Just some random goings on around the House of Smooches.
I’ve changed my mind about potty training…..it’s not that bad! Wow, can’t believe I actually said that out loud. I’m not sure if it’s the third time’s a charm……… or if Ben was just really ready………. or if first-borns are just like that….. ready to be on the cutting edge…..or maybe just a combination of all of the above! Anyway, Ben started potty training 4 weeks ago. The first two weeks were really hit and miss……totally my fault because I didn’t want to deal with peed in clothes when we went out. The past two weeks have been hard core……and Ben is doing great!
He’s even staying dry most naps! No diapers during the day. He’s telling me when he needs to pee and has had two poops in the potty (sorry if that’s TMI, but that’s my life 
). Ben’s had a few poop accidents, but he’s getting better. And the really funny part is that he WANTS to use the toilet (as he says, “I pee in toilet mommy!”). No little potty for Ben. And now he’s VERY motivated by M&Ms. It took a few days for him to realize that peeing in the potty equaled getting a treat. Now sure as I’ve posted this, potty time will take a turn for the worst, but here’s hoping!
Some friends from church gave the boys this super fun go-cart. So now instead of flying down our hill on their Tonka Dump Trucks, they speed down on the go-cart. Carlos does the steering and Jeremiah’s the break man……I must admit they are a little bit of wild drivers and neither has mastered the art of breaking or steering, but they sure do have fun! Ben sometimes hitches a ride, but not on the downhill……too scary!
Get this baby up the hill
Getting set up
ready to roll
Hitching a ride
Our garden is growing like crazy! We got a late start and did not plant until the end of May, but already we have some tiny squash and one little tomato. The boys love going down to the garden and checking out the progress. When we planted our garden Carlos asked if we could plant watermelon. We compromised with four cantaloupe plants (because I thought watermelon would be too much work and take up too much space). Well last week we had friends over for dinner and they brought a watermelon. Carlos asked me if he could plant the seeds. I figured, what would it hurt…..there’s no way these seeds will germinate. So Carlos planted the watermelon seeds in our front flower garden and he faithfully watered the area EVERY day. Well, would you know it……today when I started weeding my flower bed…..I found about 15 teeny watermelon plants!! Carlos was pleased beyond words!
I have rather a love-hate relationship with our sandbox. I love it because it provides the kids with hours of endless fun (and let me tell you they love it. The day after we got home from the beach, they were back playing in the sandbox. I could not believe it! After spending an entire week in the biggest sandbox EVER and they just did not have enough). But I hate it because I’m forever feeling gritty sand on my floors. But gritty floors are worth hours of imaginative play.
Who needs toys when you have cardboard boxes?!?!? Not Carlos! Yesterday Carlos got the box that our weekly produce arrived in and decided to get a little creative on me! He worked for about a hour on that box and found it very useful for making different “costumes”. In the end he added wings and made himself a flying hat.
And speaking of work, I love it when my kids work together on getting jobs done. Sometimes the results are…….well…..interesting! This is what the pantry looks like when your 3 and 4 year-old puts away the groceries.
House of Smooches 