Potty Update!

Everyone wants to read about a potty update, right! HA HA! Anyway, I just thought I would announce it to the world since we've waited so long....Lindsey pooped in the potty today, got her 10 M&M's for it (as opposed to the 3 she'd been getting for just going potty!) as well as a trip to Wal-Mart to pick out a new Dora movie. Since we are leaving tomorrow for Branson, I thought it would be ok to go ahead and get 2 new movies, so we now have a new Barney one too! After the day/week we've had I'm not sure she truely deserved the 2nd one, but maybe it will be worth it tomorrow....I'm sure it will! Anyway, just as she "all of the sudden" decided to tt in the potty, she did the same late today with her pooping! So, she did it and was so proud! She ran to the front yard and in what was probably her loudest little voice said, "I did it Daddy! I pooped in the potty!" So proud! The cuter story (if that is a word) is that I called my mom on the way to Wal-Mart after she'd announced the news to her Daddy to brag on and be excited with my mom. Anyway, as soon as I hung up the phone Lindsey asked who I was talking to and what I said. I told her Honey and that I told her about going poop in the potty. Lindsey said, "I'm so proud of Honey for pooping in the potty!" I at first tried to correct her, but then decided it was ok and that she needed to know that yes, Honey does that too! It just isn't something we all talk about! :) So, that was hilarious! We'll see how we do in the car and on our trip. I'm very hopeful that she's done with diapers. We've still been putting one on at night, but tonight she THREW A FIT to not wear a diaper. So, we did a pull up. She still insisted that she wear panties, just like she does at nap time. At nap time she wears her pull up on the outside because that is what we did so she'd feel it (assuming she'd have an accident in bed) and not like it. So, now that is how we have to wear our "just in case" panties aka pull ups! :) Ryan tried to trick her so that if she did "go" while she was asleep she wouldn't wake up, but she figured that out and had to put her panties on and THEN the "just in case" panties! So, she likes her panties! How exciting! Wish I could get excited about my panties sometimes....

These are Lindsey's good friends, Paige and Abi. I have been working at VBS this week. The MDO director is one that I worked with. I found this CD of pictures they had taken, so I borrowed it and brought it home. So, they aren't anything recent, but still fun to look at!


I just love this one of Lindsey!











This is her class. When they had messy hands, their teacher would tell them to stand like this! So cute!

Fun Memories

This is waht Lindsey picked out at Wal-Mart as her prize for going to the potty. So far so good on that! She hasn't had an accident yet! She hasn't pooped in the potty (who would type that other than a mother?!) yet though. I've been limiting her dairy and giving her straight juice instead of watered down. I'm going to go this afternoon and buy some prune juice. Martha told me that helped Cole once. She hasn't complained of a stomach ache though either...who knows! Any advice from you mothers for me?

I just thought this was a good "kodak moment" of my girls. It was bedtime and they were both in their pjs, with thier "nite nites" watching tv. Lindsey actually didn't want Courtney to sit by her, so this lasted about as long (hardly) as it took me to take the picture!






Yesterday was the Cintas picnic. Luckily for us it wasn't raining, just super humid. Courtney loved the swing. She loved her baby swing, so I wasn't suprised. Lindsey pushed her for a little while, then she wanted to swing too. Courtney would have sat there for a long time I'm sure, but it was nap time and we had to leave.








This is classic Lindsey right now. I wanted to take her picture, but she turned her head so far that I couldn't even see her face. She's at the "if it isn't my idea it is a bad one" phase. Of course, being a girl that may not be a phase! HA HA! I thought I could catch her when she turned around if she didn't think I was taking a picture, but she caught me. As soon as I took this she said, "Put the camera down, Mom." Mercy!

That is Megan, Heather's sisiter behind Lindsey. She's staying with us for a month while Ryan's mom and step-dad are on their summer motorcycle trip. Megan lives with them (not legally, like full custody, but just lives at their house). She's a sweet girl. Just pray for us as we have her to be able to show her love and security. Pray for me as it is all of the sudden like having 3 children. She's 11, but not as independent as Heather was when she was here. I want to do what is right and love on her. She's used to being the "only child" at Grandma's/Ryan's mom's, so I hope that she doesn't feel left out or unloved, things are just different when you have an almost 1 year old and almost 3 year old. I'm having a hard time adjusting my thinking and perspective. I can't go into it all, but please just say a quick prayer...thanks!

What a BIG girl!

Just an update on my BIG GIRL wearing panties! She had a small accident this morning, but stopped herself. Once we got to the potty she wouldn't go any more. This afternoon was better. She went to the potty every time, and went more than just 2 times today. However, she is very "normal" in that she had a dirty diaper every day. She didn't do that yesterday or today. I know she needs to because she's talked about it, so I guess we'll experience all that has to bring tomorrow! She was dry this morning when she got up and also after her nap. When I put a diaper on her tonight with her pajamas, she moved her legs around. I asked her if it felt funny and she said yes, so that is a good sign. It didn't feel "normal" I guess! YEAH!!! So far so good! I'm so proud of her!

BIG GIRL Day!

Well, Lindsey pottied in the potty today all by herself!!! It was time to change her diaper this morning and I sent her to her room to get one. She came back with a book and a diaper and told me "this is the diaper" (holding up the book). So I pretended I was putting it on like a diaper and said, "No, that doesn't work! Silly Lindsey. Give me the real diaper." She played around and wouldn't give it to me. I just casually (as I often do) said, "Well, the just go to the potty and you can wear panties." She said no. So I told her she didn't have to put it on, but if she tted on my bed she would get a spanking. I got up to do some laundry, she was running around the house with just her t-shirt on. As she was running around she said, "I'm about to tt!" I told her to get me her diaper and I'd put it on. She said, "No, I'll go in the potty" and took off running to her little potty. It was dark in her room that she had to walk through and the bathroom was dark. I just said, "Ok." Yeah right I was thinking. Pretty quickly she came running back to me scraming, "I did it, Mom! I did it, Mom!" "Oh let me see!" Still thinking yeah right! Sure enough, there it was! TRUE EVIDENCE in her little potty! We had a party in the bathroom! She then wanted panties and the whole bit! We called Daddy and her friend Paige! She was so excited. I was excited because she did it all by herself, literally. No prompting from me, other than the suggestion 10 min. before when she had said no. No help getting to or on the potty from me. Now she wanted to put her panties on all by herself. We were going to Wal-Mart anyway to get a prize for not crying last night when we (Ryan and I) left for a date. She was getting a puzzle for that. So, I told her that we'd get a prize for going in the potty too! She picked out a puzzle and some new play dough toys. Worth every penny to me if she'll now wear panties! Today was a good day because we were staying home anyway. We don't have any plans for Thursday or Friday either. The next big thing we have is Saturday is the Cintas picnic. We'll see where we are in the process, but hopefully we are on the road to BIG GIRL PANTIES! So exciting!

I wrote all of the above info. around lunch time. As I get ready to go to bed I'm thankful that she did go in the potty again today! She didn't have any accidents and didn't even "go" while she napped in her bed. She didn't go again until after supper while I was putting Courtney down! She has some strong bladder control for sure! As crazy as that sounds...it isn't that unusual for her to hold it for a very long time. So, I'm thankful, but not that suprised that she didn't potty more than that today. She's in a diaper tonight. I hope that tomorrow brings the same excitement for her wearing panties as today did! Oh the joy of childhood. I guess I should get excited when I put on my panties tomorrow! :) Good night!

Play Date With Cole

We drove up to Springdale on Monday to play with Cole at Funcity. He and Lindsey had a good time riding the rides, but didn't play much in the other stuff. They did play in the balls for a little bit, but not for very long.





Courtney was very good. She crawled around some and looked in this mirror and thought that was funny!

On the way home, Lindsey was watching Dora and coloring, but obviously was too tired! Look at the marker still in her hand! So funny! Both girls slept part of the way home, so that was nice. It made for a better evening once we were home.

Lindsey had fun playing with Cole and I had fun talking to Martha. We miss them so much. We were spoiled to having them around the cornere and seeing them at least once a day if not more than that most days. It has been a year, but we say to each other all the time, "If you just lived 2 streets over...." They moved to Bentonville last week, so even if we still lived in Lowell, they wouldn't be there. So, I guess that saying doesn't work any more!

Father's Day

On Saturday, Ryan's dad, Mark, came to visit and celebrate Father's Day with us. Lindsey was so excited to see Grandpa and Grandma. Courtney was asleep during present time, so she missed out. Lindsey made the wrapping paper. The part you can see is the begining of her name...Li and part of the n. She can write all of her name except for the n sometimes and the s, but she's learning!





Grandad, Honey and Taylor came on Sunday for lunch to do Father's Day stuff. Dad was eating chocolate ice cream, so Courtney thought she needed some. She liked it, suprise suprise! She stood there until it was gone!

Lindsey would sit with "Grangrad" (as Lindsey says Grandad), but she had to keep sewing, of course! She loves her sewing cards and she's super at them! Anything fine motor is right up her alley. Of course Courtney just wants to grab her string. So fun to be the little sister!

Daddy and his girls! Who would have thought that we'd have 2 girls! The Scogin family (before Ryan's generation) is ALL boys! He has 4 girl cousins, so I guess it was time for some Scogin girls. He is such a great girl dad! I can't imagine him with a boy, he'd be great I'm sure, but hard to picture at this point. In fact, one story comes to mind...we were at our friends' Martha and Willie's house sometime this past spring. Their little boy, Cole, had gotten 2 goldfish for Christmas. Cole wanted to show Ryan, so Ryan went to see them. Ryan's comment to Cole was, "They are so pretty!" Cole didn't know the difference, but Ryan came back in the living room and told us what he had said. He made the comment that boy's fish aren't supposed to be pretty, they are tough and cool or something. So, obviously Ryan is just so used to talking "girl" that he didn't even think about it being different with Cole! I just laughed and laughed! Lindsey loves her daddy, as does Courtney, but she can't vocalize that yet. Lindsey loves the little things that Ryan does with her that I don't do. Hold her upside down "way up so high" as she calls it! Reads certain books a certain way, she knows tells us the difference in the way we wash her hair, if I do something wrong she'll tell me, "Do it like Daddy does it!", she talks about her Daddy all the time while we are playing, coloring pictures for him, sewing a card for him, etc. It is just amazing to watch their relationship. I'm so thankful that she adores her Daddy and that he loves her the way that he does. In fact, sometimes it is hard not to be "jealous" of the love and affection, words and praise that he gives to the girls that I sometimes feel left out. However, on the same note I wouldn't want it any other way than him showing the girls how he loves them and how they are to be loved one day by the man God has for them. It is funny how prom, weddings, dates, etc. all have a new perspective in our house. Not to mention just teenage years in general, especially after Heather was here. Ryan said, "I just can't see Lindsey and Courtney at that age!" That is what I said when we saw some girls in their prom dresses a few months ago. Ryan's comment then was, "They won't go to prom!" So funny! What a dad! I'm thankful for all that he does for our family and what he means to ALL of his girls!

Heather Came To Visit

Heather came to stay with us this week. She is Ryan's niece--step-niece. She is a super sweet girl. She will be 13 in 2 weeks and so she was like having a nanny around! Getting in and out of the car was a breeze and didn't take very long. She was so helpful, even when I didn't ask her to be. She loved playing with Courtney and obviously Courtney loved having Heather here!





Lindsey thought that Heather was here just for her. Every day this week the first thing she would do when she woke up was ask me, "Where's Heather?" Of course Heather was still asleep at 7:00! Heather would play with Lindsey, read her books, color, work a puzzle, play a game, pretty much whatever Lindsey wanted to do. We told her that if she didn't want to, just tell her. She would do that at times, but most of the time she would just do whatever Lindsey asked her to. So sweet!

You can pray for Heather. She lives with her dad and doesn't talk to her mom much at all. Long long long sad sad story. She's a very sweet girl that just needs a lot of love and direction. She's going to be a cheerleader at her junior high next year and she couldn't be more excited. I'm excited for her, but just pray that she can find good friends to surround herself with. She's at such an impressionable age and easily could be swayed into doing things she may not want to do. We've had fun this week doing "girly" things like shopping and having her make up done by the Clinique lady at the mall. She just doesn't get to do those types of things. So, when you think of us and read this, just say a quick prayer for Heather. She needs it desperately!

Swimming

Lindsey loves the water...as long as it isn't on her face. Ryan did get her to let him go under with her before we left. She wasn't excited about it after she came up, but at least she did it. That is our goal this summer, to get Lindsey to want to go under or learn how to do it I guess.








Courtney just sat waiting on us to dry off. I was suprised she didn't crawl off to the pool and try to get in. She likes it pretty well. Her favorite thing is to "jump" off to me. I can hardly get 1, 2 out of my mouth before I say 3 and she's leaning as hard as she can into my arms. She loves it! She went under 2 times last night too. Her first time. She didn't even cry or anything. She likes water in her face in the bathtub though. Very different girls for sure!

Play Time

Courtney can now stand and play by her piano. She loves it. Can you tell?











Lindsey had a friend over yesterday, Paige. This was one of the first friends we met at church. She and Lindsey played very well together! They read books for a little while, but Paige doesn't sit still for long, so that only lasted a little while.

Funny Girls

Courtney decided it was time for her to help with the dishes. Lindsey never crawled in the dishwasher...suprise suprise! I know, most kids do! Anyway, Courtney was up here before I even knew it yesterday and mad when I kept her away.
She's pulling up on everything. This is her piano that she used to sit in and play. Now she pulls up on it. When the music starts, she bounces up and down, dancing. Too cute! This morning she pulled up (or tried to) on Lindsey's little kitchen in the toy room and it all came crashing down. Within 10 min. she was right back over there standing at it! She isn't close to walking, but she can crawl really fast and if she wants to go super fast she bear crawls...without her knees on the ground! Bottom straight up in the air!

If we put something on Lindsey's head she thinks she is Mary, mother of Jesus. So, we did this one night and she was Mary, carrying baby Jesus! So proud! So precious!

Wedding Weekend

When Lindsey saw Whitney, she thought she was seeing Cinderella! It was TOO TOO precious! I wish I could have captured her better in pictures. She could hardly stand not to see her the entire time we were there. She was always wanting to know where she was! It was just priceless. She was so excited when she finally got to talk to Whitney! You can't tell from this picture, but I guess she was just in awe!

Courtney on the other hand could have stolen the show if I had let her! HA HA!! This was just outside before we went in to the recption. She was just in a great mood and could have sat there for me to take her picture for hours! So stinkin' cute! OH...I may not have captured Lindsey, but I did this one! If you look close, you can see the beginings of her bottom 2 teeth!

Play Time With Friends

This is Lindsey and her friend from church Abi. Abi's mom, Mischelle, had some friends over today for a play time outside with the kiddie pool and slip and slide. Of course Lindsey didn't want to play much in the water, but she had fun with her friends.
Lindsey learned how to pedal this neat tricycle today. She loved it! Courtney loved riding too. I hate that we don't have a better place for Lindsey to ride and have a tricycle. We have a neighbor that loves for Lindsey to come drive her Jeep in her driveway since ours is so steep. So, we may look at something for Lindsey like this for her birthday.

The water was pretty cool today, so Courtney wasn't so sure about it either. We are going to join the country club here as just a summer member so we can go swimming whenever we want to. They have a kiddie pool and it is less than a mile from our house! Yeah! I'm so excited. I hope the girls like it because I'll love it!

This weekend we are going to Little Rock for my cousin (2nd), Whitney Watts, wedding. I'm excited to go and for Lindsey to go too. I think I'm going to take her into the wedding with us. She is going to be the flower girl in Ryan's brother's wedding next April. We are so excited!

Fishing With the Family

"Check out the water sister! Wanna jump in?" said Courtney. "No, Mommy said to be careful, so we can't" said Lindsey! Of course, I'm assuming this is the conversation they will have one day! We'll see! :)
Look at that fish! How fun!!
It feels so slimy! Let's throw him back to his mommy...that is what Ryan tells Lindsey.
Even Mommy caught a fish...TWO of them to be exact!

Courtney even liked the fish!

We took the girls to a lake near our house just for a couple of hours. The fish were biting a lot, so it was a fun time for all of us. Literally Ryan could hardly get it cast for Lindsey and they were biting! That is my kind of fishing! Lindsey got to reel in lots of fish, drive the boat and had a few snacks in between. Courtney was great, she sat the most still she's sat in a very long time. I was so glad. It was something that was fun for all of us! We'll be doing that again soon I hope!