Potty training is exhausting.

We've been working on potty training on and off with Lauren for probably half a year or more. After much research and hearing a lot of advice from other mothers, I ended up buying two inserts for the normal-sized toilets. These worked well - she went on them fairly often...but usually when prompted - not on her own. Now that she's 2 1/2 yrs old I'm up-ing the effort a little. I bought an actual potty chair the other night. I thought this would be helpful because she can get on and off it by herself (sometimes I"m busy with the baby!). Well, ever since she's been walking around dropping her drawers every few minutes. She picks up that chair, moves it all around the house, puts stickers on it....she's in love with it. And guess what? Yesterday she wore actual underpants andhad ZERO accidents! (excluding nap and bedtime of course).

When we weren't trying that hard, she'd get a treat when she'd "go." Maybe a sucker or an M&M....but now that she's going A LOT...I didn't want to keep giving her sugar. SO I headed to the Dollar Tree yesterday to pick up some crap to put in the "potty prize basket." Stickers, erasers, plastic rings....incentive is working.

Grant is napping a little better now, but only when swaddled tight. He never used to require that - is that odd for a 5-month-old to suddenly need to be swaddled?

Bailey is taking guitar lessons from a guy who taught someone from SlipKnot. (nice). I don't care who he taught - just don't teach her to play that kinda stuff, ok? While she & Mark were at their guitar lessons last night, I invited my parents over for dinner. We had a really nice time - mostly laughing at Lauren. That girl LOVES to entertain! Of course with Grandma & Grandpa here she had a VERY captive and easily-amused audience.

Tonight Bailey has another show choir competition. So far this season they have placed 1st and then 2nd at competitions. We'll see how tonight goes. The prep-work for girls is pretty extensive. Since her competition is this afternoon, that meant we had to roll her hair last night (up til Midnight - after lessons and homework), cover it up in a bandana (Jemima style) and the girls wear their hair like that to school. I am picking her up at Noon to pick out her hair into big loose curls (Lord, hear my prayer), help her with stage makeup, get costumed and then drive her to the competition. Shwew! The boys just need to get dressed - done. Life is not fair.