Falling Off the Potty Train

I have seen no fewer than 6 pediatric dentists for my kids and might currently hold the record for the least loyal dentist patient of all time. But how the heck am I spose-ta stay loyal when the dentist across town is tempting me with a free carnival full of balloon weapons and $25.00 gift cards if I sign up for an appointment? They got us. They got us good. 

I took amusement at the fact that my boys were given the option of any balloon animal they could think of to be made for them, but they insisted on the weapon route. Boys.

Here's that day I was really optimistic and thought, "Hey. Maybe I should potty train Lincoln."

With the help of a lot of juice, a fully functioning washer and dryer, and lots of activities to keep him hovering tile and not carpet, Lincoln was slowly making improvements in the potty department with every day we kept at it. 

As we entered week 2, he slowly regressed all the way to not giving a hoot if he had soaked pants, had 0 interest in being a big boy, and pleaded to be back in diapers every chance he got. I decided it wasn't worth the battle, so we'll give it another go in a few months. 

Because the trouble with Lincoln is he LOVES being a baby! So the rationale, "Do you want to be a big boy like Eli, or a baby like Jonah?" never worked on him because he picked diapers like Jonah every time! And when I gave up after 2 weeks and finally put that diaper back on him, he proudly  and with much satisfaction shouted, "DIAPER LIKE JONAH!" 

Lincoln gets mad if you refer to him as a big boy. He will correct you until you identify him as a baby. In fact, his current favorite part of the day is right after lunch when I take both my babies up to their naps, at Lincoln's insistence, holding them both at the same time. We have named this, "Two Babies." And he requests it by name at the bottom of the stairs every afternoon. 

Our baby, baby cracked me up right around his 5-month mark when I started to notice self-inflicted hickeys appearing on his arm. 

The kindergartners were assigned different colors to wear to school each day of the first 2 weeks of school. I was nervous when I saw pink as one of the colors on the calendar as I wasn't sure we'd have many options. Carson, my fashionista, was very into the outfit prompts. I sat him down on wear pink day and explained that red was kind of like pink, so maybe he could wear red instead. He brushed me off and excitedly ran to his room and emerged like so:

This boy house has more pink in it than I remembered! And I loved Carson's enthusiasm for it!

Jeff and I got away one perfectly weathered afternoon to go on a little bike ride.

E-li the Science Guy...watch out Mr. Nye, we're after you! Eli spent an afternoon doing experiments like mixing baking soda and vinegar, but also making an egg float in saltwater.

It's been cute to see Lincoln gain an interest in having friends, and we love this little friend.

Jonah's still getting lots of love and cuddles from all his older brothers.

I recently read a book called Duct Tape Parenting which I thought would have something to do with duct taping wiggly, restless boys to a chair for the afternoon for some peace, but I later learned the duct tape was for me and my mouth. While trying to implement its practices, I spent a weekend teaching the boys how to get some of their own favorite foods to give them a little bit more independence. They boys really thrived and appreciated the new skills they had acquired. And hallelujah Carson can now make his own 5-a-day peanut butter sandwiches.

We started reading Harry Potter to the older boys. It didn't take long after the Quidditch chapter before Eli hunted down our "broomstick" and a soccer ball for some reenacting.

Carson and his friend in a heated game of Go Fish.

Jeff and I can be heard at least daily mumbling, "That's a lot of boys!" I'll add my daily mumbling in here.

After 2 weeks of what ended up being failed potty training, I treated myself to a new dress and a new haircut. Can't wait to see what I get myself next time.

Our friends came over for dinner one night and Eli insisted on sitting right next to his friend Ellie.

Jonah's second home -- his car seat. If he's not asleep, this is usually where he ends up.

I made the boys tell me what they were going to be for Halloween this year and they decided on Nintendo characters. THE NEXT DAY, we saw their neighborhood friend running up the street to our house in a Mario costume. It was so funny. As luck would have it, he had an extra one because they ordered the wrong size and so Carson reaped the benefits and has since spent every day as if it was Halloween, in full costume -- even down to the white gloves, a touch he added all on his own.