Potty Blues

Ava is smart. So smart it sometimes scares me. She has reached every developmental milestone way ahead of schedule. She knows her shapes, colors, numbers to fifteen, ABCs and her verbal skills are absolutely astounding. It is like talking to a miniature adult. However, the one area Ava seems to be sluggish with is the potty. She really just would rather do her business in private without some big spectacle. The other day I walked into her room and found her standing beside her bed, gripping the bed spread with a very strained look on her face. The dialogue went as follows:

Me: "Ava are you pooping?"
Ava: turning her head "Don't look at me!"
Me: "Should we go sit on the potty?"
Ava: "Don't look at me!!! Just check your email!" (The computer is in her room)
Me: rolling around laughing on the floor

Really, I am running out of clever ideas for her to want to use the potty. I gave her a quarter every time she tried and when we got 10 quarters we went to the store to buy a barbie-- a barbie with a Vespa scooter! I've taken barbies, babies, and all her stuffed animals with us to use the potty. I've taken books and blankets and I have even composed a potty song. She reallllllllllllllyyyy likes the song but she never seems to go when I sing it. It goes a little somethin' like this, oh and I beat her feet together while I'm singing:

Pee and Poop
Pee and Poop in the potty not in your pants
Keep your pants clean
Keep your pants dry
And pee and poop
Pee and poop in the potty not in your pants
Woooooooooooo!!!- You have to say this at the end with extra emphasis

If anyone is interested in the melody to accompany the lyrics, call me and I will sing it for you. Any suggestions on this potty matter are welcome. We went through three pairs of underwear, pants and socks today after I had just put her on the potty like 5 minutes before each time she peed in her pants! Ugh!

E Butters

Here are a couple of photos of Eliot when he was home in August. He and Ci Ci have the same expression on their face.


























Na is always so hilarious.
















The embrace just before they pounced on one another over a toy.

Rocky

Na got a new pet. Well, a "temporary" pet, right Na? Rocky has become my nephew Riley's newest obsession and best friend. Every time he is over at Na's, he plays, pets, walks, feeds and tends to Rocky's every need. And when he is not at Na's, he is constantly talking about how he needs to go there to play with Rocky. It is the sweetest thing. I think it is really good for Riley. It gives him a sense of responsibility and companionship. I think he might even have a box of dog bones at his house just waiting to feed to Rocky. At least that is what Ava told me, who by the way is petrified of Rocky's sweet face every time he comes within 5 feet. Every boy needs a dog, well, at least this boy. Doesn't it look like they belong together?

Ava's 1st Crash

Ava decided to ride her bike while waiting for her daddy to get home from football practice. I, being the overprotective mother that I am, padded her down as best I could without applying the bubble wrap you use to ship packages. Of course when she tipped her bike over, what did I do? Yeah, I took some pictures. It was only a minor wreck. She didn't even get hurt. Well, really how could she with all her head gear and knee pads?

Hello Na

If Ava has learned one thing from her mother, it is how to multi-task. She recently has become obsessed with painting and would like nothing better to paint or craft all day. She insisted that she call Na to let her know she was making her a picture. A thorough cleaning is needed at the end of each painting session.

La La La La

Elmo and the portable DVD player were our friends on our journey through the desert. Ava is concentrating very hard on Elmo's episode about pets. The earphones were an added blessing. I didn't have to withstand the annoying Elmo's World song which would most definitely be seared into my head the rest of the day. Matt is trying to stay awake.

Green Grass to Red Rocks

On our pilage out west it was interesting to see how much the country side, from my birdseye view, changed. It went from green grass and abundant trees to a very arid, sandy region with abundant red rocks, then back to patches of grass in neighborhoods that could afford to sprinkle their lawns. I spent part of the 4 hour plane ride capturing the changing topography.