Where There's a Will, I Want a Way Out

Alternative title to this post: Potty-training I.

I live in Faith that there will be a II, a III, and even a "Postscript."

Today is the one week anniversary of when it all went down.

First: the back story.

We've known for some time that Wombles has the capablitiy--like over Thanksgiving, when he whispered in church to J that he had to go potty. And J said he had to wait (we had very little confidence, after all) because I was reading and J didn't want to miss it. So Wombles held out for 5-10 minutes, and then when J took him out he went. Success!

The next few weeks were frustrating (as had been the weeks before), as I was pretty sure he knew what was going on but when I would ask, "Wombles, why didn't you go in the potty?" He would laugh and say, "I didn't WANT to!"

Pull. my. hair. out.

Here's a shot J took 8 days ago:


We were so excited. Maybe there was progress! That was Thursday.

Then last Friday, I decided to get serious. Our pediatrician had recommended putting him on the potty every hour. Are you serious? Because my interrupting his play would become more inconvenient that him interrupting his own play. Really? What about inconveniencing and interrupting me? I'm teaching, you know! But we basically have a four-day school week and save Fridays for field trips, art projects, etc. Or, that's what we try to save them for. Obviously I'm blogging right now while Bud looks at a book on Sabertooth tigers and Pixie works on her writing assignment.

Anyway, Friday was flexible, so at approximately 8:30am I put Wombles on the potty.

At approximately 8:37 he called me into the bathroom to "show me something."

He had climbed OFF of the potty and pooped on the floor. And I'm pretty sure he thought it was funny.

And a great sense of calm came over me...like I was having an out-of-body experience.

That was in Wombles' best interest, I assure you.

After cleaning it up, at approximately 8:49, my friend M. stopped by. I told her the story. She immediately started praying for me.

Thank you, M. And thank you, Jesus.

And then we chatted about the whole scenario. For some reason I had not seriously been thinking about this as a strong-will issue. We are taking a new tack.

I'll keep you updated...for better or for worse.

H

PS While I was writing this, Wombles peed on the floor in the front room. True.

Advent v. Christmas

I'm not really pitting the two against each other, of course. That I want them BOTH is the problem.

You've probably picked up on that this year, with my blogging about wanting to get all Christmas prep done before Advent so that we could actually celebrate...Advent. It has made for a peaceful and intentional time.

And I want Christmas as a season, too. Not a day, and not four weeks of getting ready for it (that is, spiritually speaking, Advent). I want ALL TWELVE DAYS OF IT.

And then a party at Epiphany.

Is that too much to ask? Mwahahaha.

On last Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, we decorated our tree. I plan to post on the whole tree-procurement/trimming festivities soon. But I wanted to share two quotes from the lunch table on Sunday that I found deeply gratifying:

Wombles: "It's Christmas!"
--No, not yet.
"Yes it is! We have a CHRISTMAS TREE!!!"

And also:

Pixie: "We got our tree up early this year."
No, not that early. It's December 13th.
Pixie: "Well, it's only just the third week of Advent!"

I may never have us trim the tree on Christmas Eve (which I think would be very nice). But I'm more than a little pleased that the three wees are gaining a sense of the rhythm of the year, and are not collapsing all of December into "Christmas." This is our first year of a "go" at real intentionality, and I hope we can figure out what things work/how to make it a more worshipful time as things evolve and we experiment.

We've added fun things too, like "The Elf on the Shelf," which Uncle D. and Auntie M. gave the kids for Christmas last year. Our tradition is slightly modified--it would have to be after the adoption of "Christmas Goody-Goody" as a classic around here--but the kids LOVE waking up each morning and hunting for the Elf. They take it very seriously, making sure they don't start looking until everyone is ready for the hunt.



Here's a peek at my pinking-shears finished Advent purple (as well as Sunday morning cinnamon rolls and sausage, of course):


It would be fun to have the purple out all week long, but as the kitchen table is also the school table it doesn't work. So the Advent wreath lives on top of the item formerly-known-as-the-tea- cabinet (now the school locker/cubbies) during the week.

Bud really wanted me to take this picture:


I assure you, he does not really know how to use the lighter. Nor is he allowed to tinker with it in order to find out. But he really, really wanted to pretend to light the candles, and so he did that for a while.

So much to tell you! Adventures in potty-training, the quest for the tree, and How a Control Freak Survived Three Small Children Trimming the Tree (one day out of my autobiography).

Also, I'm taking a poll: How do you feel about Christmas cards? What do you do? I'm planning a new tack this year, slightly modified from my basic tradition since 2005. More later.

But it's taken me three days to get this up, so I'm off for now. On the agenda this evening? Among other things, TALKING ABOUT BABY NAMES.

And having a chocolate chip cookie.
H

Christmas Music

Something really fun this year has been Pixie's piano playing. She started last January, and it's been fun this fall to hear her progress and start playing chords and songs that sound like music (progressing from exercises).



Here she is practicing before bed this week. I have been LOVING hearing her practice for the past few weeks, as her teacher has been incorporating more and more Christmas music. Pixie will be able to lead us all in carols come Christmastime proper! And lots of them!


Also, her teacher sent up parts to duets for me to play with her. So sweet.


Can't believe my Pixie is big enough to entertain us on the piano.

In other Christmas music news, a friend recently shared this:

Trace Bundy/ O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Amen!

And, for a bit more of that amazing guitar work:

Carol of the Bells

Off to buy some acoustic guitar Christmas music,
H

Bright, Sunshiny Day

Shorts and a T-shirt. Chaise on the patio. Kids in Quiet time/naps. Seventy-Five degrees. My awesome sister on the phone.

Bliss.

I just love it.

Don't be hatin'. I'm nine months pregnant and as big as a house. I need my moment (hour) in the sun!

And, it was good to get all pumped up like that before I went off to my doctor's appointment this afternoon, only to find out that after all the contractions I've been having this week there has been no. progress. whatsoever. OK, then. OK.

I SAID O.K.

As far as J and I are concerned, the due date controversy of '10 has been settled. And it's not the 18th anymore.

Mom, you just might make it out here in time!

And we might have the names settled on, too! I mean, by the time the baby comes. YOU NEVER KNOW.

Almost getting ready to think about looking forward to being in labor,
H

Dinner Party

It is not everyday that I get to go to a dinner party--the kind where you dress up, and the table is smashingly beautiful with sparkling glasses and silver.

It is not always a given, either, that I get to go to a dinner party where everyone there is someone I really enjoy.

Or where the food is cooked by the hostess and wonderful to taste and to look at.

But such a party where I am one of the honorees? Unbelievable!

I had so much fun last night. There were nine ladies there and we had a wonderful time. At least, I did. We laughed and traded labor stories and baby names. All of us moms, we talked about how we had seen God in our children during the past few months. We dined on M.'s delectable cooking, including the best roasted vegetables ever. We cooed over the two youngest guests in attendance:




And S. and I were blessed by being with these friends of ours for an evening. We're due within about two weeks of one another.


She's having a girl--her third. Her soon-to-be-middle daughter and Bud were quite a pair this summer (but was it just a summer romance??). We still don't know whether Cuatro is a girl or boy--but plan to find out soon! ...when s/he arrives. No, we're not opening the envelope until I put it in the baby book.

There's a portable crib set up. I've started to pack my labor bag. Last night, as I spent between 3-4:30am in false labor, I started wondering what else needed to go in the bag (although I know it's too early for the real thing). I was really, really hoping I would not have to call M. (who had just thrown the big party) in the middle of the night to come and sleep at our house while J. and I went to the hospital.

Why can't my children come at civilized times? Maybe this time around! You never know!

Seriously.

This is my highway.

This was my highway today.

I got the kids up early from their nap/quiet time so that we could get down to Pixie's ophthalmology appointment in Ventura (approx. 40 minutes away). We "sluked in" (as Wombles would say) just in the nick of time, and I woke up Wombles from his car nap run in-- only to find out that her doctor wasn't in that office today. For some reason our appointment had been scheduled at another of their offices...another 25 minutes down the road. But they could still see us! Great.

We found the new office with only very slight confusion. After checking in, someone from behind the desk started discussing our "problem" in a loud voice across a crowded room--I won't go into the nitty gritty, but basically Pixie could not see the doc. As I was trying to figure out what she was talking about (and why we might not have been let in on this prior to our excursion), the boys started going wild. I turned around in time to hear Wombles announce to everyone and no-one in particular, "I am NOT going to behave myself ANY MORE!"

And boy, did he mean it!

It makes me laugh, now, but at the time I was just exasperated. We went outside. I called the kids' primary care office. Turns out, the reasons I had been given were off--but the result was the same. It would have been nice for to be let in on it, though. The good news is that Pixie can now see an ophthalmologist in the town where we live, an option that was not available when we moved here. The bad news is that I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen with her other doctor in LA--you know, the one I've been working on getting an appointment with since last July? And she finally has one next week? I just close my eyes at this point. We'll find out soon enough.

It is God's mercy that I can smile as I recall stage 3 of our trip, a little errand-running into Target. Hey, when we're near a big box store, we have to seize the opportunity--plus I'd told a friend I'd return a sweater for her. The boys yelled and delightedly kicked each other the whole time. I was that woman--the one with two out-of-control kids (plus a well-mannered one) and another hoodlum on the way. Best to just grin at people when in that situation!

And wish that I were not nine months pregnant, so that I could have a Red Dirt Girl when I got home. Instead, chocolate--but it's not quite the same thing.

I hope your day was less stressful--but I don't hope it was less interesting!

Off to have a kalamata olive,

And to fold the laundry I never got to last night,
H

Day #30--Things Accomplished (and not)

Well, I made it to day 30 of the 30-Day challenge! Whoo-hoo! I could hit "Publish" now, and I think it would count! :)


It has been a busy 30 days at the Cov household. We've gotten though almost all of the Christmas shopping--you may remember that my goal was to be done before Advent began (last Sunday). I have 2.5 gifts left. Without a deadline, I'm letting them hang around. Need to get on that. It's nice to not have the pressure, though--I've never tried this before, and I'm thinking it's worthwhile. I hadn't realized that the effort to make Advent peaceful would not get rid of the stress and rush, but just move it up a bit--which is what happened. Still, I'm glad it's done.

I've added a liturgical element to our schooldays for Advent, and Pixie and Bud seem really into it. (Thanks, Beth!).

After thinking and gearing towards it all fall, we finally got our church home group started tonight. We're hosting, and having dinner together beforehand. I'm so glad, and excited to see where God leads us together as a group for the next few weeks and in the coming year.

I wrapped up my last day of teaching Spanish for the fall term today...bittersweet. I enjoy it, and the students invigorate me at least as often as they exasperate me :0). I am getting to the point where standing and teaching for several hours isn't the most comfy, though, and it's probably good to go ahead and stop while I still love it. Reminds me of why we bought that drafting chair for me to use when I was teaching and Pixie was on the way. I won't be going back until things have settled down a bit with Cuatro.

Which reminds me, Cuatro and I have made it to month 9. My doctor thinks he/she is fine to come out any old time (I'm not ready--have not accomplished cleaning out that dresser and refilling it with baby clothes).

So, a month of things accomplished! But not this:



It's not the same pile I showed you on day #1, but you get the idea. There's also a load in the washing machine, an another in the dryer--so once again, I'm off.

I'm adding a box of "Tide" to my Christmas wish list,
H