Sophie and potty training: Chapter One

Last night, Sophie was getting ready to poop in her diaper. We're having difficulty getting her to sit on the toilet to poop and last night was no different. Basically, candy is no longer an incentive for her. Not that it ever really worked anyway. I think she's seriously hip to our game and doesn't feel like playing anymore.

She tells us she has to poop. To which we reply, "Let's sit on the toilet and go poopy! Come on!!" To which she refuses. Tim then follows up with, "If you sit on the toilet and go poop, I'll give yoooouuuuu........"

And Sophie interrupts with such great comedic timing and says, "WHAT. M&Ms? No." She proceeds to walk away to a secluded location and finish her poop in peace.

This potty training thing can be such a letdown. At first, they are so excited and love the idea of transitioning to the big kid toilet. And then, slowly but surely, they regress and decide to mess with your mind. I'm convinced Sophie could be fully potty trained in a day, but she's in control and knows it. My theory, I understand, would make one assume my daughter is manipulative and has me wrapped around her little finger.....as her mother, my twisted view of it sees the rare intelligence and geniusness behind it.

Who knows. I'm sure there will be more potty training stories in the future, as our journey has just begun.

It's New Year's Eve?

Is this what my New Year's has come down to? Blogging because I have no social life now that I'm a parent? I sit typing on the laptop as I am watching Tim play Tiger Woods on his new Playstation 3. I successfully put Sophie down to bed at 8:30 this evening and this is what is left.....had I predicted this 10 years ago, I would have denied it. Now, I'm very happy to say I am glad to be home, sitting by the fire, and typing away on my blog. I'm so glad my daughter is healthy, sound asleep, and I am resting in a place I can call my own.

Now don't get me wrong, I haven't totally gone crazy. I still enjoy a fun evening out and will welcome it for future New Year celebrations. Until then, though, I am truly happy to be at home celebrating quietly. And, I guess this pregnancy has a teeny bit to do with it! My feet are so swollen I would only be able to go out if I had geriatric shoes on, or those weird shoes nurses wear (I totally get comfort, but come on!!). I've hit the point in my pregnancy where I only dream of putting my narrow Nike shoes on or even consider wearing anything but elasticized pants. I'm due in 2 weeks, I'm off of work, and the only person I need to please is myself! I rarely look in the mirror these days because let's face it, it's not a pretty sight. And if I come across one of these people who feels the need to remind me how beautiful pregnancy is and what a "fun" time it is, I just might have to throw my sausage fingers in their face and tell them to shut it. So, can't say I'd be a ball to hang out with tonight!!!

I love how I just read over the blog and realized how up and down even my writing is.....2 more weeks, 2 more weeks, 2 more weeks.

And you are??

Tim and I were sitting on the bed and Sophie pointed at the two of us and said, "Mommy, Daddy. You're Tim, you're Cheryl." Really? She said it so matter-of-fact and Tim and I laughed for a good 5 minutes about it.

Tonight, in frustration, Sophie yelled at her daddy and said, "Tim, get up!!!" I've come to the conclusion our daughter is very good at modeling Mommy's behavior....I've probably said this phrase more than necessary! Now I get why parents start calling each other mom and dad!

Christmas Day 2006

A few of our favorite shots from this year. I love the one of her belting out a song on the mic! And, of course, the one of her enjoying her Christmas dessert.

Christmas is a lot of work!!

It's now 9:30ish and I'm thinking I can finally put my feet up and relax. Another Christmas has come and gone and I have never been more exhausted in my entire life! Of course, I know I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant, but still, it would've been just as exhausting if I wasn't! Tim and I have come to the realization that Christmas is a lot of work when you become parents. No longer are the days of ripping open presents and getting to play with them all day long. Now are the days of cleaning up, cooking, making sure everything is perfect, and keeping everyone happy.

We went to Christmas Eve service last night at 8pm with Sophie. I now find myself longing for the day church is once again a time of deep reflection and peace. Let's just say it's everything but that when you have a two-year-old. At one point, Sophie was lying on the ground, practically underneath the pew in front of us, dirty tile and all, and I was just so happy she was being quiet. Forget the fact we had to dust the debris off of her everytime she got up and forget the fact that thousands of dirty shoes have rested where she was lying. She was quiet....and that's all that matters! For the most part, Sophie was a very good girl and enjoyed the choir and tried to sing along. She remembered to say "amen" (albeit 5 seconds later than everyone else and very loud), she held her hands in prayer when prompted and she offered peace to fellow neighbors....as much as I sweat through these things praying for her to be a good girl, she tends to help me realize how much she really is getting out of it and gives us the motivation to keep going back....

Karaoke Christmas 2006

http://www.vimeo.com/clip:125767

Here's a funny clip of Sophie and Daddy belting out a tune......Santa brought Sophie a pretty cool Barbie CD player equipped with 2 microphones so you can sing along. Little did I know Daddy would have a difficult time sharing with his daughter. Just watch him steal the limelight!!! Maybe Santa labeled the gift wrong or maybe I need to buy Daddy his own Barbie CD player; you be the judge!

Doctor's visit

Sophie is still feeling pretty sick and has thrown up so many times we've lost count. Really, I've never done more laundry in my entire life. Finally, this afternoon Tim and I made the decision to call the doctor and bring her in. Now, of course, we are pretty much aware it's a stomach virus, but we just needed the peace of mind to get through another night of sleeping with one eye open.

So, we saw the doctor today and she has told us every 2-year-old in San Ramon seems to be throwing up. Whew, sigh of relief! She has become quite fond of her pediatrician, making doctor visits quite pleasant....thank goodness. Sophie got a little pushy towards the end of the visit and kept asking where her sticker was. The doctor thought she had ran out, but she walked out of the examining room on a mission to find a sticker for our little Sophie. Sophie ended up with two and was very happy by the end of her visit. And Tim and I breathed a sigh of relief that Sophie was a normal, puking 2-year-old.

What's so funny?

I just love this picture!!! Daddy and his little girl.....can you see the resemblance??? So cute!!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!!!

Our Christmas tree's lovely branches no longer thrill thee. I have been given clearance by Tim to tell this story. Not that I was going to wait for his permission, but it certainly makes me feel less guilty about telling it now. So, most people know my husband takes care of a huge, beautiful golf course, filled with lush grass, native plants, and other living things among it. And, I must say he's damn good at it. I mean, he does have a degree in the field, has several years under his belt, and is one of the youngest superintendents in the area. Besides that, we have the best lawn in the neighborhood. It's always this deep green beautiful color and our flowers are always thriving and the best on the block. So, why would I question his ability to take care of a freshly cut Noble Fir Christmas tree? Of course not!

Every year we buy from the same Christmas tree lot and every year we get a really good tree that thrives right on past the new year. This year certainly wasn't going to be any different. We decided to get our tree even earlier this year, going on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Very excitedly, we picked out what we believed to be the "perfect" tree. This is the first year Sophie really knew what was going on so she was a fantastic help and was just as excited. We ended up bringing the tree in the house on a Monday and decorating it that evening as well. Everything was fine until good 'ol Tuesday came along. I'm sitting on the couch, minding my own business, and Tim comes in from the backyard with this bright blue concoction, believed to be in liquid form. Thinking back, he might as well had goggles and a beaker in his back pocket. Of course, I'm still not questioning what is going on, but I definitely had a moment of wonder come across me. Next thing you know, he's down on the ground, pouring this blue poison into our Christmas tree stand (it wasn't even a sky or ocean blue, it was like this bright teal-like color, reminiscent of the popular color in the 80's).

Tim, the mad scientist he is, thought a little fertilizer would help the little tree last even longer. Apparently, our tree didn't feel the same way. After all, the tree isn't exactly buried in the ground with roots and soil and all that good stuff. It is, in fact, kind of dead after being chopped down by Christmas tree people. I began to wonder why our tree was looking more and more lifeless after its latest feeding. I was beginning to think Sophie was getting up in the middle of the night and picking at the branches. I realized something wasn't right when I accidentally brushed by it and an entire branch fell off. Now, no one is allowed to come within a 2-foot radius of the tree, otherwise, it might just disappear.

So, I think Tim has learned his lesson and will not play mad scientist with the Christmas tree next year. We may just stick to good 'ol sugar water. We just found out the boy scouts aren't picking up trees until January 6th.....we were kind of hoping for a December 26th pick-up, but no such luck. We're just praying for this puppy to make it to Christmas Eve! It for sure is coming down right after Christmas, and I, for the first time, will be the first to say see ya later!!!

Never in my life.....

...did I think I would be immune to vomit. Actually, let me clarify. Never in my life did I think I would be immune to baby vomit. Back in college, I was never the friend that could hold someone's hair back while they puked because I'd end up puking right alongside them, or at least dry heave right behind them. And, I'm not the most graceful puker, not that I've ever met someone who vomits attractively.

There's a reason behind the appealing start to this story......Sophie was hit with a nasty stomach virus this weekend and Tim and I have literally washed the entire house down because, let's face it, no one is safe. So, Sophie spent last night in our bed. I was in charge of getting the bucket on time, while Tim had a box of kleenex and his handy dandy hands ready to go at a moment's notice. Pretty much on the hour, Sophie was waking us up and doing her thing. I started to lag later in the night because I just couldn't cope. Tim had to tell me to get my game on more than once. So, Sophie slept between us and Tony the Turtle lay at the foot of our bed and served as our nightlight throughout the whole event. We made it through the night, but I definitely feel I've had my fill of vomit for the rest of 2006. I write as my back is sore from washing everything that is washable, steam cleaning the carpets, disinefecting anything that poses a threat, and lastly, giving Sophie a serious bath. I even washed, rinsed, and repeated with the shampoo.

We're hoping for a restful night tonight. Of course, I know it'll be one of those nights where we both sleep with one eye open. We'll see, though. Maybe she's preparing us for her baby brother's arrival. We've been spoiled with being able to sleep through the night for the most part!

Princess on the potty

Sophie has regressed a little from using the potty, but we're working on getting her back on track, even if it means she must wear her princess dress on the potty. Grammy bought her this beautiful dress and we now have the most delightful time making sure her dress doesn't fall in the toilet, get ripped while putting her in her booster chair, or drag on the ground when she's outside with Daddy. Yesterday was the first day in several that she hasn't worn the dress all day long. Oh, and she loves to wear her princess dress over every outfit she has on, with of course, her purple Crocs. And I find all of this completely acceptable....really???

Daddy made a phone call

So, Sophie has been a little defiant with going to bed on time, which, lucky for us, is very unusual for her. Usually, I tell her it's bedtime and she can't run fast enough to her bedroom to pick out a book to read! But now, she received this wonderful gift from a friend (Natalie, we absolutely love the gift and Sophie has grown very attached to it!), a turtle that lights up and acts as a nightlight putting stars all over the room. She has named him "Tony the Turtle" and loves to stargaze with her daddy and does this every night when it's close to her bedtime. Every time I go in the bedroom and tell her it's time for bed and read a story, she throws a mini-fit. Finally, the other night, Tim decides it's time to tell Santa about Sophie's recent behavior.

So, Tim grabs the telephone and tells Sophie he's going to tell Santa that Sophie is being a bad girl and not listening to mommy and daddy. The conversation goes something like this:

"Uh, yeah, Santa? Oh, hi Santa. This is Tim. I mean, this is Sophie's daddy. Um, I don't know if Sophie should get any presents this year because she's not listening to mommy and daddy."

Meanwhile, Sophie is screaming in the background at her daddy and is asking to speak to Santa herself. Of course, there's no one on the other line and Sophie is hip to our game. She manages to still tell Santa she's sorry and please bring presents before she realizes there's no response from Santa. We quickly grab the phone and she is amazingly ready for bed. It worked!!! Now, this isn't our preferred method of parenting, but when it works, it's hard to not use it again and again and again! If only the Santa threat was available 365 days a year!!!

Who starts a weekend project on a Wednesday night?

Tim and I do, that's who. Tim came home and casually mentioned he wanted to begin on the "closet project" where he is planning on putting in several shelves to help with the space we will need when the baby arrives. Of course, I "casually" agree. I was resting in bed (because that's what I do best these days) and got up to use the bathroom. I got out of the bathroom, and literally no more than 30 seconds later, walked out to find our entire closet has shifted to the top of the bed. I had every intention of getting back into bed and continuing the planning phase conversation of this closet project. Next thing I know Tim has the drill out and Sophie is by his side utilizing the measuring tape to the best of her ability.

Sophie has also taken it upon herself to try on every piece of clothing, pair of shoes, hat, belt, etc. in the entire closet. It's one big pile of fun!!! Of course, we decide to not just tackle our closet, but ALL the closets in the house. Before you know it, it looks like a tornado hit our house. Needless to say, the story ends with the tornado. Shelves have not been put up, the closet doors to our closet sit in the hallway as I write this, and the spare bedroom has been designated the official "dump site."

How cute, if she could only keep her eyes open....

Daddy and Sophie at Union Square in San Francisco. We went out there to do a little shopping and see all the beautiful Christmas lights. Sophie had a fantastic time!

Uh oh, Tim's read the blog

Tim has now informed me he is afraid to talk to me now because he thinks everything he says can and will be used against him on this blog. I don't think he realizes how funny he really is and how many smiles he would bring to people's faces just by my sharing our experiences!!! Anyway, it's still raining and I'm still very unfocused at work. What I really want to do is go home, get cozy with Sophie in a blanket and watch Dora the Explorer.

Can you say tired?

Tim decided to wake me up at 4:30am this morning to make sure I was aware it was raining outside. The excitement in Tim's voice disgusts me at this hour in the morning. He proceeds to continue having a conversation with me even though he notices I can barely peel my eyes open to look at him. Finally, I put my hand up and rolled over. Little does he know how much I accomplished last night. I consoled his daughter, who woke up in a frenzy at 1 am. Plus, I found the ambition to start this website, which he has yet to find out he has a starring role in. So, I'm tired and I'm at work and totally off-task writing on this blog that hardly anyone reads.

I'm feeling so confident in my computer skills now that I've posted a picture. There's no stopping me now!!!! This is Sophie with her bear. To my surprise, Sophie is actually looking at the camera with her eyes open.....such a success.

I already have a story to tell......

I think I may be closer to convincing Tim I am in desperate need of a Dyson vacuum. Last night, Sophie and I sat next to our dead Christmas tree (that story is for another day) and watched as Tim performed yet another surgery on my Kenmore vacuum. He managed to clean a bunch of lint and hair out of it, but it still made the loud, piercing noise when he turned it back on. Plus, when he turned it off, it took a good 5 seconds for the vacuum to actually understand the command. I mentioned I thought it might be the motor and he actually agreed with a sour look on his face.........ooooohhhh, I think I'm getting closer! I keep reciting quotes from the commercials and mentioning how this will most definitely improve my current quota per week of running the vacuum. Kind of how I promised I'd make him his favorite mashed potatoes anytime he wanted as long as he bought me the Kitchen Aid mixer in coral. My intent is sincere, I swear......

Feeling commitment phobic

So, a college friend of mind has an amazing website full of funny, articulate, and memorable stories of her family and it inspired me to try this whole website thing again. Considering I'm 8 months pregnant and already have a 2-year-old challenging everything I know, I'm not so sure how successful this will be. Let's just say this may be the beginning of the end and maybe no one will ever even know there was even an "attempt." I'll let you know how things go.....random things do enter my mind so I may occasionally have something profound and even funny to write. Here goes nothing!