It's come to bribery

We have tried off and on for about a year to potty train Cordelia. She started off really well, but then got stubborn and insisted she wanted to remain a baby. The ways we got the boys to be potty trained did not work with Cordelia. In fact nothing worked. Then suddenly a few weeks ago she started using the potty on her own. We stopped putting Pull-ups on her and amazingly she didn't need them anymore anyway. She is doing great except for one thing: pooping on the potty. I told her I would buy her something special if she stops pooping in her pants, but it hasn't worked. So today after worked I stopped by Wal-Mart and saw that the Dora dollhouse she wanted was marked down to $17 (originally $69!). Maybe actually seeing the special treat will help. The kids weren't home when I got home so I set the dollhouse on the table. When they got home Cordelia spotted the dollhouse right away. I explained that she could have the dollhouse, but we wouldn't open it until she started pooping on the potty. I can't say it has worked yet, but it looks promising. I also found some of the furniture for the dollhouse on sale and Cordelia holds the package as she sits on the potty. She wants to open it so badly. She tried many times to poop on the potty tonight with no success, but no accidents either. I told Cordelia I would put the dollhouse someplace she could see it to remind her to get to the potty, but I couldn't decide where. Fred had the perfect solution. Put it behind the couch because that's the spot where she goes to do her business. So there the Dora dollhouse sits. Hopefully we will get to open it soon.

A fish tale

When I was a youngster, a yearly family tradition was to go to the St. Mary's carnival. It's a tradition that has continued with my family. And thankfully, it is one of the very few things that has not changed since my childhood. There is still the silent auction, the raffle, the white elephant, and the halls are still decorated with large drawings of cartoon characters. Each year there are some new games, but you can still find shuffle board, the duck pond and fishing for a prize. And of course, you can still win a goldfish. We were never allowed to even play for a chance to win a goldfish. We begged, pleaded and whined I'm sure, but my parents never gave in. I never came home from the carnival with a goldfish. I don't think I ever forgave my parents for that until I became a parent myself. Now it is my turn each year to tell my kids that "no, you can't play the goldfish game." We have never come home with a goldfish. That is until this year. I made the mistake of letting Fred take the boys to games, while I took Cordelia to the easier games. Later, when we took a break for some cotton candy and pizza, Rion couldn't wait to tell me that he had won a goldfish. I apparently forgot to warn the husband about the no goldfish policy. Rion was very excited about it so I forgave Fred. Rion named his goldfish "Goldie". St. Mary's goldfish have a reputation for not living very long. Goldie lasted about three days. And since we had the tank all set up and the kids liked Goldie, Fred went out and bought two new fish. This time he got two mollies. One of these mollies is black and gold so Torii named it "Steeler". About two days later we learned Steeler is a girl. Now we have about ten fish swimming around. One prize fish has resulted in ten. The kids are never ever playing the goldfish game again. And I'll make sure to warn Fred next year.

Wordless Wednesday

A late Christmas story

I know I'm way behind in my blogging and I wanted to post this before Christmas. Well, I'm finally getting around to it.

In mid-December my office had a Christmas party. It's held during the same week that we have our winter meetings since everyone is in town at that time. Since this was my first year attending the meetings it was on my mind a lot and therefore, a lot of others things got neglected. One of those things was helping the kids with homework. Rion and I usually practice spelling words on Wednesday night as his test is on Thursday. On Friday morning of that week as we are about to leave for school, Rion tells me, "You know my spelling test was yesterday. My spelling homework is also late now too." I apologized to him for not practicing with him and told him I had a lot on my mind with work and it would not happen again. Rion looked straight at me and said, "Well, you need to tell your boss that you have kids."

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Over the weekend Rion was bugging me to help him with something, I can't even remember what it was now. I told him to hang on a minute so I could finish what I was doing, then I would help him. "Mom you take forever," Rion said, "It's like waiting for a website to load."

Sing Along

This is what I heard from the back of the van the other day courtesy of Rion and Torii.
"Why do you drink?"
"Why do you smoke?"
"It's family tradition!"
Fred has now been asked (told) to stop playing Hank Williams Jr in the presence of minors.

Christmas stories

Ok, it's been way too long since I last blogged. I totally overstressed myself during the holidays and I couldn't understand why I couldn't get anything done like I normally do. Fred had to remind me that this was the first Christmas that I've been employed full time. Duh. I was so thankful that I wasn't going crazy as I often suspect I am. So I didn't get nearly as much done as I would have liked this holiday season and many things got crossed off my list including Christmas cards. Now you know that you were not snubbed by us (just in case you were patiently waiting for our card to arrive). Do know that we were thinking of you during the holidays, we just never expressed it in Hallmark form. And thank you for all the wonderful cards we received. Next year I'll start on ours early and you will get one!

We had a wonderful Christmas. It was good to spend time with my sisters and their families. We miss them already! The kids got everything they wanted and more than they deserve. The day after Christmas Rion said, "I can't believe we were on the good list." I can't believe it either. Santa is either very forgetful or a soft touch.

Every Christmas I worry that this will be the year that Rion finds out the truth about Santa. I know it will be some snot nosed punk on the playground who spills the beans. Really, it was almost me that revealed all. While reading Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer one evening Rion told me he knew that Rudolph was totally made up. "Isn't that right mom," he asked. "Yes," I said half paying attention because I was busy trying to get the kids settled into bed. "Rudolph is fake," Rion said, "but Comet, Cupid, Dancer and the rest of reindeer are real. I know that." It was then that I realized that this conversation could have easily gone a different direction and a bad direction at that. "Yes," I exclaimed, "that's right! All of the other reindeer are real." Phew, that was close.

A few days after what could have easily become "The Rudolph incident" Rion asked about Santa. "I just can't figure how he can come in here and we don't hear him at all," he said. I told him there are many times when I wake up in the morning and there is a child laying next to me. I don't hear said child come in during the night, but there he/she is in the morning. (That is totally the truth. I told the truth to cover a lie about Santa. Make sense?) Rion thought that was a plausible theory and he never questioned Santa's existence again. Yes, my kid will be a kid for at least one more year.