bits and bites

Tasty little morsels too small for their own blog post, but too good to forget...

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We were discussing getting a dog while having supper around the table. We were explaining to Liam that a dog would need to be walked EVERY DAY, even when it's hot, even when it's raining, even when it's cold and snowy.

He paused then asked, "Do dogs sleep all winter?"

Me - "Do you mean hibernate?"
Liam - "Yeah. Do dogs hibernate?"
Me - "No, they don't."
Liam - "Too bad."

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Although I'm slightly scare of tempting a backlash by the Universe, I'm going to risk it and hesitantly, hopefully state that Simon is...

Ready for it? Should I really be doing this?

...Simon is potty trained. There! I said it! It's out there and I can't take it back. Although he still wears a diaper at night, he's only had one accident in the last ten days. We don't even have to remind him anymore. He just goes on his own, sometimes telling us first, sometimes not.

Our recipe for success?

A 2.5lb bag of Swedish Berries.

One berry for pees, two for poops. Yeah, we're those parents. Some might call it bribery, I prefer to think of it as "positive reinforcement". The other thing that helped with motivation, was that each time Simon earned a treat, Liam earned one too. Guess who Simon's biggest encourager was? Guess who clapped and cheered the loudest when Simon has success? Can you guess? If you guessed his six year old, treat-loving older brother, you'd be right.

Cost of potty-training one 2 1/2 year old? $8.99 at Costco.

I'm actually pretty proud of myself.

(Except that I'm sure I've eaten about a pound of them myself. I have NO self-control.)

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I posted this video a few weeks ago, showing Andrew crawling at 6 1/2 months. I haven't mentioned yet that, a few days later, he started pulling himself up to standing... at the couch, at his excersaucer, on our legs, in his crib, even using only the knob on our cabinet doors.

Unfortunately, while able, he is definitely not stable. He falls often, usually hitting his chin on the way down or his head on the floor. He also has four teeth, so has had no fewer than six bloody lips in the last two weeks.

Given the bloody, swollen lips and the bumps and bruises on his head, we don't look like the greatest parents. Problem is, there's just no stopping him.

WE. ARE. IN. TROUBLE.

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After three brutal, tear-filled, sleep-less nights, I've decided to try cutting dairy out of my diet for Andrew's sake. Ugh, I hate this part of breastfeeding... the worry that things I'm eating might potentially be hurting my baby. He's over seven months, so some would say to just wean him, but I really do LOVE nursing my babies. A sacrifice on my part is worth it to be able to keep breastfeeding... even if that sacrifice means no milk, ice cream, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, ice cream, milk chocolate (I'll still let myself have a bit of the 75%+ dark stuff)... ice cream.

I really shouldn't lament the ice cream too much (I'm being dramatic) since I made some D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. ice cream on the weekend out of coconut milk, honey, eggs, real vanilla bean and raspberries. I'll take pics next time I make it so I can share the recipe.

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I really have to do better about making a meal plan and shopping with some control a grocery list. After being SO focused on paying off our debt and SO determined to save every possible penny, we've gotten a bit lacks with our budget. Actually, I think it would be more appropriate to say that there's been a bit of a budgetary hemorrhage.

Once you starts, it can be hard to stop spending.

It's not like we've been out shopping and buying whatever tickles our fancy, but with my birthday, a few dinners out, grocery shopping without a clear plan and a list, needing to buy some work clothes for Peter, etc, it has DEFINITELY ADDED UP.

We really need to recommit to spending carefully, saving, and being good stewards of what we have.

(Especially if we decide to get a dog.)

Maybe I'll start by making a meal plan today.