I can't tell you how much I was dreading potty training again. I call this round 6 because I had already been through potty training with Samson and he was great at keeping his underwear clean for pee, but poop was a nightmare. I've potty trained 5 kids. The 5th one just wasn't ready to see it through to completion, so I gave up and reverted to diapers. But now it was time again because China was still a thought to happen and they don't have diapers! I had no mental or emotional stamina for it. (Side note: I've pretty much given up on China because even though the schools may not require a bachelor's degree for employing English teachers, China requires it to get a Work Visa. So...that's just not gonna happen.)
(Side side note: Katie made me breakfast one morning to help out and she put so much cinnamon in the applesauce that it turned brown. That was adventurous!)
Also, found my missing lint roller! It was in the back of my recliner where the two-year-old thought it should be.
Now that the random pictures on my camera are out of the way, here's Samson!
I was pleasantly surprised and immensely relieved with potty training him. Within a week he had:
*mastered bladder control
*mastered poop
*mastered self-regulation
*had ZERO accidents
*interrupted meals, play time, and tv time to go to the bathroom
*come to terms with the big toilet NOT being scary and dangerous to his life
It felt weird to certify a kid as potty trained (awake time) after just a week, but...he really hit all the marks and I had to give it to him. He's just always been my magical baby!
So I gave him some options for having a party to celebrate him being potty trained. He chose Hurt's Donuts (even though he can't eat the donuts (dairy) but can have cotton candy), and going to the dollar theater for the new Grinch movie. We partied hard that Wednesday night!
{Dancy, Samson, Thora, Tommy, Shad, Katie}
He thought his messy, sticky fingers were hilarious!
And they were. This kid lights up my life!
Now, we had more fun than some of these faces express, but that's my fault for thinking to take pictures AFTER when we're tired (Samson skipped his nap to party) and up late. Always remember to take pictures BEFORE! (Side note: The Grinch was better than I expected it to be, and way better than Smallfoot.)
We went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo the next day. It was our first time back since the hail storm in August that totaled our van.
The fake dead zebra looked really dead this time with huge hail holes in its neck.
The gorillas were sooooo interactive! This one just sat next to the glass and wasn't bothered by my presence. It felt so cool to just sit there together! I just wanted to give her a hug. And then we went inside and visited another gorilla. I put my hand on the glass and she put her hand on mine!
February Home Depot workshop! Thora loves her heart box!
Thora has really grown as a builder. It's so fun to see her excitement to go to the workshop instead of pouting and crying. She used to get upset and frustrated over every little thing (her apron, someone told her she did a good job, someone looked at her, someone offered to help her, nail got bent, someone put trash in the trash, someone stamped her book to let her in, Jeff offered a fist bump) and now she has confidence and patience and is enthusiastic to show off her finished work to the inspector. Look at that face! She is excited and proud!
Samson...well, he's my Gryffindor child, so he's always been courageous and bold. So much calmer.
(Incidentally, I have no idea what House Thora would be sorted into. If you feel like you can pin that down for me, that'd be great. I find it helps me to understand my children better. I've got one of each, thus far. Tommy=Ravenclaw, Katie=Slytherin, Dancy=Hufflepuff, Samson=Gryffindor, Thora=???????????)
Mario & Luigi were there, so that was cool.
Thora knows she gets to choose whether she wants to be in a picture with the characters or not and she rarely does. But she's a big fan of Super Mario Kart (N64 edition), so she was all into this!
AND PRINCESS PEACH!!!!
So many fun things and so proud of Samson for continuing to keep his underwear clean during it all. He even got a little irritated with me when I'd suggest trying to go to the bathroom: "Moooom, I don't have to go." He was absolutely great with it for a month, but then life got really busy for me and I wasn't always there to go with him or to praise him afterward. When he had his lapse, I made sure we got a new bathroom sticker chart printed and he's continued to be great when I keep up with it. I think it's just a 4x7 grid and we fill it with stickers and then he gets a treat or a date. Hot dogs at Costco is always his favorite date!
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