Taylor Is Trained & Russell Is Walking!

Let me begin by thanking everyone for the advice--I couldn't have made it through these six days of torture without you.  Some suggestions in particular helped my fiercely independent, morning-potty-king figure it out:

1.  Put Taylor in underwear at night.

2.  Give Taylor the control.  He should decide when he goes potty.

3.  Gradually work him into wearing pants. Bare bottom, underwear, fully clothed, in that order.

4.  Give him something to do, like read books (or play iPhone apps!) while he tries to poop.

5.  Insist on him cleaning up when he has accidents.

Taylor and I clashed many times during this potty training experience because he really needs to make his own choices, and I always fought to be in control.  (My dad once joked with me that if it were okay to parent like Satan, I probably would.  Sadly there's truth to that. :) )

Once I turned things over to Taylor, he shone.  We still have accidents here and there, but I think he's basically got being a "big boy" down.  Thank goodness!

I even feel comfortable enough to venture out of the house now.  Andrew and I took the kids out to Cold Stone yesterday for their "Make a Wish" ice cream social, and Taylor rocked it.  I also went to the mall today to let my boys play at the "inside park" and see the animals at the pet store.  Big Boy did awesome again.  

I finally feel free!

(Knock on wood)

Little boys looking at puppies in the pet store window at the mall

Taylor isn't the only kid around here who's been making big strides.  

For the past month, Russell has been trying to walk.  It's been off and on, but this week, he's decided that walking is his thing.  Even though this has been a gradual process, it's strange but fun to see him walk in-and-out of rooms on his own---doing his cute little baby thing.

Ruh-russ Stuffing his face with Ramen Noodles for Lunch

Russell's first steps just over three weeks ago...

...a few weeks after that...

...tonight.

What a little man!  Wasn't he just born yesterday? (I swear I was there...) 

He's growing up so quickly.

Running with Toddlers

I heard my kids wake up at 6:40 this morning.  I slowly rose and tried to pause for a peaceful moment of serenity before I went out to the trenches again--and for the first time this year, I noticed yellow leaves on the tree in front of my house.

I can't deny it (though sometimes I'd like to): Fall is in the air.  It was beautiful and calming to look at in those brief minutes.

Then I went to my sons' bedroom and was brought back to reality by the greetings of one singularly nasty Pull Up.

And a very upset toddler...that is, when he learned that he, (not me) would get to clean the grossness up.  That made for a slightly dramatic morning.

After that adventure, I decided that I didn't want to worry about cleaning up any more Pull Up messes today.  Or underwear messes.  That's right.  Taylor didn't wear anything from the waist down today....

...except when I went on my 7 mile run with the kids.  Then, I figured at least underwear was in order.

Has anyone out there gone running with restless toddlers before?  If not, I warn you, it can be a bit tricky.  My little boy questioned me endlessly, as follows:

Taylor: "Mom, I want to walk.  Can I get out?"

Me: (short of breath):  "No.  I....need...to...run...now."

Taylor: "Why?"

Me:  "Just because...I do."

Taylor: "But why do you have to?"

Me: "Because...I'm going... to run...another....race...soon."

Taylor: "Why??"

Me: "Let's just...be quiet for now."

*Brief pause*

Taylor: "When are we going to get to the Porta Potty?"

Me: "Does...the...pee...need to...come out?"

Taylor: "Yes!  It does!"

Me (coming to a screeching halt--pausing stroller, iTunes, making baby Russell fussy.):"Now?  Do you need to get out right now?"

Taylor: "Yes!  We do!"

Me: "Do you think you can wait until we get to the Porta Potty?"

Taylor: "But I need to get OUT!"

Me: "Because you need to go potty?"

Taylor: "No, I don't."

Great.  Thanks for that, little stinker.

It was start, stop.  Start, stop.  For my entire run.  There were questions, potty needs, several potty breaks and potty attempts (shown below), and by the time we were finished, 

I was finished.

When I say "finished," I mean super exhausted.  My mind and body had given just about everything it had to give for that run.  Talk about exhausting! I definitely felt very accomplished when I checked that task off my list.

I've pointed out some struggles of the day, but truly, today was a success.  Besides this morning's Pull Up of death, Taylor had no accidents and even got excited about sitting on the potty, thanks to this new (FREE) discovery:

I think he could pretend to make cupcakes all day if I'd let him. (Hey, maybe that's my ticket out of this...sitting my kid on the potty with "Easy Bake Oven" app all day long! Ha.)

We also decided to give it a try (thanks for your suggestions everyone): and put him in thick trainer underwear tonight.  I'm crossing my fingers!  Andrew had the idea to get him a night light to encourage waking up in the night for potty needs.  The two of them went to Target to choose one: 

        

Here's the winner (can you tell this is a night light?).  Taylor says Buzz will protect him if he get's too scared to go in the dark bathroom.  Cute.

Righteous/Lucious

My awesome hubby made today so much better than the last.

After the standard morning kid routine, he took over most of the potty training and played with the kids while I rested.  Then later he gave me a back rub.  

Ahhh, much better. 

Today had a couple great family moments that also made the day brighter: 

1.  Taylor asked Andrew if he could watch "The Righteous Brothers" this morning.  Andrew had no idea what he was talking about.  Taylor clarified, "You remember Dad, the one about the airplanes?" Oh yeah--The Wright Brothers.

2.  We FaceTimed my Dad and 17 year-old brother Devin tonight.  Devin has been dating a cute gal who has the kind of name that just itches for sibling pestilence: Lisa Amor.  I usually can't resist dropping some goofy comment his way when I ask him about how she's doing, and tonight he responded hillariously to my attempt to get his goat:  "So how's Miss La-la-L'Amour?" I say.  Devin smiled with an immediate response: "La-la-lucious!"  

Ha ha!  Too perfect.  Devin's a crack up.  

As I prepare to put on the armor of a potty trainer again tomorrow, I have a question to put out there:  

Pull Ups at night...yes or no?  I can't figure that one out.

One "Love It" to Go, Please

Today's end was the bringer of meltdowns.


I guess should have seen it coming when I cried yesterday while watching "Cinderella" with Taylor (it was just so sweet that she found love after all she'd been through, you know??).


I'm sure this is just your typical PMS, but I'm also thinking I may have overloaded my plate without realizing it.


First there's the potty training thing.  Did you know that Taylor had three accidents today?  Three accidents.  Three, that didn't seem to bother him in the least.  Sigh. 


And there's also the new race that I'm signed up for (did I mention that I'm training again?).  It's a running event in Highlands Ranch called the Wildcat Mountain--it's a 10 mile trail run.  That's right, TEN miles.  I thought about doing it after feeling so great after doing my tri, and Andrew encouraged me to take the challenge.  I am excited for sure, but I'm also wondering if I've bit off a little more than I can chew... 

Today began after I sent my husband off to work early (on a Saturday--total stink), I ran six miles with the kids in their stroller, followed by cleaning up poopy underwear a couple times, fighting to stay awake with Taylor and his potty needs, then got dinner ready for my family.  After dinner I dressed in my Sunday best and went to the Relief Society general broadcast.


The RS broadcast is an event I look forward to every year.  It's always so uplifiting and inspiring...and tonight was no exception.  But somehow this time I didn't leave feeling nearly as great as usual.  It actually took me some effort to get though the event--I was so distracted.  After it ended, I made chit chat with some of the gals in my ward, then drove straight to Cold Stone, where I ordered a big "Love it" of Oreo Cream ice cream and inhaled it while I window shopped at Southwest Plaza.  

Then I bought two shirts at the Gap.  Yeah, so much for the window shopping.  And if you know me, you know that spontaneously buying clothes so not a 'me' thing to do.  I love being cute and trendy, but I'm also a real penny pincher!  Hard to find the balance...Anyway, what's come over me?


I drove home, feeling buyers remorse and also feeling badly that I had left Andrew alone with the kids all night long.  I sat down to really talk with my husband for the first time all day and tears started to trickle down my face, through intermittent laughter.


I know I'm not the only mom who's busy, and so many moms out there have succeeded in potty training their kids too (multiple times even--I don't know how they do it)!  


But somehow all of it makes me a mess.  All I want to do right now is eat ice cream, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry!  


This is so ridiculous.

Potty Training Diaries: Day Three

Well, Taylor woke up with wet "Pull Up underwear" (as we call it) and had an accident after lunch time.  


That's the bad news.

Now for the good: 


Taylor POOPED in the potty today! (is it too alarming to put the word "pooped" in bold and all caps on my public blog?)


He performed for his dad, after holding it all day I am convinced.  Time, and using Andrew's new iPhone game, "Temple Run" as a distractor did the trick.  When he was done, Andrew asked him if it was a scary experience.  His response: "NO.  It was COOL!"

Temple Run

I think Taylor felt a hardy dose enthusiasm from his parents, as we were constantly hugging and praising him, rewarding him, and asking him questions like "What did you do today?" and "Are you a big boy?"

Taylor showing off his double dose of Spiderman fruit snacks, just before for having a special movie night with Mom and Dad.

Please don't mind the potty talk here...ADrew and I feel like shouting this exciting news to the rooftops!  We are super thrilled.  Getting our little guy to this point was no easy feat!

King Soopers

I hear opinions all the time that McDonalds has geared their marketing toward kids--Ronald McDonald and characters, their play areas, Happy Meals.  You know what I mean.  The idea that you hook 'em while they're young.

But I think King Soopers has really got it down.

My kids love the going to the grocery store more than any other place.

Seriously.  They BEG me to go.  

Even Russell hypes up when we drive by the store or when he hears the words "King Soopers."

I can't say that I blame them...

How can you beat riding in a two-seater car grocery cart,

In some cases, with Disney TV playing as Mommy shops?

Well, you can,

if you give each kid a free cookie from the bakery each time they visit,

and 1¢ pony rides as they exit the store.

And as far as I can tell, every King Soopers in the Denver metro area has these cool features for kids.  (What I want to know is, where on earth do they get all the penny horses??)

They're great.  I remember hating going grocery shopping with my mom at times as a kid.  King Soopers, you've definitely won the "Mommy Approved Store of the Year" award from me!

Potty Training Diaries: Day Two

I survived another day in the trenches of toddler motherhood.

I was even disciplined enough to wake Taylor up early to take him potty before he could go in his pants.  Big score on that one--I am so not a morning person.

The sad part is, we sat in the bathroom for an hour together wating for Mother Nature's wonders to arrive, 

and they never did.  It was stage fright I guess.

One hour later, I welcomed four other 3 year-olds into my home for Playgroup.  That added to the craziness, but it was good kind of crazy.  And besides, I'm already getting cabin fever.  It was good to have a change of pace.

The kids danced (little Russell LOVED that), they snacked, played, read books, made crafts.

Taylor remained pantsless of course.

Amazingly enough, through all the commotion my potty-champ-in-training rocked his new skills.

It was after lunch that the story changed.  It was gross.  Tedious.  Stressful.  Oh I hope my Taylor gets this pooping thing figured out soon!

I am so not a fan.

Any suggestions?

Yum

Mmmmm...Palisade peaches.

This year I found a connection to a farmer who grows these beautiful babies.  I couldn't resist buying a bunch!  My family and I are inhaling them.

When I lived with my cousin Brittany in college, she forever changed me after she made one of her favorite recipes to share with me and our roomies: Aunt Margene's fresh peach pie.

Ooooh.  La.  La.

I've been drooling ever since.

After having these peaches in our home for only two days, have already made Aunt Margene's pie.  

If you hurry, you can come visit us and taste this a slice of this heaven!  

Potty Training Diaries

I began "Potty Training: Day One" with Taylor again today.

I attempted this awful process months ago in May.  It was in a word, a DREADFUL experience.

I almost chickened-out on making today's attempt so many times.

But here I am.  And here he is, my potty training pirate...Mr. 7 out of 8 successful pees and 0 out of 2 successful poops.  Not perfect, but it's something, and like I said, it's his first day.  Last time his desire for potty successes was NILL.

I'm crossing my fingers for tomorrow.

Triathlon!

Saturday was one of THE BEST days of my life.

Generally for me, days that get remembered that way are the ones that were life changing.  The ones that brought me inner peace, great joy, and deep reflection.  Saturday morning was one of those times.


The morning began with a phone alarm sounding at 5:45 a.m., shortly followed by a knock at the door from Donna, who had come to watch my kids.  Andrew and I gathered our things, mounted my bike to his car, and drove in the cold dark stillness to Cherry Creek State Park, where my triathlon would begin in a few hours.

I felt so cold (low temp. for the day was 52 ; the high was 73).  Bundled up in long sleeves, pants, and Andrew's jacket, I checked-in for the race and set up my transition area: bike. helmet. swim cap. goggles. wetsuit. running shoes. sunglasses. race tags. water.

Then it was time to be marked.  My race number on both arms and my age on my right leg (my dream is that someday the number "70" will be written there!).

Then I scouted-out what would be my first leg of the tri: the swim course.  The orange buoys marked the perimeter of a triangular-shaped course you can mostly see above.


The air was cool and crisp, smell of neoprene was in air....ahhh.


And yes, that is a dead fish you see lying on the shore.  Nice touch.

A thoughtful friend of mine loaned her wetsuit to me at the last minute.  I hadn't ever trained in a wetsuit before, but after briefly testing it out in that morning's chilly 69 degree water, I decided it was defininitely worth wearing.  On it went!

At 8:20 a.m., after eleven waves of racers began their swim, it was finally time for my wave--the 25-29 year-old women-- to begin the race.

Almost the instant that I entered the water, these strange sensations came engulfed me:

cold. darkness. heavy pressure on my chest. difficulty breathing.  

I felt like had thrown myself into a cold, dark abyss.

This happened to me. A competitive swimmer (or so I thought).  I love being in the water, and I had trained for this open water swim! 

After taking several drinks of lake water and swimming a kind of faux-breastroke with my head above the water, I started to come around.  The thought came to me that I was probably having some kind of panic attack (never experienced that before), and I needed to calm down, breathe evenly, and start putting my face in the water.  This mind-over-matter struggle lasted for about one-third of the 750 meter swim.  

Eventually, I got my cool together enough to stop swimming breastroke and get into some freestyle, but I never totally sped up the way that I do during competitive pool races.  

Here's another weird thought:  I never felt afraid out there--like I said before, I love being in the water.  It's like my second home.  It was just like my body decided to respond differently to the swim than I had planned. 

I still don't really understand what happened to me out there. 

I am convinced, open water swimming is an entirely different game.

I finished the swim in 20 minutes...5 minutes slower than I had predicted I would.

But that's okay... now I know what to expect!  Next time I will be better prepared to tackle what the lake deals to me.

Here's looking at the long run down the beach and up a hill to where my bike was.  Getting that wetsuit off was tricky to do in a hurry!  Now that, I really was totally unprepared for.  Another learning experience.

My body was ready for that bike ride.  Just a little roundhouse kick to the camera for added badness effect...

...and I was off!

These pictures don't do the beauty of the ride justice.  I meandered through fall-colored trees, pretty streams, overlooked the reservoir...it was simply gorgeous.

Completed the 11.5 mile ride in just under 48 minutes.  Not too bad for a gal on a heavy mountain bike--going against all the road bike lightweights!

By the time the run arrived, my body kicked right into gear.  It knew exactly what to do.  

Swim. Bike. Run.  I generally struggle most with the run, but this time, having pushed two kids in a jogging stroller for training and running the Bolder Boulder and 4th of July 5K this summer, I was ready.  The run felt really nice. Simple. Invigorating. Healing. Peaceful.

What takes me 45 minutes to run with two kids took only 31 minutes here!  

The finish line.  I did it!

12 minutes faster than my triathlon in Highlands Ranch two years ago.  I'm happy with that.

Video that Andrew took of me just minutes after I finished.

I said it once and will say it again:  this was one of the best days of my life.  

I overcame struggles, I accomplished goals, I developed greater confidence, I gained a deeper understanding of self, I felt closer to God.

I will do this again.  

And again.

And again.

Here's a HUGE thank you to all of my sweet "sponsors:"  

Anne- Who dressed me up with her fashionable exercise headbands for the race.

Alison- Who loaned us her telephoto lens and made all my awesome close-up pictures of the swim possible.

Jacove- Who offered her wetsuit to me at the last minute (thank you, thank you, thank you!).  I'm sure I would have been a freezing maniac without it.

Aunt Donna- My tri mentor and world-class babysitter, who sacrificed so much of her time and knowledge to help me prepare for this race and to take care of my little guys on race day.

and last but not least...

My handsome hubby Andrew- Who sacrificed the most so I could do this tri.   He gave up countless evenings and weekend mornings of would-be free time to watch our boys while I trained, and to be with me while I raced.  He understood my motives behind it all and was always supportive, never complaining.  He is so selfless and understanding.  I am such a lucky lady.

I absolutely could not have done this without you.  Thank you so much, everyone.


P.S. Next racing ideas (anyone game?):
HRCA Wildcat Mountain 5/10 Mile Run
Rugged Maniac Adventure 5K
Orem "Earn Your Turkey" Thanksgiving Day Run

Two Days

I did my last workout this morning.  There are only two days left until the big day: my triathlon.

It hasn't been until recently that I've been getting nervous.  It's because life has changed a little for me: my stomach is giving me pain on-and-off again, I have swimmer's ear (and a cold!), and worst of all...every day this week it's been dark and chilly outside.  

The bad weather affects me because, obviously, I am about to swim 750 meters in a cold reservoir without a wetsuit, and I am very aware that there's a risk there.  But there's something a little less obvious about the weather that bothers me: when the weather gets sad, I get sad.  It's a littler harder to be cheerful and motivated when Mother Nature isn't either.

This morning as I struggled to motivate myself to run one last time before the race, I almost convinced myself that it wasn't worth the trouble.  But then the thought came to me: 

 "Tiff, GO.  It will feel good on your sick body, you'll feel more prepared for the race, and you'll be suprised at how emotionally healing it will be."  It came out of nowhere, and it was exactly the thought I needed at that moment.

So I ran four miles.


And it did feel good.  It felt amazing.  Endorphins were kicking in, Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady" was playing through my new iPhone, and the suddenly the crisp, cool air, cloud cover and suptle breeze became my best friends. 

(Thank you Sweetheart, for giving me your phone.  I pledge not to drown this one.  

And thank you Haselden, for giving my man a new iPhone and cell phone coverage!)

I think I learned a big secret about me today--and I know what's going to help me feel happier this Winter. 

The cool weather prompted me to do some Fall cleaning and while I was at it...get out Halloween decorations this week!  Some old favorites came out of hiding:

The scarecrow.  My little 15 month-old loves that guy.  I had almost forgotten how much Taylor loved that decoration as a baby until Russell reminded me:

Orange and Black is in the air.  My mom sent the boys some festive clothes a few weeks ago.  I LOVE dressing them up in them...just about the moment those clothes are clean, they're on my little guys.

There's that old familiar couch again. :)  Don't these guys look cute??

As I rotated my kids' seasonal clothing in-and-out of dressers and storage, Andrew finished an exciting project that made my Fall cleaning feel oh SO good:

We have been putting the boys' clothing in an hand-me-down dresser with shallow, broken drawers for over a year now.  

We've also been looking on Craigslist for a replacement for nearly as long, and at long last, FOUND ONE!  It was a gross color and little scratched when we bought it, but with a little paint and elbow grease, voila!  Beautiful new dresser--might I add, on tracks with deep drawers. :)  I love this.  (And I love my hunky, handy hubby, who single-handedly fixed it up.)

I ended today by putting clothes away for the first time in it.  Good end to a day I'd say.