Potty Training

I must give all the credit on this major milestone to Amma.  In June I went out of town for work, and she decided to tackle potty training.  For about six months Charley had used the potty occasionally, but it was only when she wanted to...which wasn’t very often.  Amma bought a pack of Pull-Up’s and decided to give it a try.  Charley did great!  She had one accident in three days...and I am pretty sure she was with Granddad when that happened.  When she got back home she did good for a few days, but quickly realized she could pee in the Pull-Up’s.  We switched to big girl panties all day except for nap time and bedtime, and we haven’t looked back.  In true Charley fashion, she likes to decide which panties she gets to wear for the day.  Usually we have to lay the options on the ground, and she lays down on her belly and says, “Hmmm...let me think....I don’t want these....or these....or these!”  Then finally once she has narrowed them down, she picks the lucky winner for the day!  We rotate between Minnie, Daisy, Cinderella or other princesses.

TOP 5 THINGS I DIDN’T EXPECT ABOUT POTTY TRAINING

1. I never thought I would drive around with a potty and toilet paper in the back of my car!  (Another idea contributed to Amma!)

2.  Girls can spray over the toilet and make messes just as easily as boys!

3. Why Charley feels the need to completely strip down to nothing on her bottom half when she goes to potty by herself...then runs around a while before allowing someone to put her panties back on!  

4. Charley commands us to “go....leave me alone” when she has to poop.  How in the world did she learn about privacy and modesty in the bathroom?!?

5. She often asks to “pee in the grass,”  which is fine for KY, but I thought her Daddy was gonna have a come apart when she asked one day when we were on our driveway.  

INTERVIEW WITH CHARLEY (JUST NOW)

Me: Charley, how do you like using the potty and wearing big girl panties?

Charley: (in song) Peeing in the potty issssss so much funnnn!!!!  It’s sooooo much funnnnnn!!!!  IT’S....SO....MUCH...FUNNNN!!!!!

2 and 1/2 Years Old

I am not sure how it is possible for Miss Priss to already be 2 and 1/2 years old.  We have started to see the dreaded “terrible two’s” on some days, but on others she is as sweet and adorable as she can be.  Charley is extremely smart and has a vast vocabulary that blows me away and cracks me up all at the same time.  Her phrasing of sentences is so grown up.  I think one of my favorite things she says is, “what are we doing, else?” or “where are we going, else?”  She talks and sings NONSTOP and loves to entertain.  I love watching her, because it’s almost like you can see her little mind working and thinking about what she wants to do or say or sing next!

iPhoto shots from the last three months

Wilson County Fair

Charley has really thrown us for a loop lately and has kept us guessing on how she would handle different situations.  The Wilson County Fair is a great example.  After her not wanting to ride anything last year, we thought it would be a great idea for us to go with the Artley’s so she could have a riding buddy with Sam.   We had such a great time with Amma, Granddad, Josh, Rachel, Sam and Rachel’s parents, but Miss Priss really didn’t care if anyone rode with her!  She LOVED it!  She rode some rides with Sam, some with her Daddy, some with me, some by herself and even made a few new friends and rode with them.  We had to wait the longest in the smaller Ferris wheel line, per Charley’s request, and she even requested the big Ferris wheel but that line was ridiculously long.  The weather, rides, company and food was fantastic, but we made the mistake of going on Friday night…so we will most definitely be switching back to the week night crowd next year.  

After seeing Charley’s cooperation and excitement at the fair, I can hardly contain my excitement for our vacation and Disney trip in a few weeks!!!

Mount Juliet Church of Christ Preschool

Before Charley’s first birthday, it became quite clear that we would all benefit from her being in some type of Mother’s Day Out program or Preschool.  I called Mount Juliet Church of Christ to put her on a waiting list, because I had heard great things about their program and it was so close to home.  Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled when I got the call (a year plus after I initially put her on the list) that they had a spot for her this fall.  In preparation for her first big day we took her for a school tour, spent an hour at her teacher’s open house, got her adorable, PB Kids backpack and lunch box monogrammed, and labeled all of her school supplies.  I flew home the night before preschool from Denver in time to make sure everything was ready for her first day.  Not knowing what to expect, Charley woke up excited to start preschool.  We even had time for a photo shoot before Daddy, Amma and I took her to her very first day.  Much to our surprise, she was so excited and did great!  She went right in to her seat and didn’t shed one tear!  Things have continued to go extremely well.  On the second week of school she said, “All of those boys in my class cried…the girls did, too.”  I asked her if she cried, and she said, “No, I’m a big girl!”  At this very second I am praying for time to slow down, because she is getting to be such a big girl!  

Daddy’s Birthday Weekend

Craig’s birthday weekend was spent doing some of this favorite things in Kentucky!  We went to Catfish Kitchen, took Charley to play putt-putt for the first time, dinner at Texas Roadhouse and DQ Oreo Blizzard ice cream cake!  After Granddad Mike surprised him with his very first .22 riffle, he said it was the best birthday of his life!  Charley managed to come across practically-impossible-to-get-your-hands-on ammo for her Daddy’s birthday present, so Saturday afternoon was filled with target practice.  Our travel schedules had been pretty crazy over the summer, so it was definitely great to have a relaxing weekend in Kentucky!

Cousin’s Fun 2013 – Kobey Style

Between everyone’s crazy schedules, the summer was practically over when we worked out a modified version of Cousin’s Fun Week!  Kobey has said for years that he was going to come stay with us all by himself.  So since we couldn’t find a time that worked for everyone, near the end of July Kobey finally got to spend not one night but two in Tennessee!  We hit some of our favorite spots including Chuy’s, Target, and the pool, but I had an extra special afternoon planned at Sky High Jump Zone for just Kobey and me.  Charley was practically attached at his hip, and he was so sweet to her!  They played great together and even shared some candy!  We sure did miss Emily and Laney, but thoroughly enjoyed our special time with Kobey!  

Just a little SEC rivalry between households!