A week in front of the potty...

 It's been toilet training week in the Jeffries-Peace household, and I would be lying if I said that it has been "fun" or "easy."  But, the anticipation of much fewer diapers, is more than exciting, and Charlie has done very well, overall.

Once again, I am awed by how different it is (i.e. my complete lack of patience) when working on a skill with my OWN child.  The incessant whining and screaming were enough to drive me up the wall, and trying to nurse Lily and put Charlie on the potty seat...well, there should be some sort of Olympic event for that, and I know I would win at least a bronze...

As preparation for those of you who have yet to complete this arduous task, may I suggest the following items:

1) several pillows for the bathroom, for your bum, where you will spend so much time sitting on the floor, waiting and waiting, for the moment of the tinkle of pee.
2) Excedrin Migraine...or in my case, since I am breastfeeding, Advil.
3) Breastfeeding aside, stock up on your favorite wine or beer.  It was a needed relief after bedtime.
4) Something to read...hook your iphone or BB up with internet access, and find some fanfiction, download an audiobook to your iPod, or a book to your Kindle.  Again, you need something to do, while waiting hours for the moment of trimuph.
5) Stock up on reinforcers for the kiddo.  Dibs ice cream snacks and mini Oreos, and doses of the favorite movies, are our high ticket items.
6) And of course, the obvious, cool underwear.  Because who wouldn't want to wear Buzz Lightyear on their bum? 

So, we are on Day 4, and have made it through a Costco run, and 2 trips to the bathroom and 6 mini M&Ms later, Jay and I called it a successful hour long outing.

 As a reward for doing so well with the potty training, Charlie received some "Nemo" chucks, and he loves them, especially when only wearing his boxer briefs. :)

Wednesday Weekly Reader

A little late this week, so without further ado:

Charlie

Jason

Elizabeth

Project "BackDate": #1

When Jason and I first started dating, we were in high school.  Which we all know translates to lack of actual dating. (Fries from McDonalds and shooting off fireworks in the abandoned part of the neighborhood do not qualify as a date...no matter how in love you are.)  We graduated from high school, dated at a distance for 2 years in college, and then moved into together to finish school. By the time we moved to San Diego, we had been together so long, dating seemed silly.  We lived together, we hung out together...why date? 

Well, I have always longed for the anticipation and excitement of a date, and with the birth of Lily, we felt it as important to have quality time with each other, as it was to make quality time as a family.

So Jason and I decided to go "backdate" our dating life, and re-date each other.  The idea is that we have to be inventive by having dates at home instead of always getting a babysitter.  The rules are simple.

*Two dates per month, with each of us "taking" a date.
*No more than one "babysitter date" per 6 weeks.
*Have everything prepared for the date (i.e. don't send Elizabeth out while you're bathing Charlie to pick up a movie...)

Other than that, it's totally open to the "dater's" imagination!

So, we had our first backdate this past Saturday, and I was at bat.  Jason had earlier in the week said he wanted to have bread, and then the next night he said he actually wanted to learn how to make bread, so, ta-da!  A date was created.  I bought coffee and tea (yeah for the Anniversary Blends at Peet's), and prepared ingredients for both a quick sweet bread that I thought was sure to interest him (Guiness bread anyone?) and a rising bread, which I knew he would enjoy for the "punching" quality.  Plus it had the words "honey" and "wheat" in the title.  He's a sucker for these two things.


I was sous chef to Jason, curbing my desire to take over while he baked, and he roughed about 5 minutes of kneading before he "offered" for me to take over!  How generous.  Poor Jason was so disappointed to find out that he was only allowed to punch the dough down once, but got over it, in anticipation of homemade bread.



While we waited, I inspired Jason to make cinnamon butter, and he had fun mixing and adding (and repeatedly tasting), to get just the right butter to cinnamon to honey ratio.

Unfortunately, neither bread was very good.  The sweet bread too chewy (not a big enough swig from the can before pouring it in, I think) and the honey wheat was rather dull...not enough salt.  Regardless, we had a great time getting dirty, trying something new, and enjoying the spoils of our date.  Even if it wasn't that good...the butter was divine. :)

Looking forward to Jason's date in a week or so!

A family hike...

"Hobbit" land

Yesterday, Jay and I took the kids to Del Valle, which here in Livermore and perhaps the East Bay, is pronounced "del val."  And it bothers me horribly.  I refuse to pronounce it this way after being harshly criticized for pronouncing "La Jolla" and "Via de la Valle" incorrectly when we first moved to San Diego.

Regardless, it was not our first hike with kids, but our first at Del Valle and our first with BOTH of us carrying a kid, unless you count when I was 8 months pregnant with Lily! ;)

It was a gorgeous day, and reaching the top was lovely.  I can see us forfeiting naps for the day, packing a picnic, and spending a long morning/afternoon there.  Charlie did well, walking a bit, and riding a bit, but was disappointed not to see cows up close and personal.  (We ran into another man who said his dog was chased by two of them after getting too close.)

At the top!

Charlie was lucky enough to get to ride the "tractor" that was in the parking lot after our hike!

Wednesday Weekly Reader

Here's what's on our nightstands this week:

EP's reads:

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Charlie's current favs:

Upcoming for Jason: 

Crazy Heart by Thomas Cobb

The photo shoot...

I am blessed to be friends with a not only a lovely lady, but a wonderful photographer, Cat Fluss.  She came over on Sunday to do a session with Lily, and here are a few samples of what she did.  As always, thank you for taking such beautiful pictures of our children!

Finally, a haircut

Nothing speaks louder than pictures, and these do all the talking.

What are we teaching?

As I stood waiting for someone to bring me a pool at Toys R Us, which incidentally I loathe about as much as Babies R Us, I watched as person upon person came up to the Customer Service desk, all apparently to check out.  Despite the lady behind the counter informing each person "lane one is open," they all continued to stand there, and actually had the audacity to complain that it was taking too long.

I am continually amazed at not only the complete rudeness of people, but also the apparent lack of sense in these same people.  Seriously, you are not the only people in this world.  And last I checked, the world does not revolve around you.  The sad part is their kids are standing right there, watching this behavior, and all I can think is, this is the next generation, learning inconsideration, impatience, and disrespect.  How sad.

pop, pop, pop the popcorn

Today, my father, deemed "Gran-Gran," "Granddaddy," and "Gran-Man" by Charlie, made popcorn with Charlie in our popper.  My father believes that the electric popper is the best because it uses less oil, doesn't burn the kernels, and keeps the popcorn from becoming soggy.  And the most important rule is to ONLY use Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn.

So, Charlie, who loves popcorn as much as my father does, experienced for the first time, the whir of the dasher spinning, and the anticipation of the first kernel popping.  Watching it, I had a sense of dejavu, remembering Daddy making popcorn on Sunday nights before Star Trek came on TV. 



And Charlie literally jumped up on chair when the first kernel popped, and laughed as the bowl filled up.


So Charlie was able to enjoy a bowl (or two) of the only popcorn my father considers real, with his grandfather.  An afternoon to remember.