Mid-America Museum

We braved Mid-America Museum this morning with Meme and the Vaught kids. Thank goodness we went early because tons of people were showing up as we were leaving, like bus loads. There really were lots of cool exhibits, some were even the same as when I was a kid!

The kids had a ball and loved it! We finished with lunch at the very special, "Old McDonald's" and then came home for much needed naps- for both of us!!!

The Wonder Place and Art Project

Yesterday we went to Little Rock to the Wonder Place (a DF fave) for Sam Hurtado's 2nd Birthday party. It was a little late because his original party in February was snowed out. The kids all had such a good time!! The sand table was a hit! They got to paint their own toy cars, and of course had cake and ice cream. David Franklin had so much fun, we weren't even out of the parking lot and he said, "thank you for taking me to Sam's party, Mama."




The birthday boy in his fire fighter hat, that he did not remove the whole party :)



On Thursday Mrs. Ann came to St. Luke's to do an art project with David Franklin's class to be sold at the school fundraiser/ spaghetti supper in April. Mrs. Ann is an artist and she works at the college with Mammers. They worked with clay and put their thumb prints in small pieces of it. Mrs. Ann will take all of the children's work and turn in into a beautiful mosaic to be auctioned off. The kiddos did great and DFB thought it was pretty cool to have his special visitors come to his class!



DF and Mrs. Ann being silly afterwards!

Cookie

(please excuse the bed head, snack time was after a very long nap today).

David Franklin had a first today, or at least that I know about. Oreo cookies. Enough said. I taught him how to dunk them into the milk. Awww, so good! At first he said, "it's wet" but after the first taste, it was all over. Then he was saying "more, and delicious!" He also discovered the cream filling and asked me if it was ice cream. He liked digging it out with his fingers. Coincidentally my mom asked him what we are going to call this new baby today and he answered, Cookie. I kind of like it, and it's a lot cuter than just calling it "it." So, cookie it is. At least until it comes out.

Big Changes for a "Big Boy"

DFB has had some big changes this past week. Let me give you a potty training update. Well, even though I wasn't confident, that program worked! There were no wet accidents after day 3! I was shocked. There have been a few problems with the other, but it seems to all be worked out now. A total of only 2 accidents after day 3. I'm a believer of the Potty Queen's program and will be happy to share it with anyone! So, we get a few months break from diapers!

Franklin has taken David Franklin to south Texas right now for a very short trip with him. Their first overnight adventure on their own.
Franklin was a little nervous about the whole potty situation right before flying, and he said they have found pottys all over the place- including the HEB grocery store, but that he's done great! Whew! Enough potty talk.

We also have finished his new big boy room. We are leaving our nursery (and changing the bedding) for the baby, so DFB needed some new furniture. I found some I liked, but it needed to be stained so Franklin had been working on it and finished it. We got it all set up, but we weren't ready for him to sleep in there quite yet. Thought it might be too much change, too fast. We had been reading books in there, and playing in there all week. On Friday night after he asked us over and over again, he got to sleep in his new bed. He did great! Actually slept longer and better in his new bed than the crib! It was harder on me than I expected though- I guess I'm not quite ready for him to be out of diapers and a crib, and not be a baby anymore! It's been more sentimental for me but I'm so proud of him and know I won't be sad when the new baby comes.

Potty Training "Boot Camp"

His laundry after 2 hours.

Well, we have had an intense potty training weekend. I'm going to skip all of the gory details. Going every 15 minutes at one point. David Franklin was amazing though and we're so proud!!!

This weekend we started the Potty Training in 3 Day Method. We have fiddled around with pull ups and sitting on the potty, but nothing was really happening and he wasn't a fan. Basically, this is a put them straight in underware technique, and it's one that some people swear by. A friend of mine sent me the Potty Training in 3 Day Book. I read up, got the supplies, prayed about it, and tried to get as mentally prepared as possible. It says you have to be consistent and not give up. It also said it takes your total focus. So I gave it that. The first day I sat at his feet, staring at his underwear, looking for wetness, etc. and asking if he needed to potty CONSTANTLY. It's all I did. And clean up messes, and so laundry. I felt myself ask him every 30 seconds at one point and I was driving him crazy! One time he shouted, NO! I don't!! Hahaha.

I know he's only a little over two, but I also knew he understood the concept and could probably do it if he had a little push. I went back and forth about wondering if he is ready, but I decided I would give it one good try and see what happened. Our pediatrician said we could start at 18 months (which I declined). The idea of two in diapers is not a terrible concept to me, but it would be wonderful if we could potty train him before baby #2 arrives.

I will say, it's the morning of day 4 and I'm not very confident. In fact, I don't believe he is "trained" like the book suggested and I'm a little sad that they sold it that way. But, he is worlds better than where we started on Friday and I think each day will get better and better. I'm just scared to leave the house without extra clothes, cleaing supplies, and plastic covers! I feel like we are taking a dog or something with us, who may pee on people's floors! :)

C'ton Weekend

A little belly pic- 24 weeks.

The restaurant surprised us with this message in our apple crisp one night!

Franklin and I barely escaped the snow storm and got outta dodge. Really and truly, it was a crazy time getting to Little Rock on Wednesday, the day of the big snow storm. We made the quick decision to leave that morning and try to beat it instead of leaving that afternoon/evening. I was so nervous about it and we left in such a panic, I forgot to grab my purse!!! (With my ID and everything important in it.) By the time we got to Little Rock, I figured it out and we almost turned right back around to go to H.S. but the roads were getting worse and worse. A car had already hit the median and spun around almost in our lane one car up. Luckily, Franklin works at the bank and he called and got pictures of my ID and info scanned and emailed to him which helped tremendously. We learned a valuable lesson: The TSA is really nice and you don't absolutely have to have your ID to fly. You do go through more intense screening, aka- a full body pat down. That was fine with me though, I just was happy to get to get on the plane!

We went to Charleston for a long weekend to celebrate Valentines, our Anniversary (a little early), and have a little Baby Moon before I got too big to enjoy it. We had never been to South Carolina and picked it for a number of reasons, but one being how renowned the food is. Well, we ate and ate, and walked to another restaurant and ate some more. We got a couples massage, shopped, took a carriage ride tour, went down to the harbor, looked at the gorgeous old homes, and had a great time. The food was wonderful, but we both almost ate ourselves sick!
I feel renewed, and rested, and loved spending so much time with my husband, but I missed my boy. He had a such a good time with his Mammers and his Meme and Grandpa. It made is so much easier to leave him, knowing he was having so much fun! They had activities planned the whole time. Thanks to you all for taking such great care of him, and letting us get away together! It may be 2013 before we can do it again :)

We got some too!

This morning we woke up to school closings around us with nothing on the ground, but it finally came and we got some snow down here too! Although it cancelled our weekend plans and our friends coming, we are enjoying our snow day!