We Interrupt the Holiday Posts to Bring You This...

Ladies First:

Naomi is running everywhere. She talks constantly. Her upper teeth started coming through today. We went shopping this past Saturday and she let me try about 5 different outfits on her. (Have you ever heard of a child her age that does that?)

The words she says unprompted and accurately:
Uh-oh
All done

She also says "Momma", but I'm starting to think that she means, "hold me" instead of calling me by name. It works. I pick her up every time she says it. Wouldn't you? :)

The word she says most is: MmmmBop. So, yes, I constantly have that old Hanson song stuck in my head. Annoying? ... mmmmmyes.

Gideon:
We started hard-core potty-training last Monday. After 3 days this summer, G and I had both had it. But we talked about it from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and as soon as we were over the majority of jet-lag, we hit the ground running.

We have a game board with all things Lightning McQueen, stickers, and jelly-beans. He has been doing great. The only time he has an accident is if I am too lenient and don't MAKE him go to the restroom. He gets a sticker for every successful trip as well as different amounts of jelly-beans for being dry to peeing and even more for pooping.

Every ten spaces on the board, there is a special "prize square". G gets anything from the little Lightning McQueen stuff he didn't notice he got in his stocking to 24 piece puzzles.

I have to admit, I didn't think he'd like or do well with the puzzles. He's never been interested in them before. We have a few of those wooden things, and he just dumps the pieces out and walks away. But these 24 piece puzzles for 3-7 yr. olds... he rocks them out! He does them all by himself. We have a "Cars" puzzle and today he won the Sesame Street baseball puzzle. This kid is a genius.

Back to the potty-training itself: He has told JR twice that he needed to poop, and was successful in getting there in time. (2 stickers are rewarded for him TELLING us he has to go.) He has yet to tell me he needs to pee. But it does take a little more awareness for that.

So far, JR and I are very pleased with how the first week went. Now, if only I hadn't dropped that timer and broken it... :)

(If you haven't seen the Christmas Eve and Christmas post/slide-show keep on reading the blog.)

And the posts about the last week of our European travels will continue later.