Sleep deprived and potty training....dont mix

The way she finally passes out at night lol

 For the 4th night in a row the baby has woken me more than once a night again, like when she was a newborn.  Then right after she goes back to sleep, Ella decides its time to get up.  Even though the sun isnt even up and her room is still pitch black.  She even has black out panels on the windows to keep the light out.  Julia has some too, but hers are the Target brand and let much more light in than Ella's.   Because its not even 6 am yet and Ella has woken up Madisen, as well as myself and Julia, the whole house is up.  Are you kidding me?? Its waaaaaaay to early to start the day.  Its not like everyone is up and relaxing and i can just sit on the couch and watch tv or anything.  As everyone creeps out of their rooms, i have to remind them to go to the bathroom.  You would think a mother wouldnt have to remind her 4 and 6 year old to go pee right after they get up in the morning.  But i do.  Otherwise they both hold it until as long as possible and then they fight over who gets to go first when its a matter of seconds before someone pees their pants.  Which hasnt happend yet, or at least in a very long time.  But the fighting is the wrong way to start the day.  Especially when i've gotten little sleep.  Puts me in a bad mood!  Time to feed the baby.  In the 10 min. it takes to feed her, i will be asked about breakfast at least 3 times.  Ella will say she is "hungey" and start pulling on her high chair.  That reminds me, she needs to start transitioning out of that because i need it for Aubrey soon.  Anyways, feed the baby, put her down somewhere, or hold her and make the other girls food with one hand.  I've gotten pretty skilled at making things with one hand these days. :)  Serve the girls their breakfast while i usually dont have a chance to eat mine, or im standing and taking bites as i run around the kitchen.  Emptying the dishwasher from last nights dinner dishes so it can be stuffed full a few more times through out the day.  Sometimes i really think about just using paper plates, sure would make clean up a lot easier!

I knew that potty training Ella would take, patience, time and consistency as when you're potty training any child.  She reminds me of Julia in many ways and Julia was by far my most stubborn child when it came to potty training.  I would have started 2 months ago, like i normally do, when they are 18 months old.  But as most of you know, i kinda had A LOT going on :)  Now dont get me wrong, she is being stubborn, but not as bad as i thought.  I've had her pullups the last couple weeks.  Yesterday i decided to just go all in and put her in undies.  Sure doesnt make my day any less stressful or easy.  I thought i could do the once an hour potty time, but i have to work up to that.  This girls pees all the time!!  I take her every 30 min. and she still has a few accidents a day.  Oh well, we will get there.  This is my first kid to potty train. Or even my 4th or 5th.  I used to do it for a living when i was a early preschool teacher at Kindercare for the 2-3 year old room.  I always had a class of ten, 2 year olds by myself.  They had to be potty trained and turn 3 to go into the preschool room.  My turn over rate was pretty fast cause i would have them potty trained pretty quickly.  I would get on average a new set of 10 kids every few months.  So just estimating, i've potty trained about 60 kids.  Well more like 65 kids including the ones i've nannied and my own.  Not counting Ella or Aubrey yet :)...  Goodness thats a lot of kids.  Surely i was not paid enough! lol The ones in the daycare i had fully trained by 2.5, they werent coming to my room until sometime after their 2nd birthday.  The ones i nannied and my own have all been fully trained by their 2nd birthday.  I've learned very specific ways of potty training all types of kids.  Some work best with rewards, like M&M's, others do just fine with stickers, a sticker chart, or nothing but praise and a hive five.  Just depends on the kid :)  Consistency is definitely the main focus for me.  Once i start them in undies, theres no going back, or they will not potty train as quickly.  Of course i still use pull-ups for nap and overnight.  At least for now, and until they start to be dry, i will continue to use them.  Also, in this early stage of training, i will still put a pull-up on when i leave the house.  At least until she starts to hold it for a couple hours at a time.  Even with all my training,  it is still HARD.  And requires a lot of hard work on my part.   And it sucks!  Not having enough sleep, being grumpy, and trying to keep calm isnt easy.  I still havent had my coffee!  

Madie reading

 Ok, enough about potty training.  Im so proud of my 4 year old daughter, Madisen.  Who is now reading!  She literally can read almost every word in the book "Green Eggs and Ham".  I have a video of it that i would post here, except for some reason the add video part of this blog isnt working. So a picture will have to do.  She amazes me!!  All my mommy hard work is paying off :)  

On a side note..i have a killer headache today :/  Bleh.  And still need to give Julia and Madisen a shower.  I cant wait until they are able to do that themselves! 

 A couple baby pictures to leave you smiling :) 

 Until Next time...

Always first...

Ok, attempt #3 this morning to nap the baby in her crib instead of the swing.  I know shes a cat napper but this is crazy!  Each time she has slept less than 10 min. in her room.  She has got to be tired!  UGH.  She probably isnt used to the quiet in there lol. I put her down before starting today's entry and she is already awake again.  *big sigh*  I did happen to get her first real laugh this morning!!  It was the cutest thing!  She laughed a few times and it just makes me light up. :)  She has laughed a few times before, but only in her sleep.  Whatever could a newborn be dreaming about, let alone laughing at, in their sleep.  I have no idea, but either way, to have it when she was awake and reacting to me trying to get her to laugh, was exciting!! :)

Meanwhile, Julia and Madisen have been playing in her room with her doll house.  Surprisingly, with out any arguing, yet.  They were so awful yesterday with the fighting that they pretty much had everything taken away.  So im thinking this being nice to each other thing is to earn back some their stuff  from yesterday.  Im still struggling with Julia constantly having to RUN everywhere.  "STOP RUNNING!" is all i say to her i swear.  And now Madie, as slow as she is eating, is trying to run to everything too.  "You are not in a race", is another thing im always saying.  Julia has always had this thing about being first.  I know im competitive, but seriously, i wasnt at 6!  And she really hasnt seen me be competitive with others about anything so i dont know why it drives her every move.  Im over exaggerating you say?  Nope, im not lol.  She NEEDS, wants, and forces herself to be first with brushing teeth, going potty, to the top of the stairs, bottom of the stairs, , getting her silverware, finishing a drink, finishing her food.  First to get dressed, first undressed, first to have pj's on, first to the table, first in the car, first out of the car, first to whatever room shes headed to, first for lotion, first to get in the pool, etc.etc..get the point?  Am i still over exaggerating? lol i didnt think so :)  There are a few advantages to her being fast, like if i need her to get more diapers, or a burp rag very quickly, she will do it in a flash!  And im sure when she starts playing competitive sports, it will be great.  Otherwise, it is so much work to keep under control.  It wouldnt matter so much if when she wasnt first she didnt mind, but she does!  I guess she has gotten better from when she used to drop to the floor and cry if she wasnt first.  It still bugs her, but she is more sly about it.  She will speed up and slip between you and the door to enter before you or she will hold Madisen back just far enough she can get in front of her.  But she no longer throws the fits if she isnt first.  Which is good!  It is so mentally time consuming to be watching for that all the time and to make her NOT first more than letting her, to make sure she learns she cant always be in front, and how to handle it when she isnt.  

I cant believe it!  Attempt #4 at getting Aubrey to sleep in her crib is finally working! :)  She has been in there for about 25 min. now :)  The kids all just finished lunch too and Ella is fast asleep in her toddler bed already.  She has only been in there for about 10 min. Which means i have both of my nappers, napping at the same time!! Woohoo!! :) Nap is the easiest and quickest time Ella falls asleep, and doesnt try to get out of her bed.   She loves to nap.  All of mine have at that age, until they are old enough to not really be napping.  Its never been a fight.  I made sure of that.  All the ones i nannied have loved to take naps too.  I believe it has something to do with my strategy, that i will now share with you :)  First, i never make nap time a punishment, and also never make it a time out spot.  I have also always made sure to crib "train" them from an early age, even though i really did want them in the co-sleeper or my bed for much longer, i knew getting them used to the crib early on, is easier than later.  Plus i always wanted the evenings for ME time, and not spending forever getting my kid to finally go to sleep.  How exhausting!  From the time the child is old enough they are on more of a routine for naps, they were in their bed, and they were put to bed sleepy and tired, NOT asleep.  At least after the first few months of life.  That way they learned their surroundings and got used to them.  And most importantly, in my opinion, when the kid wakes up, you go to them when they are happy and talking to be up.  I know the whole saying of "well, they arent crying, so just leave them" is out there, BUT i believe that waiting until the child is crying is only teaching them that they have to cry in order to get out of bed.  So then they learn to just cry when they wake up so that someone will come get them.  I always go in their room with a smile on my face and happy to see that they are awake (even if i wished they had slept longer lol).  So anyways, those are my steps i have used for many many years, and not just with my own kids.  It has produced all of them running to their rooms to head up for nap at nap time! :) I sure wish i could still get to nap!

Napper 1

Napper 2

Well i should be taking this time to clean or something, but i really think i will just rest for a little while.  My other girls are home and awake, so i cant take a nap, but oh how i want to! :)  But just not having to nurse, or change a diaper for a little while is relaxing :)  

It sure is a windy and sunny day today.  I LOVE it!  Its still weird to walk around and see all the Halloween decorations up and it be sunny and warm out, not overcast and rainy.  A little bittersweet i guess :)  

Oh yeah, Julia's little pie baking went great.   I was the first mom to show up.  She said be there at 2, so i was 5 min. early.  Then another mom showed up a few after 2, but the other 2 that came showed up at like 2:30.  Really?  Whatever.  And also, barely anyone had given supplies for it.  We brought pie crust and capri suns (both on the list to bring) and nobody else brought pie crust.  There were a few things for the filling and then just more capri suns.  It all worked out but what a close call on the crust, and i almost didnt get it lol.  The teacher could have also given more time.  We got the flyer for the pie on wed. and they made them friday.  Oh well, like i said, it all worked out.  

Got my potty training supplies i need to start working on Ella more.  Pull-ups and M&M's lol  I can just tell she is going to need those candies to get the process going and probably finished haha.  She is so much like Julia, so it will be interesting to see how much she changes over the years.  I have about a weeks worth of diapers left for her, then its GO TIME!  I hope i can keep my track record of having them all done before 2 years old.  We'll see though....this one is STUBBORN!  She is an awesome big sister already though!! 

Until next time...

Where does the time go?

My baby was 11 weeks old on Wed.  Geez, where the time go??  I cant believe she will be 3 months old soon!  Ella, my almost 20 month old will be running out of diapers soon, and will then be into pull ups.  Thats when the potty training fully starts.  I've already taken her many times, and we talk about it during the day.  But the effort on my part isnt starting more until pull ups.  Some may say, she still young, etc etc.   But potty training is my area, whether i like it or not.  And i dont lol.  When i worked at Kindercare thats what i did.  The last 2 years i worked there, i had the PRE preschool age.  I had the 2-3 years old.  Ten of them in fact.  As they were potty trained or turning 3 they were moved out into preschool.  They couldnt leave my room until they were fully potty trained though.  I always had them all potty trained by 3.  They would then take all my kiddos and put them in preschool and give me a whole new set of almost 2's or 2 year olds that had to be potty trained.  This was a grueling task but after awhile it becomes a routine.  I sat on my little stool, had a child in front of me, sent them to the mini sized toilet to TRY and potty, and then brought them back, gave them a pull up and sent them on their way.  On to the next kid.  After 10 kids, which was about 30-45 min. later.  I would pretty much have to start all over again, since i took them hourly.   So NOT looking forward to starting that all over again with Ella.  BUT i do believe that potty training a child is more about the parents consistent effort and guidance,  than waiting until the child is ready.  All mine and the ones i nannied were fully done and in underwear by 2.  Julia being the latest, right before her 2nd birthday.  Jack and Lucy and Madie were done at 20 months!  Ella is prob. going to be more like Julia and be closer to her 2nd birthday, she is a stubborn one!!  Might have to do the old M&M reward thing with her, when stickers worked with the rest haha.

Today i get to go to Julia's school at 2 pm to help with pie baking.  Im hoping enough of the parents come to help their own kid that i dont have to have a lot of other kids in my group.   I havent really bonded with any of her classmates this year.  Not like last year when her BFF i just love, and her whole class would give me a high five on the way to their class after the teacher came and got them.  It was soooo cute!  But its still pretty early this year.  Im kinda excited to go to Julia's class and help though, i didnt really do that last year.  I had a baby (Ella) at home and was pregnant and was just NOT feeling it!  I did take home tasks from the teacher though, so i did help in a way :)  She always gave me the BIG ones too, she knew i would return them faster than the other mom helpers lol. And i was happy to help in some way.  They only took one field trip last year, im glad i went on that.  Im so glad those things fall on the days that my husband is home from work and can watch the other kids while i get to go.  He would go, but he doesnt want to have other people's kids in his group that hes responsible for.  You'd think he wouldnt mind since we have enough of our own kids, but thats just it, they are OURS.  I always dreamed of getting to go with my kids on their school adventures and stuff so im hoping Julia will get a field trip or two this year.  No word on any yet though.  

I asked one of the moms about the kindergarten here.  I guess its full day and its free!  Im pretty happy about that, i just hope its not too long of a day for Madisen.  She is going to end up passing out way before bed probably lol.  I'll have to start training the slowest eater EVER on how to hurry up as well because you dont get 45 min. or more to eat lunch at school.  She will probably end up starving the first week until she finally understands you have to speed up and eat to get it down in the time frame they give you.  Here, at home, she takes FOREVER!  Unless its something she really really likes, havent had in awhile, or is extremely hungry.  Otherwise, its a constant thing to tell her to take a bite, chew, swallow...and REPEAT!  With pretty much every bite....it sure gets old!  Its gotten a lot better over time.  This time last year, every meal, except breakfast, was a struggle with Madie. She also has a large imagination, so instead of eating, she's playing around.  Her fingers are "spiders" and are always doing something instead of eating!  I swear that child would be on a feeding tube if it werent for me lol.

Got a flyer yesterday about Fall costume ball next friday, still waiting on more info about that.  Wondering if its for all siblings too, or just her.  Probably just her.   Im also waiting to get her school pictures back.  She took them the last week of September, so i thought i'd get them back by now.  They were re-takes because we didnt get to this school or state until after the first set of pictures had already been taken.   Im always nervous about how the pictures will turn out.  Especially this year because she wanted to wear a headband.  Im working on not controlling so much about what she wears and how she wants her hair, so i let her wear the headband.  So many things can go wrong wearing a headband in school pictures lol.  The pictures arent even taken the min. you get to school so who knows how it will look and if her hair was laying ok.  *sigh* We will see!  We wont get another shot at pictures this year, so either way, its gonna be the framed one lol.  

Well the baby is waking up from her cat nap in the swing.  It might have something to do with Ella being near here with some Tinkerbell dominos that she is clanging together quite loudly.  She always likes to say, more like yell "HI BABY, HI AUBEY" as soon as the baby falls asleep.  She isnt using her R's quite yet, but she can say a lot of things already!  And she sure loves her baby sister, which is so awesome! :)  I think i'll start to nap Aubrey in her crib a little more and maybe that will help with her waking so often. She is approaching the age of taking like 3 naps a day, instead of just randomly passing out through out the day haha.  Ahhh, they grow so fast!

Happy Friday!!

Until next time...