Potty Update

We are making some serious headway in the potty like a big boy movement. Granted, this now means that we spend an absurd amount of time in the bathroom -- but I think he's catching on. Atti will successfully pee every time he sits now. He's still going some in the diaper too, but I am happy with the progress of late. The big news came this week when he actually started peeing at school! Miss Amber gave him a small package of candy hearts (I'm sure that were left over from Valentines!!) and it got him all fired up. :-)

I'm trying to stay positive with every attempt and jump and cheer and perform the "potty dance" with each successful tinkle -- but I gotta tell you. When it's taking 1.5 hours for the bath/bedtime ritual because you have to go potty 4x, it gets a little old. Thankfully, I see a diaper free future on the horizon. Maybe Wren will train early and we'll be done done done in less than a year? Fingers crossed!! I'd like to move to NYC as a family of four that all wears big kid underpants!

Baked Chicken Strips

So I had defrosted a couple of chicken breasts that needed to be cooked... I hadn't a clue what I was going to do, but found myself thinking at 10:15pm tonight, I'd best cook them somehow/someway otherwise it was just money down the drain.

So, I winged it based on a recipe I'd used once that I couldn't find. :)

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

about 1/4 C mayo (I know - I hate mayo!)

1 pkg Lipton Onion Seasoning Mix

Italian Bread Crumbs

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Mix together the soup mix, a healthy dose of parmesan cheese and I'm guessing about a cup of the bread crumbs. I meant to toss in some additional seasonings, but honestly I forgot... Lightly cover the chicken with mayo and then dredge in the crumb mixture. Bake either in a greased 9x13 or on a cookie sheet with non-stick foil at 425 for about 20 minutes or until the juices run clear. So freaking good and moist!

Sand-Tastic

On a slight whim, I picked up the kiddos about 30 minutes early this afternoon and we headed over to Sand-Tastic at Levis Commons. Atticus was a hoot. I had Wren strapped into the Ergo, so I wasn't able to really "dig" in to the sand -- but after about 15 minutes of skirting around the edge of the ginormous sandbox, Atti finally got up the nerve to go in. When you've got some sensory issues -- the feeling of sand on your bare feet has to be a new and potentially jarring feeling. But - he did really well. He grabbed a shovel and a pail and was moving sand from one bucket to another and generally having fun. Of course, it was getting near to dinner time, and I was on my own, but I bucked up and decided to be brave and walk across the parking lot and take the kids to Johnny Rockets. It went better than expected behavior wise. It was actually Wren who had the first melt down -- but I blame it on fatigue. She was just plain ole tired. Then, Atticus wanted to go into the "kitchen" of the restaurant and I was afraid I was going to dislocate his arm trying to keep him from doing so! Three year olds can be a *wee bit stubborn when they make up their minds! Granted, Atticus didn't eat anything (even though we ordered what he'd asked for...) and then decided at 8:30 when he was crawling into bed that he was hungry. Oy. I'm probably a bad Mom, but at that point I had to say sorry bud... we'll have a big breakfast tomorrow. Wren on the other hand had a Fiddlestick before we left daycare, then while Atticus was digging in the sand, she had a Mum Mum and a pouch of baby food. Then, she also proceeded to eat 3/4 of a grilled cheese sandwich at the restaurant. The little lady can pack it in -- she apparently does not have any issues eating most anything at anytime!

It was fun. I'm debating on going back again tomorrow afternoon... we'll have to see how the naps go and how hot it is when the kids wake up!!

Cool Idea

This is so simple, it's amazing! Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from a slice of watermelon. Insert a popsicle stick and then put the "pops" in the freezer. A couple hours later - wham-O presto... watermelon pops!!

I love it. (And I think both kiddos will too!)

Tips to the new Toddler Blog on Babble!

Fireworks

Not only did we get to see a great fireworks show from our master bedroom this year... I also learned that our family witnessed the largest display of fireworks in the US history to date! According to Wikipedia (because everything you read on the internet is true) the 2009 display in Manhattan was the largest fireworks show!

If you didn't know us then - or weren't following... Greg, Jen and Atticus (no Wren yet) spent the summer of 2009 in Manhattan while Greg was working for Cravath. I actually posted a back then about catching the show. Apparently I didn't write enough though! It was really cool -- and the fact that we were able to watch from Cravath made it even cooler. Indoors, up on the I don't even remember what floor... it was a great show.

But... I have to give some serious kudos to the local neighborhood here too. The Belmont County Club put on quite a display -- about 30 minutes long -- right here in the middle of the neighborhood! Hallelujah, the kids slept miraculously through the entire thing too!

I think next year Atticus will be ready for sparklers... we'll see. :)

Bookshelf

If only money was no object... check out this rocking bookshelf that I would LOVE to put in Wren's room.

Nurseryworks Tree Bookcase

Opposite of Mortified?

Perhaps all the "stink" over the potty is sinking in? Not only was Atticus completely dry this morning when he woke up - but he also peed on the potty! He told me he was dry when I went in to get him which totally surprised me. I actually didn't believe him, but it was true, so immediately, I said AWESOME little dude - let's go sit on the potty right now! We stripped down and went in to the bathroom. First he wanted to stand, then sit, then wiggle around. I finally convinced him to sit for just a moment and we heard the first little tinkling sound. I must have looked like a crazy lady jumping up and down and clapping and hollaring. When I quieted down, we heard more tinkle, tinkle. I jumped around some more and kept on clapping. This scenario repeated 4 times until he told me he was done. He was so excited!

(Oh, and this whole time I was holding Wren who was also clapping for Atticus. Ha!!)

Let's hope we're onto something!!