Monday, September 29, 2014

Pee Pee in the Potty

Clever title, huh?!

I am blogging this moment more so I can remember our “Potty Training Journey” however, I’m sure that those related to us will enjoy a Jaxen-potty-story. I’m not sure about those of you not related…I know you don’t find the same things as adorable as those in your own family!

Anyway…

We came back from a weekend away (more on that later) and Jaxen could really care less about us being back! I mean, I know deep down he was probably happy and relieved…but he cried when our babysitter left Sunday night and it took him a really long time to hug or even play with either one of us!

And he was saying a few new words! Now…when I say “new words” (at this point, anyway) they are more like sounds that sound the same as a word might…still very few actual words.

Now to my main point…

Nik went to the bathroom and Jaxen followed right along, like he normally does. The minute Jaxen was in the bathroom he started pulling his shorts off and was wanting his diaper off too. Nik helped him with the diaper and Jaxen sat down on his potty (nothing new). But….when he got up from his potty - there was pee pee in there!!!!

Nik hollered at me and I came to see what was going on. We clapped and celebrated and then washed hands and put the lid down (trying to train right!).

And that was that.

He has not sat on the potty anymore since last night.

So that is how the potty training is going. I am not rushing this process. But I also don’t want to lose momentum either. I’m really just taking it one day at a time and trying to follow Jaxen’s cues.

All of the above combined (not happy we were home / new words / using the potty) made me realize how much my little boy is growing up. I was gone a little more than 48 hours and he was totally changing - and it hurt my feelings!!! Not really hurt my feelings, but you know what I mean. Sad and happy all at once.

**********

While we were grocery shopping today, 
I realized by the time we headed to the car - Jaxen was buried!
And yes, that is a can of Pringles in his hands.
I gave in today and shopped in peace while he ate quietly…
this was after multiple items found themselves into my cart and 
his hands were touching everything! Ha ha!

More to come about our weekend!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Vehicle Exchange

Not an exchange really…but we have bought and sold a vehicle.

We bought a 2003 Honda Pilot 4wd.

And sold the Volvo.

Back when we first moved here, we were looking for a Honda Pilot, but never found one within our budget. So we bought the Volvo. It was a fine vehicle. We just really missed having an SUV. Nik saw the Honda Pilot for sale on the way to golf one afternoon. A few days later, he saw the same one online. After a few days, maybe a week, we finally got a chance to look at it. It really was what we wanted. An SUV with 3rd road seating and 4wd. Score!

The great thing…we sold our Volvo for asking price, within 48 hours of listing it, and within a couple hundred dollars of what we paid for the Honda Pilot!

The Honda Pilot is definitely a used vehicle and we will probably have to put some money into it down the road…but we are willing to do so.

Just thought I would update you on our vehicle situation!

And for kicks…because no blog is complete without a Jaxen picture (or so I have been told) -

This morning, when leaving the house, Jaxen had to have 2 drinks, 
a car and his little purple computer. 
He is yelling at me in the picture because he needs help down the steps because his hands are full!

This afternoon Jaxen was playing with his tools. 
He does not have a tool belt and he didn’t have any pockets on these particular pants. 
So hammers stuffed into his pants is how he was rolling! Ha ha!

This last picture cracks me up.
Shirt - which the back of it is tucked into his diaper - a diaper - and rain boots =
Happy Boy!


Monday, September 22, 2014

Pictures!

I feel as if I have nothing to blog about. So you will get a random assortment of pictures from the last few days - Enjoy :)



Jaxen still loves his wagon…loves riding in it, or pulling it!

Nik picked this leaf up for me last weekend. I think it is beautiful! 
The leaves are beginning to change around here!

That’s a pretty cool dude, right there!

Jaxen is a big drinker - on this particular day, he had to have 2 cups. 
One with milk and one with juice!


Friday night we went to a friends and had a campfire dinner at their lake house!
So beautiful and fun. And cold.


Sunday Jaxen was looking like a stud before church but would not let me take his picture (left).
After a fun morning in the church nursery and spaghetti for lunch, he was a mess (right)!

Sunday afternoon nap. 
Nik was in charge and decided to let Jaxen crash wherever and whenever he was ready!


Hopefully I will have more to blog about this week!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Life Updates

This will probably be a hodgepodge kind of blog post today. No rhyme or reason…just some updates on our life. So in that case - I will number them. Because who doesn’t like a good list?!

1. Footie-pajamas have made their debut this fall. And they are pretty much adorable.


2. We have officially turned on our heater and in the next week or so, we will pull out all the window A/C units and have our fireplace ready to go!

3. Which, with the above two statements, has made me spend much of my day today (thankful to my cutie husband for entertaining Jaxen) pulling out all of Jaxen’s summer clothes and too small clothes and going through boxes of new clothes.


4. Jaxen is mostly in 2T pajamas. I have put him in a few 3T and they are just a little big, but he still wears them. The jeans that fit him the best are the 18-24 month jeans. He is in 2T shirts. And a size 8 shoe. Just FYI.

5. I am pretty much in love with all of Jaxen’s winter clothes. I cannot get enough of the long sleeve t-shirts, striped sweaters, and the hoodies. So so cute. And I have to say, I am so thankful and very blessed to have an abundance of clothes for Jaxen. A few ladies here who have older boys have been so kind to us and passed along old clothes. So thankful!




6. Along with his new clothes, there were these shoes that light up when he walks. He put them on his feet the minute he saw them and only took them off to nap. I tried to get a picture. It’s not great - it’s pretty hard to snap a pic of shoes that light up when you step!


7. Potty-training. These words are now in our vocabulary. I have even pulled out a potty chair and placed it in the bathroom. Today Jaxen spent a solid 10 minutes sitting on the potty chair, then washing his hands, then sitting on the chair, washing his hands…you get the idea. No, I am not officially potty training yet. I am just warming up to the idea as he is. The signs are coming that he is ready and so I am trying to be prepared. And not rush through this process. But to follow his lead. So for the next few weeks, if he wants to sit on his potty chair and wash his hands that is what we will do!


8. Nik is in the middle of a big church-project: repaving and expanding the the parking lot.

9. Jaxen has allergies. Pretty bad right now. Runny nose, congestion, coughing (no fever), not eating great…but with the energy he has…you would never know it!

And I’ll stop on odd-number 9. I’m sure there is more to our life right now than that…but that is all that got typed in this blog session!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Where’s Waldo…I Mean Jaxen?

When I take Jaxen to a certain park here in town I often feel like I am looking for Waldo in one of those books….


Remember those books?

Except that I’m looking for Jaxen in a wooden play area.

Take a look and see what I mean...








Could you spot him in every picture?

Pretty fun for him…but it can be hard on me to keep an eye on him!

A few other pics from our time at the park the other day...





We had a great evening playing and walking through the park!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Fun Pictures

I don’t have much for a blog post tonight…so I thought I would show you some pictures from the last week. That’s fun, right?


These Boots.
I pretty much fell in love with them the moment I laid eyes on them in the store.
I mean…look at them :) how could I not?! 
Luckily, they were 50% off. 

And Jaxen is pretty adorable in them. 
I’m kicking myself now for not taking a picture of him in them this past week.
I dressed him in striped blue/white overall-shorts with a long red sleeve shirt and these boots.
Too precious. 


Nap Time.
Jaxen is into multiple blankets whether he is napping or sleeping at night.
Pretty cute.


These next few pictures are pretty much on my “favorite-picture list” right now.

Doesn’t get much better than that, right?!


In our Sunday-best!



Hope everyone has a wonderful week!


Saturday, September 13, 2014

I’m Back!

I’m back! Did you miss me?

Yes, I know that was too long of a blogging break…sorry Russell :)

A lot has happened since I last blogged, but the best thing that happened while I was away was that my family came to see me!

They made the long trek from NM (leaving very early last Friday morning) and arrived in Syracuse (after 2 cancelled flights and lost luggage) very late Friday night. It was a long travel day for them but I am so thankful that they made the journey!

While they were traveling all day to get here, we got some work done around the house which included some water fights between Jaxen and Nik!






They were both soaked and happy when the water fight ended.

That afternoon Nik and I headed to Syracuse (Jaxen was home with babysitters) for a date night before picking up the fam. We enjoyed our time together!



As I stated before, we arrived home very late that night. But with mom and Scotty with us - it did not bother me one bit!

We had a great time while they were here. Nik did end up taking one day off, but had to work the rest of the time. As for me…since I don’t have a job….I got to spend everyday having fun with them!

Everyone keeps asking us what fun things we did while they were here. Well…we visited, ate, and played cards pretty much the whole time they were here…which is exactly what we like to do!

Oh, and my mom did the dishes everyday :)

Jaxen even enjoyed playing cards with us at the table.

And coloring, or playing with his trucks - anything to spend time at the table with us!

We are very serious (competitive) game players.
We keep score for everything.

Here is a pic of the final game scores:

Belinda 1 / Carla 1
Carla 7 / Belinda 1 / and Scotty 10
Nik 2 / Belinda 0 / and Scotty 2
Carla 4 1/2 / Nik 4 / Belinda 2 / Scotty 4 1/2



That was a lot of card games played while they were here! So fun!

I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself next week…once I put Jaxen down for a nap, I’ll fix myself a drink and sit at the table to play games…but no one will be here - ha!

While they were here, they kept Jaxen one whole morning and got to spend time bonding with and loving on him. He was pretty shy with them but warmed up once Nik and I were gone!

As you can see, he gave them good “Night Night Loves”!



I am so glad they were able to come visit. Yes, they got to see where we lived and our church and kind of what our life is like here in NY - but I am most grateful for the time with them. I miss seeing them and talking on the phone is just not the same!

Thank you for coming!