I heard that from Savannah three times in about five minutes while I was trying to potty train Madeline using the method outlined in the book Toilet Training in Less Than One Day. I quit after those five minutes. I kept telling Savannah that she needed to stay in the living room and watch her show and read her books, but she really wanted to see Katie, the baby doll, peeing in the toilet. So much for no distractions. Madeline was adequately distracted. She did manage to wear panties for five minutes, while Savannah puckered her lower lip out and said, "Those are my panties." Then she promptly came into the living room and peed on the floor.
Anyway, despite the failed attempt today, I'm going to try again come Monday or Tuesday when Rick can occupy Savannah. So, I won't say that the book doesn't work. In fact, I love the whole idea behind the book, I love the method, and I really truly think it will work. I just need Madeline's undivided attention.
I've been working on my genealogy website a lot lately. Dad was really excited with the family tree I included in his scrapbook. I didn't tell him that it was the super duper condensed version. I have so much information on his side of the family. I have a lot of info on Mom's side, too. And Rick's Aunt Brenda is like obsessed with genealogy, and she has traced his ancestry way way far back. Anyway, Dad doesn't have a computer, but his good friend's wife does, so I'm sending the link to her for her to show him. I think he'll be really excited. I kinda want a membership to Ancestry.com so I can see the census stuff and records and things like that, but I don't know if I want to spend $12.95 plus a month for it.
The girls checked out 18 books from the library the other day. Most are storybooks, but I threw quite a few educational ones in there, too. Plus, I've discovered if I just plant myself by the children's non-fiction shelves, the girls will pick books from them. We got a book about the life cycle of the frog, a book about President number four: James Madison, a book about Egyptians (because Savannah wanted to know how to make a mummy), the Usborne book of World History, a book about Matisse, a book about beehives, and the rest are imaginative storybooks. I also renewed our book on the Pledge of Allegiance and the illustrated Gettysburg Address. What fun we have at the library. And what fun we have looking forward to preschooling with our new books. I love how excited they get when we hang a new Preident flash card on our President wall. And how both girls will randomly stand in the hallway and say the names of the Presidents hanging there.
And I love how stinkin' cute my girls are. Just throwing a little completely biased bragging in there.
I went and voted this morning, and my conscience is clear. Even though the winning candidate tonight wasn't who I voted for, as a Christian, I must respect him. We had an excellent lesson about this on Sunday night. The point was made that even if the president or another government figure isn't someone you like, as a Christian, you should not make hateful comments or rude jokes, etc. regarding that person. You must respect and submit to your leaders, unless of course it goes against God's word. So, I have nothing bad to say.
I am confident that God is in control, and I remain ever prayerful.
In a funny note...the girls and I have been learning the presidents in preschool. They know that George Washington was the first president, John Adams was the second, and Thomas Jefferson was third. So, tonight, we were watching the election coverage, and Savannah was asking what exactly an election is. I explained it to her, and she said, "Hmmm, I wonder who the next president is gonna be?" Madeline looked up at her and matter-of-factly said, "George Washington." It was so funny.
Madeline told me she went potty earlier in the potty. I was so excited. She'd taken her diaper off earlier, and she had been playing in my room. I heard her fiddling around in her bathroom, so I figured maybe she really had gone potty. And I celebrated with her and gave her a big hug. Well, it was premature. I ventured back to my room to get something, and she had tee-teed on my floor...on some of my childhood pictures. I cleaned up the mess, went to the bathroom she was in, and got on to her for lying to me. Man, I was so excited, too!
I made "spaghetti" tonight. Really it was spaghetti squash. And it was delicious. We ate meat sauce over it topped with mozarella and parmesan cheese. I may eat some more after the girls go to bed. That's typically my snacking time...because I can enjoy my snack alone. It's nice.
I also went to Michael's today to buy more cardstock, and I realized that I really really like Hobby Lobby a lot better. I think I ended up paying double what I would have paid at Hobby Lobby, and it wasn't the same colors as I'd been using, although they're close enough. I'm still a little disappointed.
I can't breathe through my nose. It's horrible. I've been sneezing and blowing and blowing and sneezing for the last two days. And my ears keep stopping up, too.
Mom has decided on what she's getting the girls for Christmas. Although, this present also counts as their birthday presents. in fact, I think she went and bought it today. Maybe.
Here it is: Ta da! I know they're gonna love it. And I'm pretty sure that Rick and I can't top it. Although, if we get Madeline what I would like to get her, I think she'd be really really happy. Little Tikes has this horse that the child bounces on, and it "walks" (more like scoots) across the floor. She's got two catalogs that advertise it, and she always shows Rick and I the horse. It is pretty pricy though...but not as pricy as the Nana present. Savannah wants roller skates. Madeline is also getting Wall-E on DVD. Oh, and Savannah wants the Pretty Pretty Princess game. She asked Rick for it yesterday, but quickly followed her request with, "But you can't play it with us, Daddy. It's only for girls." I think he said no after that...of course, he was kidding. I think.
The day started out with playgroup at Caleb and Chloe and Keira's house next door. We painted pictures and played in sand and jumped on the trampoline and played on their swingset. And no fits were thrown when it was time to leave. That was super nice.
We got home and all was well, and then, suddenly, a massive migraine hit. I laid down, intending to do just that, lay down. But I fell asleep. Partly asleep. As asleep as I can get with two little ones running around and asking me questions and climbing on me.
But leave it to Mom to rescue me. She just happened to call while I was laying down, and she said that she was coming to McKinney to pick something up. And she asked if I would like for her to take the girls and I to Taco Bueno. What a lifesaver! She came and we went to Taco Bueno while Rick finished his nap out. When we got home we were surprised by two goodie filled pumpkin baskets at the front door that Uncle Michael had dropped off. There were glow necklaces, glow sticks, pumpkin flashlights, lollipops, glow wands, more glowsticks, Halloween tattoos, a flashing pumpkin light, and a lollipop with a fan on it that lit up. The girls both wore their glow necklaces, took their glow wands, and we took one pumpkin flashlight.
We left after Rick took a shower and ate his food. Madeline only made it for a few minutes, and then she started to fall asleep in the stroller. She didn't have a nap today. And she ran into the chess table and got a bruise on her face. Then she slipped on the kitchen floor I had just mopped, and then she ran into the door of the armoire in the living room. Poor baby! She's still up and going right now, though.
Savannah and I continued to trick or treat, while Madeline and Rick passed out candy. We went to about 10 more houses, and then we came home when Savannah said, "let's go home." We also came home because at three of the houses we went to, the homeowners asked me where my basket was and if Savannah and I were sharing our basket. No. I'm the mother. One of them also said he liked my costume. Uh, I'm not a wearing a costume. He also tried to give me a piece of candy, and when I said, "Oh, I'm her mom." He said, "Oh, well, I'll put a piece of candy in her basket for you, too." Uh, thanks? Next year, I won't wear a shirt with any kind of sequins on it.
Madeline was a super cute Winnie the Pooh, even if a group of kids said that "he" looked so cute. Yeah, him with the pink shoes and the ponytail on top of his head. Hmph.
Savannah was the prettiest Little Mermaid ever. Even if we didn't have a red wig. I'll post pictures soon. Madeline wasn't willing to cooperate during the picture taking, though. I'm happy I got any sort of picture of her. She was pretty fussy.
And that is the tale of our Halloween this year. Eventful, but fun.
Just when I thought we had a nausea free house, I felt a shot of toddler puke splash on my arm. Madeline woke me up at 5 this morning throwing up in my bed. Pleasant. She'd been screaming and crying since around 3, and she was completely inconsolable. I should have known that giving her two full cups of water in a row was a bad idea, especially since she basically gulped down the first one. But again, she was inconsolable, so when she screamed "DWIIINKKKYYY DWINK!" I ran and got her cup, filled it with water, and she drank it. The crying started up again, so I refilled her cup, she drank it. About two minutes later, the unpleasant part happened. Thankfully, it was for the most part, not too messy.
She still hasn't felt too good today. She's more cranky than usual. And this girl can get cranky, let me tell ya.
Finally, last night/this morning, in order to get some sleep, Rick moved her to her room. She cried for a minute and promptly fell asleep. We all slept till noon. Except Rick, he slept till 4:20, since he works tonight.
We went to the library yesterday. The girls and I picked up a new selection of preschool books for the next week or two. We moved on to president number 2, John Adams. Both girls know who George Washington is. And now they point it out on their dollar bills before dropping them in the collection plates at church. Anyway, we got a book about John Adams for history, a book about the history of Texas for history/geography, a book about Elizabeth Blackwell, a female doctor, because Savannah likes doctors, a storybook, Heidi on tape, Tikki Tikki Tembo on tape with the book, The Jungle Book, an illustrated version which Savannah is extremely excited about, Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes, and a book based on a story from The Faerie Queen, which is our classic for the week. That should keep us busy. We're also working on phonics and learning how to read. And piano lessons. And Bible study. And math. Wow. Have I mentioned that I'd really like to homeschool? I'd really like to homeschool...at least after 2nd grade. But right now, I can't break Savannah's heart and tell her that she's not going to the school that she only tells me EVERYDAY that she's going to next year. Plus, that will give me the time I need to finish school. Perhaps, though, I'll start Madeline off from Kindergarten. We'll see. I haven't really discussed it with Rick, but I'm reading a book called The Well-Trained Mind, which is about homeschooling using the classical method, which I love. And he started reading it, and he said he finds it to actually be very interesting. And now, he encourages me to come home with a bag full of educational books.
And I'm almost certain I have another UTI. I hate those.
At least Savannah's all better. Just that one night was bad, and then it was over.
I made lots and lots of little bitty hangers today. Probably like 70 of them. At least.
I'm going to attempt to study some tonight, even though I feel like my stomach is about to jump into my throat. Ew. And I have not taken any more of that migraine medicine. Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure this nausea is soon to be accompanied by a headache. I can feel it. They go together like yucky peas in a nasty little pod.
I teach Bible class again in the morning. Hopefully, tomorrow, it won't just be Madeline. I don't want her to feel like she can be bossy and get her way in class, just because I'm the teacher. Will not happen, little missy.
I ate mashed potatoes for dinner. Just mashed potatoes. I couldn't think about eating anything else. I just had a hankering for some mashed potatoes. Let's not mention that I ate nearly 4 whole servings of them. Oh wait, too late.
