Maternity Matters

Why is it that 95% of all maternity shirts seem to be 3/4 length. This is so obnoxious. I see so many cute shirts, but when I look closer, the sleeves are all 3/4 length and they are ruled out. It is annoying to me when the sleeves hit halfway between my wrist and my elbow! Maybe other people like them, but I don't. They end up being pushed up to my elbow or just not worn at all. Someone in the designer world needs to realize that just because someone is pregnant, it doesn't mean that they want 3/4 length sleeves... give us some other options please!!

Update on Potty Training

We went out to dinner tonight. I had the brilliant idea to take the seat part of cailin's potty chair, which fits onto adult toilets with us stylishly stashed in a pretty bag to hide it. It was a good idea. FOUR times during dinner, Cailin told me she had to potty... and did so on the big potty.

We are going to save so much in diapers.

Growing up so fast

I can’t believe how fast Cailin is growing. In 2 weeks, she turns 2. One year ago, I had a little girl who couldn’t walk on her own. Her vocabulary consisted of a few one syllable words. She was still sleeping in a crib. Now, she is speaking in sentences that are 5-6 syllables long already. This seemed to start over night. She is very concerned with how others are feeling and always tries to make them happy. She has opinions of her own now, and knows how to express them (even if it is the most inappropriate time).

The biggest change that I am noticing right now is that she is learning to use a “big girl potty”. About 2 weeks ago, we decided to try teaching her to use the potty. I wasn’t sure how to go about doing this, so we used what I will call the ‘Naked Method’. I stripped her down on the bottom half and let her run around naked. Every time I would have to potty, Cailin would follow and sit on her potty too. Sometimes, she would pee pee, sometimes nothing. If I asked if she had to potty and she said “no”, it was fighting a lost cause to get her to sit on the potty and try. Within three to four days, there were no accidents on the floor. We used pull ups when we were taking naps, and a diaper when we were out and about, or when Cailin was going to bed for the night. That was it. Last week on Thursday, she surprised me. I didn’t see her disappear, but apparently she did. When I went to use the restroom, she had pottied in her toddler potty and didn’t even tell us. So much for thriving on praise and M&M’s for reinforcement.

This past Wednesday, I was in the shower getting ready to run some errands. Cailin was where I couldn’t see her for a good 5 minutes or so. When we went into the bathroom that she uses to get a brush for her hair, I noticed she pooped in the potty… again without telling me! Good job big girl!! Yesterday we hit another potty milestone. We were eating lunch. It was me, Chris, Cailin and Billie. Cailin was sitting in her seat dancing while she was eating. All of a sudden, she started to cry. I was wondering if she might have pinched her foot or something with all her wiggling. We tried asking what was wrong, but she just climbed down and came over to my chair and tried to climb on my lap. I picked her up and asked what was wrong. She says "poppy momma, poppy". She was telling me she had to potty. She had a pull-up on instead of a diaper while we were out and about. We walked into the bathroom and she immediately tried to get her pants down. I helped her and then lifted her onto the potty. With a death grip around my neck so she wouldn’t fall in, she went.... ALOT. Her pull-ups were still dry. I put them on around 9, and we ate at 1. That is a long time for her without going.

Last night, we were out celebrating a late valentines day dinner with some friends. After dinner, the guys went to Home Depot and Lowes, the girls wandered in the mall. Cailin tells me she needs to potty, and she went on a big girl potty again. An hour later, the same thing, but she pooped this time. I think it has finally clicked that it is better to go on a potty and keep those pants dry.

Dr. Hamby has told us that Most kids don’t start potty training till they are two-and-a half to three years old and not to get discouraged if it takes us a while. I am well aware that this is early and that she might get some set backs and might retaliate and go back to diapers, but for now, she is doing wonderful. I can’t believe how much she is growing up!!!

Do Mom's ever stop worrying?

Oiy. Cailin had a recheck doctor appointment today. On January 11, I took her to the doctor because of a nasty cough. Turns out she has double ear infections that were nasty. She was put on medicine for 10 days and we will see you at her 2 year old check up. Sounds good. TWO weeks later, she had an uber snotty nose, a gross cough (again). We made an appointment and went back... again. She had another bad double ear infection... again. Dr. Hamby wanted to see her in 2 weeks again to make sure that it cleared up this time. That check up was today. Guess what... She has another ear infection... still. We aren't sure if it is again, or if it is still... most likely still. Chris said that he had ear problems when he was little too. I don't know if I did or not. In a little less than 3 weeks, we will go back for her 2 year "well baby" visit. At the same time, we are going to re-check her ears again. This is the third medication we will be on in a month. It tastes nasty. The pharmacy REQUIRES you to flavor it because it is so gross. Dr. Hamby told me that if her ears were still not healed up by the time her 2 year check up rolls around, we need to take her to an ENT. We have already been to this ENT. She was AWESOME last time we went. Last time we saw her, Cailin was not quite 1 year old and had strep throat 6 times. She reccomened surgery to remove her tonsils, but said she would wait a bit longer because she was SOOO young. Dr. Hamby warned me that IF we have to go to her for ear infections this time, not to be surprised if she still talks about the possibility of taking out her tonsils. He said that they can affect her ears as well. The other possibility may be discussing tubes in her ears. If it helps, it helps, then do it, although I HATE that possibility. This is the girl who was constantly jumping into the pool, who lays back in the bath tub to play, who loves putting her face (and ears) in the water during bath time and who loves to swim. I know that having tubes in her ears will make things more challenging to keep them dry.

I am trying not to worry, and I am telling myself this NASTY gross disgusting medicine is going to work, however, in the back of my mind, I am still paranoid that I am going to be going down this road again to the ENT. Please say prayers that her ears will be better with this medicine alone!!