It's working!

I am happy to report that my plan for pooping is working for Alex. I have not had to wash underwear since we instated this plan. I feel like that is a HUGE step in the right direction. I even got him to sit on the toilet last night (naked!) after he had gone in his pull-up to see if he had to go anymore. Now the next step is getting him used to sitting and pooping. We'll see how that goes!

In other news about things that are working: Due to my giving up random snacking, keeping a food journal with the app on my phone and joining the YMCA... I am happy to report that I have lost 5.6 pounds since Feb 15th. My goal is to get back down close to my pre-Alex weight. Hopefully by summer! Woo Hoo!

A New Tatic

It has been forever since I posted. Sorry!
For those of you without kids, you may want to stop reading this post now....it's gonna be about poop!



Ok don't say I didn't warn you......Poop.
Alex is still refusing to poop in the potty chair or toilet, only in his underwear. I feel like we have tried everything....rewards, watching how we go, charts, stickers, bribery, punishment, videos, incentives, talking, yelling, ignoring, trying to force him, pleading, begging...and nothing has worked.

I have been reading post from other parents and I am going to try another tactic...
I talked to him last night...here is how the conversation went:

Me: Alex I am really getting tired of cleaning poop out of your underwear everyday. It's gross.

Alex: blank stare

Me: How about this...when you feel like you need to poop, instead of going in your underwear, how about you ask for a pull-up and you can poop in that instead.

Alex: Okay Mommy.

Me: does that sound good?

Alex: yeah

Like so many other conversations, I figured that this went in one ear and out the other. BUT to my surprise he ran to me this morning and said "Mommy I need to poop can you put a pull-up on me?"
 I was in shock! He actually listened!

So here is my master plan for the next month or so....
Step 1: get him to stop pooping in his underwear, instead in a pull-up
Step 2: have him sit on the potty chair while wearing the pull-up and poop
Step 3: have him sit on the potty chair while wearing the pull-up and undo the tabs while he is sitting
Step 4: line the potty chair with the pull-up and have him sit down on it and poop into it
Step 5: Remove the pull up and have him just sit on the potty chair! Ta Da!

So hypothetically that's how it will go. Fingers crossed!!

Creative juices are flowing

Aaaannnnnnnnd I'm back. Had a great trip with my hubby to Miami and Key West. It was great to have a break from real life.
I am back in my craft room again :) Getting things ready to take to Meshed Designs (a store in Buffalo, see previous post) and posting things on my etsy site.
I really need it to warm up outside becasuse I have a bunch of things that need to be spray-painted and I am guessing that the paint won't work when it's only 15 degrees out!
I have been doing a bit of sewing tonight. I made a rainbow zipper bag, a pirate b-day banner, finished a jewelry frame and a chalkboard. whew!
Wow this post is kinda random, but that's how my brain works. As Ben says "Your curls go straight to your brain" Yep they do.
Back to crafting...see ya!

Exciting Opportunity

I am going to be selling some of my crafts in a new Gift store in Buffalo, MN. It is called Meshed Designs and it was started by a group I belong to on Etsy called Minnesota Mommies. The store opens in Feb, but I won't be selling until March. I have a lot of crafting to do before then so I have enough products to bring to the store.
Click here for the store info.

I have been working mostly on my Felt Banners:  Happy Birthday, It's a Boy, It's a girl, Welcome Baby, Just Married, Howdy, etc. But I also am making chalk boards, earring holders and party bowl clips.
Samples of these items can been seen on my Etsy Store. And as always I love custom orders!

I am very excited and hope to actually make some money!

Wet, dirty and hairy...

Our bathtub has taken a beating this evening....
First Alex pooped in his pants (obviously) and needed to be cleaned up in a bath. So I put him in the tub. Before I filled it with water I broke out the hair clippers and much to his dismay I gave him a quick haircut. Then I cleaned the hair out and filled the tub with water and gave him a quick bath.  I cleaned the tub of the hair and whatever.
Fast forward 20 minutes...Bailey is barking at the back door and wants to come in. Of course since it is so warm out today he had been running in mud and dirty snow. So he is wet and muddy up to his doggy armpits (or are they leg-pits?) So I run water in the (clean) tub and proceed to give Bailey a bath too. Of course as soon as he gets wet he wants to shake which splatters dirty water all over the shower/tub area.
Lovely....So now my clean tub is dirty once again. And guess what_ I left it that way for now. Sue me.


Only one more week and Ben and I are headed to Miami and the FL Keys! Whew! I need a break!
Thanks to Ben's mom & Step-Dad and  My parents for tag teaming Alex & Bailey care while we are gone!

Guess that means I should take a bath and give myself a pedicure....oh wait, the tub is still dirty...nevermind

My Purple Boy

Alex loves Purple. He wants everything in his life to be purple. I try my best to get him purple things when it is an option. But when it comes to boys clothes there are very few options in purple. So for his 4th birthday, Ben and I gave him a bottle of Purple Rit Dye and a package of white underwear. I followed the directions of the bottle and poured the purple dye in my washing machine along with the  six pairs of underwear, two white tee shirts and two pairs of white socks. After the about 30 minutes we had purple clothes and a happy Alex! (Also follow the directions for cleaning the dye out of your washer. Don't worry it comes clean!)

Yes I have an addiction...

Hi My name is Jenni and I am addicted to socks.
As you can see by my sock drawer, it won't close.

I love warm fuzzy socks. Especially Smart Wool and stripey ones. As I am shopping I see some cute socks and I gravitate toward them and usually end up buying them. Then I get home and they won't fit in my drawer. (I also got 5 pairs of smart wool sock for Christmas this year)
I do rotate my sock drawer winter/summer, but winter socks take up so much room!
The first step is to admit you have a problem...and I did. But I don't really plan to do anything about it. So there.