Potty Training Day 3 (aka a week of new things)

Disclaimer... May contain questionable photographs.

I promise this is the last official day of Potty Training. I'll write about something new tomorrow. Brenna and I will leave the house tomorrow. Yea!! (By the way, I don't know if that word is spelled with an "h" at the end or not.) We are both a little stir crazy. I did need to give you the official last day words. BRENNA DID GREAT!!! She didn't have any accidents until the end of the day. There were about 4 in 30-45 minutes. I'll just count them as one learning experience. She was trying to figure out how to poop in the potty and SHE DID IT! Again, Yea Brenna! I have used a lot of exclamation points. In college I was taught to use them sparingly. I think they are absolutely necessary and well deserved here!

I never knew I could be so proud of someone for pooping and tinkling in a potty, but I am. We did a lot of dancing and singing and treat giving today. We are both exhausted. Potty training is hard work. That is the repeated theme of the week. Tomorrow we are moving back into the world of other people and distractions. Hopefully she will do okay.

Yes, this has been a week of firsts. Earlier this week, I made myself a smoothie and Brenna wanted some. I gave her a taste with a straw in her own cup. She was so excited about drinking it. She used the straw like a champ and even drank from a real cup without spilling the whole thing on herself.


A very unfortunate new thing, and one that I never mentioned to Brenna before we started this week, is the unpleasant feeling of wedgies. The poor little thing has a hard time pulling up her panties and will have half of them in her tushy. "Mama, need help." (Beware!! The first questionable picture follows.)


This isn't really a new thing, but the picture makes me laugh every time I see it. Nathan caught her wanting to wear her new rain boots. Unfortunately this was time she didn't want to wear her panties. I have debated whether I should post this picture or not. I am sure it will bring great embarrassment in the years to come. Hopefully she will forgive me one day when she has her own little girl with a very cute tushy. Giggle with me. She is just so cute.

Garden Herb Focaccia

I'm so tired I forgot to post the tastiest part of my day. I made this bread in the bread machine today. The recipe was from my Better Homes and Gardens book. It was wonderful. It might even be my new favorite bread. Try it, it is mighty good!

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sliced green onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoon fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast or bread machine yeast
-----------------------
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 dried

1. Add the first 11 ingredients to the machine according to the manufacturer's directions. Select the dough cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough. Punch down. Cover and let rest for 10 min.

2. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 12 inch circle (I made them rectangles). Transfer each circle to a greased large baking sheet or 12 in pizza pan. Brush the circles with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Using a fork, prick the entire surface of each circle several times. Sprinkle with the extra thyme. Do not let rise.

3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks. Serve warm or cool.

Potty Training Day 2

We had a great day today. Brenna had no tee-tee accidents and only one poop accident. Well she actually only pooped one time. I am so proud of her. Hopefully tomorrow will be even more successful.

I am so tired now. Potty training is quite exhausting. Nathan was even here for the morning and I am still tired. I hope I won't be this tired for the rest of her life.

Anyways, sorry for the short post today. I just can't think anymore.

Potty Training Day 1

Some may say that my life must be completely revolved around Brenna. I would argue most days that I may talk about her a lot, but I have other interests as well. She is just the most exciting or interesting news I have to share for the day. Today is a different story. Yes, my entire day, save nap time, revolved around Brenna. There were many accidents and a few tears falling from her little eyes, but for the most part, the day was a success. I am hoping that tomorrow will be even more successful. I don't even want to count the number of panties we went through. I did a load of them today, and I am sure I will be doing a load tomorrow too. I think I need to go buy a few more pairs for her. At nap time, I was questioning my certainty of the timing. Was she really ready? She doesn't really need to use the toilet. She can stay in diapers forever, right?

Then finally at 5:30 she tee-teed in the potty. Yea Brenna! We did a dance and clapped. The dog barked and she got her M&M. She was really proud of herself and wanted to call everyone she knew. Of course she didn't talk once we got them on the phone, but she was willing to repeat what I told her to say. She doesn't have the phone concept down yet either.

I wore many hats or titles today. I was cheerleader, janitor, fun maker, amazingly creative mommy, chef, did I mention clean up crew, tee-tee absorber (yes, she tinkled on me while she was sitting in my lap), professional reader, photographer (everyone needs pictures of their first potty experience), art teacher, and movie operator. I'm sure there are others I am leaving out. I am tired, but feel good about the day.



Oh yes, she did go again after dinner too. She was watching her "Pongo and Perdy Moomie" sitting on her potty. When she got up for her bath, low and behold, there was some tee-tee. Again with the song and dance and M&M.


I'm signing off my Mommy duties now. Brenna's asleep now and I think I will just be Kayla now.

...to be continued.

Adventures in Potty Training

...beginning tomorrow.

Yes, I am starting the process tomorrow. I have high hopes for a fast and easy training. (Really, I just don't want to be stuck in the house for very long. The nightmare... I'm afraid I may never come out again.) I am hoping to stay home for three days and really get the concept into her head. I have a training potty that will be Brenna's and my constant companion for a few days. Maybe I should give her (the potty) a name. No, I won't get too ambitious yet. Anyway, my hope is that if we spend three days at home concentrating on the task then she will have a good concept of what it means to use the "big girl potty". (Maybe I should give the potty a name. Any suggestions?) My plans don't sound too unrealistic do they? I do know there will still be accidents, but hopefully we will be able to come out of our confinement with Brenna sporting her BEAUTIFUL BRAND NEW PANTIES! Did you hear the enthusiasm in my voice. Yes, I have been selling that one to her too. Actually, every time she opens her drawer she wants to look at the white ones with the stars. She also keeps sitting on her little potty then standing and saying, "Okay, all done." They're practice runs. I think she is ready. (The previously mentioned ones as well other reasons too. I won't go into them now.)


So, I read over my last paragraph. How mortified would Brenna be to see that I am writing about her bathroom abilities? Hopefully she will forgive me when she realizes that her every move has been documented for her to read too.

Really, I am worried about our sanity level. We will be in the house a long time. I have all kinds of crafts and games ready. And yes, I will resort to "moomies" if that is necessary. I am taking any other helpful suggestions pertaining to the training, or funny stories to help with the sanity. Also feel free to call and remind me that there are other adults in the world and we all learn to us the toilet at some point.

...to be continued.

I have joined the computer age of finding friends

Okay, so I have been resisting for many months and I finally fell. I must say that I fell hard. Thanks Amy. I wonder how many hours I have spent in the last two days finding friends from my past. Yes, I signed up for a Facebook account. I hope I don't spend hours every day. I need to get some system. Amy, you promised it won't take me this much time forever. I am holding you to that. No, I don't watch much television. I don't have time to ride much. I don't read a lot anymore. Well, I do read at night. I haven't been sewing since we got back from Georgia. I really don't have a lot of extra time. But, I have made time for facebook. Feel free to add me as a friend. I have to admit though, this is fun.

Don't worry, I won't neglect my blog. This is still where I think and write and keep everyone informed about Brenna's and my days. You will see most pictures here as well as my irresistible wit. For now, I need to finish up on this computer and do something away from it before Brenna wakes up.

Is there such a thing as healthy cookies?

Yes, and I found them! Well, I don't know how healthy they really are, but they sound mostly healthy to me. I have been trying to stay away from sugar lately to see if that would help with my headaches. I was very unsuccessful in Georgia, and have not really started off very well since we came back. (Yesterday I had half a slice of chocolate cake. Thanks Aunt Emily, it was wonderful.) Today I made a batch of these cookies, and I already ate one. I see another cookie in my future too. They only had 3/4 a cup of brown sugar, and brown sugar is better than white sugar, right? Come on, someone validate me here.

Actually I found the recipe while we were in Georgia and couldn't wait to make the cookies when we got home. I was looking for something to buy for breakfast when we were staying in Athens and saw some Old Country Style Muesli. I was instantly transported to another time. Stacey and I were in Ireland riding across some of God's most beautiful country. Man, I loved that trip. I loved waking up everyday knowing that all I had to do for the day was ride a horse and spend time with one of my best friends ever. It was a great vacation. Sorry, I digress. One of the things they served us was Muesli and yogurt for breakfast. I loved it but couldn't ever find it here in the states. Eventually I forgot to look. Lo and behold, 10 years later, I found some. It was every bit as delicious as I remember. If only I could still ride a horse all day too.

Anyways there was a recipe on the bag. I made the wonderful little bits of sweetness. Nathan claims he will stick to the good old faithful chocolate chip cookies, but I think these are my new favorites.

Chocolate Chip Muesli Cookies

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Muesli (I'm sure you can use other kinds, but that is what I bought.)
3/4 cup sifted Whole Wheat Flour (See, so far they are very healthy)
2/3 cup Applesauce (still good)
3/4 cup brown sugar (First bit of sweetness, but hey they are cookies after all.)
6 oz (1 cup) Chocolate Chips (See, they are cookies.)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together (I just mixed them.) and set aside. Blend applesauce, sugar and vanilla together. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and mix. Sir in Muesli and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Unbaked cookies. By the way, these are so easy that Brenna even helped.


Baked cookies cooling. Don't you just want one too?


"Mmm," says Brenna. (Notice the small cut on her eyelid. That is where she hurt herself at Nonni and G-daddy's house. Would you believe that the stroller fell on her today and hit the same spot. My poor little munchkin. She deserved a cookie.)


"I think I'll have another bite of this delicious sweetness."


See, now everyone should go out and bake a batch to experience this wonderful creation of a cookie.