Potty Success

  

Harper is very interested in the screen technology that is in our house: iPad, Nook, or smart phone, she wants to touch it.  I'm hesitant with the amount of screen time she has, but I've turned it to our favor.  

There are a couple books for Harper on my Nook that she gets a kick out of - Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, and Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, both by Eric Litwin.  There is a little song ditty in both that she bounces along to.  

So, I've started letting her manipulate the screen on her own when she sits on the potty.  It's a huge hit.  Before this weekend, Harper has only been on the potty when she's brushing her teeth, but that has been wearing thin.  She fighting that now.  She would rather just stand at the sink.  Ok. 

This weekend, she is not only sitting on the potty for long periods of time (30 minutes yesterday!), but she came into the room when I had visiting friends and mimed that she wanted to take her pants off, then said, "Yea." when I asked if she wanted to sit on the potty.  

And to put a huge red ribbon on the top of all this potty progress, today she made her first deposit in the bank of no diapers.  She did it!  Right after her #2 while I was cleaning up her chair she wet herself, but progress is progress.  I said, "Oops!  Pee goes in the potty and mommy had your chair!  We can try to pee in the potty next time."  And we went about putting her down for her nap.  

I think the biggest help in Harper's understanding about what a potty is and what to do on it has been her best friend Oscar.  He is just 7 weeks older than Harp, and has been using his potty with much success for about a month now.  She sees him every Wednesday, and also on random visits each week.  That kid is serious about his potty time.  He loves it!  And now, Harper can chat him up about their new shared activity when they next visit...which is later today.  

So WOOT for my girl.  She's a smarty pants with no pants! 

Now on Instagram

I have joined Instagram!  I am #swiftariel if you want to connect.  More soon!

Newest word in Harper's world: Twirl.

Yeah.  This gets me every time I see it.  It's even cuter in person - trust me.  It first happened when she had a dress on a few days ago, and I said, "Let's twirl, Harper!"  Then spun around a few times to show her.  With that, she was off.  Twirling is a useful skill, I think.  What with walking, running, and scooting on her dinosaur, it was time to introduce some non-linear movement.  Enjoy!

Snippet

This is how my day started.  Happy Monday, y'all.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm 30 today!  I've had a busy morning of battling with Harper about wearing shoes, an afternoon of meetings for the volunteer board I'm on, and then a peaceful stroll through the grocery store.  This evening is dinner with my Hubs (potato pancakes, by request), dancing with Sam Cooke, and story time with my favorite shorty.   It's been a wonderfully normal day.  I hope for many more in the future :)

Oscar is over to play!

 Harper gets so excited to be around Oscar.  She's so excited, she can't wait for his nap to be over. 

Oscar offering some cucumber a football player

Playing!

The cats stationed on the changing table to keep us in line.

Playing with the new kitchen!

Twinsies!

This is riiiight before naps were attempted.  Oscar went down, Harper was pissed I would carry another baby around when she, obviously, needed her momma more.  She did not lay down for her nap.  In protest, probably.

More playing!

Lights off

Lights on!

Back at home - black eyes and well, life

 So.  Yeah.  Harper has a black eye.  This is after falling in WA on a canning jar ring and having a bruise from that.  Then, yesterday while Oscar was over, she fell on her face, and her front two teeth started bleeding.  Oi.  Don't worry, all is fine.  Please don't call DCFS.  We love our toddler!  We are not abusing our child!

After lunch two days ago, Harper pulled the stool toward her, and couldn't stop it from falling.  I saw the whole thing from the edge of the room.  It was that moment where I lunge, I try to catch it, but I'm too stinking far away to be of any good.  The seat of the stool landed on her face.  She cried.  I felt/feel horrible.

We have made adjustments to the placement of said stool.

 She doesn't yet know how to flex her biceps, but imagine if she did.  Wouldn't she be a sight?  Dresses and muscles.  Word.

 The cats are glad we're home.  They are never more than a few feet away (closer to the truth, they are sometimes literally underfoot.)

 Day three of black eye.  It's going through the rainbow.  First purple.  The edge is now green/yellow, and the bride of her nose is in the purple/black stage.

Roar!  Wearing her new dino shirt like a Boss.

There are always smiles close by when we bust out the sunglasses. 

Harper is soooo coooool.

Yeah.

Visit with friends - Tricia, Taylor, and Claire!

 

 

 I was so happy to spend the day with Tricia, Claire, and Taylor at Taylor's wrestling match in Cheney.  It was a huge flash back to when my brother was a wrestler - the smelly, the noise, the waiting, the adrenaline of take downs, reversals, and hopefully, pins. 

 I have a huge place in my heart for Claire and Taylor.  I used to watch them when they were wee ones (I got to be in the room when Claire was born!) and can't believe Taylor is a senior in high school already!  They have blown me away in my visits with them - both so fun, respectful, and smart people. 

 Harper was also smitten with Claire :)

 It was also wonderful to spend some time with Tricia.  I have always felt so loved by her when going through the trials of growing up, and now it is wonderful to call her a friend.  She has such a big heart and I can't wait to visit them all again when we go back to Washington. 

Hanging at Gma Nee's!

Runnin'

Harper LOVES green beans.  Loves.  Mom was beyond surprised. 

Harper's mind was BLOWN when mom was playing the 1, 2 game.  There is one ice cube tray, now there are 2!  What?!

Also blown with the tubs, seemingly multiplying before her eyes!

Fun with stuff!

We're going to start a band.

Harper on drums!