Mr & Mrs Smith

  So his post haircut & potty training photo should have it's own post. In most ways he has done so great with potty training. He understands when he has to go & he can hold it until he gets there. He will even take his diaper off to go since we put that on him at bedtime still. One perk to doing it early I can see is that it's more accepted as the normal, the diaper isn't a crutch & there isn't this mental battle. However, the downside to doing it early is the amount of energy it has taken me to listen out for him to tell me he needs to go since he doesn't go on his own & even if he is there, messes happen due to the lack of aiming. However, we still have our little fights about holding it too long and those are the worst. He hasn't had a poo accident in a long time, but let me back track & say those are the worst. He doesn't like to see me freak out so I definitely know it puts a new level of caring in him when he tries t...

I almost forget love day isn't just for sugar cookies & heart shaped breakfastes. But that's what makes this little girl glow. A craft party with friends that lets her get out the glitter glue makes her go woohoo! I tried something different with the cookies this year & it's my new tradition - baking the cookie bars first and then cutting them out. These were delicious thanks to the foodnanny! I believe our actual valentine's day will be a little low key. Lexi is just looking forward to Gammi's package. It's so hard for her to make enough good choices to earn it. I praised her for listening so well yesterday morning & she admitted it was so she could get Gammi's package, haha! For Dallin's treat, he is back to telling me when he has to go pee since he went on a 2-day hiatus that made me really stress out.  And they've also been staying in their bedroom through the night. I'm h...

For me, "negative" or "positive" emotions have never really existed. Perhaps they should, but I do think happy people feel both. I understand where we are encouraged to show gratitude & hope, but those things only come from feeling the pains of ordinary life. It all works together, the good & the bad, to help us grow. You should know I'm growing. But there are negative people in the world, those who never choose to accept that ordinary life is a gift no matter what the day brings. There are those who refuse to accept the flaws of others or that we live in a fallen world full of imperfect people trying to do their best. And even still, we can only choose how we act & react. I will get frustrated when I'm frustrated, but I will own it & I will fight the urge to linger in it. Because of a quote that has stayed with me, "it's not a sin to get discouraged, it's a sin to linger in discouragement" & maybe I should add "by...

I'm not sure what unhappy feelings feels like on an unborn, but I already feel bad for this child.  So many minutes in a day my kids are adorable, and we are gliding by & they are laughing. Two seconds later & they are screaming like someone chopped their arm off.  I wouldn't know when an ER visit is imminent because those lungs have already given me PTSD over nothing. Yeah, let's add potty training to emotional children & again, I feel bad for the unborn, and my brain. It takes a lot of energy to fuss too. I'm so drained & I hate that.  But their screaming has to stop. I'm pretty sure Lexi taught Dallin how to do it when they are excited and frustrated. I'm supposed to be calm, but firm back? Lexi already cannot hear. Literally, she is deaf to any sort of instruction or request. That will literally be her biggest challenge in school - how to follow instructions.  But make her a promise about a treat or let her retell a story from TV and apparen...

I guess I wanted to make January monumental & slowly recover from PTSD for the rest of my life. I decided to potty train Dallin at 22 months. Gammi already got us the cars underwear & potty seat. "Guys potty training is so draining! BUT after I talked to several close friends about their success at a younger age following Lexi, it stayed on my mind. Even the 3-day training that was such a success with Lexi said 22 months was ideal. But he is a BOY & everyone likes to say they are harder. I dread this more than nursing! Due to my feelings about Dallin who SEEMed ready according to all those who say "what really matters" (interested, randomly taking off diapers, hardly wet at night, able to communicate) & the timing of a new baby, I thought I'd give it a shot. I keep telling myself it'll be nice to avoid 2 in diapers or training while I'm nursing &or doing school drop-offs. It's now or 6 months from now. What could possible go wr...

Our last lesson in Sunday School in 2017 surrounded the concept of mental illness in the context of how, as parents, do we handle this issue in our families. Most seem to agree that mental illness has gotten more prevelant over the years & connect that to the effects of technology, which was the topic of the last 5th Sunday lesson. I didn't have any strong thoughts to share then, but as I pondered it a bit more, I feel like I do have something to offer parents of teenagers, and I think in turn I have to take those suggestions and apply them now with even my littles. Wherever we are in life, there is a roll you can play to be an influence for good. Understanding mental illness is good for everyone, and learning how to assist where possible is essential too. 1. Parents need to be more open. Not about everything, but I remember wanting to feel like an adult in the sense that my thoughts or feelings were trusted & valued. There are things parents can do to widen the door ...

Christmas is an exciting time for new things, new gifts & treats. It's fun to think about giving gifts to our children or receiving some ourselves. I know some people love this opportunity, but I'm not in love with the gifts per say. I do love the idea of giving of course, and seeing our children get excited over something new. But it gives me anxiety to give, wanting to give something that is valued. I have the same issue with receiving, I want it to be worth that person's cost. Mr Smith may tell you I still love receiving packages. I mean even if you bought it, who doesn't love getting them, but sometimes it can become too much. Perhaps I just don't have the gift of gift giving. My kids still don't know what to ask for & are only starting to show interest in particular things. I have a hard time at this age too because gratitude doesn't always come naturally & I despise nothing more than not appreciating a gift. I may sound like a hypocrit...