to say that? “Mommy all organized”? . . . wow

Why Daddy Doesn’t Cry in the Bath

Posted on March 24, 2009April 10, 2009 by Becky

It was Bathtime.

Micah is finally old enough to sit up in the bathtub without needing constant support, so last week I started giving them their baths together. It definitely saves time. And in a weird sort of way, I think Micah is a good example to his big sister!

Mara watched as I washed his bald little head. “Micah didn’t diiiiie,” she observed dramatically.

(And just in case you think my 2-year-old is worried about her brother drowning in the bathtub, I should mention that she says ‘die’ when she means ‘cry.’ It took us awhile to figure that out. She says ”people didn’t die,” after she acts out a school bus crash in which all the Little People fall out. We were wondering ‘where is she getting this stuff?!?!’ But finally we realized she was trying to say that the people didn’t cry when they fell. OOOOOkay. . . !)

Anyway, Mara loves her bath, until we lean her back to rinse her hair. She would really be fine, if she didn’t panic and flail around trying to sit up. So after she cried yet again tonight when she got her hair washed, Daniel was trying to figure out what is causing her consternation.

“Do your ears hurt?” he asked, seeing her tug on her ear.

“Yes,” Mara said sadly.

“Daddy’s ears don’t hurt when he gets water in them,” Daniel told her.

But Mara knew why: “Daddy big!” she exclaimed.

So that explains why Daddy doesn’t cry in the bath!

We Finally Had Portraits Taken!

Posted on March 24, 2009March 24, 2009 by Becky

My son is now 9-1/2 months old. With the whole NICU craziness, his being on an apnea/brady monitor for four months, then buying a house and moving, and battling sickness most of the winter, we have not found a good time for portraits! But last week I finally took the kids to have professional pictures taken.

My favorite studio for kids’ portraits is Portrait Innovations, and I love telling people about it.–There are locations all across the country. They have a great $9.99 package, which gives you a ton of pics of one pose (1- 11×13, 2 – 8x10s, 4 5x7s, 4 – 3-1/2 x5, and a bunch of wallets). But I have to admit–I have yet to walk out spending only $9.99! The portraits are just incredible. Plus you select and receive your portraits before you leave–same day!

Better than mere words, the portraits themselves tell you why you it is such a great studio. So let me share . . .

Here is my little buddy! (We had a picture taken of my daughter in this pose around the same age, so I specifically requested the first one.)

Here’s another shot of Micah–just chillin’–his typical high chair pose!

I also had several pics taken of the two kids together. I couldn’t choose just one, so I will share the top four!

I always prefer the white background with minimal props. But they have all sorts of props (various chairs, animals, floral arrangements, sports stuff) and several backgrounds (black, white, blue, a “garden” scene for Easter).

So visit the Portrait Innovations website and find a studio near you. I would love to see your portraits too!

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