Pee Pee on the Pottay....

So a lot of my good friends have asked me how I potty trained two boys at two years old, in three days.
So I decided to post a few pointers. I know that there are lots of different ways to train them, as with all things, but this has worked for us, so here goes!
1. Do NOT put them in pull ups!
    I dont love this option. I have a few sweet friends that are ok with their kids walking around naked. I am not. However, for the sake of potty training, I do it.  For the first day I let them walk around naked and watch them like a hawk. i have no life. i dont shower. i hardly brush my teeth. its not pretty. BUT its worth it!
2. I keep them confined to mainly one room.
3. I give them salty treats that make them thirsty and want to drink, in turn makes them have to go!
4. An M&M for even staying on the potty. And two for going!

Day 2 is similiar except today they are wearing undies. I show them the big boy undies, we talk about how they are dry and they shouldnt be wet, thats yucky. I put them on and make them feel them. "Oh they are dry, you get an M&M." So we are now excited about dry undies AND going in the potty!
Everything else is still the same. I make them go every 20-30 minutes and it works!

There isnt much more to it:) I do get frustrated, I do watch the clock till my husband gets home, but after about 3 days, they get it! Now and again Miles has an accident, but its usually when we put him in a pull up for church, or bed. Which is why I steer clear of pull ups during the day! They may look different, and cost more, but they feel the same to them!

So good luck! They'll get it. My friend once told me "they arent going to go to college in diapers:)"
And you will have a kid so excited he stutters:)...

Its December!

December 1st! I love the holidays, and my hips don't lie. I love the food and the desserts and the chocolate! As most know today starts the first day of candy out of the advent:) Years ago my sister, being the fabulous barista she was, bought me this advent from Starbucks ... it has little boxes that you fill with candy every year and when you turn the box around it makes a cute picture!
I grew up on the chocolate advent calendars that you can buy at any walmart or cvs type place...

did any of yall have these? I loved them!

Next year, when I plan more and have more time, I will make one like this....

Seriously. Awe-Some. Cheri at iammommahearmeroar.blogspot.com is seriously my DIY, cool mom, hero.



*So the hubs has to make a run to Target before he gets home to fill up our bad boy with some candy!
We definitely made up a super cheesy song to go along with the opening of each advent box, which I will not share, and you will thank me for.*

Another great, more important advent idea is the Jesse Tree. My husband and I started last year to do a Jesse Tree with the boys. Now, at the time Miles was 1 and call me crazy, but I waited till he was sleeping to get down with the bible stories. BUT this year they both are old enough to get it! And I am super excited about that! (Or at least Miles pretends to, because his big brother is into it:) For those that dont know what the Jesse Tree is, its gets its name from Isaiah 11:1. Jesse was Abrahams father, who is ya know, the father of all nations. Hes kind of a big deal. So the tree is kind of the lineage of Jesus, but moreso a tool to explain God's progress of redemption to our little tots (and it also is as exciting as the advent!) You can be super crafty and make ornaments out of felt and other materials, or what I do it print up coloring sheets and the kids color them, put them on a red or green card stock, hole punch them, string em, and hang them on their own little tree. If you want the print outs this is it dce.oca.org/assets/files/resources/jesseTree.pdf. It is such a great tool to teach your kids and get them excited about something more than just presents and Santa, which is all we seem to talk about this season. Dont get me wrong, if I had cable ABCFamily 25 days of Christmas and FALALALA Lifetime would be a constant in my house, but lets put a little effort in making Jesus the reason for the season!!

Have Fun!