FRIDAY!

It is that time of year again when weekends become awesome.

And since it is the first Friday of the school year, and since I last blogged about getting older, I thought I'd share a QOTD today from one of my students that made me feel old. 

While reading a poem, a boom box was referenced.  I attempted to explain what that was.
Me: A boom box is, um, a big black box.  With speakers.  And a tape deck.  Do you know what that is? (child nods, I'm relieved) And you listen to your tapes, but if you want to hear a certain song you have to push the fast forward button.  And it doesn't bring you right there like CDs and iPods, you have to push play and see where you are at and keep going.
Student: That sounds like really hard work.


How's that for hilarious?  Have a great labor day weekend!

Getting Older

So I'm settling into my 30s.  Callie is definitely closer to 3 than 2.

And it is freaking me out a little bit.

A couple things this week have totally weirded me out.

1) I have gotten to the point at work where I am now the same age or sometimes older than the parents of some of my students.  Granted, I work with a population in which they have children pretty young, but still.  For the first half dozen years of my career I was used to being younger than the parents.  Now we could be in the same peer group, and it freaks me out.

2) We're going to be volunteering in Callie's 2-year-old Sunday school class, so we went to a training session for it tonight.  The training session was just for adults, so we put Callie in the nursery.  Since Callie has always come to church with us, she has never been to the nursery.  And up until the past couple of months I thought she would be SO distraught if we were to leave her somewhere like that with teenagers (or any strangers in general).  So this situation is weird for a few reasons.
A) My toddler is getting older and had NO problem when we said goodbye and headed out.  We were the annoying parents hanging around...delaying the goodbye.  Turns out she had a blast and couldn't have cared less that we were gone. 
B) When I was a teenager I was the one doing the babysitting of all the kids in the nursery at the church we went to.  So I was the one greeting the middle-aged  probably 30-year-old parents and playing with their children.  And then I start doing some math in my head and realize that the kids that I babysat in the nursery are now like 23 years old.


I don't know why, but it is just SUPER weird for me to think about these things...you know, life coming full circle, etc.

And then I feel old.

And then I feel so thankful that I am where I am. 

It is exactly where I want to be.

First Day of School QOTD

In honor of the first day of school, here is an adorable QOTD from my little toddler. 

Going over the plan before bedtime.
Me: We are going to go potty, take Kona for a walk and then read some books.
Callie: I want to do that when I grow up.
Me: What do you want to do when you grow up?
Callie: I want to read!

It was music to this teacher's ears!

Weekend Wrap-Up

We had a SUPER fun weekend!

Friday
After my first week back, I was ready for some play time.  We headed to the Held's house for dinner.  Callie and Charlie were hilarious (as usual) and Callie had fun with "Baby Nabel" too.

We're too cute to be stinkers!

Happy girls

Saturday
It is hard to believe, but Saturday was the 1 year anniversary of the car accident that Chris, Dave, Nate and Nik were in out in Washington.  It has been a year of doctor's visits, recovery, pain, frustration, relief and everything in between for all of them.  To commemorate the day, they spent it together playing games (Nate "hung out" with them virtually via video games).  So while they were having dude bonding time, Callie and I spent the day at the condo and then had dinner with Cherilyn, Sydney and Kylie.

Chowing down on farmer's market donuts!

Chowing down on breakfast-for-dinner

Sunday

We spent most of the day today over at G-ma and G-pa's house.  It was a great day relaxing, playing games and hanging out in the beautiful weather!

We love the zebra pool!

Swinging and relaxing with Uncle Dan and G-ma

On a walk with Auntie Cat (a.k.a. BEST BUDDY)

Callie did a great job transitioning back to our fall schedule. We are still muddling through the whole potty training adventure but we're getting there (except for poop, still not getting anywhere with that).  And waking up earlier has made her more tired by the end of the day, so bed time has been MUCH easier than earlier this summer (knock on wood). 

Life is good.  :)

32 Months Old!

This girl is getting way too close to 3 than I am comfortable with.  And lately she only has one speed- FAST!

And just for fun, here is a couple pictures for comparison of me around this age with my dad and my mini-me with her dad.
.

Lucky

Almost exactly two years ago, I posted a blog entitled Reflections of a WoMOM. 

This time of transition between being at home all summer with Callie and going back to work full time is tricky.  There are feelings of guilt that inevitably surface.  There are feelings of jealousy the come in to play when I see or hear about full time stay at home moms.  There are feelings of anxiety that arise about how she'll react to me leaving her again.

But this summer was kind of hard.  Staying home all day with my willful 2-year-old wasn't as easy as it had been the two summers before.  With all the fun and the laughter and the snuggles there were tantrums and stubbornness and battles.

So while I still felt the guilt and jealousy and anxiety about returning to work, I have to admit there was also excitement and a little relief.

Is that awful?

But here is why I allow myself to feel the excitement and relief along with all the other things:

1) Two + years later we are STILL blessed to have family childcare.  So Callie's days will be filled with lots of adventures with and tons of love from grandparents and her Daddy.

2) I LOVE what I do.  I LOVE the students I work with.  I LOVE the people I work with.  As crazy and stressful as it gets, I really do love it.

3) I know that I get many more days off and longer breaks than other working moms.  I'm thankful for that.

So today really was great.  I went to work, leaving my girl in the very capable hands of her Daddy.  I gave a presentation where I was able to share about the successful special education program I've helped build.  I worked and collaborated with other teachers and spent time discussing students who I am so excited to see next week.  I came home to spend the evening with my girl. We played and went to dinner and read books and laughed and imagined and sang Call Me, Maybe toddler-appropriate songs over and over again.  At bedtime she fell asleep in my arms.  Now I'm hanging out and chatting with my husband.  This is what content feels like.

We are lucky

Weekend Wrap-Up: The Where's-the-Poop? Edition

I apologize in advance for the amount of poop talk you're about to read.

Yep.  We spent all weekend waiting for poop...since by Friday it had already been 48 hours and counting since the last one.

All.  Weekend.  Waiting.  For.  Toddler.  Poop.

Fun times.  But we also stayed busy.

Friday

Callie and I spent the morning at the zoo with the Wicks family and their friend Michelle and her baby Elena.

Buddies

We rode a camel!

Three of the four girls...Baby Kylie was sleeping

After nap time we swung over to see the Ericksons for some poop distraction.  Casey has been a great cheerleader and support through this whole potty training adventure, so it was great to see her in person to chat instead of over the phone and texting!  And Callie always loves playing with Ciri and Gianni.

Cute girls

Saturday

We had a lazy morning doing...guess...???  Waiting for poop!

Mr. Bear used to help, but not lately

So after a few failed attempts, we headed to do some shopping and choo choo riding at Southdale.

Happy little non-pooper

After nap time Mari came over, and after a few more failed attempts, we headed to the Castle Park.  You may remember it from this poop debacle.  At this point, I didn't even care if we had another blow-out.  No such luck, but we did have some fun playtime.

Sunday

Still no poop, but WIDE AWAKE at 6:15am.  That's almost 2 hours earlier than her normal wake-up time this summer.  She must sense that summer is over.  And we had a BUSY day to boot.  We spent the first part of the morning walking around Lake Nokomis with our friends Josh and Alison and Alison's family to remember and honor her mom on her 60th birthday.  It was a beautiful morning for a walk, and a few times Callie took the lead by running ahead of the big group.

After the walk we headed to church to see Baby Mabel get baptized.  Callie loved watching the baptism and actually knowing the people at the front of the church!

Then came nap time.  It was a lovely, quiet 2 hours.  Then somehow I didn't hear her get out of bed, but heard her coming down the stairs.  With a pull up FULL of poop.  I asked here where she pooped and she proudly replied "YOUR bed, Mommy!"  I ran up there and, sure enough, I could tell she had gotten up on our bed with her blankies and animals.  Who knows how long she had been there!  But I was just relieved that the poop was out.  Now we start the cycle again...sigh...

We ended the day with some time at Boom and Bops' house and then a Lynx game.

Looking at some of Bops' "treasures" from his school days

SOOO excited to see Prowl again!

Go Lynx!

I'll end with a Lynx game QOTD.  It may give you an indication as to how, er, expressive Chris is when watching basketball.

As we were walking out, Callie said, "Don't yell at the basketball players, okay Daddy?"

He made sure that she understood that he wasn't yelling AT them, he was cheering FOR them.  I'm not sure she understood.

So there you have it...the last Weekend Wrap-Up of the summer.  Bring on the fall!

Summer Bucket List- Revisited

Well, there is just a weekend before the end of summer.  I can't even believe how quickly it went and am struggling to wrap my brain around going back to the craziness of working full time again.

On June 6th I blogged about my Summer Bucket List.

Let's revisit it, shall we, and see how we did.

1.  Enjoy the back yard. ✓
I think we did that pretty well.  At least the first part of the summer before it got ridiculously hot all the time.

2. Have family meals.  X
It was the second year in a row in which that goal was a big fat fail.  But we were so busy that we just continued our, um, talent of being really good at eating in other places. 

3. Survive potty training.  ✓✓
You may have been following along with the recent potty training adventures.  If not, you can catch up by reading this. Then this.  Followed by this.  And finally, this!!!!  But then this.

It has been rough, and we aren't quite there yet, but I know we will indeed survive.

4. Travel.  ✓✓✓
We had GREAT trips this summer.  Between my trip to Mexico, the trip to Colorado with me, Callie, Boom, and Bops, and the trip up to camp with the whole Gosselin clan, I'd say we were well traveled.

5. Enjoy each moment.  ✓ ✓ ✓✓
I think I can safely say we accomplished this goal too.  This was a fantastic summer.  Though we had our share of challenges as we continued to navigate the land of toddlerhood, when I look back on the summer all I can do is smile.  

The best part about the summer was how much time I got to spend with my girl...just the two of us.  I'll be honest, there were some days when I wanted to rip my hair out after the 16th tantrum.  But MAN did we have fun together!

The other best part about summer was the time we got to spend as a family doing fun, summery things.

Besides the obvious fun stuff, one of the things about summer that I'm going to miss the most is our lazy mornings...where she comes in our bed and I get to stare at this sweet face for a few quiet moments before the craziness of the day begins.

Now we face yet another transition.  I look forward to fall and all that it will bring, and am thankful for the sweet memories of summer. 

Oil and Water

I don't know what the deal is, but this week Callie and I have been extremely out of synch.  I'm guessing it has something to do with my growing anxiety about going back to work and leaving her again, or possibly the continued potty training struggles, but we are like oil and water.

Ever since Monday, the potty training has been a nightmare again.  I don't get it because she HAD it last week.

The battles are ridiculous.  The girl just thinks that she doesn't ever need to poop, but since she DOES in fact have to poop, she doesn't want to go on the potty at all so she DOESN'T poop.

And the frustration with those battles seem to carry over into everything else- meal time, nap time, all the time.  Our stubborn streaks are on display...against each other...24/7.

Chris is a great mediator, but it also means that when we're deep into battle, she starts screaming for him.  And it leaves me feeling like the mean one.  The bad cop.  The terrible mom.  All the time.

I keep telling myself it is just her helping me out...making me really want to go back to work.  And I gotta say, if that is her intention, she is doing a darn good job.

So I'm going to continue to do my best to have never-ending patience and try really hard to cherish the good moments, even if they are few.

And to cheer myself up, and entertain you guys, I thought I'd post a couple videos I've taken the past week.  They show a crazy little girl with lots of spunk and personality.  A little girl that has my heart, even when she is being the oil to my water.

Camila

Often times I find my brain thinking about random "C" and "K" names for potential future children (I know, SO lame to have our names all start with the same initial sound, but I can't help myself!)

Anyway, one name that has been floating in my brain a lot lately is Camila.  I had no idea why, but it kept popping up.

Awhile ago Cathleen told me about a child she is sponsoring in Columbia through a Christian organization.  I told her that I would LOVE to do that and vowed to check out the website.  Well, as usual, everyday life with a toddler happened and I didn't do it.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, Cathleen told me she had a gift for us.  She went on the website and found the MOST PERFECT CHILD for us and began the sponsor relationship!

Meet Camila:

As you can see, she was born on Callie's birthday.  She is from a small town in Mexico, near Mexico City. She lives with her parents and doesn't have siblings.  Her father is a farm laborer.  The information we got on her says she likes to play with toys and helps at home by "being good."

According to our welcome packet: "Your sponsorship will help provide Camila and her community with access to quality health care, better nutrition and improved health practices.  In addition, your support provides agricultural training and will help to launch small business enterprises so parents can raise the standard of living for their families.  Finally, through Christian witness and bible study, these precious ones will have the chance to know the love and grace of God."

The last part is especially important to us, as Callie has the opportunity to start Sunday School this fall at our church.  It is an opportunity we know is not available to so many children and we are so thankful that Callie will be able to go.

We shared the pictures and information with Callie, so now she talks about Camila, her "friend from Mexico."

We sent off our first letter to her and am excited to hear back in a couple months.  Thanks Auntie Cat, for bringing Camila to us!

And speaking of helping out children in need, you also you probably noticed the new blog design and format.  Thanks to Nikki from Blogs for a Cause for the new design.  She works to help special needs children in other parts of the world.

Weekend Wrap-Up: The I-Thought-We-Had-This-But-Not-Quite Edition

I apologize for the amount of potty posts there have been this week, but get ready for one more.  This is what "Life with Baby Goose" has consisted of.  All. Week. Long.

And seeing as this has been potty training week, we kept the weekend low-key.

Things had been going great since Wednesday.  I was all psyched to report here that we had been diaper-free since Sunday and accident-free since Tuesday.  We are still diaper-free (if you don't count pull-ups at nap and night time), but unfortunately today has brought accidents back into the game.  But I'll get to that in a second.

Friday

The bike helmet was a hit...bike not needed.  It was especially fun to wear the bike helmet while blowing bubbles.

And then she granted me an interview.




While I went out with my friend Bethany on Friday night, Callie and Chris played a little golf, ate some dinner, and had some quality daddy-daughter bonding time.

Saturday

We headed downtown in the morning to check out the Mill City Farmer's Market and hang out with Boom and Bops.

Mmmm...mini donuts!

The view from the condo deck

Chris had police reserve duty on Saturday night, so Cal and I had mommy-daughter bonding time.

Snuggles!

Sunday

Ugh.  Sunday.  Officially one week since we started potty training.  And apparently the way to celebrate one week of potty training is to regress 5 days.

After not having an accident (during the day in undies...there have been a few wet pull-ups at night) since Tuesday morning, she was on her third pair of undies by 10:00am this morning.  AND, she hadn't pooped since Wednesday evening.  That's like FOUR DAYS of not pooping.  But she had been complaining about it the past two days, saying she had to go, and then refusing to actually do so.  SO fun.

And thus, a QOTD from today.

Wrapping up a discussion about how everyone goes poopies...from Disney princesses to Dora.
Me: You know, Callie.  It is okay to go poopies on the potty.  Everybody does.
Callie: Everybody NOT go poopies!
Me: No?  Who doesn't go poopies?
Callie: I don't go poopies!

So we got her going on prune juice and raisins...and nap time came.  In the big girl bed.

The thing about the big girl bed is it allows little people to be sneaky.  The past two days, when checking on her after a couple hours, I found her out of her bed playing with the iPad.  She is somehow quiet enough getting out of bed that we don't hear it over the monitor. 

Today, she was sitting on the stairs, playing the iPad in a very poopy pull-up.

Grrrr.  We're not quite there yet.  There's always next time, right?

It has been a sort-of trying day so far, so I'm excited to go out to eat and then take in the show Chicago tonight with my friend Adrea.

We have one final week left of summer vacation.

The weather is getting cooler and fall seems to be in the air. 

Unbelievable.

Not a Potty Training Post

This week may have seemed to be all about potty training, but we did manage to have some fun too.

National Night Out!

Wading pool with Adrea

Park with Mommy

Daddy got someone a big girl bike!

Playing with Sydney

Playing piano at Boom's house

The Most Important Gold Medal of All

I have one more gold medal to hand out.

This gold medal is the culmination of hours and hours of persistence, tears, potty treasures and treats, iPad videos and games, potty songs, and sheer determination.

The gold medal for THE HAPPIEST and PROUDEST POTTY GO-ER goes to...

CALLIE JOY!!!!

We did it.  We DID it!  WE DID IT! HOOOORAY!


We made it through the screaming toddler forest, across troll stubborn Mommy bridge, to the Land of Dry Undies and Potty Chairs!

(Any Dora lovers out there? This format seemed appropriate.)

It is a great place to be.

I know we aren't totally there yet, but we are so much closer than the past three days that I think we can call it a victory.

Thanks to all of you for the positive vibes and words of encouragement.  It means a lot to have such an awesome network of people who care.

Potty Training Olympics: UPDATED- QOTD

Sometimes if you don't laugh at certain situations, you'll just cry.  So since I've already done the latter a few times, I thought I'd lighten the mood and hand out a few gold medals.  Since it is Olympic season and all.

So...here goes!

The gold medal for the BIGGEST POTTY AVOIDER goes to...

CALLIE JOY!

The gold medal for the LONGEST TIME SITTING ON A STOOL IN THE BATHROOM WHILE SUPERVISING POTTY VISITS EVER goes to...

MOMMY!

The gold medal for the WEIRDEST POTTY SITTER goes to...

CALLIE JOY!

The gold medal for the BEST MOOD-TO-CLOTHING MATCHER goes to...

MOMMY!

The gold medal for the MOST STUBBORN GOSSELIN GIRL EVER goes to...

It's a TIE!!!

In all seriousness, this has been the most challenging few days I've experienced being a parent.  And the hard part is knowing what to do.  Some people say give up and try again later.  Others say suck it up and power through.  I don't know what the best thing to do is, but we're giving this thing all we got until we got nothing left.  

She has only had 1 accident in the past 30 hours.  She really does know how to stay dry.  She doesn't want to wear diapers again, I straight up asked her that today.  But she FREAKS OUT when she has to go and actually pee in the potty chair (irritatingly enough, she has no problem sitting there if all she has to do is watch a potty video on the iPad).  So it is just this weird physical or emotional wall we have to break through...that I'm hoping will just happen with trying over and over again.  Once she actually does the act of peeing, she is totally fine and relishes in the rewards (sticker on the sticker chart, sticker on the iPad chart, a toy from the potty treasure box, AND a treat...ridiculous, right?).

The poop may be another story, but we're working on it.

I have 13 days until I go back to work.  I need it...want it...desperately hope it will be done by then.

UPDATED AT 8:30pm

We made a breakthrough tonight!  She peed immediately after sitting on the potty chair WITHOUT freaking out, and then later POOPED on the potty chair...again without freaking out!!!!!

I can't even begin to describe how amazing that is.

As I was hugging and kissing her and laughing and smiling, we had the following exchange.

Me: Callie, I am SOOOO proud of you!!!

Callie: I'm proud of you too, Mommy.

Melt. My. Heart.

And check out the sticker she chose for her poop poster.  Out of all the "Way to Go!"s and "Great Job"s and "Fantastic"s, she happened to chose this one:

Yep, that says "Hope"

Okay, Potty Training Bootcamp Day #4 tomorrow, BRING IT ON.