Potty Training Success

Week before last Casen and I had a discussion about him needing to get out of diapers and he told me he was ready, which was a different response than I had been receiving from him the other times I brought it up. Knowing that Week of the Young Child is full of so much fun and activities, he and I decided that we would wait until this week to try. Well after a long weekend in Beaumont, I never once thought about packing his clothes for school to start the training on Monday, so decided Tuesday we would start. As instructed by Ms. Caroline, I packed 5 pair of shorts, 5 pair of socks, 5 pair of underwear, 2 shirts, and an extra pair of shoes. When I arrived at school to pick the boys up on Tuesday, Casen had pretty much made it through every pair of underwear, shorts and his shoes. Ms. Caroline said that Casen pretty much peed everywhere - in front of the toilet, in front of the sink when he was washing his hands after trying to use the restroom with no luck, on the carpet he sits on with his friends, etc. You name it, it seems he peed there. UGH!!!! Well, with encouragement from Ms. Caroline she told us Wednesday would be a new day. Wednesday Casen still had a lot of accidents, but I do believe it was a few less than the day before. Then today, when I arrived at school I was shocked to find that Casen was in the same cloths I dropped him off in this morning. I was beside myself!!! Something finally clicked with him and he (and I) could not have been more thrilled!!! YEA CASEN!!!! High fives (and M&Ms) for everyone!!!

Ms. Nataly left a note about his wonderful day for us:



And, of course Casen was able to pick out some new underwear - he wanted Mickey Mouse, however we could not find any of those, so he settled for Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles!

He was so excited to get new
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle underwear

The Twins Arrival

This week from Wednesday on has been a blur. My dear friend, Lisa, who I have known since I was 5 or 6, was expecting twins. I have waited years for her to become a mother and experience motherhood. Wednesday morning I received a text from her husband, Eddie, to tell me that she was headed in for a c-section within the hour. Wednesday, April 15, 2015 would be the day her life would change forever. I contacted our friend Lorrie, left work, and headed to her house so we could get to Beaumont ASAP. We got there as fast as we could and when we arrived, we headed to the NICU and found two sweet babies, Madison and Finn.

Madison Rei'   5 lbs  18 inches

Finn Russell   3 lbs 10 oz   17 inches

Lisa was still in recovery when we were staring at the sweet babies. As she left recovery on the way to her room, she was able to peer at her twins from the nursery window.

When it was time for Eddie to go to the nursery for the first time, I was able to go into the nursery with him, with the promise to Lisa that I would not touch her babies, just tell them how much their mother loves them. My other job was to take pictures of the sweet angels to show her. Despite them being born at 34 weeks, they did awesome.

Sweet Madison

Finn had to be put on Bi-pap for a day

Due to Lisa having complications post c-section, and having to undergo a second surgery, it was several days before she was able to be wheeled down to see her babies in the NICU. We spent many hours worrying, laughing and enjoying time with her and her family.

I love this picture of Lisa and
her brother, Todd

Lisa, with her parents, Mimi and Pop Pop

Last night was her last stay in the hospital before heading home and Lisa, Lorrie and I had a girls slumber party. We stayed up talking, laughing, and crying (from the laughter) until all hours of the night because we knew it would be awhile before we would be able to do that again!

Thank you Lisa for letting me be a part of this momentous time in your life. I know you have waited so long to be a mother and I can't wait to watch your sweet babies grow. Also, thank you to my husband who told me to go to the hospital, help take care of Lisa and not come back home until I felt it was time. Shane is an awesome dad and husband.

Week of the Young Child

This week at the boy's school was 'Week of the Young Child' which is one of our favorite weeks that we look forward to yearly. The teachers transform the daycare into whatever the theme is for the year, which this year it was 'Dancing Through the Decades'. I tell you, I think it was more fun for the adults than it was the kiddos.

Monday was the '50s. The boys dressed in their rolled up jeans and t-shirts. They decorated socks for their sock hop.

All the socks from Camden's class

Tuesday was the 'Groovy 60's'. The teachers in Casen's class tie dyed a shirt for every child at the daycare.

'Peace'

On Wednesday they boogied on down to school to celebrate the 70's.

Thursday they were having a totally rad party so the boys were all decked on in 80's neon sportswear, with high socks, head bands and for Camden a tucked in shirt. (This was all Dad's doings as I was out of town!)

Today was Hip-Hop/Pop Rock day to celebrate the 90's as well as Donuts with Dad. Shane took off work and took the boys to school and they were thrilled, to say the least, that he was there to eat donuts with them.

Shane went back to school at 10:00 for the Hip-Hop dance off. Earlier in the week I asked Camden if he had been working on 'his moves', and he informed me that he had, but Carson (his classmate) was going to win the dance off because per Camden, "Carson has all the moves!" As we suspected, Camden was too shy to dance, however Casen was a dancing machine. He danced with his friends, or by himself  - when it was time for the chicken dance he was a booty shaken fool!!! All I can say is we have trouble on our hands! : )

Dad did a good job picking out
their outfits

These are a few of the decorations they made this week. I love the record with a picture of Camden from each day of the week. As they do every year, the teachers did an awesome job and the boys enjoyed all the activities.

Kindergarten Registration

Well, it is the time that Camden has been looking forward to - registering for Kindergarten. This means we are that much closer to Camden heading off to big school. I must say, I have been looking forward to this too, but mine is strictly for selfish reasons - we get a pay raise not having to pay daycare for him!!! Woo Hoo!!! But honestly, I am really excited for Camden because he has done nothing but talk about Kindergarten and how excited he is to go - he has worked really hard this year on his writing, sight words and all the other things he is to know before heading to Kindergarten. Due to Shane working in the district where Camden will be going to school, he will not be going to the school we are zoned for but instead of the school that is right next door to Shane's school so that he can take him to school daily. This made our registration process really easy - we just filled out the forms on line and then Shane dropped off the needed paperwork. So hard to believe how fast they grow . . .



Easter Sunday 2015

This morning the boys got up and got dressed before it dawned on them that the Easter bunny came to visit!!! They were so excited to find that he brought them each a Transformer, chocolate, money and candy filled eggs and a few other things. 

 

 

 

 

After church, we all changed clothes and let the boys hunt Easter eggs that the bunny hid for them. They had a great time, and this year Casen found the prize egg.

In addition to it being Easter, today was Shane and my eighth wedding anniversary. Last night we went out to eat to celebrate while my mom and dad watched the boys. I am very grateful that we have chose one another to do this thing we call life together.

Easter Eggstravaganza 2015

As we have done the past several years, today we went to the Easter Eggstravaganza at our church. This year my parents were here so they got to experience the fun with us. As in the past, there were rides, inflatables, an Easter Egg hunt, snow cones and other great fun!

Ready to hunt eggs

Dad riding the train with the boys



 

 

 

 

Enjoying sno-cones

Riding the ferris wheel