Can it be the real deal?

Liam has been dry 5 nights in a row now!

I can't get over it!

GO LIAM!

3 years, 3 months

Dear Son,

Shocking news here on your monthly birthday! You are officially grown up! You are completely NOT a baby in any way.

And you know what, Liam? It doesn't make me sad at all. I am totally embracing your grown-up-ness! It's so neat for me to witness! I mean, how did it all happen within a week's time? What made your mind up? Whatever the answer is, I am so happy! Happy for you, happy for me and happy in general!

You are using the facilities on your own accord and without any supervision when only a week ago we started the potty training. Your bed has been dry for two nights in a row and I'm thinking this is it. You are unquestionably independent! Seriously, kid, you are amazing! I don't have to bribe, beg or nag you on this stuff. You own it!

(I won't mention how hilarious it is when you say, in your car seat, that you gotta go potty before you poop your pants.)

And speaking of owning your actions... in the last 24 hours you have mastered clothing yourself. You can even get your shirts off this week! What? I guess seriously implementing a process is the way to make things stick with you. GO LIAM! You are doing a great job!

(I also won't mention how crooked your clothes are when you are finished getting dressed or how much it makes me laugh.)

In other news you continue to crack us up, infuriate us and make us feel lucky all in a minute, hour or day's time. You being three is really different, really good, really hard and sometimes too easy. I love it, I can't stand it and I embrace it all at the same time. Just as I savored your infancy, I savor your sassy and boisterous self. What would I do if I didn't have you to dote on, yell at, waste food on or sing to at night? Who would I tickle, put in time out or praise to no end? It's only you. I love you so much, Liam! Thanks for always being the honest true you! I am blessed to take care of you and respond to every word that comes out of your cute mouth!

Love you always,
Mom

P.S. We took you to a fun arcade place last night and won lots of tickets for you to get treats/prizes with. One of your favorite games was air hockey. I had to get video footage of a the victory monkey dance you did each time you got the puck in Daddy's goal.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Potty Training Lock Down Photos

So we have been literally locked in the house since Saturday the 17th with the potty training business. Liam did go with me to the pharmacy yesterday (20th) to pick up his allergy medicine. He pulled my leg saying he had to go pee on our 3 minute commute. Even though he emptied himself prior to leaving, I "ran" as I carried my 40 lb child to the back of the store to get him on the pot. He managed to squeeze two droplets into the nasty public toilet. So I had to ask him if he was seriously done. He was. So it was confirmed the last 10 minutes he was totally messing with me.

He is SO his father's son.

Anyway, here are a few shots of our locked in fun Saturday through Tuesday.

The stickers were a bigger hit than I thought they would be. "Wow, dinosaurs!" He was totally into the benchmarks and tracking his progress. The clever kid even asked for prizes early with a sly grin on his face.

Liam was mad that I vacuumed up some cat food without his help, so I had him mop for me instead. He was so pleased and mopped for a long time.

Boowa and Kwala are such a hit at our house. We played a lot of games together and read a lot of stories on that website over the three day stretch.

Car racing was actually the number one activity. Since he was awarded so many new race cars for the #2, he was putting each of them to the crash test and rarely took breaks.

Bunny came out to play on Monday. Liam was racing and chasing that thing around for an hour. That poor bunny kept laying flat on the floor to take breathers. He's not used to that much exercise.

Liam's name changes

I am cracking up at Liam right now. He is playing with all his Pixar Cars. He lined them up and bellowed each of their names.

"Mack, Kane (King), Queen (McQueen), Famone (Ramone), Doc and Trip Car (Cartrip)."

I've tried to help him say them right in the past, but he always goes back to the above mentioned pronunciations.

Potty Training Day 3

Day 3 Liam was clean and dry the whole day. Grandma and Grandpa sent him helium balloons as a big reward. He has played with those... well he hasn't stopped playing with them. A very fun surprise yesterday afternoon!

Per the comments on my previous post, I didn't set alarms to check him in the night. At 5am this morning he came to me soaked and needing help getting changed. I tried my best not be frustrated as he hadn't really had anything to drink a couple hours before bedtime. He even went potty right before bed. So this night time thing may take awhile for him to figure out. I just don't want to do the pull ups and confuse him. So I'll just keep him in the thicker underpants at night along with a pad underneath. It's important for him to feel he's wet. Hopefully all of this is very temporary.

By the way, I appreciate the advice not to set alarms and check on him. I slept so much better and feel so rested. Even him waking at 5am wasn't bad. He slept after that until almost 8am. Heaven.

Potty Training Day 2

Night 1 went as expected. I didn't set an alarm to wake him in the middle of the night, so he came in at 1:40am to ask for help getting dry jammies on. I praised him for waking up and letting me know he was wet. I sat him on the pot to make sure he was really empty. I made him all comfy again and put him back in bed. He was dry until he woke at 7am.

Day 2 started out rocky as I fell back asleep after 7am and wasn't reminding him constantly to let me know if he had to go. He was watching a movie which isn't the best thing while trying to focus on using the potty. Second strike for the mom who should have known better. Eagle eye is key in this little process. The rest of the day went fine with no accidents and two #2's so he got another car! Blue Ghostlight Ramone! Wow!

Last night I set my alarm for 1am, 3am and 6am. Each time I woke him and put him on the potty and nothing came of it. At 6:10 he came back in my room and said he had to go pee. He went 3 times within that hour on his own, me dragging myself to him a few seconds after. I am really proud of him. A lot of stickers have been put on the chart this morning and two prize benchmarks have been reached already!

Now the question is, how do we phase out the massive rewards? I'll be revising our chart for sure.

Potty Training Day 1

Yes, our boy is 3 years and almost 3 months. I have never taken the time off work to dedicate to potty training. I just didn't want to gamble with something so many kids revert on. I was going to do it the week he turned 3.

I had planned on it all year long.

Then it dawned on me that this sort of thing (like the binky weaning) might be better practiced after the holiday excitement and disorder.

I think I was right.

Since last Monday, our darling son has prevented me from changing any dirty smelly diapers. He's gone #2 on the toilet every evening. It was on a whim that I grabbed him Monday night a few seconds after he went into "hiding" for his evening business. It was risky - as we thought he might have already started, but alas, luck was on our side. He was so proud of himself and we of him!

So every two times this has occurred, he's gotten a car. Tuesday night it was King, Thursday it was Darrell Cartrip and today it was Doc (The Hudson Hornet).

This morning was the official day of starting the training. We ate a high fiber breakfast, put on the underwear, then I got a trash bag and we found every diaper in the house. Liam did so well with this process. He even wanted to pitch the wipes and baby powder. We threw the whole bag out the front door and said a final good-bye to those diapers. I gave him a Spider Man treat for doing so well on this task.

Later in the morning, we were playing in his room. I got to the point where I was laying on the floor. Wouldn't you know it, my lack of a good night's sleep kicked in and I conked out. A bit later, I opened my eyes and asked where he was. He said he was in my sewing room cleaning up his pee pee. I ran to him and rushed him to the bathroom.

I blew my kid's chance of staying dry all day by falling asleep. Not a good start. I just cleaned him up and we started again. He was 100% dry the rest of the day!!! He always told me when he needed to go.

I'll have to report tomorrow how the night time goes. I have a thick pair of underwear on him and a barrier under him just in case he isn't successful. He went potty right before he went to sleep. Fingers crossed!

Wedding Grooves

Last Thursday (1/7/09) we went to (Ian's cousin) Jessica's wedding reception. It was fun to see her and Dave so happy! We chatted with family, let Liam down wedding cake and chocolate strawberries and watched him groove on the dance floor. He fought us when we said it was time to go. Bedtime really knows how to ruin a kid's partying style.

Ian's Grandpa Frank, Grandma Patty, Cousin Jessica, New Cousin Dave, Aunt Kari and Uncle Mark

His Logic

Liam slept in his bed all night (no wakings), 3 nights in a row.

Yesterday he was given a prize for this great feat.

Last night he came in our room at least 3 times. Twice I took him back to bed, then the 3^rd time Ian got up and snuggled him for awhile.

This morning he woke up later than usual and in whine mode.

After some chocolate milk, I asked him why he woke up and came in our room so much last night. He just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know. I said that he was doing so good sleeping in his bed all night, that is why we gave him a prize yesterday. Maybe I should take the prize away if he can’t sleep in his bed.

He didn’t miss a beat and said, “Daddy doesn’t get a prize because he slept in my bed!”

I was shocked at his sassy yet impeccable logic and said, “Daddy was only in your bed because you came in our room and woke him up. He was helping you. Daddy and Mommy are the boss and the rule is for you to not come and sleep in our bed, right?”

“Right.”

Swimming during a snow storm

Last night (Tuesday) we took Liam swimming. He had such a fun time! Snow or water, these boys thoroughly enjoy either one -- especially together.


After swimming he enjoyed the hot shower in the locker room. I washed him up good and then he played in the water for awhile. I finally convinced him to get in the towel and then I put his jammies and slippers on.

It was odd doing a summer activity in the middle of a nasty snowstorm, but we all had a good time!

Saedi's Boys

I needed someone to take Liam on Monday and Saedi was game. I am so grateful to her for always being there in my time of need. She acts like Liam is no big deal to tend, but I know he has his moments, even at her House O' Fun.

Liam fought me hard when it came time to leave Mason, Ethan and Aiden. They always have so much fun together and Mason usually tries to hide Liam so I can't take him home with me. That Mason... always wanting a sleep over! Some day.

Can he be any more Handsome???

Liam got a long over due hair cut on Saturday morning! Hair cut or shaggy, he's still the most handsome little boy on the planet!

MightyMind

I mentioned this in his letter, but here is the photo for proof.