Taylor's 15 month

Our little girl has changed so much since turning one. The last three months have flown by and she hardly seems like the same little girl. When I look back at pictures (which one day I will get around to posting), I can't believe how all of her baby features are starting to slowly slip away and be replaced with a very happy, girly toddler.

I forgot that I had scheduled her checkup until about two days before, when I came across the appointment card. Good thing I found it, not so good for Taylor. She is not a fan of the doctor. Like her brother, she doesn't like anyone looking in her ears or mouth. I don't blame her, I'm not a fan of someone holding my head still so they can examine me either. So of course, their were tears.

Lucky for me, my little brother Kris was in town and came to the appointment with me. He was able to distract Mason and keep him entertained, while I tended to Taylor's needs. When she is upset, she will let you know and wants everyone to know how she feels.

Thankfully, everything checked out great and she only had to have three shots. The tears didn't last too long and we were out the door pretty quickly. Here are her 15 month stats:

Height: 32 inches (95th percentile)
Weight: 20lbs 9 oz ( 10th percentile)
Head: 44 cm (they didn't write down the percentile)

Things that have changed in the last 3 months:

* Walking and Running.
This is most likely the reason she is a lean but tall little girl. Now that she is constantly on the go, she is burning more calories.
* Talking in sentences.
Adam jokes that Taylor loves to hear the sound of her voice. She will talk and talk and most of the time everyone can understand her. She will speak in two and three word sentences. It took Mason much longer to get to that point, but I'm sure it's a younger sibling thing.
* She loves to eat.
I do not have a picky eater on my hands. Anything I put in front of her, she will eat. If you leave food on your plate and she is still hungry, she will eat it. It cracks me up. I wish Mason would take some notes.
* Cuddling.
Right up until I stopped nursing her, she was a great cuddler. Then it stopped. I had a feeling it would, and it broke my heart. In the past month, she has started to cuddle again. I love it and eat it up.
* The many faces of Taylor Reese.
We have a very expressive daughter. You can tell what she is thinking by the look on her face and she isn't afraid to hide it. Whether she is flirting, giving attitude, overjoyed, sad, or mad, you constantly know what you are getting with her.
* Her hair is growing.
Noticably, the most different. I am not a fan of bangs, so it will be awhile before she gets a haircut. I can't wait to put it up, which I can, but her hair is super fine.

Friday Favorites

I realize the day is almost over, but since I am finally home and have a chance to sit down and get online for a bit, I thought I would finally post something.

5. Father's Day.
Adam is a terrific Daddy to Mason & Taylor. I can't even begin to express how much they look up to him and just want to be with him. It makes my heart happy. Even though Sunday has come and gone, we had a great day. After church and some relaxing, we headed over to Ray & Marissa's house to grill and swim. It has become a ritual. We are seriously blessed by our friends.

4. My little brother.
Kris is in town. He came in last Saturday to spend the week with us. It has been so much fun having him around to play with the kids and just spend time with him.

3. My kids.
This past week or couple of weeks have been rough for various reasons, but I adore my children and feel so blessed that God chose me to be their mother.

2. Eclipse.
I originally had tickets to the midnight showing with my girlfriends, but will not be able to make it. However, I cannot wait to see the movie and look forward to getting my Edward fix next week.

1. Houston bound.
Tomorrow, I leave for Houston with the kids and Kris. Adam will join us next week for a much needed vacation, even if he can't stay the entire time. It will be a nice long visit, I don't think I return back to California until mid August. So if you want to meet up, let me know.

Crazy Week

Sorry I have been absent for awhile. Early last week, our router went out and I had no access to the Internet. By the time the weekend rolled around and we had a new router, but I didn't have time to update. Here is a brief summary of what has been keeping us busy around the Kaye house:

* Mason's 3rd Birthday Party with friends (we will be in Houston on his actual birthday, July 10th)
* Picked up my little brother Kris, who is staying with us for a week, from the airport.
* Celebrate Father's Day
* Mason gets stomach bug
* Taylor's 15 month checkup
* Visit Disneyland
* Taylor gets stomach bug (hoping it stops with her)

Once I have more time, I'll elaborate on the points above.

Ten on Tuesday

Tuesdays are always better with Chelsea's questions from her weekly Ten on Tuesdays. Thanks girl.

1. What would the title of your autobiography be?

Child of God, Mom at Heart.

2. What's the funniest thing that you have ever heard a child say or seen him/her do?

Mason was almost asleep one night and I was laying in his bed until he drifted off and he farted. It made him jump and he said "Mama, I hear thunder!" I was trying so hard not to laugh and shake the bed. I tried to explain that it wasn't thunder, but gas.

We were at Target with my cousin and she was looking for body tape for a dress she would be wearing to a wedding. It's found in the lingerie section. As we are standing there trying to figure out which one to get, Mason starts screaming, "Mama's bobo's!" He was referring to all the bras, but I have no idea why he calls them "bobo's." I had tears streaming down my red face.

3. What is your favorite kids game to play?

Life. It was always my go to game. Monopoly was fun, but took too long. I loved that I could pretend to have a family and a career.

4. If you got invited to a potluck BBQ tomorrow, what would you bring?

My mom's Chopped Beef Sandwiches. Delicious!

5. If your ears are pierced, how old were you when you got your ears pierced?

My grandmother took me to get my ears pierced at the age of six without my mom's knowledge. A few weeks later, they became infected and I had to take them out. It wasn't until I was a Senior in High School when I finally re-pierced my ears.

6. If you were celebrating your 30th Anniversary, where would you want to go?

Greece

7. What one blogger would you love to meet and why? And what would you plan to do with them?

Such a good question and one that I have been pondering about for the last 15 minutes. It's a tie between The Pioneer Woman and Beth Moore and her daughters. The Pioneer Woman is my kind of girl. She's a city girl at heart living in the country and loving it. She adores her husband, family and loves to cook. If I met her, I would want to cook up some great dishes, and invite a bunch of girls over to have a girls night.

I adore Beth Moore because her ministry has touched my heart. She knows women and is so relateable. Most of all, I would love to get our hair done together, followed by lunch and shopping at the Galleria. Then I would ask her to pray with me.

8. On a scale from 1-10, how good are you at home decor?

I would say a 7. We are currently renting, and while our house looks like a home, we are limited on what we can do.

9. Do you have good fingernails?

Yes, I'm very fortunate. My nails grow extremely fast and they have always been very healthy.

10. Pickles: Dill or Sweet? Baby, spears, or chips? Plain or on a burger?
Dill, the more sour, the better. I prefer to eat them by themselves and not on anything.

Friday Favorites

We made it through another week.Don't worry, I won't bore you with any more details of Mason potty training.

5. Coffee
My giant cup of coffee got me through the week.

4. Twist of Dazzle
I am a huge fan of Etsy.com. I could spend hours upon hours on this site and still not get my fill. I came across this Shop and found the cutest crosses. I love wall crosses and always love adding to my collection. These would look like great in Taylor's room.
3. Mason's parading around the house in his big boy undies.

Seriously, he has the cutest little tooshy.

2. Taylor loves to swim.
I mentioned previously that last Friday, we went over to our friends house to grill and swim. This was Taylor's first time in the pool since last summer. She had the best time and had a smile on her face the entire time. I just love her little swimsuit.

1. Kris is forever little brother!

As of yesterday, the adoption is final. I wish I could have been there for the ceremony and celebration, but my thoughts were with them throughout the day.

Thoughts on Potty Training

When I first tried to potty train Mason back in January, I thought he was ready, but he wasn't there yet and neither was I. It was pertinent for both of us to be ready for it to work. After one day of trying, I gave up. Sure I could have stuck it out, but I think I would have gone crazy.

A couples months later, I noticed that Mason was ready and so was I. However, I knew we would be traveling in the next month, so I decided to wait a little longer. Within that time, I made sure we talked about it all the time. Talking about it definitely helped prepare him mentally, even if he wasn't physically doing it just yet.

I did a little research and compiled what I thought would be best for Mason. There are so many ways to train your child, and some ideas and tips don't work for everyone. Mason is very strong willed, which is a great quality, if directed to use it properly.

The best process for us in approaching potty training would be going cold turkey. In the past, he has done extremely well when we quit things cold turkey (paci's and bottle). For us, diapers were no different. We have no diapers in our house his size and we aren't turning back. He has gone five days without diapers and I'm confident it was the best decision for him.

I have read everywhere that potty training boys is much more difficult than potty training girls. The biggest thing to remember that it's training a child in what to do. It might take time for them to get the concept and you will constantly have to remind them or force them to sit on the potty. It takes time. It doesn't happen overnight. To get to the point where you are consistently not having any accidents will take time.

Knowing Mason's personality, we opted for a potty seat that sits on the ground opposed to sitting him on the actual toilet right away or having him stand. Some people say it can be hard for them to transition to the actual toilet by doing this. I realize that will be a challenge, but for us the biggest challenge was getting him to sit on the toilet to begin with. Now that he doesn't have a problem with it, we will slowly transition him to sitting on the toilet.

This means I won't be going out too much, atleast for long periods of time. It's a sacrifice I will make for him. The end result is worth it. Don't miss understand me, it's not easy. I have cabin fever and with Adam traveling so much for work, little adult conversation. My relationship with my coffee has never been better. Ha!

Once we start venturing out, we will make short trips out and enforce that he needs to go on the potty before we leave. If he doesn't, we will go as soon as we arrive at our destination. This will constantly be the pattern. Atleast if he goes at my house, I know the bathroom is clean.

The best thing about this trying process is Taylor watches Mason and wants to do everything he is doing. She is by no means ready and needs to wait until she is a little older. But atleast she see's him and even now wants to sit on the potty.

I was a very proud mom yesterday and celebrated Mason not having any accidents. That means he also pooped on the potty for the first time. Lucky for you, I won't post a picture, unlucky for Adam, my mom and sister. I typed "Mason pooped in the potty" before the message, but everyone was expecting a boy smiling. Instead, they got something else. Sorry. Way to go Mason!

Ten of Tuesday

It's been a very long time since I did a Ten on Tuesday. Now that I'm not traveling or sick, I have the time to get back into my normal routine.

1. What does your car say about you? If you don't have a car, what kind of car would be your daily driver?

I drive a Mazda 3. It's sporty and fun. It's also black, which I will never do again. Adam chose the color when we were newly married and it was his car. I tried to tell him that it is too hot to have a black car in Houston, well really anywhere. My ideal car is a White or Charcoal Tahoe or Suburban. So I guess my car says that I'm still young.


2. To this point, what has been your purpose on this planet?
To be the best mom I can be but more importantly, to live my life for God.


3. If you could trade places with any person for any amount of time, who would it be?
I would have to sit and ponder that question for awhile and I'm not sure if I know.


4. What is your favorite kind of cake? If you don't like cake, what is it about it that you don't like?
Red Velvet or German Chocolate.

5. Would you have wanted to live in your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents generation, or only your own?
I would have loved to live in my grandparents generation. I feel like times were simple and more family oriented back in the day.


6. Do you have any home remedies for illness, cleaning, or otherwise?
No but feel free to leave some, I am always interested in learning new things.

7. What is your ideal weather situation?
About 80 degrees with no humidity and sunny. Hawaii's weather is perfect.


8. What is your best attribute (physical or personal)?
I have the gift of encouragement.


9. Do you text or surf while driving?
No, I really don't like it. In Cali it's against the law. But I just don't find it safe and it's rude when you are in the car with someone else. My pet peeve. If you are stopped and parked, then that is different.

10. How long have you known your best friend?
I am fortunate to have a couple of best friends. I have known Jeanna for 6 years. I have known Marissa for 2.5 years. Jessica and I grew up together from the start of our freshmen year in high school, so 16 years.

Day 3 Potty Training

Don't worry, I won't be updating everyday. I know it gets old reading about Mason's bodily functions, but this is also to document it for me, so that I can look back on it when it comes time to potty train Taylor and any future kids we will have.

I was very nervous and not sure what to expect with Adam gone. I am so glad we started this process over the weekend, when Adam was home. I don't think it would have gone as well if we hadn't. I tried to make the day as normal as possible, except we didn't leave the house at all and I constantly kept reminding Mason to tell me or just putting him on the potty.

Only one accident today! He went 8 for 9 and didn't poop today. That wasn't too surprising to me. Usually one day out of the week, he will skip his daily poop. It's either that or he is just holding it in. Tomorrow will tell.

I look forward to the day when he is doing all of this on his own, but until then I will give it my all in training him and teaching him the signs and constantly reminding him. Thank goodness God has given me patience through all of this.

Day 2 Potty Training

Wowsers, Mason was up super early this morning because he leaked. We are putting him in night time pull-ups for bed, and even stopped giving him liquids at 5:30pm last night, but it still happened. His normal bed time used to be around 6pm, but he took a nap yesterday and didn't drift off to sleep until 9pm. Little sleep for us and him.

By lunch time he already successfully pee'd in the potty 6 times. Pooping is still an issue. One that I really don't like, but I'm not going to stress over it yet. He will get there. Luckily, he took a nap again today. Two days in a row he has a dry pull-up after naps.

Tonight he begged for milk before bed. It was so hard not to run in the kitchen and grab it, but I don't want to wash his sheets again due to leaking. Atleast he fell asleep a little earlier tonight. Today went a lot better than Day 1. He still remembered everything and he was 10 for 14. Adam goes back out of town tomorrow for work. I'm nervous doing this on my own, but I know he can do it.

We don't have any plans to go anywhere this week. I want to try and get this down pat before we venture out. I will be so anxious to get out of the house by the weekend. Day 3 will be the true test.

Day 1 Potty Training

All week, I tried to prepare Mason for his "Potty Party." It wasn't until Thursday that we officially decided to start potty training that Saturday morning.. I'm glad that I had been talking to him about it all week, to get his mind in the thought process.

Right now, Mason is really in to Toy Story. I purchased a bunch of underwear back in January, but I knew that Mason would really get into it if he had Buzz & Woody underwear. So off to Target we went on a pursuit for more underwear.

Friday evening, we relaxed by the pool and grilled over at Ray & Marissa's. It was exactly what we needed before we embarked on this new journey. Before he went to bed, we reminded him that in the morning, we would be having a "Potty Party" and we would be throwing away all of his diapers.

He woke up this morning, with excitement, remembering that we would be having a party today. I even decorated the house and put up streamers and made signs and a potty chart. I walked around the kitchen and showed him all of the signs and his new chart and then we gathered every last diaper of his and tossed them in the trash. I should preface to say that I didn't have any expectations on how the day would go. Of course, I hoped it would be successful, but I didn't want to set myself up for disaster.

I have no idea how many times we repeated ourselves that day, but we wanted to make sure that he understood that his pee and poop go in the potty and to let us know if he needed to go. I made up a potty dance and just tried to make the day fun. No pressure.

By the end of the day, he only had four accidents and two of the times, he stopped himself and finished on the potty. He understands both urges and knows when to sit, but doesn't want to poop on the potty. He doesn't like it in his underwear either. Unfortunately, he is such a fast popper that I can't get to him fast enough when he is in the process. He successfully pee'd in the potty 6 times.

Adam and I are tired, but pleasantly surprised with how well it went. He picked up on it quickly, but still needs guidance and constant reminder. He doesn't get that if he is playing with his toys and needs to go, that he needs to stop, but he will get there. Now time to rest up for Day 2.

Have I lost my mind?

Tomorrow morning, we will be batting down the hatches and begin the part of parenting I despise the most, Potty Training. Seriously, it would be so nice if this would be smooth sailing, but I know it won't and I anticipate all of the worse case scenarios.

Mason is ready, he is more than ready, but I wanted to wait until after our trip in May. Since Adam is really busy with work right now, this is the only weekend we have open to start this journey. I didn't want to attack this alone. I tried back in January and quickly gave up. This time, it IS NOT AN OPTION!

I figure if Suz can potty train quads all at once, I can tackle my stubborn almost 3 year old. We are doing the 3Day Potty Training. I have read awesome reviews about it and had some friends try this technique and plan on giving it our all. If you don't hear from me in awhile, you know why.

Friday Favorites

I'll get right to it.

5. Taylor lifting her shirt to show me her belly button.
She has a new fascination with belly buttons. If I am laying down on the floor, she will come over and lift my shirt and point to my belly button and then proceeds to give me a raspberry on my belly. I love her sense of humor.

4.Toy Story
I knew that Toy Story 3 would be coming out this summer and thought that the first two movies would be fun for Mason to watch. He fell in love right away and wears his Woody hat all the time, but he is a bigger fan of Buzz Lightyear. Due to this new infatuation, we have decided that his birthday party will be Toy Story themed this year. We are inviting our close friends and their kids to watch the Toy Story 3 with us for Mason's birthday. Since we will be in Houston on his actual birthday, we will be having his birthday party early this year the weekend the movie is released.

3. "This is delicious!"
Mason's new phrase. It cracks me up, probably because he started saying this out of nowhere. We could be sitting on the couch and he will be drinking out of his sippy cup and the words will come out of his mouth. Too cute.

2. Short week.
Anytime there is a holiday weekend and Adam has a short work week, it brings joy to my life. I'm sure most people will say that, but I really look forward to it since Adam travels so much. Any extra time I have with my husband and the kids get to be with their Daddy is welcomed.

1. Friends.
May was an incredibly busy month for us and I didn't get to see much of my friends due to traveling and being sick. We are so blessed to have such great friends here, that they are more like family to us.

Walking and Potty Training

We finally have a healthy household! I hope I haven't spoken too soon, but for now, everyone is feeling much better. We spent Memorial Day at our good friends, Ray & Marissa's. They have a pool and the weather was perfect all weekend long. We jump on any chance to go for a swim. Unfortunately, it was just Adam & Mason taking a dip in the pool, while Taylor & I watched from the sidelines. She was still getting over her ear infection and I didn't want to risk any setbacks in my recovery.

As I mentioned last week, Taylor is walking. She started walking at the beginning of May. A few steps here and there, but she was doing it all on her own. Miss Independent wouldn't dare hold our hands and walk, she is the kind of girl that would be sitting in the middle of the room and stand up on her own and start walking. That's my girl!

When we were in Houston, her walking really took off. Adam was so surprised to see the difference when we arrived home last week. Most parents dread the day when your kids start crawling and walking, but I love it. It is so much easier and I love the independence of not having to carry her everywhere. She doesn't weigh but 20lbs, so she is light in comparison to Mason at that age.

Potty training Mason is in our near future. He is SOOOOOOOOO ready and so am I. We picked out new Toy Story underwear and we are going to have a "No More Diapers" party. He will proudly be tossing all diapers in the trash. Then I will need all the prayers I can get. I'm sure I'll be writing about it.