It seems ironic that for Christmas break I have quite a to-do list. But that is life for a college student who is also a full-time mom.
First on my list (and the thing I am least looking forward to doing) is potty training Riley. He so needs to be out of diapers. I would have started sooner, but with me going to school, I didn't want to put that on my mom or my mother-in-law. Today is our first attempt at "big boy underwear" and so far we're 0 for 6. I know it will come along - it's just the first few days that are really trying. He's a hard boy to motivate, even with rewards. I think that is my biggest dilemma with this, is trying to figure out some way to motivate him. Any suggestions?
My next project is to organize my cook book. It has become out of control. During this summer I thought I would organize it, and I got it separated into two books - one with recipes I use frequently, and one with recipes I don't use often. That's about as far as I got. I'm tired of trying to find my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe in the meat section.
Organizing my house is next. It's really not too bad. Downstairs is fairly well organized - mostly because that is all people see of my house and so I need to have it look nice. My bedroom and the upstairs hall closet are the places I have been stuffing things when I didn't have time to, or didn't want to, find the proper home for things. I would really like for my bedroom not to become a storage room.
Other than those three things, I'm going to try and take it easy until next semester. There are a few concerts and such that I want to go to, but nothing I have to go to. I'm basically done with Christmas shopping. The only thing I have left to do in that area is take the kids shopping for Ben's presents. We haven't wrapped anything yet, because I KNOW Riley (not to mention Pumpkin and Freckles) will unwrap everything. It will be quite a change waking up on Christmas morning and suddenly finding lovely wrapped packages under the tree, where there were no presents there Christmas Eve.
10 comments:
Good luck with potty training Riley. It will come, just give it a few days!
I am totally with you on organizing my recipes. I have a pile in the cupboard that I have to look through to find what I want. I think that will be a new goal for me also. Thanks for the idea!
I hope that you have some time for yourself during the break and don't stay to busy with things. Have a great Holiday!
Oh I forgot that I was logged in under my tutu's, sorry.
Melissa
Yeah, good luck with the potty training! I had to help potty train the youngest child when I was a nanny. It was not enjoyable. However, it sure was awesome when it was finished! Hopefully, it finishes quickly for you and Riley!
Organization? What is that? Having a place for your things? Girl, you're talking a foreign language! Maybe someday you can teach it to me. :)
I hope you have a great break!
Melissa - I do pretty well to be patient and positive at the beginning of each day. It's when the day winds down and there hasn't been much such success that I feel frustrated. I know it will come. Thanks for the encouragement.
As for the recipes - I'm glad I'm not the only who takes just as much time to find the recipe as it does to cook the meal! I have my recipes in sheet covers in a binder. How do you have yours?
Julie - Thanks for the luck - I'm afraid I will need it. I keep thinking about NEVER having to change another diaper when he is done and that is my motivating factor. I can't imagine doing this for a kid who wasn't mine. Yuck.
You don't want me to teach you. I sometimes speak broken organization.
Today at work my co-worker was trying to find information on potty training to give to a parent.
One of the websites she found suggested putting blue food coloring into the toilet water. Maybe that might work? I have never heard of doing that. I have heard of putting cherrios into the water so they can aim for them and turn potty training into a game.
GOOD LUCK! Sam took me out to dinner when Whitney was potty trained to celebrate never having to change a diaper again. Maybe Ben will do the same? :)
Julie - Thanks for the help. The blue food coloring might actually work. I'll have to try it out. As for the Cheerios, I teach my boys to sit first, so the aiming thing wouldn't work out so well.
I think Sam had a WONDERFUL idea for taking you out after Whitney was potty trained and I will have to pass that hint on to Ben.
Good luck with the potty training, I know what you are going through having just potty trained Garrett a few weeks ago. We had a 'Potty Prize' bucket. He decorated it and I filled it with treats, stickers or whatever was small and cheap. His favorite was the Hershey Kiss Hugs. Of course getting him to poop in the toilet was a completely different thing, then all of the sudden he just decided to do it. And for some reason he thought that for going poop in the potty he was getting a four wheeler, honestly I have no idea where that came from. So yesterday as we are driving down main street and pass Polaris he sees the four wheelers and says 'Mom can we get one now, I've pooped lots of times?' So whatever works (we are not buying a four wheeler).
Steph - Today has been a better day for Riley than yesterday. I like the idea of a prize bucket, just no stickers - Riley is afraid of them (It's really funny when we go to Payless and the sales people offer him a sticker. He slowly backs away and shakes his head, like they are offering broccoli or something). You're such a party pooper, not buying a four wheeler!
I tried all kinds of things potty training Jael, the only "reward" that really worked was Ice Cream.
On the cookbook thing, I've been working on that too, I decided to use a website called Tastebook.com, you can enter all your recipes and order a book. The book has rings so you can add more pages later. So far I only have a few recipes added, that is one of my goals for the New Year.
Lori - Riley is doing better, but he still wouldn't mind his pants being wet all day long. Ugh. Slow and steady wins the race, right? (I keep chanting to myself, "no more diapers, no more diapers, no more diapers.") I need the motivation just as much as he does. Do I get ice cream?
I'll have to try that website for my cookbook. Thanks!
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