Potty Training

I titled this post "Potty Training" only because we are (very) slowly starting to potty train Landon. We aren't too serious about it right now. But, with that being said, he is peeing in the potty anywhere from 1-3 times a day. He has also made comments like, "Momma, change my diaper" or "Potty! Potty!".  So that tells me he is starting to care when he has peed or pooped in his diaper and that he is learning the "feeling" of when he needs to pee. I have made the comment in earlier months to Adam that there would be no way Landon would catch on to potty training as easily and as quickly as Adalyn did. #1 because he is a boy and I have always been told, "Boys are so much harder!" and #2 Landon is Landon. He does things in his own sweet, little time. BUT, I have to say, I have been so surprised at his progression with catching on so quickly. I know the main reason is because he has an older sibiling who is a "big girl" and pees in the potty so he obviously wants to do the same. (sometimes anyway) I am also happy to report he has pooped in the potty 3 times as well!

 --Disclosure-- if you have a problem with poop talk, you may want to stop reading! It's detailed but since this blog is my personal scrapbook of our family happenings, I have to write it in here! The other night we put him on the toilet to pee. Well, he peed then he started to poop. Right before each poop "dropped", he would yell, "Here it comes!" and watch it fall in the toilet. HA HA HA. He laughed and laughed and we were cracking up with him. It was hilarious. Of course every single time he uses the potty, Adam, Adalyn and I normally jump up and down, clap, yell, whatever it takes to let him know that he did a good job. He also gets M&M's , or whatever we pull out of the Halloween treat bag, every time as a reward. We did the same with Adalyn and it worked like a charm. I have heard some do stickers, but stickers would do nothing for him. lol. So we have to make peeing/pooping in potty worth it. That even means when he pees first thing in the morning when he wakes up, he gets a few M&M's in his bowl. 

I know we have a long road ahead before he is 100% potty trained, but I feel  he has gotten a really good start! 

And just to document this post... a picture of Landon on the royal throne.

 Enjoy.

Big Church

I have waited on this Sunday for 4 years. At our Church, when you turn 4, you no longer stay in the nursery during the service. After Sunday School, you go pick up your child and bring them to the sanctuary. Every Sunday I have watched sweet, smiling faces happily walk, skip, or run to the side door at the front to leave for "Wee Worship". This is for age 4 - 3rd graders. They spend about 15 minutes in big church before they leave for their Bible Story and craft time. Yesterday it was Adalyn's turn to go to Wee Worship for the first time! When it was time for the kids to leave, I walked with Adalyn until we got downstairs. She was hand in hand with her cousin Hannah and friend Kera. She was so excited. We have been talking about "Wee Worship" for a week now. Explaining what it was, how she needed to act, reminded her not to talk while in Church, you know, the necessary conversation that's needed before introducing something new! 

I had so much joy watching her as she walked back to sit with us at the end of the service. I couldn't help but to smile. Going to "Big Church" is just another reminder that she is growing and getting so big. 

Of course, on our way to Church yesterday morning, our conversation was about Adalyn going to Big Church after Sunday School. Landon kept saying, "I go to Big Church!" Adalyn quickly responded with, "Nuh uh! You can't go to Big Church! Only I can because I'm this many. (holds up 4 fingers) You are like 1 or 2, so you aren't old enough to go."
We couldn't help but to laugh at the two of them talking back and forth like that in the back seat. :)

To document this milestone, I snapped a picture of Adalyn after Church was over. We were in the nursery getting Landon.

Pose #1- (she loves the camera!)

Then I told her to be serious :)

Such a sweet, sweet girl.

Happy 4th Birthday Adalyn!

I can't believe how much you have changed since the day you were born.

Oh my sweet Adalyn. What a joy you are to our family. 

You are always smiling and laughing. 

You LOVE to color. You love for us to read to you. You change your clothes atleast 3 times per day. You always choose some type of dress or skirt to put on. You might be a girly-girl after all. You are really starting to get into all the Princesses on TV. Cinderella is your favorite at the moment. You love taking care of your baby dolls. You almost ALWAYS leave the house with at least two bags of STUFF for you to do in while in the car. You pack those bags full of whatever you can cram in there. It gets quite annoying actually. 99% of the time you always keep your bows in. Which I thank you by the way. You love to cuddle under a big blanket and watch TV. You can spell your name and you know your complete address. Your finger nails and toe nails must be painted at all times. You love to help us cook or work out in the yard. This summer you can basically swim by yourself which was amazing to watch. We rarely put floaties on you anymore. You are such a little fish and I could totally see you being on a swim team one day. You started taking Gymnastics in June and you absolutely love it! Every Monday at 4:30 I am watching you do cartwheels, hand stands, backhand springs, fliping on the bars and walking the balance beam. You are an excellent sleeper and take the best naps ever. You are crazy good at putting puzzles together! We just sit and watch your brain work and you always figure them out without any help. I love you more than I can express. I thank God for you and your brother every single day. Even though you both make me oh so tired, I couldn't imagine my life any other way. Your precious heart makes me smile. 

I can't wait to see the little girl and woman you will become. I know you will be amazing!

Happy 4th Birthday Adalyn May!

Adalyn's Art Birthday Party!

We celebrated Adalyn turning 4 this past Saturday with an Art Birthday Party! I started planning her 4th birthday months and months ago. (You shouldn't be surprised by reading that) Each year when deciding what to do for her party, I really sit back and think about what she is really into at that time. When she turned 2, it was obvious. All she cared about was Cows. Last year, she absolutely loved Doc McStuffins and playing doctor. Since about May or June of this year, ALL she wants to do is color and paint. I made a notebook for her to take on our trip to the beach this summer. I put coloring sheets, stickers, letters to trace, blank sheets of paper, etc in it and it kept her so occupied as she went page to page "writing" and coloring. Ever since then, she takes it every where. I mean everywhere. She toted that notebook around so much I ended up having to buy her another one due to it breaking. One day it just clicked. It only made sense to do an Art party for her! The theme screamed "Adalyn" and I ran with it! I had a lot of fun planning her party and she was included in every detail, even down to picking the stripes on her birthday cake. Who knows, my sweet girl could be quite the artist one day!

Saturday morning started off with Adalyn and I running errands to pick up her cake and making a trip to Wal-Mart. Adam and Landon stayed home and mowed and did things outside. Once we arrived home, we ate lunch and I started to decorate with Adalyn's help. We did a little decorating and then we put the kids down for their naps. While they were sleeping, I continued to get things ready for the party. The party started at 4:00 and by 3:15, I had to wake Adalyn up from her nap. Landon was still sleeping and he woke up about 15 minutes after we got Adalyn up. I wanted her to see the final product of everything and she was so excited! I took her outside, in her pajamas and all, I snapped her picture. 

Decorating for the party was simple. I stuck with the primary colors and used that as inspiration!

These were a big hit- "Paint brushes" !

The set-up-

We have had this crayon canvas for years now- it was PERFECT for our theme!

I used mason jars as decoration and filled them full with crayons and coloring pencils.

I had two jars with the drinks and two jars on the food table.

I loved the water bottle wrappers! 

The drinks

The invitation

The birthday poster I made

Before the party started, I took Adalyn outside to snap some pictures!

If you look closely at the door, I made her door sign. I cut a large 4 out of a cardboard box and then covered it with paint chips (remember, it's a painting party!). This door sign was so simple and better yet, free! I determined after making this that you could obviously do any number (or letter!) and can use any color paint chips for whatever theme you are having! I do believe I may be doing this for now on. I went to Wal-Mart and loaded up on the primary colors and chose different shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. 

Random-

Once everyone arrived, we all fixed our plates to eat then we headed outside to play!

After playing outside, it was time to paint! A fun activity I had all the kids to do was paint their very own canvas. I purchased 8X10 canvases and bought contact paper. With the cricut, I cut out each child's first initial of their name. 

We took our table out of the breakfast nook area and replaced it with a rectangular table that would be plenty big for all the kids to stand around and paint. 

The paint was washable and each kid also had their own apron to wear while painting. 

The idea was for them to paint the entire canvas however they wished and once it was dry, they were to peel off their initials. This is what Adalyn's looked like Sunday morning. Christina took a picture of Levi's and sent it to me that night- it looked so good! I was excited to see the finished product.

So all the kids left with their canvas and apron. It was a hit!!!

Landon was showing everybody his belly :)

Next, it was time for CAKE! I absolutely LOVE the way Adalyn's cake turned out. If you notice, the chevron stripes on the cake match her invitation and water bottle labels.

The best part about her birthday cake was the INSIDE! 

How COOL is that?! 

After cake, Adalyn opened her presents. She got movies, clothes, finger paint, a new sleeping bag, money, a big crayola box FULL of crayons, glitter pens, construction paper, glue, etc. puzzles, a Doc McStuffins doctors bag, and lots of princess stuff! 

Landon showed us his belly, looked at a book, and played with the paper while all of this was going on.

Her last present was from Adam and I. She had to count to 10 while PaPaw covered her eyes.

The look on their faces make me laugh! You can tell they were so excited for her!

Her very 1st bicycle!

All the kids played for a little bit before everyone started to leave. 

I love this one of Hannah and Adalyn coloring-

And I also love this one of her and my dad!

Once everyone was gone, we all watched a little bit of Princess and the Frog then we put the kids to bed. Adalyn told me she loved her birthday party and had so much fun.

Just what I wanted to hear. :)

 Thank you to everyone who came to help celebrate Adalyn turning 4!!

Read about Adalyn's 1st Birthday Party HERE!

Read about Adalyn's 2nd Birthday Party HERE!

Read about Adalyn's 3rd Birthday Party HERE!