Potty Training "Lock In"

Just over two weeks ago, we had what I'll call a "potty training lock" in at home! Daddy left for drill on Friday am and was gone until Sunday pm. The boys and I did not leave the house from Thursday afternoon until the next week! It was a LONG weekend, but I knew that the Lord was leading us into that weekend to potty train Rhys, so we stocked up on candy, juice, underwear and pulled out the portable potty and were off!

Sweet Russell even set a stop watch to go off every 20 minutes as a reminder for me to TELL (not ask) Rhys to go to the potty. The intervals changed to every 30 minutes the next day...every 20 minutes felt like we were ONLY pottying all day long...seems like the process of getting his underwear off, sitting him on the potty, 'doing his business,' pulling up the undies, washing hands, rinsing the potty, getting candy, etc. lasted 20 minutes! Then, it was time to do it all over again! :) And all that with another toddler literally hanging on me just about the entire time!!! {Caleb is at a very clingy stage...of course, only clingy for MOMMY! :)} So, the extra 10 minutes was nice for Mommy!

Long story short - and not short of PRAISES TO OUR LORD!!! -Rhys is officially potty trained! He wears 'nap-time' and 'night-time underwear' during nap and night-time sleep, but it's only underwear during the day! Woohoo!!! This Mommy is SO thankful and truly in awe of what our bodies are so capable of being trained to do! With lots of prayer (for my patience!! :)), time, practice and rewards, potty training is totally do-able!

During our potty training time, we made the MOST of whatever we could find to do inside and outside of the house...

4-wheelin' in the wee hours of the mornin' into the dawn... (potty breaks in the grass! :))

A little rain didn't stop this determined little fella...

Playing with trucks inside... (donning the new undies, of course!!)

{I love to watch him try to figure things out. :)}

Caleb joined in all the fun...Here, he's fixated on a movie, while Rhys and Mommy are focused on the goal at hand! :)

Spent a LOT of time outside! Here, on the deck...

Caleb eating graham crackers, while keeping us company.

And Daddy's been a big helper since he's been home from drill and work trips.

Whew! I will say that I still pray when we go out to run errands and on school days, asking that the Lord would continue to help Rhys 'get' the concept of using ONLY the potty, not his underwear, when he needs to relieve himself. God has blessed the prayers, the consistent & constant trips to the potty and all the help from Rhys' teachers, Pappa & Grandmom while they've been visiting and other friends. It's been a good journey!

A Labor Day Full of Friends, Good Food & LOTS of JOKER

We got to spend Labor Day at some friends' parents' home on the lake...just had a WONDERFUL time!! If you remember our weather that weekend, it was RAINY. However, we didn't let that stop our plans! Yay!! We drove on...

We met up with this bunch and had a fun-filled night and day of JOKER (a super fun game!)!! It was too rainy to play outdoors, so we made the most of the indoors! The girls STOMPED the guys on Sunday night, but the guys came back with a vengeance the next morning, and we ended up TIED!!! Thus, the perfect excuse for a future game with great friends!!!

Their little man, Hudson, is a firecracker! So independent and full of energy...descriptive of just about every toddler, huh?!?! :)

Their precious Anne Stewart...Well, all I can say is that Rhys has eyes for her, even if she is a few years older than he. :) They were holding hands at the get-go! I LOVE it! :)

And sweet Caleb...he actually slept most of the time we were at the lake, but that's a praise for any child away from home! He had a great time, too!

If we weren't playing, we were eating, and if we weren't eating, we were playing! Maybe we ate and played too much, but it was fun, and we look forward to our next trip (to the mountains, we go, we go!) with Jeremy, Becky and their kiddos! Woohoo!!!

I think of this Scripture in particular as I think over our Labor Day weekend with friends:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching

Hebrews 10:24-25

So, see! We have excuse after excuse to keep getting together!! :) Praise the Lord!

Caleb - 13 Months

Our big little man made 13 months almost two weeks ago. Life has just been fast and furious. So, this mommy is just now getting to post an update!

I PRAISE our Lord that Caleb is HEALTHY & WELL & CHOCK FULL OF SPUNK! He is ATTACHED TO HIS MOMMY these days!!! Whew!!! Hence, the lack of blogging! I'm catching a break during naps.

Caleb is WALKING!!! HOORAY! HOORAY! He took his first steps the day he made 13 months! He's still a bit unsteady on foot, but he's getting there!

He's full of smiles, giggles and laughs!

He eats great! Chugs down about 24 oz of milk per day (suggested amount for his age per our pediatrician).

He still naps twice a day...about an hour in the am, about 1.5 hours in the pm.

Enjoys the outdoors! Loves play time with Daddy & brother. Enjoys cuddle time with Mommy. :)

His personality is proving to be quite determined! Lord willing, that will be a strength!

This big boy's just a mess, and we LOVE LOVE LOVE him with all of our hearts!!!

Here are some fun pics of what Caleb's been up to...

Learning to ride the 4-wheeler...

Of course, big brother jumps in to show him how it's done!

Eating Saturday morning biscuits with Daddy...

Evidently excited to be outside and with apple juice in hand! :)

A beautiful smile that his mama LOVES!!

Playing with pine straw...and, of course, always trying to eat it!

Happy 13 months, our precious Caleb!!! You are SUCH a JOY! Your personality is developing, and we learn something new about you just about each day! It's fun, and we look forward to many more months, many more years and a lifetime with you!

XOXOXOXOXO,

Mommy & Daddy

Rhys Starting School...

We prayed about the decision to 'send' Rhys to preschool this year, and we sensed the Lord's clear guidance to do so. I asked the Lord in that initial prayer to please confirm that we'd made the right decision, and He has {already!!!!} SO many times, and we're only into week 2 of preschool! I am so thankful!

Rhys on his first day of school... :) {I'm a proud, sappy mommy :)}

I asked him to stand up. :)

And after 3 days of preschool at our church, Rhys shared with me and Daddy this evening some things he's learning. This week, they're starting to learn the alphabet! So, this week's letter is "A," and Rhys brought home art work to help him remember what he's learning..."A is for Apple." He also brought home a Scripture verse: "Be generous and willing to share" (I Timothy 6:18), which is exactly what we're focusing on at home {with toys among both boys}!! So, yay!!!

Well, as if that weren't enough, I teared up tonight when Rhys started singing, and we finally understood that he was singing a PRAYER! Yay!!!! Evidently, his teachers are leading him through this prayer as they sit for lunch...

Absolutely melts a mommy's and daddy's heart. "Thank You, Jesus."

Caleb - One Year!!!!

Caleb makes ONE year today!

We got to celebrate with Pappa, Grandom, Aunt Kristie and Sierra, and I must say, Aunt Kristie has a talent for decorating birthday cakes and cupcakes! All I can say is, "Thank you! Beautiful! And YUMMY!!! :)" I think Caleb is saying, "Yummy," too, once he gets a taste!! ;)

The pictures tell the first-birthday story...

Russell's favorite picture. He narrates, "I got this thing down, yall!"

Yum!!!

Thank you, again, Kristie!!!

Seems like Caleb 'grew up' over night a couple of weeks ago! He's just gotten in his 3rd and 4th teeth (top front two), which was hard on him - poor guy - but he is using them to master eating all kinds of new foods! He eats blueberries, strawberries, grapes, chicken, hamburger, hot dog pieces, just about any kind of bean, homemade muffins, cheerios, and he's up for trying anything, thankfully! His FAVORITE would be graham crackers, just like Rhys when Rhys was his age! Caleb has also mastered drinking from a sippy cup, which is WONDERFUL!!! No more bottles! Hello, milk! He loves it!!!

He is pulling himself up to standing and stands very well, mostly still holding on to anything within reach. Caleb's also wearing a lot of outfits that Rhys wore, which is fun for me to see! Caleb's been in 18-month clothes since he was 10 months old! He's a big, strong boy! We are thankful!

This was just a cute picture...looks like he's singing along with the music of this piano-like toy. :)

Caleb's been crawling for about 2 weeks...So, no problem keeping up with big brother anymore! :) He and Rhys play so well together, which is truly something I've been looking forward to since we found out we were pregnant with Caleb! It's a dream come true!!! "Thank You, Lord! Thank You! Thank You!!" We are coming into a sweet season of new fun!

He has also graduated to his forward-facing car seat, which has been like a new world for Caleb! He enjoys watching the 'new' scenery, and I love it because it's easier to see him from my rear-view mirror!

It's been a good year with you, Caleb Christopher Wright, and I'm excited beyond words for more years to come, getting to really know who you are, big man!

Happy happy happy :) birthday!!!!

Love you!!!
Daddy & Mommy

XOXOXOXOXO...

Stats:

Height: (5oth percentile)

Weight: 21 lbs, 2 oz (25th to 50th percentile)

Life is Good.

This has been a FUN month! We've gotten to visit with Russell's parents twice in their new home near Memphis, TN, and it's been a blast!

Between 3 cameras this past weekend, we took just shy of 200 pictures! So, here goes...

Pappa & Grandmom with all the grandkids

All the Wright men

Finally, a recent family picture!

And, now, for some random pictures....

Notice Rhys' shoes below. Cousin Sierra was sweet to let Rhys wear her princess shoes. :)

The kiddos had lots of pool time!

Then bath time!

Sierra & Rhys kept each other company (which the mommies loved!! :)) non-stop!

Caleb is Pappa's little man!

Pettin' on Zeke!

Grandmom got lots of lovin' from her grandkiddos, too!

Playground time...

{How cute this one would be framed! Great picture, Aunt Kristie!! :)}

Staying cool with frozen go-gurts!

Caleb's been practicing walking! I sure enjoyed all the helping hands for so many days!! :)

Pappa & Grandmom were ready for all the grandkids with lots of fun toys!

Rhys couldn't get enough of these tractors! Pappa knows how to speak Rhys' love language! :)

Aunt Kristie LOVES her nephews!!! "Thanks for ALLLLLLL your help with the boys, Kristie!!"

Aunt Tami is amazing with the boys, too!

We had fun and look forward to MORE fun visits soon, Lord willing!!!

Caleb - 11 months

Happy {very belated!!} 11 months, sweet Caleb!!

Some of your favorites are...

-Rhys! :) You love to watch your brother!! You are likely learning a LOT from him!

-Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars, trucks, tractors, anything with wheels! This makes you and Rhys great playmates, since he like anything with wheels, too!

-JUMPING! We even borrowed a friend's Jumperoo for you! It wears you out nicely for nap time! :)

-Movies! I've had to resort to giving you bottles in front of a movie...distracts you just right so that you'll drink your formula. You become fixated on the colors and music and objects. We watch mostly Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby. Hopefully, you're already learning some fun things! :)

-Blocks! You love to 'clap' them together!

-Clapping! You enjoy clapping your hands!

-Clicking that cute tongue of yours...what a sweet sound!

-Bath time! Splish-splash, big man! You can definitely make lots of splashes...Mommy just about mops the floor after you boys finish in the tub! :)

-Graham crackers! It's all you'd eat, if I would let you!

-Daddy time, especially bouncing in Daddy's arms! You just giggle, giggle and giggle!!! We LOVE listening to you giggle!!

-Room time! Yay!!! Mommy is thankful you enjoy playing in your pack 'n play! You'll play for an hour at a time, which is very nice some days!! :)

Sweet man, we do wish you a happy happy 11 months! We have enjoyed getting to watch you grow up this fast year, and we look forward to celebrating your first year so very soon!

XOXOXOXOXO!!!!

Love, Daddy & Mommy