Bruiser Moments

Last night Daddy decided to teach Bruiser (who is actively potty training) how to pee on a tree in the yard.  Yes, that would be the man I married...the man with a PhD...making brilliant parenting decisions!  Anyway, when I asked Bruiser to tell Papa and Mimi what Daddy taught him, he responded with "Daddy taught me how to pee in the yard like a squirrel!"

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When I asked Bruiser to use the potty before bed last night he burst into tears - "I need to go outside to go potty, Mama!"

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This morning Daddy went into Bruiser's room to wake him up and Bruiser handed him a pair of his own (Daddy's) boxers and said "Here, Daddy, these are too big."

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I was in the kitchen making dinner when Bruiser came running in from the living room, making a bee-line to the bathroom.  I asked what he was doing and he said "There is an outside bug inside.  I'll get it, Mama!"  He grabbed some toilet paper, ran back to the living room and squashed the bug.

"Peanut Head!"

In our house, we've adopted the name "peanut" for that particular male body part that sounds similar. So, when the kids - who are SO into bathroom topics! - talk about it, they say "peanut". It works for us!

So last night, Tater was at the kitchen table using a sing-songy voice to call her brother a "peanut head". I quickly told her that was not a word we used outside of the bathroom and that it was not a kind thing to say to her brother. Her quick response? "I don't mean the bum kind, Mama! I mean the kind you eat!"

Weekend Review!

We spent the past weekend making a six-hour drive to Mimi and Papa's on Friday, visiting with the family on Saturday, and making a six-hour dive home on Sunday - just a quick trip! But it was enjoyed by grandparents and the grandchildren - and that's what matters! Mimi needed a pick-me-up, Tater needed a Papa-fix, Papa needed a "Tater Squeeze," and Bruiser needed to take a trip "up Papa's...hill!" Of course, Mommy and Daddy enjoyed some family time, some yummy food that can only be gotten at Papa and Mimi's, and some bargain shopping (at least Mommy did!).

Since this was our last visit before Halloween, we decided to celebrate a bit early and went knocking on Mimi and Papa's door and even stopped by Auntie M's and Uncle J's. We got a few looks, but the kids had fun!

Attack of the "roar"!

The only shot I could get of the bunch that is always moving!

I woke up Sunday morning (at 5:00am!) to Papa telling me Tater had a tummy ache. I assumed she had a bad dream (They watched "Shrek" before bed!) and told Papa to turn on some kid shows and she should settle down. Two hours later, I found out I was wrong! Tater - who's only 4! - got herself to the bathroom before she got sick. What an amazingly big girl!

So then we began the debate about what to do. Do we take a sick child in the car for six hours? Do we stay another day and both miss work on Monday? And what if some else gets sick until Monday morning? Nothing is ever easy in our life!

In a couple hours, after several mad dashes to the bathroom, Tater was claiming she was "starving" and successfully kept her snack down. So we bit the bullet, loaded the car, and headed off to home! She was a trooper! Not a sick moment on the trip. And we only made one stop, halfway through. She took a good two hour nap (see below) and I think that help her more than anything! She did stay home from school Monday but only because she was up four times Sunday night to go to the bathroom - really, what four-year-old does this? She is so big!

In a future post, I'll share our new toy (hint: we finally hot a Wii!!!!!!) and how we broke Papa's heart by buying it!

And, here's the other news...Shadow stayed with Mimi for a vacation and to give her a bit of company. He's determined to sleep on Papa's pillow...we'll see who wins that battle! But, we are missing him...especially when Miss Wiggles has spaghetti for dinner!

What I Learned This Week

This week I'm joining Jo-Lynne's carnival - with a list!

I learned...

...quick weekend trips are never quick!

...our life never seems to go as planned - why do children always get sick when you are out of town? And have to travel 6 hours in the car to get home?

...I don't dread Daddy going away on business - I CAN do this all on my own!

...it feels really good to crawl into bed at 8:00 and watch TV!

...I need a cleaning lady!

...two-year-olds love the praise they get for using the potty but still refuse to do it own their own! Come on, Bruiser Boy...we want to stop buying diapers!

...Miss Wiggles will NEVER give up her bottle!

...the sweetest thing ever is watching your baby take her first step...to you!

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Welcome to Boot Camp!

We always joked that when Tater went to visit it Mimi and Papa she was going to "Mimi Boot Camp" - because, you know, Mimi teaches preschool, has raised three children, knows how to get little ones to follow the rules, gives THE best hairy eyeballs!, etc. But over the course of several visits, we've come to discover, "Mimi Boot Camp" involves videos, kid shows, wearing jammies all day long, and snacking on Tasty Cakes...not exactly what we had pictured!

But "Boot Camp" has come to the House of Sprout! My little angels have had a bit too much freedom for my liking over the summer. The result has been a lot of not listening, a lot of screaming, and a lot of stress for me and Daddy. So, today it begins! The behavior charts are on the cabinet. The stickers are ready. The reward system is in place. And the nest part...eight hours into it all...it's working! Tater loves doing the right thing and earning stickers. She loves being able to choose her own rewards. And Bruiser is tagging right along, as always. Now, we'll see how it progresses over the next week or so as the honeymoon comes to an end. But so far, so good!

And on another note ... Bruiser, who I thought was going to get married in diapers, has decided he is ready to use the potty! *insert screams of joy here!* He made the decision himself, and although he doesn't always make it and doesn't always want to go through the process, he is doing awesome and earning stickers! Gotta love this big boy stuff!

What I Learned This Week

This week I'm re-joining Jo-Lynne's carnival!

I learned...

...its really hard to work, take care of three children, clean the house, cook real meals, do the laundry, and try to enjoy quality family time...and Daddy's really don't get it!

...it's the little things that matter to little one - like taking snack to preschool and bringing home a new Matchbox car!

...there is nothing better than enjoying a crisp fall day with your family and good group of friends!

...four-year-olds love to bake and create...

...and four-year-olds know how to lie! Oh, yes! Tater was "doing art" yesterday and cut her nightgown accidentally. Instead of telling me what really happened, she fabricated a story of Shadow biting her "really hard!" I quickly caught on when I realized Shadow wasn't even in the house during the event! I think Daddy and I are in for some really trouble in the years to come!

...babies grow up WAY too fast! And they think its okay to learn how to motor on two feet. And they know just how to upset their older siblings and sit back enjoy the screaming they create - which happened about five seconds after this picture was taken!

...it's so much fun to win a blog contest (Thanks, Muzbeecrazy!)

...boys can be potty trained...with the angle of bribery!

...parents of three toddlers need to have a really good sense of humor, unlike most of the world!

...children's excitement about going "up the hill to Papa's house" is contagious!

The Dare Devil!

These are a few of the places I found Miss Wiggles yesterday. Note her smiling face!

This is behind the couch and under a table...accomplished in 30 seconds!

It's more fun to be under the Exersaucer, right?

Miss Wiggles had her 9 month well-baby check-up today and came through with flying colors! The peanut still only weighs 15 pounds 12 ounces. They actually rounded her weight up so she would make the 5% curve on the growth chart. I laughed when the doctor asked how her eating was - this question about the child who inhales any food placed in front of her and needs twice the number of bottles as those other two we have been raising! Luckily her height (27 1/4 inches) and her head circumference were in the 50th percentile, so they stopped with the questions and decided she is just a peanut. I mean, look at her! She has a chunky little belly and adorable little fat rolls on her legs - how could she be under-weight?

On another note, Bruiser went along for the appointment and did a great job waiting. So good that the doctor took him into a different room and pulled out the brand new "Momas" stickers that they just got in to give him two stickers for being so good! Cheers for Bruiser! I wasn't so sure how it was going to go - he woke up during the night, vomited all over his bed, had a lovely diaper this morning, and still looked a bit green around the gills. But he rallied and is now watching "Een" and playing "fars" and should be back to 100% after a nice long nap!

What a Wake Up Call! *** Warning: Poop Alert!!! ***

Our mornings have been a bit crazy this week. Daddy's car had to go to the garage to have it's "boo-boo" fix (and it was a big one - transmission!) so we've had to drive him to work for the past two days. Then to add to it, Bruiser had an appointment each of those days - in the morning! Well, if you don't know by now, we are not morning people...so it has been a challenge!

Yesterday, Daddy and I got up and started getting things together before the children were awake. I checked my email, hopped in the shower, got halfway dressed...and then I walked by Bruiser's closed bedroom door. I sniffed...then I sniffed again. I groaned...he must have pooped during the night and boy, did it stink! So I finished getting dressed (big mistake!) and opened his door. The stench that hit me was indescribable! It smelled like a sewer...sorry, but its true!

As I forced myself to walk in the room, I noticed the dirty sheets. Great, the diaper leaked. I grabbed wipes and opened a window...in the best interest of all involved! Through this all, Bruiser sat on his bed, not moving, with his "momas" blanket on his lap. I approached and lifted the blanket. I. Almost. Died! Bruiser was sitting in a pile of poop! I had never seen anything like it! I didn't even know where to begin!

So, smart mommy that I am, I lifted him up by the arms, carried him (dripping!) to the bathroom, and stuck him in the shower...clothes and all...with Daddy! Yes, I did! I let him handle that! Then I stripped the bed, wiped all the surfaces with Lysol wipes, and started my first load of laundry for the day.

So, we spent the day with the windows open wide and the fresh air clearing our sinuses! Bruiser was fine, went to school for the morning, and had nice little nap ... in Tater's clean bed!

Here is the kicker of it all...at bedtime, I went into his room to make his bed and I noticed it still had a lingering odor. I figured it just needed more air until I picked up his pillow to put the pillow cases on it. The mess had leaked through two pillow cases and stained the actual pillow with stench! Bye-bye, pillow! Thank God it was trash night!

P.S. We woke up poop-free this morning!

Quote of the Day!

Our sitter got the children all dressed to go play outside this morning and just as they were about to walk out the back door it began to sprinkle! Tater got really upset and went to her room in tears (a fairly common occurrence in her 4-year-old life!). While she was there, she screamed down the stairs that she didn't see anything outside and that it was not raining. Our sitter told her to come down the stairs and look out on the deck to see the drops. Tater looked out the door and said "That's not rain - that's just the clouds peeing!"

Around the House!

Just when you say that you are not going to do any more projects, something always happens that you have to do immediately - it never fails!

This past week we discovered we HAD to redo the floor in our powder room. The previous owners installed peel-and-stick laminate that was not lined up very well (Tater could have done a better job!). Thus there were lots of cracks where potty accidents leaked through and I could no longer get my bathroom to smell lemony-fresh! So off the the home improvement store we went! We explored hardwood, tile, and even the world of peel-and-stick (which has made amazing leaps and bounds!) before we decided on a new type of laminate hardwood flooring. It looks like real wood, was easy to install, and best of all - it's waterproof (or in house - pee-proof!)! So Daddy started the project on a Monday evening and finished by midnight Tuesday. Of course, he had to work around a preschool picnic, my work schedule, dance class, a dentist appointment, and all the little problems that arise with any project. Below are the "during" pictures - this is the part I hate - oh, the mess! Then there is a finished picture - including new baseboards and a new transition piece - it looks professional!

Yea! It's finished and it smells yummy!

I threw in this picture of a piece that I just re-finished. A neighbor had it out for the trash and I sent Daddy "dumpster diving"! All it took was new panels of bead board on the back and a coat of chocolate brown paint - and it looks brand-new! It just goes to show that you never know what treasures you'll find!

Quote of the Day

Last night we put Taters to bed and she fussed for a bit...Papa had spoiled her by going to bed WITH her each night! So finally I went upstairs to see what the problem was and she said she had to go potty. This was the conversation that followed:

"I called you like TWELVE times, Momma! You know, it's really hard being 4...it was much easier being 3!"

You Get What You Pay (Or Don't Pay) For!

As we all know, money's tight and we are always looking for ways to save a bit here and there. Another blog (which I can't remember the name to give credit because it's saved under my favorites on my laptop which is no longer working!) directed me to Walmart's site which provides many different free samples that you can order and have shipped to your home. Along with the free samples, you usually get a great coupon. So I got busy filling out sample request forms and sat back to wait for the samples to arrive - according to the site, it could take up to a month or more. Well, last week I opened my mailbox and was please to see that my first free sample had arrived...until I opened the box! Can anyone tell me what good this sample would do? Oh, yes, that's toilet paper!

Toddler-isms (Bathroom Edition)

As anyone who has had toddlers knows, your world revolves around the bathroom. You talk about it, you visit it frequently, and you clean it practically hourly! Here are a few of our favorite bathroom-related memories from Tater!
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Tater was just beginning to potty train - I think she was about 2o months old. I remember it was early in the morning and I was still in bed and pregnant with Bruiser Boy. Tater was up helping Daddy get ready for work. All of a sudden I heard Daddy yell "Take the toilet seat off your head!" It was one of those sentences you never expect to say as a parent!
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Last week Tater was crawling over Daddy on the couch and her bum "made a noise." She stopped, looked at Daddy, and said "What's that smell?" with the pure innocence of a 4-year-old. It was the first time she realized that those noises can be accompanied by an odor - shocking due to the fact that she has the smelliest child for a brother!
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The next day she was here with our sitter and had to use the bathroom. While she was in there, our sitter heard a noise and then Tater yelled out,"Did you hear that noise? It was my bum!" It was followed by uncontrollable laughter!

Bob the Builder Came to Our House!

Daddy had two helpers today as he replaced the toilet

seat in our upstairs bathroom.

Bruiser helped open the package.

Tater added some woman power!

Great minds think alike!

Help, Momma!

The Characters

Tater Tot, Momma, Bruiser Boy, G Baby, Mimi (on the phone)

The Scene

Sitting in the van outside dance class. Momma in the driver's seat, Bruiser and G Baby in the their car seats in the middle row, and Tater in her seat in the back row.

The Script

Tater: "Momma, I have something in my bum!"

Momma: "You have something in your bum?"

Tater: "I think it's my clothing!"

The Resolution

After Momma stopped laughing at Tater's first wedgie experience, Tater was removed from her car seat and the problem resolved itself!

Tubby Time!

G Baby had her first big girl tubby with Tater and Bruiser - Rub-a-dub-dub! Three kids in a tub! We had a very wet floor by the end!

G Baby

And again!

Check out those chunky little legs!

The three sprouts!

And again!

Toddler Trickles

There are always a few hidden joys when dealing with toddlers and diapers (note the sarcasm!). Poor Bruiser Boy decided to inhale three handfuls of raisins a few days ago. He is now paying the price with a horrible case of diaper rash. So today before his rest, I noticed the tell-tale stench lingering behind him and knew we were in for another loud and unpleasant diaper changing experience. I successfully laid him on the changing table, removed his pants, and began to remove his onesie that caught what the diaper failed to. Well, I realized this was going to be quite the endeavor when he refused to sit on his bum while I removed his top. Okay, so I decide to remove the offending diaper first - four wipes later and he is no cleaner. I had never seem poop like this - it stuck to everything, including Bruiser! Bath time!

All went well with Bruiser sharing my shower - we both got clean and the bathroom didn't get too wet! I wrapped him in his towel and headed to his bedroom for fresh clothing. As I was bending down to dig in the drawer for something cozy for him, I hear the sound of liquid hitting the carpet and look up to see my diaper-less, un-potty-trained toddler peeing on the rug! Just as I was about to yell, I noticed his face and began to laugh. Poor Bruiser Boy had no idea what he was doing and couldn't figure out where the liquid was coming from. This of course lead to him putting his hand into the stream as he tried to figure out this anomaly - even more laughing on my part!

Needless to say, we both were ready for rest time and are in no rush to figure out this potty training business. Thank goodness it is Friday - Daddy gets diaper duty for the weekend!