potty training update

Bryce has had a great week of potty training.  Back in August, MeMa bought Bryce some fish stickers so he could put them on the wall every time he went potty.  You may notice the 3 fish stickers on the wall.  It took him a month to earn those.  Nana got him the Halloween stickers on Sunday night and he has already been through the whole pack this week.  We're not sure what finally clicked, but Bryce has been wearing underwear all week, with the exception of a pull-up while he is away from the house, and still a diaper at night.  He has been waking up dry from naps and bedtime, and the pull-up usually stays dry while he is out.  He never needs to go to the bathroom when I ask him (a million times a day), but he always tells me when he needs to go.  I can take no credit for potty training him.  He has done it all own his own.  I really think something just clicked and he finally understood what it meant to need to go to the bathroom.  I hope it keeps up!  Side note: he doesn't use the little training potty.  Jason just thought it added to the shot with the stickers, ha! 

21 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 21 weeks

Maternity Clothes: All the clothes I'm wearing to work are maternity, but I can still wear regular shirts with my maternity jeans on the weekends.

Gender: Girl.  We're still working on a name.  I like the name Olivia and Jason doesn't.  We have another name we're throwing around, but have not decided yet.  Her middle name is going to be Paige.  Page was my middle name and my mom and Nanny's name.  They told me I could add the "i" to it.

Movement: I feel the most movement at night once I have sat down for a while.  I guess she wakes up and moves around once I'm still and she's not being rocked to sleep.  Bryce was the same way.

Sleep: No complaints.  I'm sleeping fine and I'm not having to get up every night to use the bathroom.

Cravings: I bought some candy corn the other day.  They are not my favorite candy, but I just can't resist them.  Once this bag is gone I can't buy anymore! 

Symptoms: Weight gain.  I don't feel like I've been eating that much more (other than the occasional handful of candy corn), and I can't eat much at one time without getting really full, but I seemed to have hit a little growth spurt this week.

Total weight gain: 9 pounds

What I miss: I've said this before, but I miss being able to lay on my stomach. 

Best moment of the week: Bryce has quickly taken to potty training on his own time!  We were out shopping tonight and he told me he needed to potty.  We didn't even need the pull-up for back up while we were out.  We are SO proud of him!

What I'm looking forward to: We have started working on Bryce's big boy room.  We ordered Bryce's mattress tonight and it will be here on Tuesday.  His new comforter should be here any day and we are headed up to Northern Virginia this weekend so we are going to hit IKEA on the way home to get a bed and dresser.   



potty training..........take 50

After many attempts at potty training, I think we may be making a break through.  After putting Bryce to bed last night, he called us in and said he needed to go to the bathroom.  This is huge because he never wants to go when we ask him.  Since he was so willing last night, I put him in underwear today and he still had them on when I picked him up from Kelly's.  She even took him to Sonic today for a celebratory slushee since he told her when he needed to go potty!  He had one accident in a pull-up, but other than that, he told us when he had to go potty and was successful every time!  He is so excited every time he goes.  I guess the doctors are right when they say don't force them, don't make it negative, and just let it happen on their time.  I don't want to jinx myself just yet, but I think we might be on to something.  

skeleton pajamas

Bryce and Chase came home from MeMa's house with skeleton pajamas today.  Bryce couldn't wait to wear his.  We spent a lot of time in the dark so we could watch them "glow up".  So cute!

  

team day

Today was team day at my school.  I decided to squeeze into Bryce's Tech jersey for the occasion.  It's a youth small and comes down to his ankles so that's how this pregnant lady can fit into a kids shirt.  I had to ask Bryce's permission to wear it because I knew he would question me if I just put it on.  He said I could wear it, but wanted to know what he could wear.  So he ended up wearing his Nationals jersey today even though he wasn't going to school with me!  Jason liked our outfits today and decided to take our picture so he would have a new one at work!

20 weeks and gender reveal

Pregnancy Highlights:

How far along: 20 weeks. Halfway!

Maternity Clothes: Mostly everything (except today's dress) because it's easier and comfier.

Gender: It's a GIRL!  We are SO excited.  I had tears running down my face as we finished up the ultrasound after the tech told us it was a girl.  I really thought girl all along because this pregnancy has been so different, but I didn't get my hopes up.  Now if I only had some time to go out and buy something girly already!  We're still deciding on a name.

Movement: It took until this past week, but I have been feeling a little more movement each day.  Her movements were so strong on Monday night that Jason could even feel it!

Sleep: Not too bad, but I have come down with a cold (sounds like bronchitis) and I haven't been sleeping very well.

Cravings: This past week while I was grocery shopping my eye caught a bag of sweet potato fries in the frozen section.  This is not something I ever order out, but seeing them got me in the mood.  We went to Arby's last night to get some and they were delicious.

Symptoms: Just this awful cough, but it's not related to pregnancy.  Of course I could probably get over it quicker if I weren't pregnant.

Total weight gain: almost 8 pounds

What I miss: I have to admit that I have been enjoying a diet coke every now and then, so I'm really not missing much!

Best moment of the week: Our ultrasound this week.  We got to hear her heartbeat which was 153 bpm, she was 12 ounces, and in the words of the tech, "everything looked marvelous".

What I'm looking forward to: Picking out stuff for a girl nursery and putting together a big boy room for Bryce!

The ultrasound pictures weren't as clear this time as they were with Bryce, but you can still see her cute little profile.

I absolutely love this last picture.  How cute does she look with her little legs crossed.  Such a little lady already!

So blessed!

weekend celebrations

My friend Kathryn and I threw a baby shower for our friend Beth and little Avery yesterday. 

My picture taking leaves little to be desired and I didn't really get that many good pictures.  I never remembered to take a picture of the food table or the gift table.  All I got was the drink table and  a couple other things.  We had the shower outside on Kathryn's mom's patio.  It was a beautiful setting for our brunch shower. 

Yesterday afternoon we headed to our minister's house to celebrate his third granddaughters 1st birthday.  Maggie enjoyed eating cake for the first time! 

Two out of three looking at the camera isn't bad.  It just never seems as though my child looks when I take the pictures, ha!

Cupcake.....enough said!

it's game day

It's game day! 

 Go Hokies!

19 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 19 weeks

Maternity clothes: Still wearing my maternity dresses for work, but I usually wear regular shirts with my maternity jeans when I'm at home.

Gender: we have our ultrasound on Tuesday!

Movement: A little, but not on a daily basis.

Sleep: no complaints

Cravings: nothing really

Symptoms: Hungry more often.  I gained a little more weight this week and my belly has definitely popped out!

Total weight gain: almost 7 pounds

What I miss: A big glass of wine after a stressful day at work!

Best moment of the week: Going to my parents' house for dinner last night and Jason's parents' tonight.  I love it when I don't have to cook dinner and clean up!

What I'm looking forward to: our ultrasound

I bet you think I've disappeared off the face of the earth recently.  We have just been super busy at night which leaves little time for snapping pictures, much less blogging!  I'll try and do better this week.

home and mail

Macy girl is home and doing great.  She came home with pain meds and instructions to stay pretty inactive for 4 weeks.  It's going to be tough keeping her that still, but we've pulled her crate back out for during the day and put up a gate so she can't go up the stairs.  Hopefully that will do the trick.  Here she is with her pretty pink bandage where they had the IV.  She was not a fan of it and very glad when we freed her of it!

Bryce got his very own mail today.  Mama Pat sent him some jibbitz for his crocs.  He already had a baseball from Nana, but today he got a school bus, a taxi, ABC blocks and Fozzie bear.  He is very excited about them!

18 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 18 weeks

Maternity clothes: now that I'm back to work I'm wearing my maternity dresses. It's much easier to get dressed that way because everything fits.

Gender: we find out in 2 more weeks!

Movement: There have been a couple of times that I feel a little something, but nothing to make me certain of it yet.  I have a distinct memory of what it felt like the first time Bryce moved and I haven't really felt that this time. 

Sleep: no complaints

Cravings: I finally broke down and got my E.L. Fudge cookies.  Not as good as I remember so I've only had 2!

Symptoms: maybe some allergies or just something causing drainage causing me to hack a little. (sorry if that was too much for you)

Total weight gain: 6 pounds

What I miss: laying on my stomach, whether it be sleeping or when I'm playing on the floor with Bryce, I just miss it!

Best moment of the week: sadly I can't think of anything.  Between going back to work and being away from Bryce and Macy having to stay at the vet a few nights, I've been dragging a little this week.

What I'm looking forward to: bringing Macy home tomorrow!

I love that Bryce comes running every time I get ready to take my weekly picture!

i'm too drained for a title tonight

Today was the first day of school and it was a long one!  My students don't have a resource class on Tuesdays which means I don't have a break and it rained today so we couldn't get outside for recess.  Unfortunately, this wasn't the worst part of my day!  I noticed yesterday that Macy was a bit lethargic and wasn't walking very well.  She would walk a few steps and then lay her back legs out behind her and drag them as she tried to walk.  Jason wanted to give her some time to rest and see how she was before we did anything.  She seemed much better this morning and even when I got home from work today.  However, after a trip up the stairs with me, she was dragging her legs again.  I called the vet and they were able to squeeze us in today.  The doctor said she had a herniated disc.  Luckily it is easily treated even though it is one of the more painful ailments for dogs.  Unfortunately, Macy has to spend tonight and tomorrow night at the vet while she gets a round of 4 IVs to help reduce the inflammation.  I'm just glad she is getting to rest and hopefully on the mend, but boy is it hard having a sick puppy!  So in an effort to dry the tears, I leave you with some happy pictures.

We headed to the river for a cookout on Sunday night.  The boys got to go for a boat ride and they just looked so funny with the life jackets up to their chins.

Bryce saw a kid on tv tonight who was wearing goggles in the bathtub.  He wanted to do the same.

If that doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what does!

hokie football

The start of college football makes the end of summer a little better.  Go Hokies!  Who are you rooting for this season?