Oh, the Joy of Potty Training

We've been trying to get Xadun to go potty in the toilet for awhile now. Yesterday Chaetun was trying to convince him that he should do it. So, I told Xadun that we could go pick out some underwear if he would go potty in the toilet. He was very excited about the idea and seemed to understand, so today we went and got underwear. Thomas the Train and Football to be exact. We also got Cars that were too big so we gave those to Chaetun. More on that later.

The underwear didn't go on until after naps, around 5. In the next 4 hours of his awake time, I cleaned up two puddles on the floor (thank goodness for hardwood floors) and put three pair of wet underwear in the dirty clothes. I stayed on top of him asking if he needed to go potty, but he never answered yes, and always peed on the floor :s I'm not sure if he just doesn't understand the feeling yet, or he just doesn't pay attention to it. We'll try again tomorrow since we'll be home all day. I only have 6 pair of underwear, so we might be done halfway through the day.

The other part of this story is Chaetun. He was excited for Xadun to get underwear and understood that he wasn't getting any. When we got home and I found that the Cars were too big for Xadun, I told Chaetun he could have them. Of course it wasn't enough just to have them, he had to wear them. I told him he could not change his underwear just to wear cars. He would have to wait until tomorrow. So, he proceeds to pee in them a little so that they're wet and he can take them off. I told him he would have to live with wet underwear because he knows better. He then peed a little more so as to make his pants wet wanting to change everything. Again, being the mean mom that I am, I told him he had to keep the wet underwear and pants and he would not be allowed to change. I know, I'm mean, but I'm not going to let him change his underwear just because he got new ones. :P

Easter Fun

We had a good Easter this year. It wasn't too eventful, but still fun for the kids. Saturday morning we went to an Easter Egg Hunt. It was one of those in a bigger city where everyone goes at once, no splitting up the age groups. So...it was over in about 2 minutes. I was kind of annoyed I had to drive an hour just for 2 minutes, but Chaetun thought it was great egg hunt, so I guess it was worth it. Chaetun had the hang of it and was able to get quite a few eggs. Xadun didn't really get it and of course Brekan wasn't fast enough with the hundreds of other children racing to get the eggs, so they each only got a couple of eggs.

After the hunt we came home for a little bit and then went to Ellen & Boyd's for a barbecue. After lunch, Ellen had to make a pie for someone in her ward and the boys wanted to help. Chaetun loves to lick the mixers afterwards

The boys looked really cute in their Easter outfits. We couldn't get any "good" pictures, so here's the best we got.

One of Xadun's many faces

The Fam

Chris' parents did another egg hunt for the boys after we got home from church. Chris videoed it, but I can't find my computer connector to get it off the camera :S

First "Real" Haircut

The boys have been in need of a haircut for awhile. Their hair grows SO fast!! I had been cutting it, but really, I suck. So, I took them to get their hair cut by a professional, just a local Super Cuts. This was Brekan's first professional haircut. He did pretty well. Next time we'll just make sure he goes first so he doesn't keep turning around looking for the suckers his brother got :S

The before look


During


After. Isn't he so cute!! I love this pic.

It's a BOY!!!

So, the big ultrasound was today. The very first thing we saw when she started the ultrasound was the between the leg shot. It was very clear and I called it myself. It's another boy. I've actually known for about 4 weeks. The doctor at that time thought it was a boy, but wasn't 100% about that, so I didn't want to tell anyone. I was still hoping for that girl. So, I've had a few weeks to accept it and be okay. It's still been a little hard. I don't understand why I'm not supposed to have a girl, but I know someday I will. After I found out the first time I still hoped for that girl, but one day I started thinking about the movie "Saturday's Warrior". I kept thinking about the part at the end where the little girl is up in heaven, watching her family, waiting to be born. I started thinking about our little one up there, waiting to come to our home, and if it was a little boy, I didn't want him to think that we didn't want him. I wanted him to know that we will love him and be excited to have him in our home. It was at that time that I accepted the fact that this baby IS a boy. So, today, when it was confirmed, it wasn't a big deal. I already knew. I had already found a name. I had already found the perfect bedding. I'm still sad that I won't have a girl, but I'm happy to be having another little one come to our family. The boys have all been set on this being a "baby sister". I keep asking them what if it was a baby brother and they didn't want to listen. They got to come to the ultrasound today. After it was confirmed, Chaetun accepted it pretty well. Xadun kept insisting that it was a baby sister, but I'm not really sure he even knows what that means. :)

As for the baby, everything looks great. Heart looks good, growth looks good, actually about a week ahead, and no problems that they could see. We got some more pictures, but I'll have to wait until I get to work to scan them.

All About the Kids

I figured it had been awhile since I had posted about the kids, so now is a good time to do that. It's so fun to watch the boys together these days. As always with siblings, there's fighting and crying, but there is also a lot of love. They all love each other so much. Chaetun and Xadun play really well together. It's fun to listen to the things they say to each other. In the morning when everyone wakes up, they are all so happy to see each other, asking if they had good naps, hugging, etc. Chaetun is such a good big brother and usually gets Brekan out of bed in the morning. Now remember, he's only 4 and he's getting Brekan out of a crib. It's funny to watch, but he does it. Brekan likes to wrestle with the other two, and they are so good to be soft and let him push them around. They all love to do that. As I am typing Chaetun and Xadun are walking through the house with their arms around each other. So cute!!

Chaetun has just a couple of months left of preschool. It has been so good for him to be in this preschool for the last 2 years. He has not only learned all of his letters, but also their sounds and how to write them. He has pretty much mastered writing his first name and we're starting to work on his last name. We working on sounding things out and reading, but he's pretty good and hearing a word, sounding it out, and figuring out how it's spelled. We've got him on a waiting list to a new charter school in the area. I'm trying to decide if I want to become a founding member and put in the volunteer hours to get him moved up on the waiting list. I really want him to get in, so I may end up doing it.

For Valentine's Day at school, all the kids make general valentine's and sign their name to all of them. Here's Chaetun showing off his writing skills.


Last week at school they had "Dress up like a fairy tale day." Chaetun dressed up like Jack and the Bean stalk. We think it turned out pretty cute. (I'm not sure what's up with the Chandler-ish smiles. He seems to do that now days in pictures.)

Xadun is almost 3 and I'm hoping the 3s are better than the 2s. Xadun has a very stong personality and will push to the very limit. I'd like to get him into a preschool this next year, but I need to find one local. Chaetun's has been great, but it's too far away now that we've moved. Xadun likes to do almost anything his brother does. He loves to color, whether he has paper or not. :S He's also an eater. He is ALWAYS hungry! He's in his second plus year of nursery and still struggles. He was doing well in our old ward and had some friends, but he's gone a little backwards in the new ward. We hope he will readjust soon. We also hope that the potty training thing will kick in soon. He doesn't mind sitting on the potty, but he doesn't necessarily always ask when he has to go, and he never goes when he has to poop, which would really be a benefit to him. Soon, we hope, soon!

Of course, Xadun had to do some valentine's too. He mostly just colored on them. One thing about Xadun, he has some of the funniest faces. He often pulls them when he is in trouble and we have a hard time keeping a straight face.


Playing with one of their favorite toys, balloons.

Brekan is quite a happy little boy. He, too, loves to eat. You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but if you didn't run out of food, he would never stop eating. As most one year olds do, he likes to make messes and is pretty good at it. He's very lovable and has the cutest little smile. He will be 18 months old next week. We've already started taking him to nursery because he just won't sit still in any of my classes. He has done really well and after being in there for a half hour the first week, I left and he has been fine. It's such a relief!! At 18 months he's not talking - at all!! He says "mama" but I'm not sure if that's in reference to me or just babbling. About 6 months ago the NICU called to check up on him because they have some ongoing clinics for children who were in the NICU. At one year old they asked about his motor skills which were fine. They said that they would call back at 2 years to check on their speech and see if anything is needed their. We have an appointment for his well chec next week, though, and I'll talk to his doctor about it. If we need to get him into speech therapy now, we will. Though he doesn't talk, he is very smart. He understand most of the things we say and tell him to do, so I'm not worried about that, he just hasn't started talking yet. We have taught him some signs so he can communicate and it gets us by for the time being.

No words necessary


A new place to sit.

Some of all of them together

Brotherly love


Static cling


Chaetun was so excited when Brekan learned to climb up on HIS bed. That was a litle scary for mom and dad!


A few weeks ago Chris and his parents took Chaetun and Xadun tubing. Apparently Chaetun loved it and Xadun mostly just sat in his tube.


Their first snowman.

And for the exciting new in our house...We're Expecting!! Yes, #4 is on the way. From the moment I told the boys, Chaetun has been calling it a "she" and now all they talk about it their baby sister. I have, in no way, put that in their heads. They did that all on their own. I hope they're not dissappointed. I'm 16 weeks, now. I got to have an early ultrasound as part of a research study I'm participating in. This study is seeing if there is a genetic reason for early deliveries. The doctor said he's never had a patient that delivered 4 babies early, so I'll be a first for him. I'm due Aug 21st, so we're expecting mid July.

Grand Opening

I know this blog title has been repeated, but this IS a new one. We had a great time at our grand opening. We had a good stream of people coming in for about 11 hours and had about 20 people sign up, so it was a good turn out. We're still working to get our numbers up, but it's coming along. Here's a few pictures from the event.

Neil, one of the owners of Elite Personal Training, our training company, did his weekly training radio show live from the club.


Becky & Becky trying out the new Expresso Bikes. These bikes are pretty cool! They're totally interactive with steerable handlebars and a shifter.


Two members of the Davis Chamber of Commerce, Kevin, our manager, Chris, Tom, Shawn & Kyle, the personal trainers, and then another member of the Chamber. Of course, the kids and I are in front. This was the official ribbon cutting ceremony.


The outside of the club when everything was up. We had a big sound system from our DJ, the balloon arch, and the big "fly guy" to help attract people.