BEN FINALLY POOPS ON THE POTTY. Way to introduce a post, I know, and in all shouty capitals too. It only took 1.5 years of being potty trained to not be an issue. He would poop in his diaper just fine but would not go in the potty. He’d even sit on the potty and go in his diaper. So finally one day a few months ago I cut a hole in the diaper, sat him on the potty, poop fell through, the heavens parted, angels trumpeted, poop made the water splash him and he thought it was hilarious. And we’ve hardly had an issue since.

I weaned Cassidy this week after 13 months of nursing. I honestly would have gone longer, but we were down to just a morning and night feed and even then she was really only nursing for a few minutes. I was open to doing 18 months, it’s not like it’s any less nutritious or special and cuddly after they turn a year old and can have cow’s milk…but it was just time, I felt good about it and she wasn’t terribly interested anymore anyway. I actually loved how my relationship changed with Ben after he stopped at 11 months, looking forward to the next toddler phase with Cassidy too!

I’m upping the mileage on my half marathon training, ran 9 miles this Saturday. I actually moved ahead a few weeks in the training to run with a friend whose first half marathon is two weeks before mine.

I have been so tired lately (yes the extra running may play a part). I wake up at 6am (thanks Cassidy) and even after coffee still never seem to catch any energy. In retrospect I think I should have waited a few years until the kids had reliable schedules to train for this half marathon, but, I’m all signed up now. And I suppose things only get more complicated as they get older and into activities. Anyway, tired all the time. Part of it might be my fault too, I usually don’t get to bed until around or after midnight. Ben goes to sleep at 8, so that leaves 8-12 to get things done around the house (dishes, laundry, vacuum, house renovation, etc) and my only personal time. How is it that a stay at home mom doesn’t have time to do house stuff during the day, it’s amazing. During the day you play, teach, cook, diaper, cuddle, read, build and love on the little ones. And then naptime is work time for me, so, yeah, everything gets crammed into the wee hours of the evening.

Speaking of personal time, I started reading again! I downloaded a few ebooks from our library and have been enjoying them on my phone. You know, for the 10 minutes I lay in bed before I fall asleep.

Andy and I found a good series on Netflix called Hell on Wheels. It’s about the reconstruction era after the Civil War and the building of the transcontinental railroad. Industry, business, social issues…a lot of racial tensions with the freed slaves and then the white man’s “Christianizing” of the “red savages.” I love historical fiction and Andy’s big into the gritty gunslinger aspect. I also found old episodes of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman on youtube. I used to love that show growing up. Andy is not so much into the Dr. Quinn, it is admittedly little cheesy now. And there may not be enough guns for him ;-)

Our town is still in the planning stage of updating the road we live on. I think I posted about the initial meeting I went to at the Town Hall in 2010…so, four years later…construction is going to start this spring. Along with your usual drainage and pavement improvements, they’re widening the road and adding a pedestrian/bike shoulder up by us. No sidewalk like I was hoping, but that’s ok. Our property line is actually in the middle of the road now, so the town is going to “buy back” a little chunk of land. We’ll get a few hundred dollars for it which is kind of cool, for land we can’t use in the first place. We do lose two scraggly lilacs (I’m not too sad, we have nicer ones closer to the house anyway). Ben will love to watch all the construction out front this summer!

We’ve been watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix. For years I thought it was a trashy soap opera (hello General Hospital?) but it’s actually pretty good. A good drama with a bit of comedy. Maybe still a little guilty pleasure. Andy watches it with me too, haha.

I’m 10lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight. I was doing so good, then Christmas happened. I did just start running again though. The girls in the Y running group are doing the Pittsburgh Marathon again this May and I’m on the relay team!

We’re going to start Ben in Pre-K in the fall, ahhh! Technically we could wait until next year since he has a fall birthday, but honestly, I think he’d really enjoy it. He’s so outgoing, talkative and inquisitive…and getting good socialization and other skills at the Y, library, playdates, church and babysitters that he’s definitely ready for it. Our town has the Good Start program which runs Mon/Wed/Every other Friday or the UPK program which runs every day Monday through Friday. Both are 2.5 hours and have morning or afternoon slots…but I think we’re going to do the Good Start one just because it works better with the kids still going to the babysitters and my work schedule. Sign ups are in April and there’s a lottery system for getting in (although I haven’t heard of people being turned away because it’s full, but you never know). So weird to think of him starting school. We opted to not do a formal preschool for him because they were so expensive (ranging $800-$1300 a year) for two days a week. Plus, like I mentioned above, it’s not like he doesn’t go other places for learning, activities and playtime. I’s only Pre-K…but still…I’m excited for him and a little sad for myself too ;-)

Although sometimes it’s difficult to dream and plan past this exhausting “little ones” stage of life…I recently read this book. The sustainable and responsible food source, whole diet supplied by a local farm, CSA thing really interests me. While I can’t see myself becoming a farmer (let’s be honest, we know absolutely nothing about it) I think marketing for a farm would be an awesome job. Ideally it’d be a bit more design focused than just marketing…doing a farm’s displays and product packaging. Advertisements, website updates and social media presence. A fun graphic design job building a consistent brand identity across print, packaging and web and the potential to work outside during peak season when the farm needed extra hands. This girl’s job would be so cool. Not that I still don’t think being an art teacher would be great too. Maybe I could do kids education or educational tours? Oh goodness, who knows…fun to think about but we’re a long way from there. Although I’m sure it’ll come quicker than I think, after all I’ll have a 1 year old and a 4 year old this year, yikes!

I kind of like my Dell laptop…like…a lot. There are some neat functions of Windows 7 I’m enjoying and I’m starting to feel ok in the foreign country ;-)

Our town is widening the road in front of our house and adding a left turning lane. We met with the highway department today to discuss how it will affect our property. We’ll lose a little chunk of land up at the corner and two scraggly lilac trees, but are keeping all our big trees which is nice. Technically our property line is IN the road, so it’ll be kind of nice that the town will pay us for a little sliver because we can’t really use it anyway. Surveyors will be out in the next two months to give us an estimate of what the town will pay us and then actual work on the road begins next spring. We had been hoping they’d put a sidewalk in, but they’re not going to bring it to our end of the road. Instead they’re putting in a large 5 foot shoulder for bikers and pedestrians, which will still be nice for walks with the stroller.

Ben has been daytime potty trained since he was 2 years 3 months old. He’s pooped on the potty exactly three times since then. I just think he waits and then it gets uncomfortable which then reinforces the fact that pooping is a bad thing so he doesn’t want to go and waits more. Vicious cycle. Tonight he was sitting on the potty saying “Go away poop, go away!” He waits all day until his bedtime diaper and just poops in that. And then 5 minutes into bedtime I hear “Mommy I pooooooped, come clean my butt.” Lovely. I don’t really care, but it would be nice if he’d just go on the potty. Oh well, some day.

I did three family photoshoots a few weeks ago. I don’t even know how it happened, I wasn’t looking for photography work and then all of a sudden friends asked. I was a little nervous, but they all ended up being fun and I got some great shots I’ll share in a bit.

The kids go to a babysitter on Tuesdays now. They’ve been going since the beginning of October to the girl who cuts my hair. She has an in home daycare at her house and does an excellent job with the kids she watches. Ben really enjoys when the big kids get picked up on the bus in the morning and likes doing crafts and playing with the other little kids during the day. I’m not even sure Cassidy realizes I’m gone, but she does seem happy to see me when I pick them up later. I get so much design work done during the day too, it’s great. Wish grandparents were closer for free childcare, but I’m thankful for this too ;-)

I’ve started running again and am full force back at the Y. It took a little while to transition from always being aware I was growing a little person in me to now being able to give everything to a workout class. Some days I miss the modified pregnancy part, haha ;-) I do enjoy sweating along with the other ladies though.

It’s funny, before kids I wouldn’t dream about going in public without makeup and hair done. Not that I did makeup and hair for the Y, but it’s so nice to show up in the morning and everyone else is makeup less and poofy haired, ready to workout. I think overall having kids has made me want to impress people less. There’s a nice freedom to that.

Speaking of hair, mine is falling out. It’s kind of disgusting. There’s always hair monsters in the bottom of the shower and everywhere in the bathroom. It happened 3-4 months after I had Ben too so I was expecting it, just kind of not looking forward to it. I’m still taking prenatals, but the hormone fluctuation of being pregnant then not being pregnant is taking its toll. Oh well, guess that’s what volumizing mousse is for. I am 10lbs away from my prepregnancy weight though!