Sophie 17 mths, Jack 2.5 yrs

Potty Training

It’s funny what  a little competition can do. Jack has been sporadically interested in the potty here and there. But when little sister showed some interest and peed on the potty, Jack became really interested. “Jack can do too!” And so it began. The potty training journey. At first, it was a battle to even get him to wear underwear. Even specially picked out underwear was a battle in the morning. No milk until you wear your underwear… fixed that pretty quickly. Once they were on, a few accidents began. “Uh oh buddy. Next time tell us and we will help you sit on the potty”. We also set the timer for 15 minute intervals. Every 15 minutes, the stove would “beep” and we would have jack sit on the potty. If he peed, he got a treat. (Halloween candy, peanut M&M, fruit snack, piece of cookie). We started on a Wednesday, poor Kendall’s second week. She did well though and kept encouraging him! By Friday, we went out to dinner with Nana and Buddy, and we had him use the potty before we left, before dinner, after dinner and when we got home. Success!!! Accidents began to lesson, and still happen every now and then. Poop is a different monster. It took Jack closer to 1.5-2 weeks to get a poop in the potty. And when he did, boy were we happy! 2 cookies for you! It has been hit or miss still, 4 weeks in. We get about half of the time the poops in the potty. Still working and he does well. We rarely have accidents now. One every couple of days for pee, but still working on poop.

Sophie is interested, of course, because big brother is. She will go diaperless in the evenings and sit on the potty sporadically throughout the night. I can never tell if she goes or not, because there is always pee in there from Jack going every 30 minutes as well. There are few accidents, so I think she might go sometimes. She also took me she had to pee, and sat down and pooped on the potty! Looks like someone else is interested! We are practicing in the evenings with Sophie and might just go for it on the weekend with her. Appears shes interested. And I already make several trips for Jack to go to the potty and remind him, might as well add another. J

Talking

Wow. Where to start. Jack is saying sentences and is so clear. He is starting to use pronouns (“Get off me!”) and “ing” words (Coming, Going etc). Sophie uses 3+ sentence words too. I can’t even count the number of words she has! She knows everyones name. She says “get down now”, “Jack here”, “Jack pee pee”, “Milk please”, “thank you” after receiving something and much more.

Jack thinks every day is his birthday right now. “First, Toashies birthday. Then Mommys birthday. Now Jacks birthday”. Yes, makes sense buddy. “Happy Birthday Jack”. Sometimes Sophie says, “Happy Day”. To which Jack replies, “No Toashie. Not happy day. Happy birthday!” HA! We have had conversations between the two of them about fighting too. Jack was playing with his cars, and Sophie came up to play. He slightly pushes her away. “No push, jack”.. and pats him on the back. “No hitting, Toashie” he says snooty. He also tells her, “Be nice”, “No biting”, and “No hitting”. And so the sibling fun begins. J

Other

Sophie is hilarious and her personality is huge. In the grocery store, she waves and flirts with everyone. “Hiiiii!” “Byeeeee!” “See ya!!!!!” “Heeee yahh” and furrows her brow. People say hi back and she continues. She was a  hit at the urgent care, after eating her pipe cleaner. She even said “Cheese!” for her x-ray picture.  Last night she was smelling the dogs, and saying “Eeeewww!”. Even though Tom was in a grouchy mood, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Jack is starting to get so much that is going on around him. He is afraid of the big bad wolf right now (nice job mommy!) and tells Kiki and Bri to “be careful guys, be careful of the big bad wolf!”. He thought the wolf would blow down Jacks house, but no, Daddy showed him its made of bricks. Then he said the big bad wolf will blow down Mimi’s house, because its made of straw! Haha! Nope buddy. Her house is bricks too. J I think he might sort of get Christmas this year. We will be putting up our tree soon and starting the Elf on the Shelf. He has visited Santa, and told Santa he wants an Orange Car and a Gas Tank for his car. HA!

He is really into movies right now. Lilo and Stitch, Cars, and Sophia the First! Sophie likes Nemo. “Remote. Nemo.” she says! I can’t wait to take Jack to the movie theater.

The new sitters are doing awesome, and have been such a welcome to our home. The kids appear to like them. They are making quick friends with Maliya and learning things from her (and her from them). They hug Maliya bye every night when she leaves, and yell “Byeeee” to her several times. Both girls are very helpful to Mommy, helping with cleaning, laundry, dishes and prepping dinner. Its so wonderful to come home to a nice clean house, with dinner simmering in the crock pot. Kendall and Maddy have both been patient and helpful with Jack’s potty training, which I really really appreciate!