Two Cents' Worth - Potty Training

Potty Training....

sigh

I'm beginning to think that keeping children in diapers is WAY easier.

We spent the entire morning on the toilet (at least 10 separate occasions) trying to get Hailey to poop on the potty.  Nothing.... even though it is her 'usual' poop time.  I've got all the tempting treats and prizes and she wants to go.... but just doesn't know how.  She will pee anytime we put her on but still doesn't tell us when she has to go.  She probably just isn't ready yet.  I will likely wait till after Christmas to really focus on training her.

Until then I will enjoy not having my day revolve around bathroom visits every 20 min (that is even more frequent than pregnancy bathroom visits).

So today I am asking for your tips and advice about potty training.  How did you get your children to use the toilet?

Check out this blog for the MOST HILARIOUS cartoon depictions of motherhood!  The latest post was on potty training as well!

Organize It Mondays - Menu Plan Printable

Do you hate deciding each day what to cook for dinner, breakfast, lunch or snacks?  Last minute planning is THE WORST!

Solution = Meal Planning

It doesn't necessarily make cooking more enjoyable but it does take away most 'worry' about what you are going to make.

My friend Rhonda made this awesome printable to assist with all those meals you have to plan.  I have had this menu planner for a few years now and have found it SUPER useful.  I first used it for at least 6 mths straight but it has been sporadic since (though I wish I did use it every week).

The best thing is that once you have a week planned you can reuse it with minimal adjustments.  Don't forget to add on the back of each plan a grocery list for items needed to make those meals.  You can also change things up and have one day a week where you make a new recipe that you haven't tried before.

You can print a blank form, laminate and use a dry erase marker - or keep it in hard copy form and collect them in a binder for re-use later.

you can find the menu plan here on Rhonda's blog

The Girls at 6 Months

Our little Quinn is officially 6 months old now.

It has amazed me how different she is from Hailey. 
*Top picture is Quinn, bottom is Hailey at 6 mths

Quinn	Hailey
No teeth (but they are coming)	Had 2 bottom front teeth
Won’t eat solids	Ate solids well (rice cereal and fruits)
Doesn’t like bottles (won't touch formula)	Almost fully weaned (nurse 2 times a day)
Usually gets up only once	Woke up in the night often
Just started rolling (back to front)	Crawled (6.5 mths)
Does not hold items well	Drank from a sippy cup
Yells loudly	Said “mum”
	Signed “all done”
Is happy 80% of the time	Was happy 20% of the time
Intolerant to cows milk (Mommy on Goats milk)	Intolerant to cows milk (had soy formula)

I love my girls, I'm thankful for them, they are my life.

Two Cents' Worth

Favouritism

Did you pester your parents as a child about who was their favourite kid?  Did they always respond with "I love you all equally" (or as my Dad always said "You are my favourite fourth oldest daughter Jen")?

Well I figured it out.... it's all a LIE!!!!!  Every parent DOES have a favourite child (unless somehow they are all miraculously the same).  Now I'm not saying every parent doesn't LOVE each child equally.  Just that they have ones that push their buttons less often than the others.


Knowing about this secret comes with a catch.... You may have a favourite child but you can NEVER.... EVER admit it or speak about it as long as you live.

I'm not very good at keeping secrets!

Organize It Monday - Diaper Caddy

Diaper Caddy

Sometimes it can be a real pain to cart those dirty bums all the way (up or down) to the change table.  Do you have supplies on another floor of your house so you can change a diaper without traveling?  Are those supplies scattered throughout a room, over a shelf or on a table top?

My solution = the diaper caddy

I purchased a cloth (wire framed) basket to hold everything I would need to change either of my daughters diapers.  *side note - having 2 in diapers = a lot of changing each day*

In this diaper caddy I have 2 stacks of diapers (3's for my baby and 4's for my 2 yr old).  I used to just keep a couple stashed downstairs on our bookshelf but they ran out quickly and I always forgot to refil them.  There is a wipeable change pad with disinfecting wipes to clean it, diaper cream, powder and wipes as well as diaper sacks to hold the dirty remnants so I can toss it up the stairs by the garage to go to the trash.

Everything fits perfectly in this basket and the entire basket fits nicely on our bookshelf out of the way.  It has come in handy on numerous occasions and keeps everything together and organized.  I love it.

Create a caddy for your child and put it somewhere you frequently 'hang out' so you don't always have to return to the nursery for a diaper change.

*if you noticed, I used a sharpie to write a note on top of the clorox wipes to make sure they weren't accidentally used to wipe bums instead of the change pad.  I imagine alcohol wipes on your bum would likely hurt ;)

Two Cents' Worth

Dusty Laundry Machines

Are you among the remaining 'hold outs' that like to waste large amounts of water and electricity cleaning their laundry? (aka - a top load washer/dryer owner) 

 Well I am.... 

and I have noticed over my years of laundering that the machines can get pretty dusty on their exposed surfaces. *now this never occured to me before now - not sure why as it makes total sense AND you all probably do this already* but I figured out an easy way to keep the machines clean without making it an 'extra' chore on your to-do list.

I like to seperate all my towels/dish cloths/rags from our clothing.  I probably do one load of these a week (maybe 2).  Each time I wash them I start the washer to put the load in, turn it on warm water (cause who likes to touch freezing cold water) and grab a clean rag.  I use the running water in the washer and my rag to wipe down both machines before I put the load of laundry in.  You can also add the soap and rinse the rag in the soapy water to clean off the machines.

That's it (brilliant I know)

Use the filling washer as a tap to clean up the machines..... maybe I only have to do this because I have no sink in my laundry room (wow that would be AMAZING).

so there is your little tip on Wednesday,

take it for what it's worth

Day 12

a song played at our wedding

Paul Brandt - On the inside