Potty Training is a Pain in the Ass

Rory inconveniently turned 3 a month before Kelly was born. Therefore, we decided not to potty train him aggressively until after she arrived. However, now that she is here and so tiny and her diapers are almost cute and we are counting poops and all that, Rorys diapers are now DISGUSTING and he looks like a giant wearing Depends.

Joe declared Saturday "underwear day". We approached it like we did with Shelagh...put him on the potty at regular intervals all day and stay home. He looked SO cute in his new CARS (of course) underwear.


Plus, Kelly got her big brother and big sister CD players (so Mommy could catch a break from the constant Wiggles barage in the van). Headphones & Big Boy Underwear...scrumptous. Don't you just want to pinch his bum???


Let's just say that each time we sat him down...nothing. Within 5-10 minutes - accident. The kid is fully aware, announces his peeing and pooping immediately after doing it, but just doesn't want to head to the potty first. Big sigh. Girls are so much easier. Shelagh was trained at 2 1/2 and it took 2 days at home. I was hoping that most of the kids in his preschool class would be trained and that maybe seeing his friends use the potty would help (or maybe his teachers would take over for me - hehe). No can do. A bunch of younger kids just moved into his class and they are all still in diapers. Ugh.

Kelly Finishes Week 2

Here's Kelly from this weekend. I'm having such a good time putting her in dresses. I think when Shelagh was born leggings weren't IN or something b/c I never had her in dresses. Now that I can avoid tights, I'm loving dressing Kelly in more girly outfits. She has enough stuff from Shelagh, but mostly I had Shelagh in Sleep n Plays so it's been nice to find some winter dresses on sale and from gifts for Kelly. Plus, she's not a redhead so she can wear all the colors I've banned from the other kids - Red, Hot Pink, Orange, and Yellow - hurrah!

Shelagh with Kelly last week

Rory doing his favorite 2 things in the world...sucking his thumb and holding his beautiful baby sister.

Spinach Pasta w Anchovies & Leeks

No, I don't eat whole anchovies...ew. However, I love them blended in with things like Caeser dressing, flavored butters and melted into sauces. Under the topic of "using up food in my frig without wasting and tossing too much" in conjunction with "only having the inclination and energy to cook very fast dinners after childbirth", I invented a new pasta that came out really yummy.

I sauteed 4 anchovies rolled around capers in some olive oil until they melted down (what else would you use these for???). I added 2 sliced leeks (white and light green sections) and cooked until they were soft and browned. I added some garlic for about a minute and then added in some leftover broth (I think it was both chicken and beef broth I had leftover from some stuff my mom had made) to make a sauce. Tossed in some spinach fettucini and parmesean and it was delicious! Shelagh tasted it and loved it too (one day when she declares she hates anchovies I'll make this again and then tell her what's in it).

Here's the finished dish...

Catching Up

So, I've been home mostly these last few weeks and not doing much other than trying to keep up with my house and kids, getting acclimated to having an infant in the house, and feeling guilty that I haven't posted anything on my blog. I haven't been cooking too much as my mom thoroughly stocked my frig and freezer. I haven't even broken into the freezer food yet...still digging out of the frig. Here's what we've been doing...

• Registered Shelagh for Kindergarten (wow)
• Birthday parties and play dates for the big kids (thank you, friends)
• Dr appts for Kelly (she weighs over her birth weight now and no jaundice despite a painful beginning of nursing for me. yeah!)
• Family visits to meet Kelly and play with Shelagh and Rory (thank you, nieces, for being my mothers helpers yesterday during school vaca week)
• Working on all the pictures I've been taking (a million) & birth announcements
• Cleaning the house (yes, I've done it once)
• Dance & Swim classes for Shelagh. Registering Rory for swim and a mixed sports class he'll do on Saturdays with Joe.
• Catching up on the massive amounts of TV we taped that we got behind on when my mom was here and I was passing out at 8pm. I think we're only 1-3 episodes behind as of last night. (In case you are wondering...we are taping a ton right now - Big Love which is AWESOME this season; Flight of the Conchordes which is also great this year; Top Chef; Lost; The Office; 30 Rock; ER where I'm counting days to the return of Clooney; Damages; and Fringe. I think that's it for shows we watch together. I'm also watching Greys and have been taping How I Met Your Mother on Lifetime where they are showing the whole series starting at Season 1. What a great show!). I'll post separately on my TV thoughts. I have lots of them right now. Trying my hardest not to watch too much daytime TV since I'm home now with Kelly and it makes me feel like a person with less than normal intelligence.

I have a few cooking things to post and some pics of Kelly and the kids coming soon...

The Dressing Up Begins

Remembering how I dressed and photographed Shelagh in new outfits all the time...Fun times with a girl :)

Introducing...

Kelly Bryce born on Wednesday 2/4/09 and weighing in at a whopping 7 lbs 10 oz. I guess that's not whopping, but I'm only 5 feet tall and that's huge for me and my biggest baby so far! Delivery went well overall. Labor was manageable and then I decided to go for the epidural and good thing I did. As it is only the left side really kicked in...the right side was still pins and needly and I felt a little more than I would have liked. Once end labor kicked in it REALLY kicked in and she pretty much sailed down. She didn't fly out but no complaints...A little bit of pushing and out she came quickly.

Joe is like man in charge around the house which is great. My parents are here and taking care of the food and playing with the kids and making them feel special. Shelagh and Rory seem to be ok with her being around so far. Shelagh decided to hold her once yesterday and once today which was cool. Rory keeps updating her on things ("Kelly, look, it's dark outside!"). She is nursing like a CHAMP much to my breasts chagrin. However, she decided to not sleep for her first night at home and nurse in 5 minute intervals. Fingers crossed for a better night tonight! I did squeeze in a nap today but I cannot do this every day...God help me.

Heading in Tomorrow...

So, my attempt at not being induced this time has pretty much failed unless I go into labor tonight. I gave it a good ole college try. I am now so bored, so big and so unable to do anything - plus I have the worst cold. My mom is already here and cooking away and I'm just waddling around being grumpy. The Dr is very surprised I didn't go this weekend. I'm at 3 cm dilated now, baby isn't going to get any lower unless she is on her way out. Hopefully I go tonight and then plan accomplished, but if not tomorrow they will take me and get things started. Yeah!