You know you're in the throes of Potty Training when...

Potty training. Ah, that beloved time that all parents get to go through at some point in their lives (unless you somehow manage to find someone to do it for you!). It's a right of passage, to be sure.
We all have our own potty training stories- the ups and downs, the bribes, the spills, the stains. And ultimately, the excitement of being trained!

It's always good to take a light-hearted approach to potty training. It's important to see the humor in having pee all over your floors, couch, clothes, on your hands, on your favorite book, even on your new baby!

And so, without further ado, You know you're in throes of potty training when:

1. You utter the phrase "Pee pee goes in the potty, not on the floor!" for the 100th time in one day, as you plaster a big fake smile on your face (you smile of course, because you don't want your baby to associate pee pee as a bad thing...or whatever that internet article said)

2. You immediately assume that anything wet on the floor, on the couch, on your pants, on anything is pee

3. You find stickers on every surface of your house, EXCEPT the sticker chart that you so artistically made

4. Going to the bathroom becomes a family affair- everyone gets to watch and cheer

5. Using the potty becomes the highlight of your day because EVERYONE cheers for you (especially your toddler who seems overly pleased that you had success).

6. You find yourself saying "Yay, mommy went pee pee on the potty" even if no one else is around

7. You go potty and immediately reward yourself with an m&m

8. You time your outings based on when your toddler last peed and how much fluid she had

9. You know where every bathroom is in a 10 mile radius of your house

10. Somebody farts (maybe your husband, but has also been known to happen when you're in the bathroom stall at Wal-mart and the lady next to you must have accidentally let one out as she was relieving herself) and your toddler yells "Poo poo!", causing you much embarrassment

11. You assumed incorrectly that once potty trained, you could get rid of the diaper bag. Rather, you almost need a BIGGER one because suddenly you need 2 changes of clothes to be on the safe side, plastic bags, and maybe even that plastic potty seat to put on top of the public toilets if you're a germ freak like me!

12. You used to let your toddler just play in the crib for awhile when she woke up in the morning or from her nap, but now you rush in immediately so you can take her potty

13. Your toddler hasn't peed in the potty for a few hours and you wonder to yourself where she may have stashed it. You step in something wet....(see #2)


I hope you had a laugh.Or even just a chuckle. If you're a bit confused about all of the potty training tips out there, read my blog on Potty Training tips for the Confused Mom. If you'd like to read about my own potty training story, read my blog on how I potty trained Miss Fits.

And, of course, if you have any of your own to add, please feel free to do so!

Rough and Tumble

I love my babies! They have cute little personalities and are such a joy to be around. Here's the scoop on my two:

As you may have noticed in some other blog posts, I have nicknames for my two bundles of joy. I refer to the two of them as Rough and Tumble. Jaelyn is rough. She always has been. She's a little tom boy- loves to jump and flip and play rough. She's as tough as nails!
Phillip is Tumble. Mostly because he falls over a lot!

I often refer to Jaelyn as Miss Fits. She's a toddler for sure- in the throes of her terrible twos. She's always had an extreme personality- right from birth! When she's happy she is deliriously happy and excited! She squeals, jumps for joy, and her smile can light up the room. When she's upset...the whole world knows! Or at least the whole house and maybe even the neighbors. She squeals (but this time a high pitched scream), she throws herself onto the ground kicking and screaming, tears stream down her face and she is difficult to console. Extreme.

Miss Fits

(That's her "cheese" face)

Phillip is Mr. Mellow. He's the opposite of Jaelyn in most respects. He's so laid back and easy going. He's typically content to just sit and watch. He has been such a good baby from the get-go. He will smile the biggest smile and melt even the coldest of hearts. When he laughs he barely makes any noise- just sort of chuckles quietly. Chill.

Mr. Mellow

I'm absolutely in love with my kiddos. For years I have dreamed of being a stay-at-home mom, and the reality of it is absolutely amazing. Obviously there are days that are ridiculous and hard and I wonder what I have gotten myself into. Days when Miss Fits is throwing tantrum after tantrum, drawing on the couch, trying to eat batteries, making her brother roll over even though he clearly doesn't want to. Days when my generally calm Mr. Mellow is fussy and insists on being held constantly. Days when I haven't showered, I'm drinking cold coffee...again, the house is a disaster and I'm just cranky.

Those days are there. Those days are hard. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. Because I have the blessing and the privilege to raise these little Rugrats. And oh what a blessing and joy it is! Rough and Tumble have penetrated the deepest parts of my heart and soul.

These two pictures capture the essence of who they are: 

Miss Fits...clearly throwing a fit. 

Mr. Mellow...chilling in his bouncy, albeit looking a bit freaked out. But calm, nonetheless.

Ah, the beloved Santa Clause. Miss Fits is just showing the crowded mall that she marches to the beat of a different drummer. And Mr. Mellow...well, he's just taking it all in.

They may be as different as night and day, but they are still best friends!

12 Potty Training Tips for Confused Moms

There are lots of tips out there for potty training your toddler. Let me help you sort through the confusing mess and make life much easier for you and your offspring.

My top 12 Tips:

1. Potty train in the Summer- If you potty train your bambino in the summer, you can just let him be naked outside all day long. No worrying about leaks and accidents and spills. After all, it’s nature!

2.    Do not potty train in the summer- children running around naked?! While it seems like a good idea in theory, it’s really pretty terrible. Toddlers fall a lot. Sidewalks can hurt WITH clothes on, so just imagine what it’d be like if you fell on the sidewalk while you were running as fast as you can after a blowing leaf…while naked!

3. Let your child be naked from the waist down while at home- It’s important for your toddler to know when he or she is going pee. If you put on pull-ups or even underwear, it may hinder them from feeling the pee.

4. Don’t let your toddler run around naked, even at home- Put on underwear so that your toddler will be uncomfortable in wet undies, should he or she have an accident. It will help them realize that pee pee goes in the potty, not in their pants.

5. Don’t use a timer to make your child go to the bathroom every 15-30 minutes- This will only cause your child to be annoyed with the potty and have no desire for it whatsoever!

6. Use a timer to take your child to the bathroom every 15-30 minutes- For one thing, YOU may need a reminder to take your child to the potty. Plus, if you give your kiddo ample opportunities to use the potty, they will get the concept quicker

7. Give your toddler lots of juice- If you fill up your tyke with lots and lots of fluids, he or she will have to go to the bathroom often. This is great because they will have many chances to try to get the pee pee in the potty! The more often that they are using it, the more likely they are to grasp the concept.

8. Do not overdue the drinks- Kids learn better when they are doing things naturally. It’s not natural for them to have to use the potty every 15 minutes. And really, it’s just annoying to have to go the bathroom that often. This approach will quickly make your toddler resent the potty.

9. Use Bribes- Do what you can to make the potty fun and exciting for your precious one. Use candy, stickers, bubbles, whatever your kids favorite thing is…use that! Bribery works wonders to get kids to use the potty!

10.  Do not bribe your kids- Your child will use the potty when he or she wants to. Bribery only causes more problems in the long run.

11.  Don’t start too early- Your toddler will learn to use the potty when he or she is ready. All the coaxing, bribing and excitement you can bring to the whole experience won’t do a darn thing if your kid isn’t ready!

12.  Start when you want to- Potty training is like any other kind of training. Your kid will learn as you teach him or her. The same with learning to use utensils, learning to tie shoes or ride a bike. We don’t stop teaching them when they don’t do it right the first few times. Learning takes time and patience.

I hope that helped clear up a few things for you. The internets, with its gamut of information can be overwhelming to a mommy as she’s trying to figure out this whole potty training thing.

And relax! This was meant as a joke. We are all just as confused as the next mom. So when one of these tips isn't working, try the opposite approach. I'm certain your precious tyke will eventually be potty trained. And if not...well then count your blessings because you will get to have your kid/teenager/adult at home with you forever!

Here's my own potty training story with Miss Fits. And when you do find yourself in full blown potty training mode, don't forget to have some fun (and write down the many many funny stories!)

Pee pee goes in the Potty

Potty training. I was both excited and nervous to begin the adventures in potty training with my daughter. Excited to not have two kids in diapers. Nervous about the actual process and how it would go.

Here is my story in successfully potty training my daughter by 20 months:

We started introducing the potty concept when she was 13 months old. Just every once in a while I would sit her on it and we would talk about it. She was curious about it anyway whenever I would go to the bathroom.

I attempted to start when she was just 17 months old. But…I didn’t think it all the way through. We were about to start traveling almost every week to raise support, as well as for the upcoming holidays. So in order to be consistent with her and not confuse the poor kid, I decided to wait until we moved to Texas and got settled.

When we finally moved 2 months later, I came up with a plan. I decided to try and make the potty as fun as possible! Everything I read online said that kids would potty train when THEY were ready, and if they weren’t…well then it would just be terrible for everyone.

I kind of have a different theory. Potty training is just like any other kind of training that we do with our babies and toddlers. We have to teach them! We taught them how to use a spoon and a fork, how to drink from cup, how to self-soothe. You teach your kids how to read and write, ride a bicycle, etc etc. Potty training is just the same. It has to be taught.

But learning also needs to be fun. If it’s not fun, then why would a toddler want to do it? If we don’t make it fun for them, then yes…it will end up being terrible for everyone.

Another thing to remember is that this isn’t your achievement, it’s your toddlers. Don’t get frustrated or upset with him because he doesn’t get it or doesn’t do it. It’s not about you, it’s about your little person! Give lots of praise and act like it’s the most exciting thing anyone can ever do!

Here’s how I potty trained little Miss Fits before she turned 20 months:

I started on a Friday and I determined that we were just going to have fun with it. The problem we had previously was that she just didn’t want to sit on it. So I made sitting on the potty super fun for her.

Every time she sat on the potty that day I would paint one of her toenails and one of my toenails. She LOVED it! After she had sat on it 10 times, I switched to bubbles. I would let her play with the bubbles every time she sat on the potty. But…that quickly got messy. She wanted to hold everything and the bubbles spilled everywhere.

I also praised here a TON when she sat on it- like a ridiculous amount. Like she had just won the Nobel Peace Prize or discovered that Pluto is, in fact, a planet. I went overboard! And she got really excited about it too.

The next morning I took off her diaper NEVER to put one on her again (okay, that’s not true. We still use diapers for naps and night time)!

I explained that pee pee goes in the potty- not in her pants, not on the floor. And any time she would start to pee or pee all the way I would say “Yay! Pee pee!” and take her to the potty. Then I would tell her again (in a chipper voice) that pee pee goes in the potty.

If she did go in the potty (even if she started peeing somewhere else and finished in the potty), I would over praise her and then give her an m&m. I explained that if she went in the potty, she would get an m&m. She loved it!

I kid you not, the child got the concept that day! Any time she needed to go, she would run to the potty and sit down. All by herself! She was so excited about it!

The next day was Sunday and I was a bit nervous because we had church. I contemplated putting a diaper on her, but then thought better of it. I had said no more diapers and I meant NO MORE DIAPERS! So I put on her big girl undies, some plastic pants and her jeans. And off to church we went!

I told the nursery she was potty training and to please take her several times. Jaelyn doesn’t say when she needs to go, she just goes to the potty and sits down. Kind of hard if there aren’t any little potty chairs just hanging around the nursery.

When I picked her up they said they had taken her once, but she didn’t need to go. I took her again before we left, but she didn’t have to go. I was nervous she would pee in the car. But lo and behold, she did not!

Our first outing, and she didn’t have an accident!

The following week she did great! Seriously. I don’t understand it, but this kid was potty trained. I continue to say she is potty training, but truthfully she is already trained! I don’t know how it happened in such a short amount of time, but she really grasped the concept!

That first week she would have an accident if she had on undies or pants. This is simply because she just wouldn’t pull them down. She’d still sit on the potty and go- just fully clothed.

It has been over a month now and we very rarely have accidents. She has learned to pull her pants down now before sitting on the potty.

Our next step is transitioning the little potty into the bathroom and eventually using the big potty! Currently she insists that her potty chair be in the living room. I have put her potty in the bathroom several times, but every time she has to pee she will literally pick it up and carry it back to the living room before using it.

So that’s my story in potty training. If you are considering potty training your toddler (even if they are younger than when most parents start), I say go for it! It might take a while, but consistency and fun always pays off!

So grab your mop and nail polish and go have some fun!

Little Miss Fits sporting her new big girl undies!

So proud!

Theme Songs for Life

I like to categorize my life into different titles; different themes. Usually revolving around a song that really just seems to sum up my life (or so I thought. I tend to be a bit on the dramatic side, so a lot of my themes seem overly dramatic as I look back on them). I'm sure I'm not the only one that does this, right? Right?! I've done this since I was in high school. The theme for my life back then was "Don't let me get me" by Pink. Yeah...

When I lost my grandma, a classmate and a neighbor all in the same year my theme for that time was "Walk by Faith" by Jeremy Camp. It hurt. A lot. But I knew that God was still there and He was still in control. Even if I couldn't see it, I could trust it. I had faith that he would heal the brokenness. And in time He did.

In college I went through a series of many different themes. I feel like my college years was when I was really trying to find myself. Most of my college years themes had to do with relationships (or rather, lack of relationships) and my frustrations in that area. Again...I have a flair for the dramatic, so don't be surprised when I say that my two back to back themes were "The one I'm waiting for" by Relient K and "Scars" by Papa Roach (hey, I never said they were great songs/themes!"). I really liked this guy, and hoped he could turn into the one I was waiting for. It broke my heart when things didn't turn out the way I longed for them too. It also made me angry. Hence the Papa Roach song.

The song "Who I am hates who I've been" from Relient K (I was really into Relient K) was a big theme for quite awhile. It's when I was going through a period of needing God's grace over and over because every single day I was failing miserably. I knew I was sinning, yet I continued to do it. It was a difficult battle. And it lasted a long time. Thankfully God doesn't give up on us like I sometimes think he should.

When I was dating my now husband, my theme for that time was "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. It was a bittersweet time in my life. I was deeply in love with this man, yet we faced many obstacles as our families were less than thrilled about us being together. Eventually it all worked out for the good. God is pretty awesome like that. But it took time.

I have changed a lot since my college days. I have grown in my faith and truly discovered the woman that God has meant me to be. I have a lot of growing to do still, obviously. But I no longer question my identity and wonder who I am or where I am going. Parts of my journey are still a mystery. But my overall identity is clear. And my overall mission in life is clear too. God has called me higher. He has called me deeper...deeper than my feet could ever wander.
And this leads me to my theme songs for my life right now. Two of them, yes. I'm getting greedy in my upper 20's age.
"Oceans" by Hillsong is a song that permeates through to my very core. I feel like this song was written for me. The part that really speaks to me is this:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders 
Let me walk upon the waters 
Wherever You would call me 
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander 
And my faith will be made stronger
 In the presence of my Savior

The other song is "You have called me Higher" by All Sons and Daughters. I've been struggling desperately with where I know the Lord is calling me to serve. You can read more about that here.
God knows my heart. I share my struggles with him daily. I also know that he cares deeply for me. That is why I trust him with my very life. That's also why I know he gives me gentle reminders like these songs to help me see things a little more clearly.
As I was sitting in church a few weeks ago I was being brutally honest with God. I told Him I wanted to say no to His calling. I wanted to stay and not go. These are things He already knows. But I felt like I needed to share them with Him again. Emphatically. Then one of the members of the worship team began singing this song. It broke me. It was just what I needed to hear.
Sometimes I need God to be brutally honest with me as well.

Here are the words that brought me to my knees and made me realize how desperately I need God. And how much I desire to serve Him....wherever He is calling me.

I could just sit 
I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness
Hope to feel Your presence
And I could just stay
I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You
Hope to feel something again

And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down

But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me
Where You lead me Lord

And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down

But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I'll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me

And I will be Yours, oh
I will be Yours for all my life