Mama G + Three

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a great Holiday. I'll be back in 2014 with hopefully more blogging and posting…and updating you all on all the fun things we've been doing - like settling into living back home with my parents!

Cheers, Friends.

Last week - we accepted an offer on our house…I should say "townhouse". Stew and I bought our townhouse before it was built. We picked all the finishes and it really was perfect for "us". We spent 3 years here before bringing IV home and now we are on 5 1/2 years. We have officially out grown our 2 bedroom townhouse.

We knew this day would come…the day where we would put it on the market and hope it would sell. That day was back in May. We had showings throughout the summer and one offer, which we did not accept.

So after Labor Day, we decided it'd be best to stay for awhile longer and remodel. We set out to create a new office space for me, a new family room and re-do IV's room into a big boy room. So we started planning things and went ahead and purchased new things for IV's room. Then a bomb hit us - my Dad had to go in for surgery right away - it was cancer. Everything got put on hold - and I never emailed our real estate agent to tell him to please take our house off the market. I was literally sitting in my Dad's hospital room when I got a call saying we had a showing. I looked at Stew and said "Oh shit, we never took it off the market".

Our showing was on Saturday October 26th and we accepted an offer on the 27th. We will close on November 22, 2013.

So where will we go? Where anyone would go…BACK HOME with my parents. Yup! We, all 4 of us…Stew, IV, Nate and myself will be moving back in my childhood home. We plan to purchase land and build our dream home so living with my parents will be a blessing.

I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us and I cannot what for this amazing journey!

Thanks for all your kind words regarding my Dad, friends.

I have clearly been MIA - but it's all for good reason. Life is happening and life is busy. Super busy. 

Stew's sister, brother in law and our nephew were in NH for bike race and we got to see them for dinner and drinks on Sunday.

It was so great catching up and seeing the three of them...we don't see them often enough seeing they live in Florida.

But - IV absolutely had a blast with his cousin and couldn't get enough of my SIL, Shannon...it's so great to see and I loved watching him take in all the attention. All I could hear was "more, more" from IV.

IV caught in the act.

My Dad has probably always dreamed of this day...and that day came. He took IV fishing for the first time.

I wasn't sure how it was going to go, but it went well and IV seemed to get the hang of it pretty quickly. I think sometimes we forget that IV isn't an 8 year old...he still is only 2. After about an hour, IV was off playing with a dirty old ball he found on the ground, but hey - he's 2! Right?

I can't wait for them to go out again.

Today, I took the morning off to get out of the office and go blueberry picking with my Mom and IV.

The pictures say it all...

Happy Tears? Is there such thing? I don't know. I don't know if that's what I want to call "them"...and by them, I mean mine.

But on Saturday night, I cried. I cried real happy, emotional, prideful tears. Sounds sappy, I know.

See, I had seen an advertisement for the "Pittsfield Hot Air Balloon Festival" for a few weeks and thought "IV would love this." There was the promise of Fair food, Hot Air Balloons and Helicopters. How could we not go?

So after his nap on Saturday, we packed up the car and made the 20 minute trip up to Pittsfield. The weather was perfect and we were all excited.

We did everything you would expect us to do at a small, local Fair/Festival. We ate junk food, watched the Helicopters, played the dart game for a cheap stuffed dog and bought soft serve.







All is great right? Sure. Until IV sees something for the first time....the "KIDDIE RIDES". I thought there was no way he'd want to go on any rides, I mean, after all he's 2! Boy was I wrong. He was adamant about going on one of the rides and repeatidly asked as Stew and I stood there, looking at each other like..."really?"

So there I stood, in line to buy tickets for our first "Kiddie" ride.

I stood in line with IV, handed the tickets to the ride conductor and placed him on his choice, a blue car. I strapped him in and walked outside the gates. I couldn't believe it. I stood outside the gate with Stew and watched a bright eyed little boy...sitting patiently for the ride to start. I called out his name and he flashed me a HUGE smile. I yelled "I love you, buddy" and he responded. "I love you too, Mama."

I cried. 

I cried as the ride started and his laugh echoed throughout the ride.

I cried as he waved to us.

I cried as he ignored us.

I cried...all while trying to capture this special moment.












My baby wasn't and isn't a baby anymore and that makes me cry...happy/proud/sad/overjoyed tears.

And - sometimes you just have to let them go and let them be big for a little while. Then sit back and say "Well done, Mama. Well done."

Stew and I ran anther 5K last weekend. We totally signed up for it two days before - which I think was a good thing. I didn't have time to think too much about it.

We dropped off IV in the morning at my parents house and headed over to the race.

It was a Hula themed race - both a 5K and 10K, but we were there for the 5K. The after party is what sold me. Free beers and a BBQ poolside.

I finished in 24:46 and Stew came in a few seconds after me. Such a fun time...I just love doing these races together. And a new personal record was awesome!

Up next: Cigna 5K on a Thursday night (next Thursday) and we have a 10K at the end of September.

I'll actually post something to my own blog! But for now, it's fun guest posting for my BFFs.

Make sure you go check out my besties blog Double the Fun. Aliya is my all time favorite Mama who one day I hope to meet in real life.

Make sure you go check out my guest post on Our Love Nest and meet one of my favorite Mama to be's, Pam.


Thanks, friends!

I'm always looking for new things to do with IV and at our last Toddler Art class he showed a lot of interest in the playdough they had out.

So I found a recipe to make our own. I wanted to make it instead of buying it for a few reasons.

1. IV loves to help cook, bake or just hang around while I'm in the kitchen.

2. I love trying to new projects.

3. Learn, learn, learn. Our toddlers brain is like a sponge.

4. Each night before IV goes to bed, I tell him what I have planned for the next day. He absolutely lights up when I tell him about a trip we are going on, a class we are attending, someone we plan to see or whatever. So last night I knew he'd get excited about baking/crafts/colors.

What you'll need:

1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 pack of 3oz Jello

Choosing which color to do first

The fun begins

27 Months Old

I decided to jump into in the diaper free world. I had put some thought into it for quite some time now, but was never ready to make the switch. I knew it was going to be stressful and a lot of work...but I was ready and IV seemed ready.

We had introduced the potty to him when he was about 18 months. He loved it. We sang a song every time he'd use it after his bath. Some nights he did...some he didn't. We left it up to him, but we wanted the "potty" to be around...visible as something that wasn't scary or stressful.

So last Monday I re-read the pdf on 'The 3 Day Potty Training Method", purchased a few "rewards" and dug out the Old Navy Boxer Briefs I had purchased a while ago.

Monday during IV's nap, I made a chalkboard potty chart and a bucket full of "Potty Prizes".


Monday night I explained the "process" to him, telling him that in the morning we were going to start using the potty and he'd not be wearing a diaper anymore.

The Method suggests that you throw out or get rid of all diapers, wipes and anything associated with diapers. I did not.

I kept his changing table as is, kept all diapers and all things associated with it. Just my choice.

That method may work for some people - but IV doesn't need that "stuff". I tell him something and he (normally) just gets it. It's hard to explain. But I knew I didn't need to do all that. And to be honest, I really only made the chalkboard chart because I had some down time one day and was sort of on a roll. I knew for a fact, IV wouldn't care about it. I was right.


Wake at 7am, go grab IV from his crib (yes, we are still in a crib).

Change him out of his diaper, explain the big boy undies and to "please tell Mama if you need to go pee or poop." I showed him the potty which I put in our 1/2 bathroom just off the kitchen.

*The potty: We have two. One small, stand alone potty that he had been using and the little seat that goes over the toilet. We stuck with the small one.

7:15am - we are sipping coffee and milk, doing our normal morning routine...today just happens to be in undies with lots of fluids (per the 3 Day Method). I'm offering a lot of milk and juice/water, you name it. Anything to get him going. I tried to give him salty type foods to make him thirsty - but that's just not for him. When he's not hungry...he won't eat. I can't force him.


"Stew, do you have to go pee?"

"Stew, are your undies dry?"

"Stew, tell Mama when you have to go potty"

By 10 am we have two accidents on the floor. I'm literally right next to him. I see it coming, scoop him up and put him on the potty. No yelling or scolding, just a lot of positive reinforcements and lots of love.

Finally around noon I ask yet again and he finally says "Yes" - off to the potty we go.

He did a small amount of pee and jumped off. I take him to the chart and the prize bucket. All is good.

A few more of these potty runs...with very little pee. He does just a bit and then jumps off. No biggie, I think, we'll work on it.

By the end of day 1. We have 12 pees, 1 poop and 5 accidents. Day One...done.


*A side note: The 3 Day Method recommends waking your child during naps and night time to potty. I chose NOT to do that. I explained to IV that naps and night time, he'd wear a diaper incase of accidents. As I mentioned, he is still in his crib. There is no way he could hold it or get out of bed to use the potty on his own. He takes a 3.5-4 hour nap A DAY and sleeps from 7:30pm to 7:00am. I'm not waking him every few hours. 

I'm exhausted. Physically and mentally.

You can go ahead and just re-read my Day One. Seriously, it was more of the exact same. Except at this point, IV is starting to get annoyed with me asking him. He's constantly saying "Noooooooo, Mama" every time I ask him. I saw him getting frustrated and annoyed more and more as the day went one. I literally asked him 30 times and he responded "Noooooo" each time. He at this point is playing cars, I'm sitting on the floor watching him. He looks at me and pees...cries and stands there. I again, scoop him up and take him to the potty.

So now we have two accidents. Four false alarms. And the minute he sits on the potty he cries. I've realized he's now holding it until nap time and refusing to drink. Smart cookie.


Day Two ends with a lot of doubt. I'm doubting I picked the "right" method for IV.


I'm exhausted and I have a very frustrated and annoyed toddler. I can tell. I can see it on his face. He's annoyed with this process. But it's ok...we are moving forward with more of the same. Keep in mind, we haven't left the house in three days.

11:00: we have an hour until lunch. I grab a bunch of books and ask him if he wants to sit on the couch and read with me. We do. We go through at least 10 books. I'm asking him if he needs to potty every few minutes...all "No mama" answers. I grab another book and feel something warm. He's sitting on the couch next to me and pees. I lose it. Sadly, I picked him up and yelled at him. Not in scary, crazy Mom yelling kind of way...but more of a "Nooooo buddy. This is not good. You cannot do this" kind of way. I'm in tears. He's in tears. I didn't want to tell him it was ok. Because it's not. It's not ok at all to sit next to me and pee after I asked him a 893 times. Seriously. I scooped him up again and asked him to finish on the potty. He's got nothing left in the tank. It's all over the couch (leather) and now dripping onto the floor (hardwood) I feel like I failed. I yelled at him and didn't stay positive and now I'm faced with a toddler who is basically refusing to tell me he has to go and is refusing to go in the potty.

My sister shows up with M&Ms and flowers. It's 7pm and IV is off to bed. Another day is complete.

I feel defeated. I consult with Sarah from Nurse Loves Farmer. She gives me some much needed positive feedback and I'm feeling a little better. I calm my nerves over a glass or two of wine and start thinking about tomorrow - Friday. We have FitGym on Fridays. What was I to do?

Friday Morning I wake and decide we are going to Gym class. Accidents or not...I/we need to get out of the house.

I decided to try a different method...slightly. I would ask him to potty and "try" to potty today. We leave for Gym class (which is 30 minutes away) without a diaper. This is the first time we've left the house in 4 days. Before we leave, I asked him to potty. He says "No". I sit him down anyways and he goes. I win!

We arrive at Gym class dry. I take him to the potty there (they have a small one like ours as well). I sit him on it and he says "No, Mama. No pee-pee". I told him "Ok, buddy. Thanks for trying". Off to gym we go.

15 minutes into class I can see him start squirming. I said "Buddy, let's try to go potty again and then come back and do the balance beam". Off to the bathroom we go. I sit him down and he goes. WOW! I'm in tears. Happy tears. He sat, he did it...I was psyched.


Gym class is over and the rest of the day is full of peeing on the potty and ZERO accidents.

After the initial 4 Days I've realized a few things:

1. IV didn't need prizes. He just needed a few "Good job, Buddies" and he happy.

2. He didn't need all the "Do you have to potty?" or "Tell Mama when you have to potty". He just needed a few days for it all to "click" and for me to ask him to go. I was asking him too much in all different ways - I was annoying him and I could see him pull back.

3. Don't give up. It's hard, it's exhausting and there were times I wanted to put a diaper back on him and say "we weren't ready". But don't...they are smart and they will "get it" within a few days.

4. Pick a time when you aren't too busy. I knew the week we started, work would be slow for me and we had and have no big trips planned.

5. Take time at night to relax. The next day starts all over again.

6. Let your child pick their undies. I picked ON Boxer Briefs and they didn't fit well at all. I took IV to Target this week and he picked Thomas the Train regular underwear. Cute. Adorable and he loves them.

So it's been exactly 7 days. We are 4 days without a single accident. He is in undies all day except for his nap and bed time. We now go out to the mall, grocery store, to my parents...you name it. No accidents.

He tells me when he has to go and I ask him throughout the day - but I don't pester him. Before we leave the house - we potty. I put him on it whether he says yes or no. Sometimes he tries and doesn't have to go. Sometimes he does. The minute we get home - he goes straight for the bathroom. It's amazing. I'm so proud of him and me. I did it. We did it.

So, if you are looking to read the "3 Day Potty Training Method" you can do that HERE.

If you have any questions - always feel free to email me HERE. If I have enough questions, I'll put them up on a post for all to see my answers and hopefully give some insight and help to everyone getting ready to start potty training.