New Year's Resolutions

When setting and reaching goals it is helpful to write down the goals, record your progress and tell others what you are trying to accomplish. So here you go:

• I want to get settled into our house. So, each month I will focus on a different space and post before and after photos. Since I missed January I will work on two rooms this month, the playroom and the girl's room.


• Make a quilt. Nothing fancy.


• Finish a photo album for Fred, Stella and one for the family.

When Will It End?

I am really, really, really, REALLY sick of Stella crapping her pants. (Dan says, 'Do you really have to say crap?' Yes. When it is a three year old who knows how to go on the toilet but goes in her pants, it is crap. If it is a baby, it is poo or poop. If it is a three year old going in the toilet it is also poo. Sorry if the language is too strong for you.)

She will turn four in May. That is in four months. In four months she will be a four year old that isn't potty trained. I am so frustrated. If it was any other task she was trying to learn I would be a little more relaxed at her delay (stubborness) to catch on. But since it is CRAP I have to wipe up--often so toxic that, I swear, it is singeing my nose hairs--I am losing patience. Probably lost.

Charts and rewards don't work. Bribes don't work. Threats don't work. Abundant praise doesn't keep her motivated. Yelling and being mean and mad doesn't scare her. She won't go commando. She has better success if she is in underwear. Rarely performs if she is wearing a pull-up. She is not afraid of the toilet. Is not afraid to poop in the toilet nor does it hurt or bother her. She has gone in the toilet many times but has no problem going in her pants. I've started making her clean herself up. I stand her in the tub with a box of wipes and a garbage can. She doesn't love or hate this. She just doesn't care.

If anyone has any advice that doesn't revolve around some sort of reward (it doesn't motivate her) then let me know.

Flashback Friday

January, 2006.

Stella had the cutest face. And baldest head.

I was trying to take a picture of Stella. Alone. I offended Chloe.

Chloe at Itty-Bitty-Basketball.

Last Holiday Post--I Promise.

One of my favorite holiday traditions growing up was New Year's Jack--or, Jack Frost. On New Year's Eve you set plates out on the table and Jack Frost comes in the night and leaves presents on the plates. As a kid this gave me one more thing to look forward to before heading back to school. Plus, none of my friends did it so it seemed extra special.

(I found these little dolls at the grocery store. There is a kayaker, surfer, bmx rider and snow skier. I love them.)

New Year

Dan's family flew back to Maine the day after Christmas and the day after that I drove to SLC on snowy roads. Seven hours. With three kids. We got to see Kate and Scott briefly, stayed at the Ball's residence (thanks!) and got to see friends and neighbors in our old ward. When Chloe walked into primary (late) all the kids yelled, "Chloe!" It made me feel really sad because we took her away from a neighborhood packed with great kids to play with. I really like our current ward but it is spread out and there aren't that many kids near us. Anyway, then we drove down to St. George.

My visit there was pretty typical. Eating out with Rachel. Lots of sports on t.v. Sister missionaries over for dinner. Not seeing much of Chloe. And not sleeping much. Fred was sick one night (thanks mom, for helping with that). I was sick one night. And Fred was teething one night. I spent much of my time following behind Fred and taking things away from him. I missed having safety latches on all the drawers. He climbed out of his crib one day and got into: deoderant, mascara, lip gloss, chapstick, toothpaste and pink marker. In less than five minutes.

My mom wanted a picture of all her kids since we were all together. Here we are:

Zach-baby, Rachel-3rd, Sam-1st, Dad- old, Mom- 20 days older than old, Jordan-5th, Me-4th, Nate-2nd

My sister thinks she looks fat. I think she looks good--it is the belly bag under her shirt that makes her look fat. I, on the other hand, look five months pregnant. If I were a celebrity the tabloids would be going crazy.

Here are the grandkids:

I won't try to name them. It would be too hard to follow.

On the way back we stayed at the Balls' house again. Dan met us there and we got to go up to Solitude. And since our ward starts at 3:00 we had plenty of time to drive the rest of the way Sunday morning.

An Evening Stroll

On Christmas.
To feed the ducks.

Stella. Chloe & Mom. Stella & Pepe.

Stu & Val.

I thought Chloe had worn Stu out on this walk but when we got home they went straight to the backyard and played in the snow on the trampoline. I love having people to entertain my kids.

Christmas

1. Chloe asked for a Hannah Montana Guitar. I asked, "A real guitar that you can play?" "No, just a fake one so I can dance around and pretend I'm Hannah Montana." "But Hannah Montana doesn't play a Hannah Montana guitar; she plays a real one." "I know, but I just want a pretend one." The other thing she asked for was a big, plastic, pastel vanity that she saw in Walmart. I did not want her to brush her hair and apply makeup and jewelry in front of a mirror, so she got the guitar.

2. Fred's rocker face.

3. Stella asked Santa for a Barbie last year. Until I heard her say it, I had no idea she wanted one. This year we had not talked about our Christmas desires before visiting Santa and to his "What do you want?" question she replied, "A Barbie." We have plenty of Barbies and they aren't her favorite, I think that is just her under pressure response. So I didn't get her one but realized as we were setting out the presents on Christmas eve that I should probably have gotten her the one thing she asked for. Luckily, the guitar came with a Hannah Montana doll. So we just took it all out of the packaging and split it up.


4. Every boy should have a spring horse.

5. The horse can support 60 lbs. Chloe will be able to ride it until about 5th grade.

6. Fred loves the car I got for the girls. He wanted to take it for a drive.

7. The girls got a doll house. Stella is wearing the dress-up Meme gave her--her favorite gift.

Dan got a subscription to audible.com. And I got a necklace, books, a game... It was a good day.

Christmas Eve

Dan's mom, dad, brother Sam, sister Valerie, and Val's boyfriend Stu flew out from Maine to spend Christmas with us. It was really fun having them here--even though everyone had a turn puking or pooping (it finally hit me when I was in St. G).

Dan's family has a tradition of going to a movie on Christmas eve. I stayed home with Fred because he barfed in the garage on our way to the car (nice timing Fred, no carpet or carseats to clean!). Then the kids got new jammies and we read the story of Jesus' birth.

New jammies and Val being sick.

Gangsta Joseph and pregnant Mary. The narrator. The wise men. The angel.

Polar Express

I guess I'll stop procrastinating...
Before Christmas we took our kids on the Polar Express. It was really lame. We went on a train ride, which was cool except for Fred's need to move around. When we arrived at the 'North Pole' everyone got out and formed a line to see Santa. It was cold and the village was made up of props and they had four people dressed up as village people caroling (they could never land jobs at Disneyland). My girls didn't care to see Santa. Chloe is a connoisseur of Santas and doesn't waste her time with the fake ones. So we grabbed some 'free' cookies and milk and waited on the train.

Clockwise: Eating cookies. Looking cute. Freezing on an open car.

Getting a picture with Santa for Mom.

Quick picture before getting back on (and snagging better seats). Peace, at last.