Tougas Farm

What a wonderful and inexpensive outing this turned out to be.  We left around noon for Tougas Farm and returned around 4:30pm. 

We started with the petting area but Olivia is still pretty traumatized from the sheep that "BAAAA" her at David's Farm that she kept her distance.  We then went to the playground area where Olivia just went wild.  She mastered the rock climbing and overcame her fear of the tunnel slide.  I found a comfy little spot in the playhouse to pull her/guide her up the final rocks and direct her to the slide.  The other children were abundent but all well mannered.  I had extended my hand across the slide so Livi won't get trampled in the chase and the kids dinged my hand as a toll booth and when I let them by they said they will call "when" to let me know it was clear.  I thought they were cute.  

I tried to get a picture with me and Livi on the tractor but Livi didn't like the idea of me being in the seat that she was previously enjoying.  I have a picture of her pushing me off, lol. 

After a good while at the playground we went aboard the tractor wagon to pick apples.  Ginger Golds, Mcintosh, and Honeycrisp were ready for picking.  Olivia's first reaction was, "mum, apples...eat?" meaing she was asking if she could eat an apple.  I didn't think so but the hubby said it was fine.  After seeing the apple cores on the ground I realize they weren't the first or the last to eat the apples.  As we were passing another family, hubby says to the teenage girl eating an apple, "you're the taste tester like us" and she smiled and said yes.  And another family was also "taste testing" the apples.  Some people were really intense like bite and throw intense and commenting "too sour, too sweet..." I felt like Goldie Locks and the 3 bears.  I didn't really have a clue how to pick apples and kinda kept circling in and out the groves.  The hubby decided to finally take charge and started aiding in determining which apples were best.  Near the end Olivia was getting tired and so wasn't the hubby who offered to hold the bag if I hold Livi....hmmmm.

At the end of our picking we went to the kitchen where there was a lot of yummy treats.  I bought a jar of pickles $5.99 a blueberry pie $12.99, 2 apple ciders $1.50 each.  Really wasn't a bad day at all BUT I could have gone WITHOUT the allergies.  I think we'll go back again before winter.

Apple of Mummy's Eye

Just When You're About To Throw The Potty Out The Window

After the disastrous potty training weekend I was about ready to throw the potty out the window.  I was entertaining several ideas but mainly the idea that maybe Olivia just wasn't ready.  I received some positive reinforcement from friends after my last blog which couldn't have come at a better time.  I took some time to digest what they were saying:

• Patience
• Positive reinforcement
• Consistency
• Make potty training fun and exciting give incentives candy, stickers, coloring books
• Let Olivia decide when she is ready

I had to take some time and reflect.  I wasn't ready to step away completely but I did realize that I needed to back off and do a self assessment.  Patience-it was dwindling and that wasn't fair to Olivia.  Positive reinforcement and consistency (aside from daycare), I nailed it.  But, somewhere along the line potty training became a c'mon, c'mon, c'mon process and the fun was sucked right out of it. I felt awful so I decided to let Olivia decide when she is ready. 

Yesterday I asked her if she would like to go potty and finger paint.  At first she was resistant even after getting the supplies.  I then decided to do a buddy system we'll both go potty and finger paint and yup it worked.  I was basically just sitting there but when I heard her tinkle we both looked up at each other and laughed. 

Later on that day when I was cooking dinner I placed the potty in the living room.  She said, "no, no...not yet" and I explained I was just putting it there "JUST IN CASE" and walked out the living room.  Mid way through my dinner preparation I felt little eyes on me and looked up.  To my surprise there was my little girl pulling her big girl panties down, backing up onto the potty looking at me.  I smiled and quickly looked away.  That potty stayed in the living room the rest of the night and she kept going on her own.  Isn't that something? And when her daddy came home she was so excited to share the news that she went potty.  As for the hubby he thought it was odd to see the potty in the living room and felt it should be in the bathroom. 

As for me, I'm tired cleaning up pee and I'll move the potty little by little back to the bathroom but for now if this is what it takes then I'm game.  Heading to the dollar store after work to pick up some coloring books. 

It's yellow, Wet and Stops at 2 Little Feet...

I have spent this weekend stepping in trails and wiping puddles of pee that lead up to 2 little feet of a mortified 2 year old.  I don't quite understand what is going on and find myself feeling very frustrated with this potty training relapse.  In less than 2 hours we have gone through 4 big girl panties.  Olivia is becoming resistant to sitting on the potty and has begun demanding a pamper to be put on her.  Thus far, I have been able to distract her from the situation (tickles and playing) and manage putting a big girl panty on her but it's usually a short lived victory. 

I'm wondering if the use of pampers at the daycare combined with having such a strong headed/ stubborn child has something to do with the newly encountered Resistance.   It's moments like these I wish she came with a manual to eliminate some of the guess work and both our frustrations. 

The way things are looking I may need to buy another box of pampers and suck up the $25 hit to my wallet. 

If there is ANYONE out there with some ideas/suggestions PLEASE share.  I don't know who is winning at this point...I know I sure feel like I'm losing this challenge but I also believe Olivia may share similar sentiments :(

She has just fallen asleep....poor thing. 

Potty Training Continues and Laundry Too

Potty training continues at grandma's house aka Lela.  I wanted to know how she alerts others that she had to go potty.  I called my mom last night and made sure she was up for the challenge and to my surprise she was willing and ready. 

This morning, I made sure to pack a bag full of extra clothes and put her plastic jelly sandals just in case an accident occurred.  The ride went well and as soon as we reached Lela's house we went straight to the bathroom.  She bragged to Lela how she just went potty and Lela chimed in on cue with praise. 

Mid day I called my mom to see how Olivia was doing and she said it was going well.  She had taken Olivia to the park and the only accident she had was going down the slide and in one swoop drying all the rainwater with her bottom.  I was impressed and when I went to pick her up she was just getting off the potty.  Wow.  I was going to put her in pampers for her eye doctor's appointment but I didn't.  My mother had suggested that I bring her potty in the car and see how she does.  Hmmm...okay. 

So at the doctor's after signing in I asked for the bathroom key and put her on the potty.  She does a little pee and then upon returning to the waiting room Olivia notices a bubbler--uhoh! I foolishly allow her to drink for the bubbler.  Now, Olivia knows that it works and wants more, more, and more.  So I fill her cup--mommy mistake #2.  The visit took much longer than I anticipated and as we were in the waiting room she ask to go potty--oh no the doctor will  be in shortly.  So, I sent hubby to the car to grab her pamper--I know I panicked mistake #3 but what would you have done? And guess what? Turns out that she held it her pamper was dry. 

I was really proud of her and even after lunch in the park she was still dry.  At home she went to the potty twice first to pee and then to poop and came seeking praise which she did receive.  But then the bomb dropped.  She had an accident.  I saw her cute face turn to a look of mortification--yup she peed and was in a frozen state.  I whisked her up and ran her to the bathroom, no big deal.  Then a couple minutes later she was talking and went to get paper to color and the look I saw earlier returned.  I whisked her up again.  At this point I wondered what was going on...was she going through a relapse or was it because she drank more than she should have at lunch and it was catching up to her?

I bathed her and put her in a pamper for bed.  I can't believe this near successful day took such a horrible turn leaving me with a load of some seriously stinky pee pee clothes.  Laundry and dishes are 2 things I really don't like doing.  But if I had a choice I would definitely choose dishes over handling these gross wet pee pee smelling clothes.  *sigh*

House of Pee

Sunday Recap:

Continued Operation Potty Trained with Olivia as soon as she woke up in the morning.  Used same methods used; "run, run, run" and praise in the form of high five when she pees and/or poops in the potty.  Through out the day she exhibited some resistance; crying for a pamper and actually running and getting a pamper for me to put on (as if I didn't understand she wanted to to get the message across that she wanted her pamper aka mobile toilet).  These encounters were best handle with distraction; a tickle, a playful chase and then I'd hold up 2 big girl panties and let her choose.  This method worked well. 

Since I was doing a chili coke roast beef in the slow cooker for dinner I needed to go to the store to buy a can of coke.  Olivia wanted to come with me which made for a perfect trial outing without pampers.  We went potty before going out the door and played with our umbrellas as we walked in the rain to the neighborhood store.  She loved it.  I bought her an aloe juice as a treat and when we reached home she was still dry--high five, happy dance and finally some juice and crackers.  I was really impressed with my little trainee. 

At the end of the day she peed 6 times, ran to the bathroom 10 times and pooped 2 times and received 7 high fives.  Aside from the occasional pee on my hand from failing to remain seated for the entire performance she only had 1 real accident.  But in her defense, I had gone to throw the last load of laundry in the wash and left her with her father.  I told hubby to pay attention to the signs that she had to go potty and also ask in 20 minutes.  He was absolutely clueless to understanding what Olivia had been trying to tell him.   When she stopped talking and asking for mommy he noticed she peed herself.  Hmmm, so who's to blame for this accident?

I must admit I was frustrated with the hubby when I came back from throwing the last load to be washed only to discover it wasn't exactly my LAST load.  Tried hard not to let my frustration get the better of me but I had a small break and explained how I would appreciate a more active partnership.  He explained with great sincerity he doesn't understand the potty training thing and I realized that he was a total fish out of water.  I guess just because men know the female anatomy doesn't mean they know how females wipe themselves after they go pee :-/  There is one of my biggest flaws: I assume he knows when in reality he is absolutely oblivious especially when it comes to potty training our daughter.  So, Operation Potty trained is just me and my trainee, *sigh*.

Today:

We had a slightly different routine since she goes to the daycare today.  We ran to the potty first thing after she had waken up but rather than putting on her big girl panties we put on a pamper.  As soon as she got home I put her in big girl panties.  She did really well.  I asked her every 20 minutes or so and she gave me her long drawn out "nooooooo" and once in a while I felt I got an annoying "No" but when she had to go she let me know and guess what? No accidents.  Tomorrow I'll try to not prod her as much and see how she does.  I'll try this for 2 weeks and then if all goes well give the green flag to begin potty training at day care. 

I'm soooo tired.  A really busy day; work, cooked a really delish from scratch meal (pasta with smoked mozzarella, asparagus and prosciutto), did another pee pee load and finally solved the puzzle of which classes I should register for keeping in mind prereqs and credit minimum for financial aid.  I am totally spent at this point and yet Livi is STILL up.  What ever happened to 8pm bedtime? It's such a haze but REALLY it's time to bring that back.

Good night! 

P is for Progress

Since we began potty training the letter P has been associated with such things as poop, pee, pampers, panties, pull ups, "painfully" exhausting and "painfully" frustrating.  Today, I am happy to report a new word associated with the letter p.  That word is PROGRESS.

Olivia has alerted me when she had the urge to go pee this whole week.  It hasn't been without accidents but it seems as though this whole potty concept may be setting in.  Maybe this is her cue that she is ready to wear her big girl panties--well, it's worth a try, right?

Operation P is officially underway.  Olivia spent the day in her big girl panties.  We did our "run, RuN, RUN" to the bathroom and washed our hands 22 times, peed 9 times, pooped once high fived 10 times and had 1 "wonk, wonk" accident.  Let me just say I'm eXhAuSteD.  My bum has probably made full contact with the sofa twice but if it gets her potty trained quicker, it's well worth it. 

After so many "run, RuN, RUN[s]" I had a little break when she took a 3 hour nap.  I probably should have left her big girl panties on but she woke up dry at least.  I prompted her to go potty and she ran out her bed straight to the bathroom.  

It's pretty late.  This blog post is taking me forever to write as the potty runs do not consist of large breaks in between.  I'm pooped and mentally and physically but I'm trying to focus on the goal.  I received an added incentive when I did a diaper run during her nap and found out Pampers had increased by $4.  *sigh* $24 for pampers?...hopefully this would be my last box, fingers crossed.  For now, the pampers are going on and my litttle trainee and I are going to get ready for bed. 



Toddler: 2 Mommy: 1 (could this be my first point?) If I wasn't so tired I'd do a happy dance.

The Big Dipper with the Family July 16, 2011

Looking at some pictures I realized I forgot to blog about The Big Dipper all-you-can-eat ice cream festival which was a fun and inexpensive outing with the family.  It was hosted at Elm Park from 10:30am - 5:30pm and offered a wide variety of inexpensive family fun as well as  all-you-can-eat ice cream available for an admission fee of $5 for ages 10 and up, $2 for ages 5- 9 and free for children under 4.   

Pay for fun tickets were $1 per ticket and activities ranged from 1 ticket - 3 tickets.  Activities included Moonwalks, face painting, bookmark decorating, and coloring tables.  There was also a food tent with grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cold drinks and snacks available.

We enjoyed the bubble table which required no tickets and consisted of bubble soap trays and a variety of objects to blow bubbles.  Objects ranged from traditional shaped bubble wands to non-conventional objects such as potato masher, several different slotted spoons, foam door hangers and other "who-would've-thought" around the house objects.

The Polar soda mascot made an appearance but despite his friendly demeanor Olivia was terrified.  I tried to get a picture but she was so scared I had to literally run as far away and in the quickest time as possible.   

There were also clowns which is another common phobia of children Livi's age but, to our surprise Livi wasn't scared.  She was hesistant but not terrified.  Maybe this was because they weren't as done up as your typical circus clowns.  Whatever the reason she was quite content with her purple dog shaped balloon made by one of the clowns  This was another activity that required no tickets. 


The other piece of amusement that Olivia enjoyed was the Moonwalks.  There were two moonwalks one for ages 8 and up and one for ages 7 and under.  The only issue I had with this activity was that it wasn't really organized.  People were all lining up in one line rather than 2 and it wasn't timed so you had to wait in line at the mercy of a child having a bouncing blast to come out.  It was a difficult wait for parents like myself who had toddlers as it was extremly hot with no shade and the length of time was making them restless and cranky.  When it was finally our turn we were told that my niece who was 9 (we noticed the sign on the ground at this point) could not go in with Olivia and said we would have to go to the moonwalk for ages 8 and up.  I thought we would have to wait in line yet again but like I said the other one had no line.  So we could have saved ourselves 30-45 min standing in the hot sun.  But, what counts is that Livi had a blast once she was finally allowed into the Moonwalk.  This activity was 3 tickets = $3 per child regardless of age.

 You could also enter raffles for prizes in exhange for x amount of tickets.  Walking around there was political persons trying to collect names for ability to have their name on ballots.  There so many occassions in my life where I have to pay attention to detail, facts and so on but I just felt this was not one of them.  I tried to listen to there pitch but really it wasn't why I was there.  I just wanted to enjoy an outing with my daughter, husband (who came into town on a surprise visit), sister and niece.  I eventually found out that if you say you're not a registered voter they will walk on by as quickly as they made themselves visible. 

Organizations such as NEADS puppies, The Lions Sightmobile were providing free hearing and vision screening, and Child Protection Resources offered free fingerprinting and photo/ID's for the kids.  The fire engine was also present later in the day for children to interact with the firemen and touch the hose. 

All proceeds benefited the programs of Children's Friend founded in 1849 and is the oldest child and family service agency in central Massachusetts.

For food we went to the hot dog/ ice cream truck which had a hot dog special (2 dogs, chips and soda for $4.50) and ate under an oak tree by the playground.  It was a nice way to spend a Saturday.  I think we'll attend next year but I hope there's more activities for the younger children Livi's age.      

Olivia and the Five Toothpaste

Finger brushing had become a risky project as Olivia had developed a full mouth of baby teeth.  It was the fight that led to her clinching her jaw shut which led to me feeling nervous she would accidently bite my finger for mouth invasion.  Since her flavorless infant toothpaste could only be bought in a small tube combined with a baby toothbrush for about $5, I decided it was time to buy toddler toothpaste which came with the incentive of bigger tubes and cheaper money.  They averaged $2-$3 per tube but I soon learned there is more to toothpaste than saving money.

First, I tried Tom's natural flouride-free silly strawberry toothpaste 4oz--Olivia was willing to try but quickly refused.  Curiously I gave it a try and quickly understood that the weird sweet tingy taste was the cause of her rejection.

Second contestant, The Natural Dentist Cavity Zapper Groovy Grape 5oz--This time I tried it first.  It had a different texture almost chalky but the taste wasn't bad.  After much baiting Olivia tried it and rejected it.

Next up; Colgate fluoride free mild fruit 0-2yrs old 1.75 oz toothpaste--I didn't want to even dare give it to her it was GROSS.  It had a sting like novacaine and an insanely sweet taste that almost made me puke.  She actually asked to taste it on her finger and instantly stuck out her tongue crying to have it wiped off.  I'm at this point getting nervous about the care of her teeth.

And the last one before Toddler scores yet another point, Orajel training toothpaste berry blast for toddlers 2 oz.  I thought strategically on this one.  Since her infant toothpaste was Orajel I figured to stick with the same brand. Texture was consistent to that of their infant paste which she liked.  The color was blue compared to the clear infant paste. Upon noticing the different color she at first refused.  After some convincing she tried it and the mild taste wasn't a turn off.  This was the winning toothpaste for a couple weeks but we are back to using the Orajel infant paste with the big girl toothbrush.  *gahh*

In addition it is also importamt to note that her sister is spending the summer with her mother which made this transition harder as Olivia loves copying her big sister brush her teeth.  I tried brushing my teeth with her as a substitute but I don't get the same results--I guess I'm too old too copy, lol.  Now, I try to utilize my niece when she comes over as well as recruit the cool titi (aunt) aka my older sister to brush their teeth with her. 

As for toothpaste for Olivia the 2 yr old--Orajel is a good choice but I just don't think she's into the flavor aspect of it since she has reverted back to the flavorless infant paste.

 

Toddler 2 Mommy 0 blAHHH!!

A Pee Short from Potty Trained

My daughter is 2 yrs old. She's unbelievably smart and independent.  She is also quite the mean little helper, but for some reason she will not go pee in the potty, at least not on her own accord.  She will go pee when I tell her to but usually won't offer.  Some days she flat out refuses to sit on the potty to go pee.  She will turn into a surf board or curl on the floor where I can't get a handle on her.  She will alert me when she has to poop but not when she has to pee.  I even tried waiting to change her when she pees in her pamper or training pants but the discomfort doesn't usually phase her.  I've tried doing a pee pee celebration dance when she goes in the pot but still resistance.  I've even tried the naked thing--GROSS!! After an accident on my sofa I thought this isn't going to work. 

I heard girls were easier than boys to potty train, so what am I doing wrong? Obviously she understands the concept as when we are out she will DEMAND to go to the potty to go poop.  But why not pee?  I just don't get it.  Are there any potty training veteran moms with any clue or advice to give to this new recruit mom on this perplexing issue?

Toddler 1 Mommy 0 Ahhhh!!