All Aboard The Potty Train!!

He woke up dry yesterday morning (which is not unusual). For the first three hours of yesterday, I let Ares run around with nothing but a shirt on. Then we went swimming and to see Uncle Justice at grandma/grandpa's house. We went home, ate, took a nap, played, watched TV, went outside, went to Auntie Cindy and Uncle Mike's house for dinner. The ENTIRE day, he did not have a single 'accident'. I was told he woke up dry this morning, and aside from one mishap (that happened 20 minutes after going to the bathroom) everything has been great, and it's 2:15pm. One mistake in our first REAL time trying, that's my big boy!!!
I say "REAL" because we had randomly been putting him in training underwear, but it was never consistent. We'll see how school goes tomorrow, I'll make sure I have lots of changes of clothes for him!
Here's some pics from the weekend: PS, it's hard to get 1 two year old to look at a camera, getting three to look is IMPOSSIBLE.

First weekend / Potty Time

It's our first weekend without daddy being home. It wasn't bad at all, as Grandma Karen and Grandpa Doug came up to visit. Ares had a blast with them, and was really sad to wake up without them being there. After a few tears, we decided to start a new potty training regimen.

Saturday morning, grandma recommended we let Ares run around without any underwear on when we're at home. While I was running errands, they were brave enough to allow him to wear big boy underwear to the park and restaurant, and he stayed dry for a couple of hours. We met Eli's family and Davis' family for the Looney Toon's Orchestra performance, which was a great time, and the weather stayed nice as well. i was SUPER impressed that Davis was completely potty trained. Darrah said that they used the same method that was recommended earlier that day to me, so we're all in now!

It was amazing to see the boys play and run and wrestle together at the concert. these 3 kids are so fun to watch. they kept running ahead of us to get to the concert, and then, stopped running, and started holding hands- it was TOO cute!! I wish I had my camera with me (bad mom!)

Another fun day on Sunday with my in-laws as we went to the Taste of Hudson. There were lots of things for kids to do, although, it rained and we got soaked. It was still fun. After a super late nap, Ares woke up and we started the 'free range' baby idea. A few drips before bed, but we ran to the potty to finish, and so far this morning (we've only been up for 2 hours), but we've gone potty twice already.

Adam has been working REALLY hard these past few days. Friday he worked a 14 hour day, which is crazy! Good thing he only worked 8 hours on Saturday, and at least 10 yesterday. Today is the only day I want him to put in LONG hours, as it's a Holiday, so he will get double time and a half! Nice!! At least he's keeping busy, but I miss him lots. I think today I'm going to take Ares to the pool (indoor) and practice his swim moves.

Swim Lessons / Deployment

I wanted to sign Ares up for swim lessons, but thought he was too old for the mommy and me class they recommend for his age, so I signed him up for the 3-5 year old "beginner pre-school" class. Thank goodness I did that. Ares' first day of swim lessons was on Tuesday of this week. There were 4 kids in the class, but I think it's down to 3 now. Parents had to watch from a balcony, couldn't even watch from the deck, because the teachers didn't want the students to be distracted. Some kids waved the whole time to their parents, mine didn't wave at me once =(

I was nervous that he would act out, or not go in the water (turns out, the child next to him threw a terrible tantrum) I was worried that it would scare Ares, but it didn't. He was the first one in the water (there's a ramp to walk into, so it's not a plunge or anything), and after about 30 seconds of standing in waist deep water, the kid disappeared. I didn't see him for a full 5 seconds and started to get worried. Turns out, he dropped his round dive toy he was holding, and went underwater to retrieve it. He was the only kid to put their head in the water the entire day.


As I toweled him off after the (fast) half hour, he asked if we could come back again. I told him we sure could, how about on Thursday, and he responds "And Friday too??" LOL. I think Friday is the only day of the week's name that he knows. Needless to say, I still think my kid is amazing. But it scares me that he would just jump in the water without anyone watching.




Also Tuesday morning, Adam was told he was being added to the CATastrophe list for work to potentially get called to Hurricane Irene's affected area. Tuesday night, around 6pm, he was called and told he needed to be on a 2:55 flight to New Jersey. He will be returning on 9/20 (so a total of 21 days, helping adjust claims from the wrath of the hurricane and it's flooding). Exciting for him, although, he missed out on our three days of planned cleaning to get the house ready for visitors that we have coming over a few times over the next couple of weeks.

It's good that he'll bring in a lot more money for working lots of overtime, but I don't think I've been away from Adam for more than 5 days since we've been married (and he'll be back the week of our 7th anniversary), so I'm REALLY going to miss him. At least I know he'll be safe, unlike those who's family members are truly deployed overseas for military.

Blue Hairs!

The last time we went to the Indians game, Ares waited in line to get his hair sprayed, and when it was finally his turn, he FREAKED OUT. Yesterday, he stated that he wanted blue hair, stood in line very patiently, crawled up on to the chair, told the lady he wanted "blue please" and put his hands on his face waiting for it to be sprayed. He sat so patiently, that she got his whole head sprayed.

There were tons of things to do at 'kids fest' outside of the park, but ALL he wanted to do was touch the snake. He had no fear, just walked away from us, right up to the snake, and pet it. SUCH a boy!

Notice his 'backpack'? It's actually his new diaper bag. The kid LOVES his backpack - and so do I!

My Favorite Summer Picture

Ares, Eli and Davis

This picture was taken at Eli's (middle) 2nd birthday party. It was the second time that all of the parents have gotten together, but the kids all knew each other from school. This was towards the end of the party (which was in June), after the boys played in the pool, chased each other around the yard, pushed their toy lawnmowers throughout EVERYTHING, threw beach balls and played with dog poo.

We didn't even have to ask them to hold hands or get up there. They did this all on their own, and Andrea happened to have her camera on her to snap the awesome pic.

Different - More Ares-isms

All today - 8/28
Me: 'Hey Ares, how do you like the pancakes daddy made?'
Ares: 'They taste different."
Me: "The taste different than what?"
Ares: "Hamburgers!!"

(while I was looking at the weed wacker, I noticed the handle was sideways)
ME: hmmm, I can't figure this thing out
Ares: Just pick it up

Me: Ares, are you hungry?
Ares: I'm not full!

What's Daddy's Name?

I asked Ares what daddy's real name is.

He sits and thinks for a while (with his finger on his mouth) - and said ((OK, totally off topic, but we just had an earthquake, as I was typing this)).

SO back to the story, Ares sits and puts his finger on his mouth, like he was thinking hard, and says "Tyrannosaurus Rex!" Dork.

He's pretty good with dinosaurs. He now knows Pterodactyl, Brachiosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Stegosaurus. He knew 'raptor' for a while, but I think he's forgotten. The dinosaurs are always stealing his food. Goons.

He said what?!?

I'm not entirely sure of the whole story, I just heard the dialogue at the end. After grandma read the same book for the 8th time, (Dinosaur Boogie), I believe it was decided it was the last time. Ares turns to Grandpa Doug:

Ares: Hey grandpa, are you strong enough to hold this book?
Grandpa: Yeeesss (as he takes the book)
Ares: Now you have to read it!!! (and then a very loud) Haaaaaaaa

What a goofball.

I picked up a couple of Adam's friends to go to Cincinnati with us. They were in the car when I picked Ares up from school. Ares got in the car, said 'hello' and in a single breath said: 'Look at the sky, the grass is green, there are big trees, look at that big truck, that truck is blue, mommy - green light, green means go, go mommy, ooh there's a motorcycle, brum mmmm mmm mm (sound of motorcycle). *breath*.

Fortunately, he was slightly quieter for the 4 hour trek down.

Just a lazy day down river.

Mr. Joe Cool here after his first ever canoe trip.

I love this picture here. It shows how small he really is compared with the post that was only mid thigh to me.

The fam. It was an awesome time, GREAT weather and the water was wonderful.

Reading an animal book...

Q: Ares, what is this?
A: An elephant!

Q: What is this?
A: A sea otter!

Q: What is this animal?
A: A puffer fish!

Q: What is this animal?
A: A wolf!

Q: Ares, what's that animal?
A: Oh that's a hard one. (It was a toucan.)

Ares was running in the living room, and tripped over his foot. "awww, I crashed!!"

From about 5' away, he threw me his shorts, when I caught them he says "Good catch". When I didn't respond with anything, he says "Mommy, you say 'good throw'. " What a goober he is!