Thanks for being honest!

So Bailey's been pretty out of whack today- she didn't get to bed til 9:30 last night and slept until about 8:45 this morning. Needless to say, this equals no nap today. I tried to put her down and came in a few times when I heard her out of her bed. The third time I came in, I asked, "What are you doing?" She proceeded to give me a run-down of everything she had been doing except taking a nap.

"I was getting out of my bed.

I was putting Lamby in the baby seat.

I was playing kitchen.

I was reading my books.

I was trying to turn on my barn. It too hard.

I was touching stuff.

I was looking at the medicine.

I was playing with my buddies.

I was awake! I wake up Mommy!"

I really can't even figure out how she did all of this in the dark. Oh well, at least she's honest!

Halloween: Part 1

We've had a busy Halloween week so far, and it's not even the 31st yet!

On Wednesday night, Grandy and PoPaw came with us to our church's Trunk-or-Treat celebration. Bailey wasn't in a super mood, because she hadn't had a nap that day, but we did our best.

She did look mighty cute (if I do say so myself) in her cupcake outfit! I think it turned out finger-lickin good!

We had fun decorating pumpkin cookies, trick-or-treating and even won at the cupcake walk!

Here's our little cupcake eating her little cupcake!

The next day was B's Halloween party at school. I went up and took some pictures (which most did not turn out well), but the kids had such a great time and all looked adorable in their costumes.

Here's the best I could do at a group shot.

Party Pics!

Little Pumpkin at the Pumpkin Patch

I was SO excited to take Bailey to the Asbury pumpkin patch last week (especially in her pumpkin pillowcase dress I made)! She, on the other hand, was not so excited to be there. Turns out- the poor child has an ear infection, so she was very grumpy! But we tried to make the best of it anyway!

B's two favorite things: trying to pick up the pumpkins

and sitting on them!

She also really liked the "black" pumpkins but her mean mommy wouldn't let her bring this one home.

When we got home, she was ready to carve the pumpkins. I knew they wouldn't last until Halloween, but we had a few fun nights lighting them. I didn't really remember how difficult carving a pumpkin was. I totally admire those people who do portraits and really fancy stuff in pumpkins. I had a hard time with just the basics. And Bailey was no help either- once she realized how yucky the insides were, she abandoned the pumpkin carving for more exciting things! Alas, here are our 2 pumpkins- all aglow!

Puppy Pad Potty Training

Oh how I wish I'd had my camera ready for this!!!

So I watched my child today go into the pantry, get one of our dog's puppy pads out of the package, neatly open it up and spread it on the ground, and then proceed to pee right on it!

SERIOUSLY?!?!??!

Oh the perils of potty training!

Goin back to my roots!

Not really sure what made me want to dye my hair back to brown- I just wanted a change! Guess I'll find out if blondes really DO have more fun!!!

How Bout Them Dawgs!

Last weekend we took Bailey to her first Tech football game! David and I, along with some friends, have a tailgating spot and plan to be at all of the home games, so this time we decided to let B tag along as well. Despite the 100+ degree temperatures, Bailey LOVED it! She was a doll in her Tech cheerleader outfit and had a great time waving her pom-pom and saying "Go Dawgs!" She liked the band (from afar or "in the stairs" as she called the bleachers) and wanted so badly to play football too (she kept watching the game and saying "almost Bailey's turn to play football"). We might just do it again this weekend!

My little bulldawg!

Bailey and some more cheerleaders

Bailey and Daddy watching the band parade

If I could ever figure out how to upload a video from my new camera, I'll post the video of Bailey singing the Tech fight song. It's pretty stinkin cute!

Potty Training- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

WOW!!! Potty training is HARD WORK!!! My life has been consumed by potty training lately, a task that (before I started) I was sure could be mastered in only a few short days! Have I ever been more wrong?!?! I know this is a lengthy post full of TMI, so I will not be offended if you don't read it! Here's our potty story...

Approach #1- Going straight to panties and taking Bailey to the potty every 15 minutes to have her "try".
Reality #1- We spent ALL of our time in the bathroom- it seemed like those 4 walls were closing in on me. Bailey seemed to not mind so much (her little potty seat is quite comfy!), but I couldn't get anything done around the house. We also went though about 10 pairs of panties, outfits, and towels a day, so...

Approach #2- One of my friends, Katie, sent me some info about the 3-Day Potty Training Method. It sounded quite severe, but I was desperate!
Reality #2- This method really works! Bailey (pretty much) learned to tee-tee in the potty and tell me when she needed to go in just a few days. Of course, I also had TONS of prizes as rewards and followed her around constantly reminding her to tell me when she needed to go. She still had accidents when she was busy playing and forgot to tell me, but it was MUCH BETTER!
The Ugly of Reality #2- After about a week of beginning potty training in general, I realized that Bailey had not pooped in about 7 days- BAD! I knew she needed to go and she started complaining about her tummy hurting. So I called the doctor and they recommended Miralax, which at first did nothing. So then I took it upon myself to try 2 suppositories and 2 enemas- both with NO results! Poor baby! She would run from me, shouting, "Don't get my hiney Mama!" (This is quite embarassing when you're in public!) After a few days, I think the Miralax kicked in and I was eating my words ("I'd give anything for my baby to just poop so she can feel better- I don't care where she goes, as long as she goes!"). Of course, WHERE she went was anywhere and everywhere ALL DAY LONG! So we were back to pull-ups because I couldn't handle cleaning up poop any more!

Mom, I'm not so sure about this.


Approach #3- After having to put her in pull-ups for a few days, it was like starting all over again! So we were back to Approach #2, Round 2.
Reality #3- She was doing great with tee-tee, but she flat out refused to poop on the potty. I think I ruined her with all of my treatments and she was scared to death!

Approach #4- I was very glad to have an upcoming girls weekend with my college girlfriends in Dallas to alleviate some of my frustrations. Before I left, David asked me if I would be offended if Bailey was completely potty trained when I came back. I said no (of course, I never thought he could do it!).

Reality #4- I can't believe it!!! David (aka The Poop Whisperer) got her through two days with no accidents AND poo-pooing on the potty! Yes, the patrons of the Mexican restaurant in Dallas probably thought I was crazy for talking very loudly on my cell phone about how I was so excited she poo-pooed on the potty!

Here is a photo from our "First Poo-Poo on the Potty Party!" Bailey was so excited to put her very first sticker on the Poo-Poo side of her chart- excuse her appearance (this was mid-bath)!

I honestly have never done anything so frustrating before! It's like psychological warfare with this child! As I post this, we are going on Day4 of wearing big girl panties with no accidents. And I'd like to point out that everyday we've going somewhere too (church, running errands, MOPS, and school). I know we're not home free, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it gives me hope!

Here's her "school" daily synopsis sheet- we're very excited about no marks on the Diaper part and 2 tally marks (I know it looks like 11) on the Potty part!