Yaaahooo!!!

Well, I think I can officially announce that Austin is potty trained. It's been two days and we have not had any accidents. We are still trying to get through the nights without diapers, but I think we are free and clear during the day.

I read the book "How to Potty Train in a Day" and attempted it with Austin about six months ago when my neighbor, Katie, was training her little boy Mason. It did not go well. Austin did not seen to be getting the concept. He was frustrated and I was frustrated. I decided to stop and try again in a few months. I half-heartedly tried a few more times with no success. I finally resolved to the fact that I need to wait until he shows some sure fire signs that he is ready and then do it 100%.

Austin started hating wearing his diapers. As soon as he would wet he would ask to be changed. I decided that there isn't going to be much better time to potty train then right now. I don't have a lot going on, and we don't go out much because it is so cold and snowy. I also thought it would be great for him to have it down pat before the baby comes in March. I went to the library and checked out lots of children's books and videos on potty training that I thought Austin would like. I also went to the store bought some new underwear and a bunch of Austin's favorite treat, CHOCOLATE!

I started on Tuesday. I resolved not to plan anything or go anywhere for the first week. The first day was really rough. We spent 80% of the day sitting on the toilet waiting for Austin to go. I didn't want this to be a negative experience so while we sat we read books and sang songs. I can honestly say that if I never hear "The Wheels on the Bus" that will be okay with me. I took about all the patients I could muster. I was getting frustrated because he would go pee and then I would give him his treat and praise him for doing a good job and then 15-20 minutes later he would have an accident. He obviously was not fully emptying his bladder. By the time Vance got home from work I was ready to throw in the towel and not try again until Austin went to Kindergarten. I decided that I had to at least see it through for the whole week like I had planned, and if he still wasn't getting it then we would quit and try again later.

So after a good nights sleep, I was remotivated to attempt another day. The second day was 100 times better than the first. We still had several accidents but Austin was still showing interest. A few times, he would start to go, then stop and come tell me, and finish going on the toilet. I thought this was pretty good progress. The next day was even a little better, and the next day even better than that. I was getting pretty excited. Sunday came and I debated whether or not to put a diaper on him when we went to church. Vance was for the diaper, but I really felt like that would be sending a mixed message that sometimes he has to use the potty but other times he can just put on a diaper and not worry about it. Happily, we made it through all three hours of church without an accident. I was so proud!

It has been exactly one week, and Austin has eaten his body weight in chocolate and fruit snacks and my back it aking form sitting on a stool in the bathroom for countless hours, but I think he has got it. We haven't had an accident for two days and Austin will come tell me when he has to go. I was worried about taking him out because we wouldn't have easy access to a potty. However, the good thing about being pregnant while you potty train is that I have to go as often as Austin has to go. So I am not just desperately searching for a potty for Austin, but for me too.

I am still not sure how to get him through the night without an accident, but I am so happy with the progress that he has made so far. I am so proud of him, and so happy that we tackled it before I had two kids in diapers. GOOD JOB AUSTIN!!!

Christmas 2010

Vance thought I was crazy, but this year during the Christmas season I decided to work. I went from being crazy-busy in American Fork to not having a whole lot to do in Rexburg, especially since it is frigid outside and Austin and I find any excuse to stay indoors. Needless to say, I was feeling like I needed something to keep me busy. I used to work for a company called Mod Bod selling layering T's in Costco when we lived in Utah. They called me and said they needed some extra help through the Christmas season and wanted to know if I would work a 10-day show in Lehi. I was really excited for something to keep me occupied and for a chance to earn a little extra money. Austin and I went down a week early for Christmas so I could work the show and Austin could spend some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa Gardner (they have been missing him a lot since we moved). Vance still had to work so he joined us about six days later. We sure missed him. I was worried that Vance would be lonely without us during those few days leading up to the Christmas holiday. He survived pretty well. He has some really great friends here in Rexburg and he had a great time playing the bachelor. He stayed up till after midnight most nights playing video games and didn't shy away from eating out.

Austin had a lot of fun playing with his aunts and uncles and couldn't get enough of all the treats grandma fed him. I enjoyed working but I was really glad to be done by the end. Standing on a cement floor for 6 hours a day when you are seven months pregnant isn't the most enjoyable thing in the world.

Austin was really funny this year on Christmas morning. Vance, being the early bird that he is, woke up before everyone else. He tried to wake up Austin so he could start opening presents but Austin would not have it. He put his hand on Vance's head and said, "No daddy, go to sleep." Austin had fun opening his first few presents but soon got bored. Vance tried to get him to open one more present and Austin just kept yelling, "NO, DONE!!!" So we let him finish opening his presents later. We all had a pretty good laugh over it. It's not every day that a kid refuses to open up all of his presents. Maybe he will get the hang of it a little more before his birthday in April.