And still going strong...

"When I said I do I meant that I will, til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind, when I said 'Ido.'"  ~Clint Black in our wedding song

Happy 6th anniversary to my better half!! I can't believe it's been that long....looking back it's been a wild ride!

• Two years of veterinary school, studying and learning how to be married
• A move to Boise
• New jobs and lessons to be learned from each
• One cat with multiple toes
• Expansion of our little family with the birth of Morgan Marie
• Purchase of a house
• Further expansion of the family by four big, yellow paws
• Learning to be parents and balance that with our partnership
• Purchase of Canine Blood Heroes, Boise and running a canine blood bank
• Looking forward to the birth of our second sweet girl in September
• And we're still learning and loving!!

Princess Undies: Part II

Since the start of potty training last week, Morgan has done GREAT! We've had no accidents to speak of (minus the slightly wet undies this morning when Chadwick forgot to have her go after the long night) and she's been mostly without diapers. I think she's got it!

Funny story - Thursday she told me that she needed to go potty so we sat there, and sat there, and sat some more. Sometimes she just doesn't have to go when I have her try, so I was all set to let her off the toilet to try again later. She kept insisting that she needed to go and I finally left her on the toilet alone for a few minutes (standing in the hallway). Not too long after, she mentioned something about a pinecone. "You want a pinecone?" I asked. "No," she responded. I walked back into the bathroom and found that she had successfully pooped in the toilet...and called it a pinecone! Two ecstatic M&Ms later, she was off for the rest of her afternoon activities. I told Chadwick about the incident and we laughed it off. However, the Marine and/or male in him started referring to the act as "dropping a pinecone." Sunday, she pooped once again in the toilet and when I asked if she had pooped a pinecone, she seriously responded, "No, I dropped one."

Thanks, honey. *note of sarcasm dripping from the keys*

She has also started having us not come into the bathroom with her. "Stay out mom" or "go on mom" is what I hear. Such an independent little spirit. She is turning into such a bright and beautiful little girl and I am so blessed to be her mom!

Princess Undies: Part I

For several months now, Morgan has been going to the bathroom in either her little froggy toilet, or more recently, on the big toilet. When asked if she needs/wants to go potty, she will sometimes say yes and run away to the bathroom, and sometimes say "no no no Mama!" And you can't change her mind. With my belly becoming more round by the week, I'd like to start pushing a little harder to see if she can grasp the whole potty-training thing before her little sister is born.
I bought some princess underwear several weeks ago, and yesterday I busted them out for the first time. She was super excited to be wearing them and refused pants for the entire morning so she could look and feel them. So funny! I loaded her up with juice and we had a morning of together time. Unfortunately, watching Sesame Street was too much of a distraction and she wet through Undies #1 of the morning. No biggie...on goes another pair, into the wash goes the wet undies and towel she was sitting on. We continued to play in the house and I sent her outside while I made lunch. Several minutes later, she was in "concentration mode" which we all recognize in our children immediately. She consented to pooping on the toilet.....but she had already gone in the undies. So much for Undies #2. And may I say that poopy undies are way worse than smeared, poopy diapers?? On go another pair.

She made it through her afternoon nap without a problem, but we didn't quite make it to the bathroom quickly enough after she woke up. Poor girl was mortified when she started urinating in her pants on the way to the toilet! Into the wash go Undies #3 and Pants #1. I also started a sticker chart and told her that when she got a whole row of stickers filled, we'd get her a treat. Off to the dollar store to pick out a puzzle. Made it home without a wet bottom until on the way to the bathroom again. This time she had a minor meltdown and wanted diapers put on instead of Undies #4 and Pants #3. Okay! It was a good start to the potty training sessions to follow. She didn't wet her diaper the rest of the evening and asked to go potty several times between dinner and bedtime.

This may be a long haul....