Mmmmm...the smell of football season

Well you can definitely tell the season's changing...the heat of summer is fading away...those warm nights are becoming quite cooler...leaves on the trees are changing, and most importantly, football season is here!!!

First Dentist Appt :-)

My daughter’s first dentist appointment was back in June of this year and it was…….unbelievably calm. Now when I’d spoken to other parents, they described their child’s experience as being “horrifying” with screaming, yelling and kicking – something that I had begun to prepare myself to brace for! But no, not my toddler, not Kay.

So we went in, signed in and Kay went to play in the waiting room. Only waiting about ten minutes, I was already nervous as I watched other children leave, some happy and others were clearly upset. Finally our names were called.

She sat so patiently in the chair waiting for the dentist to check her teeth and look, I was able to snap photos as waited:

Even once the dentist came to check and clean her teeth, she cooperated. Since she loved the dentist so much, they rewarded her with toys: a tea set, teddy bear and sunglasses. Now I only hope and pray that these trips continue to be peaceful!!!

♥ Mom who doesn’t like the dentist herself!!

Potty Training

Being pregnant and almost due, I found that I was in a rush to begin potty training my daughter! She’ll be the big 2 in September and while I had planned to get an early start before, of course things did not go that way!

I’d bought her potty training books; an Elmo one that’s really good and helpful because it not only shows Elmo going to the potty, but has sounds as well. (Here’s what the below)

She had her potty, which was a Summer Infant Step-By-Step Potty and a very good price! It was really cute that the potty resembled an actual toilet, yes including its own flushable wipes and toilet paper holder. (see picture and link below)

Summer Infant Potty

Side note: I would definitely recommend purchasing this one as it was very easy to use because it came assembled. All you had to do was clean it and it was ready for use!

So….when I took out her potty to initiate the “meeting”, she was actually interested! I’d placed her directly on our ‘big people’ toilet before, with help of course, but within a couple of days – ( 3 to 4 to be exact), she started using the potty!!! Day by day, I’ve begun to use various “potty” terminology so that she’s able to associate certain words with the potty.

One piece of advice that I can give you would be to take your child in the bathroom with you. Yes, I know they like to touch and mess with everything, but trust me, I did this and believe that this is one of the main reasons why my daughter was so interested in “peeing in the potty”. But show and explain to your child what you do, step by step and how to properly wipe themselves, flush the toilet, etc. Help ‘going potty’ be a known and not foreign subject to your child.

Another helpful technique that my mother taught me was to sit her on the potty near the television and/or her toys so that she can be engaged in fun while trying to succeed at a major task – going potty. She also stays occupied and you’ll find that you won’t have to say “_____, sit back down on your potty”.

Now I know that I must be blessed with this process being so easy, but for those of you who are struggling with helping your toddler to potty train, don’t worry!!! ….there is light at the end of the dark tunnel, really!! Hopefully my story will help you in one way or another J

Mommy vs Daddy: Round One

….Procrastination….Oh how it annoys me!!!

….(sigh)…As I come to you from a place of annoyance and frustration, I have to tell you that I can’t stand procrastination! That is one of my biggest pet peeves, of course among other small things. Now, I’m not saying that I haven’t procrastinated before because that would be a lie, but once my family “begun” I did my best to not do so in any way. Well my wonderful “husband” on the other hand….

First let me start off and say that my mother was and still is very VERY organized! I learned from the best, very best! She taught me how to manage my time and plan out my day so that everything that needs to get done is done and its either before it has to (if it has a deadline) or right on time- NO EXCUSES!

From all of this, I learned that men procrastinate way more than woman do- it’s the truth! And when you throw kids in the scenario- well that just further proves my point.

The picture above seems so accurate especially on a Saturday. Now of course the lists are different in the matter of tasks to do, but they’re still things that need to be done.

I feel like this topic will always be one of my pet peeves and with me having two daughters, I will be sure to teach them how to be organized like my mother taught me!!

                         Love, Procrastination-Free Mom