Officially DONE!

Okay, now I can OFFICIALLY say that I am DONE DONE DONE with her quilt . . . after like how many posts and months?? I spent ALL DAY yesterday clipping the GINORMOUS thing and went to Rexburg and washed it! It looks SO MUCH BETTER after being washed! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! To be honest I CANNOT believe that it turned out considering I didn't follow a pattern and it was my first time. Crazy how things just work. I am just grateful to the girl at the Quilt Shoppe that helped me try and figure out measurements and fabric . . she came so close and I only had to run get more fabric once after I had it all cut out. So thankfully she kinda knew what she was doing enough to get me most my material! But honestly . . . I have to say that I am NEVER doing a huge blanket like this AGAIN. I am so burned out on looking at it --- it probably wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't make a pattern for the petals then trace and cut every one out- then sewed every one of them on. IT ROYALLY BLEW! But it did turn out super cute and was probably worth it in the end! But as for me . . . the next rag quilt I make will be 1/4th the size and will not have the detail of flowers on it! FOR SURE! haha.

I now have a picture of Araleigh on the potty. This is more for my documentation if anything. I am So PROUD of her. She has only had a few accidents in the last few weeks . . . and all of them have been when we were not home and I wasn't around. Most people aren't quite as aware of her needing to be watched constantly . . . so they don't and accidents happen. Which is fine . . but I just have realized that mommy is best when it comes to noticing when its time to go! The only problem we have is that in public she tells us she has to go about every 5-10 minutes. It gets rather annoying . . . but after a few times she will finally go and it was all worth it. It's all apart of the process and soon she will understand her body's urges and probably stop with the fake potty sessions! At home she is a gem! She tells me when she has to go and runs in and goes. Most the time if she doesn't go its because she wants a piece of candy and tries to fib to me saying she goes. Little stinker. She is very aware of how to get her way!

On a Cheerleading note: I have to write on here that we took Araleigh to the game on Monday, of course she LOVED it. But the funny part is that she just stood on the stairs and watched the cheerleaders across the gym (like a hawk) and mimmicked EVERY move. The funniest part was the cheerleaders were doing some dance where they shimmy their shoulders and have their legged bent . . . you should have seen her trying to copy this. She would place one leg then the other then all the sudden her body was just a shaking! IT WAS SO FUNNY! Then at the quarter time out- they came out to do a stunt and all the sudden Araleigh comes running up to me "mommy, mommy I up" and she jumped up on my leg and did a liberty. CUTEST THING IN THE WORLD. She is so funny. She had us all laughing so hard. We are going again tonight and I am going to TRY and remember my camera so I can put it up here . . . cuz its funny.

Also on Monday I had my doctors appointment and everything is perfect. I am measuring right now at 23 weeks and Canden's heartbeat is strong. I have unfortunately gained like 6 lbs in the last month-YIKES. I am well on my way to gaining like a million lbs. I don't like this feeling! I am only about 8 lbs away from what I was when I delivered Araleigh. AHHHH. I hope I don't go much over that but sad for me . . . I am just at the start of my big gains. CRAP! We will what happens though. Only like 4 months left. . . and hopefully time flies!

The making of a cheerleader.

So Araleigh has been LOVING the basketball games . . . and being around her little cheerleader cousins has put quite the influence on her. The other night after Grandma and Grandpa Arnold dropped her off from the Shelley/Sugar game . . . this is what we have seen EVER SINCE. I am not sure what their cheers were but she has been counting and yelling ever since. I will tell you a while back (football season) I taught her to yell "Go Big Blue" but this night she was yelling "Go big RED" . . . what? So I KNOW FOR A FACT that she was watching the Shelley Cheerleaders closely. I think her dad should probably give up on the whole sports idea . . . at least for a little while cuz this one, my friends . . . is ALL GIRL. (and I couldn't be more proud!)

This picture is a TERRIBLE picture of her . . . . but it's the only one I have. Since her cheerleading escapade . . . I decided to let her go full fledged. So I showed her how to do a Liberty on my leg the other day. And this one was her trying to do it on Cory- while he was laying down- so it didn't go so well. But we got a picture of her trying. She LOVES it. I now have to do it WHENEVER she remembers and she actually does really well when its me helping her. This time around Cory didn't help her get her foot right or anything- but it's still cute! I am hoping that this summer I can get her into dance . . . especially now she is potty trained. She will absolutely LOVE it. She dances and cheers ALL DAY long. And I will HONESTLY admit that I have not had that influence on her. I have only taught her things once she has shown interest. But I am excited to be in this stage of her life when she can actually start going to dance and having little funny recitals and ect. Well, I wanted to post this before I forgot. . . now its off to make Sunday Dinner!!

Insignificant Update

Well, today was a pretty good day. Started off watching my sister's kids. Araleigh LOVES it when she has someone to play with. In fact- half the time I HATE it when she goes to play with someone because it takes us like an hour to get her to stop crying after they leave. She is trully a socialite . . . and this makes me happy. I am not so much a social person unless I am in a comfortable situation with people I know. But she will be her dad . . . and social butterfly.

Our latest dilemna has been the fact that on Monday, Cory and I had planned to go to the Sugar boy's basketball district game . . . but didn't make it to I.F. till it was half time--- not worth going after that. Problem was: we had been telling Araleigh we were going ALL DAY. Here is the thing: ARALEIGH LOVES THE BASKETBALL GAMES!!!!!!!!

So as soon as we pulled in our drive way . . . we turned around to a little girl almost turning blue from not breathing and crying so hard. SHE WAS DEVASTATED. For the next like HOUR seriously . . . we heard "I go to ball game, please" then crying. So for the next FOUR days we'd get spuratic crying of how Araleigh wanted to go to the game . . . Cory FINALLY told her that maybe grandpa would take her on Friday. So for the LAST TWO DAYS its been "I go to gampas and to ball game" . . . . followed by crying. TALK ABOUT EMOTIONAL MESS! Anyways, LUCKILY Cory's parents decided to go and were willing to take her. Which was WONDERFUL because Cory and I got tickets from Brock (our cousin) to attend a concert that his company was putting on. It was nice to get out for a night. It was really a fun night . . . . and we ended it at Olive Garden just hanging out . . and Araleigh got to play with her friend/cousin Cayden!

Here is a picture of my latest projects. I am trying to start stocking up on burp rags and blankets for BOYS. Considering everything I have is pink. So my mom showed me how to crochet and I have been going like crazy. I am not an expert at it . . . but am starting to really enjoy it. Now hopefully I can start experimenting and finding new ways to do it. We will see. I still need to finish ARaleigh's blanket (just finish the cutting) but thats all I gotta do! We will see what other projects I pop up with that I don't finish! Anyways, hope everyone has a good weekend . . . hopefully I get a WHOLE lot of cleaning going on! (ya right!)

Inspiring.

I came across this video and it touched me. It brought a tears to me . . . because sometimes when we don't know we are helping someone- - we are. This video made me realize how thankful I am for the things that I have and the blessings that we receive in quiet circumstances such as this.

Mommy, I pretty!

So Araleigh LOVES to mock me . . . when I am doing my hair or makeup she disappears to get her stool, to which she brings and gets into everything! Well, the other day she kept bugging me and bugging me about getting into my make-up and after too long I finally said FINE and handed her some old crappy make up that I never wear. Well, she had a BLAST. She just kept saying "mommy, I pretty". It was funny. She was SO serious when trying to put it on. She is really becoming a girly girl. . . everywhere we go she HAS to have her: purse, cell phone, keys, chapstick and gum. We have also done super good on potty training still! I think she is pretty much there. Of course there has been a few accidents . . . but we have succeeded #2 TWICE now in the toilet!! Woo Hoo! She is starting to really talk clearly now too. I mean of course she has been talking . .. but sometimes its jibberish that I can only understand. But I have noticed that last week that she stating things clearly and in full phrases. Its funny because we now can pretty much hold a conversation with each other. Good news in our house though: We have officially graduated PAST Dora!!!!!!!!!! Don't get me wrong we will watch it once a day . . . but not OVER and OVER ALL DAY! But we have now officially moved onto the Backyardigans (which I don't mind cuz its all singing) . . and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. You should see her sing at the top of her lungs the songs. It's funny. Sometime I will get it on video.

As for me. . well, I am gaining weight like a crazy pregnant woman. I am certainly not used to this experience. It is almost like this is my first pregnancy because it is SO much different than my first. The last few days my back has been starting to go out on me again. I am hoping it doesn't get as bad this time around like last time . . . but I can feel it slowly coming back. YIKES! I feel like the next 4 months are going to be VERY LONG! I have a while left and I already can't sleep cuz of my circulation being cut off my legs and the baby kicking my bladder like a mad man! . . . Now I am just waiting for my ankles to start exploding since I already have the symptoms of a nearly due pregnant woman. Currently I have to say that most candy and ALL chocolate make me absolutely SICK! I still throw up when I eat CERTAIN things which is weird but I am grateful its those things I can avoid and be perfectly fine! I do have to say that I think I have LOST the fight on our babies name. :( I have only had ONE person on my side so far . . . and Cory is determined. So I think we are going to name him James Canden. But he will go by Canden. (I know its stupid . . . but I have not been able to win so far and I am pretty sure Corys mind is SET IN STONE). I am just glad we are going to have something to call him!

Happy V-Day.

Well, I will admit . . . today wasn't the best day in our house, sad to say. But we did manage to get out and go to dinner (as a family) and Araleigh FINALLY went potty in a public restroom. HALLELUJIA~~!!!!!! So we treated her to some fried ice cream (okay Cory got it for himself) but she wasn't all that interested because all she wants lately is gum. She is a livid gum chewer and thats all the treat she ever wants. She will chew it for hours. And she has done pretty well at coming and giving it to me when she is done. Then we went to Sugar so the Arnolds could watch ARaleigh. We went to the movie: He is just not that into you. K- so I thought this would be a really cute and funny movie cuz it has like ALL the actors I love in it. . . I will say it was cute and funny on some parts. . . but there was cheating on wives going on and some questionable things that didn't really make me feel good . . . especially on Valentine's Day. But I will say that at the end of the movie I did love it and cried a bit because it was sweet. But I will say that I probably won't watch that one again. I have been seeing a lot of things/movies on cheating lately and it just upsets me. It seems like its getting to be recognized as "its okay" as long as you love the other person or if your wife has done something wrong . . . like STOP being intimate. It just disgusts me lately (have you ever thought that if your wife isn't intimate . . . you might be doing something wrong as well??) ANYWAYS--- maybe I have been watching too much t.v. lately but its been aparent to me that this is all over movies and such. (Also on Oprah a few days ago if you watched it.) Anyways, enough on my RANT . . . I think my hormones are getting the best of me. Overall though----- if you wanted to see the movie I wouldn't pay the $8/ticket to see it. Wait for it to come out on video. BUT, we also saw the movie "Taken" now THAT movie was a different story. GREAT MOVIE. It was a little hard for me to watch: being a parent of a girl and that is how Cory also related it . . . but it was truly a great movie. The hard part for me was the obvious of seeing the girls all drugged up and getting abused and violated. . . but it was so heroic to be how the dad stopped at nothing til he got his daughter back. It was a great movie.

Oh happy, happy . . so happy day!

Alright- I had the BEST overall day today. Well, not so much best ---- more like ACCOMPLISHED! So here it goes . . . . . . . . .

I FINALLY FINISHED THE QUILT FOR ARALEIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you have NO idea what a relief that is to have it out of my kitchen. (okay I am not 100 % finished because now I just have to finish clipping it. But its DONE for the most part!)Here it is and it turned out SO cute. Although I think it is much bigger than I anticipated! I am just relieved for it to be done. I think I started it in like OCTOBER. Yeah, can you say procrastination??? I just never knew what kinda project I was taking on . . . . especially because I didn't follow a pattern . . I knew my idea of what I wanted and figured out what to do. I can't believe it even worked. But between cutting every little thing out, sewing on every single petal and sewing the HUGE thing together. . . it was a bit overwhelming. But I am just relieved to be done and I don't want to ever make a big rag quilt like this EVER AGAIN! Now, once I can reboot my sewing motivation I will make some small throw pillows out of the petal material. At least that is my goal. We will see if I EVER get there, probably not. My next venture is learning to crochet. We went and bought some baby boy blankets for the new one coming . . . and my mom is going to teach me to crochet them. So that should be fun to get away from the sewing machine!!!

So we had our Valentine's Dinner tonight. WOW is all I can say. It wasn't like romantic or anything because of course Araleigh is with us . . . but Cory FINALLY got home today and he stopped at Smiths on the way home and picked up some King Crab. YUUUUUUUUUUMM!

So we teamed up and I fried some homemade fries and fried shrimp . . . bakes some garlic french bread and he cooked up the crab. It was INCREDIBLE. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE crab. AND even better was the KING crab is on sale for $8.99/lb at Smiths. That is SO cheap for King Crab. Anyways, it was so good. Then in between us cracking crab shells and shoving our faces, we had to keep taking breaks to RUN to the potty because Araleigh kept screaming of her belly hurting (as I stated before she has NOT gone #2 since we started potty training which was TWO WEEKS AGO. So her stomach was HARD and BLOATED!) Well, after like 8 runs to the bathroom and nothing happening we finally got both Cory and I in the bathroom to help cheer her on. So we sat in there for like 10 minutes and then she couldn't do it anymore. She screamed and cried the whole time she was trying . . . but we accomplished going #2 in the potty. WOO HOO!!! I didn't get a picture of her on the toilet (actually I haven't had any yet) but she got to get her prize for going #2 which was a paint set. So these pictures are of her playing in her paint for going in the potty. We are proud parents tonight. So overall we accomplished A LOT today . . . . . including the best meal ever ever. Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!!!

{Headache}

So yesterday was a good day and it was a bad day! First of all . . . my husband ONCE again, went to Utah on Monday saying he was coming home on Tuesday EARLY . . . and well, it is now Friday and he is still not home. This happens EVERY time he goes to Utah. Very frustrating. Although this time him coming home wasn't all his fault. Our wonderful, old car that he drives pretty much broke down in Utah yesterday. Therefore leaving him there till it could get fixed. GREAT! Just more money . . . I have decided that it trully does pour when it rains. I don't think we have actually had a GOOD experience in a long time! (Besides this baby and potty training). My other frustration is it seems like every time Cory leaves me for a week at a time . . . Araleigh gets a million times harder to deal with. She has become quite the tantrum thrower-- she is VERY good at this. Lately, for some reason I have had severe headaches again and I can't get them to go away . . . I've also been throwing up again lately-- which is weird. I am wondering if stress is just getting the best of me again. But like I said---- Araleigh has become a total monster. I am not sure if she is always like this and I just don't notice it because Cory is here to help . . . or if she just does it when daddys away. I do have to say though, yesterday Brock (Corys cousin and our close friend) came to my rescue yesterday. I've been somewhat caged in my house . . . going nuts. So he came down and took us to lunch with him and our other cousin and good friend, Dustin. It was nice to get out of the house and have some help with Araleigh. Then he took us up to Rexburg to see Trenton wrestle his last home match (and it was Senior night). So I am glad I got OUT of my house. Although, Araleigh did have a BAD accident at my moms yesterday . . . but it wasn't her fault. My dad was watching her and she ran to the bathroom to go and didn't have a stool to get up on the toilet so she went everywhere. She was MORTIFIED when my dad called me. It was pretty dramatic from what he said. So hopefully we can continue to do well with it.

American Idol, anyone???

Okay, so I am sitting here watching my DVRed American Idol . . . wanting cheetos (puff kind) but settling for pickles and cheese (ya kinda weird but it is tasting so good right now! Not as good as cheetos would though!) ANYWAYS --- for those of you who watch this . . . does ANYONE else want to SLAP the emotions RIGHT out of Tatiana Del --something ?? HOLY CRAP---- that girl gets on my last nerve. I CANNOT believe that she got through to the final 36. I WAS SHOCKED! I was STUNNED that they sent Jamal home and kept this chick and that weirdo Nick Mitchell . . . wtf?? I will tell you my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE right now is Danny Gokey (Jamal's friend). Wow . . his voice I LOVE LOVE it. Plus his story is so sweet too. Anyways, thats my take on tonights Idol. Anyone else want to jump through the tv and smack the crap out of Tatiana???

So I am a little past due on this post . . . but when we took the kids to Utah for the Mickey show I forgot to add on here the pictures of them JAMMING out on their guitars. It was hilarious to me because I have NO IDEA where Araleigh got the idea to bang her head up and down and give out angry faces. It was really funny though. They were pretty hardcore for a while but I only got a small clip of them jamming out. I caught them towards the end of them rocking out so its not the greatest video. But I think it's still funny. Here's the video of the guitars:

This next picture I have to put on here because this is classic Araleigh- and for those of you that know Cory . . . well I think this is a spitting image of him. For Christmas, Araleigh got a Dora chair. Well, she thinks the only way to sit in it is by putting it on the couch and lounging in it. So most days this is where I find the chair - - and most the time she is in it. I just thought this picture was funny. I actually have another one of her picking her nose: which she does quite often nowadays . . . but this one was a better picture! She is just so engrossed in watching Dora the Explorer (which we watch ALL DAY LONG). Also, take note--- she is in her big girl panties!! She is doing REALLY well. No accidents for days and sleeping through the night dry! woot woot!

Last night we went with my mom to Sugar's girls basketball game. It was districts and they won! It was a GOOD game. I always regret not going to more games once I go --- because they are so fun. Araleigh absolutely LOVES the atmosphere at the games. She couldn't take her eyes off the cheerleaders (they played Teton and they have an indian mascot- SHE LOVED HIM!) It was fun. I do have to say myself--- she is getting SO BIG! Now that she doesn't wear a diaper and her hair is SO long I just feel like I have lost my baby. She talks really well now . . . in complete full sentences and it just makes me sad to think that my first love is not a baby anymore. I have been looking at old pictures and old videos of when she was a baby. She was SO cute. My mom has a couple videos of when she was just trying to walk and her hair was everywhere and she just laughed all the time. Where did those days go?? I know here in a few months I will be starting over with our little boy . . . so it will be a new adventure for us. . .but there is nothing like your first born. The other day Araleigh and I were watching one of her movies (pretty sure it was Dora, as always) and I just thought about how things are going to change when #2 comes. Her and I are SO close. Everyday she comes and puts her arms around me and gives me kisses and hugs. When I am sick, she tries to comfort me . . . when I am mad at her --- she sucks up by asking for kisses and hugs to try and get out of trouble. I am really trying to soak up these last few months with her . . .while it's just us. The current "funny" thing that she does at this point is when we are in public places and she says she has to go potty. Well, of course we run . . . . and after the 3rd or 4th trip to the bathroom to just SIT on there i usually get mad and tell her that she has to go or we aren't coming back. Well, this is when she puckers her lips up, smuckers a smile at me and says "Mommy, I 'anta hug" . . . as she hugs me while sitting on the toilet. She is a stinker and knows exactly what to do to get her way.

Still going strong!

Araleigh has done SO good the last couple of days. NO ACCIDENTS AT ALL! She is to the point now where she runs in and does it by herself. Half the time she asks me to get out. She is a little too independant! Bt last night I was REALLY proud of her because at night I have been putting her in pull ups because of a BIG accident we had the first night. But ever since she has been dry every morning. Well, this morning at about 5 am Araleigh came running into my room saying "MOMMY, I gotta go potty". So I get up and take her in there . . . and she was dry and she ended up going. I was so proud! I couldn't believe she woke up with the urge! So now I am debating on whether to try panties through the night. I think I am going to wait a little longer because we still haven't dealt with #2 yet - - - and THAT could happen in the middle of the night. We will see! I hope everyone else who is currently potty training is having success! I do have to say the ONLY problem that we are having at this point --- is when we are in public. She will tell me 3-4 times while at a restaurant that she has to go and then she won't go. I am not sure if its because of the big toilets or what. But she also hasn't had an acciden yet either. So who knows! We will see what happens tonight. I think we might go to the Sugar Girls championship game tonight . . . its here in I.F. so I think it will be fun. Plus, Cory is still in Utah (yet again) so I have nothing better to do!

Nothing exciting about Saturdays!

Especially in the Arnold house! Last night Cory went and stayed in Sugar with his little brother. . . well apparently he got hit with the flew or something last night and it continued on to today. Oh the joy. He got home around 10 or something and went to bed. I started not feeling good around 11 and we both ended up just feeling like crap. I am not sure if its the flu or what -- but like I said absolutely NOTHING was accomplished today! Although I did get my bathroom cleaned a little. (I hate cleaning the bathroom).

For potty training updates . . . Araleigh did incredible today!! She didn't have one accident and she told me each time she went. I was so nervous cuz after we ate lunch she fell asleep in the car seat (and hadn't gone potty for a while) and when we got home she just layed on her bed and went to sleep. I was freaking that she'd wake up having peed the bed. But amazingly she didn't. She came in to me dry and not even having to go for a while. So i am more optimistic about this! I am a little nervous about church- - cuz I am not sure how that works in nursery. But we will see tomorrow I guess! We ended the night by making some cupcakes. I have been wanting cake for some reason - - - and Araleigh has been DYING to help. EVERYTIME I am in the kitchen she runs in, grabs the stool and yells "Mommy, I help you" . . . . even if I am just getting a drink or something. So she got to make the cupcakes and icing them. She also got to eat a lot of them on top of that! It always makes me smile when I see how proud she is of just her helping a little bit. She is going to be a big help to mom when her brother gets here! I can only imagine!

On a belly note: I have been feeling this baby move like crazy. I think he is doing literal backflips in there and most the time he is kicking (or punching) my bladder. OUCH! My back has started to hurt again -- so I hope that it doesn't get worse. And like I said before I have been having a LOT of braxton hicks. Its not like they are painful . . . just uncomfortable. But I get them a ton during the day. Probably just because I overdue it by packing Araleigh, running Araleigh to the bathroom, fighting with Araleigh, tickling Araleigh and pretty much any activity having to do with Araleigh.

more potty talk . . .

Okay, today was a GREAT day for potty training! She did AWESOME! She didn't have ONE accident all day while at home. She told me each time and went really good. I was excited for her. Then we went to Cory's elders quorum party (it was a family pizza and a movie) and she did well at telling me had to go . . . . we'd run to the bathroom and then she wouldn't go. I am blaming this partly on the fact that the building was like -10 degrees and she was coughing and freezing. After about 4 fake trips to the bathroom . . . she was playing with the kids and ran over and told me - - - but we didn't make it. She peed but it didn't go through her pants luckily. But other than that she did SO GOOD! I am getting more optimistic. The ONLY thing I am REALLY dreading is when the poop scene is going to happen. I know that she is going to go soon . . . cuz she has been really gassy and tells me she has to poop . . . then doesn't (she's always had #2 issues) So I am afraid its going to be a fight and hassle to keep her on the toilet when she goes so I am just praying things don't get real messy!

On a happier note . . . we have come up with a name for our baby! It's not FINAL yet but this is what we are probably going to name him. The ONLY problem is . . . I want it spelled one way and Cory wants to carry on the JCA tradition SO: as of now his name will either be

Kanden James Arnold or James Canden Arnold

. . . . its an ongoing battle. Cory has this sentimental attachment to the whole JCA thing (his dad is James C. and he is James Cory). Personally- I can't stand when people are named one thing and go by another. But who knows . . . I might lose this battle. We will see in 4 months! Maybe it will be John when its all said and done. haha. I am just SO glad we have come up with SOMETHING to work with. I was worried that we wouldn't agree on anything. So at least we have one name on our list. . . but so far we love it!

Day #4

So today was not QUITE as successful. She did okay by telling us and she kept running in to TRY and go to the bathroom . . . . . although she never went except but once. She had a total of 2 accidents today . . . one she purposely didn't tell me she had to go and went and hid. So hopefully since we are staying home tomorrow things will go smooth again. I also wasn't as attentive today . . . I have been having some major braxton hicks . . if thats even what they are called. Which I think its WAY too early for. But its been completely sucking the wind out of me and make me just want to rest. So me running her to the bathroom wasn't fun today. (Not to mention that she thinks that she has to go to the potty every time she farts. . . . haha. SO today she had some bad gas so we ran to the bathroom TOO FREQUENTLY just to get her undressed, sitting on the potty- let a tiny toot and hear "ALL DONE". ) IT WAS SO FRUSTRATING!!!! Anyways, so off to day 5 of potty training. I do have to say that Araleigh woke up dry this morning. Which we were excited about . . . although I am not going to get too excited because the night before she didn't drink too much or eat ANYTHING. So i am thinking that was the cause! Anyways, tomorrow is a new day . . . . . LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!!

FYI . .

I am excited to say that though I opted to put Araleigh in a pull up . . . she was such a big girl because she still got up and told me she had to go potty . . . . and then wouldn't let me put the pull up back on. She JUST wanted panties. . best part is: NO ACCIDENTS AT ALL!! I am so proud of her. She only went in the potty. I feel bad for underestimating her and she completely let me know that she is a big girl. I think she is catching on . . . . I thought it would be super hard with her being so sick on day 2 and 3 ..... but she has done well. So hopefully tomorrow will go good as well!!

Potty Training Recess . . . .

Well .......

THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH YESTERDAY and TODAY

YEP! Not only were we trying to potty train . . . but some kinda BUG has decided to jump in and join in on the party. I have NO IDEA what is causing this but yesterday AND today she has had a fever that today has reached 103*. YIKES! She has been a zombie for 2 days. Yesterday we kept her in panties . . . . but she only peed TWICE all day. Once on the toilet and once on my carpet. Today I had her in panties . . . . but decided to get a pull up on her - - - because this is how she has looked ALL morning. She just lays limp and squirms once in a while. So I figured that today I'd give her a break cuz I know she isn't alert enough to tell me when she needs to go. I know its against my better judgement to opt for the pull up so far into the training ......... but look at her . . . would you want to be dragged to go potty every little while --- while being all but in a coma? Poor thing. I just hope and PRAY this fever breaks before tomorrow . . we have lots of errands tomorrow. And I can't stand having the interupption in training! Its not good for either of us. I also cannot stand watching her lay there lifeless . . . . hopefully its just a bug that will pass and nothing more.

Day 1 on Potty Training.

Alright . . . its been a long time coming and a lot of talk on my part. But I was committed to do it!! So I started Potty Training this morning. I changed my attitude and realized that it helped! I was completely optimistic and patient ALL DAY . . who knew? Araleigh had lots of accidents but we had about 5-6 successful trips to the potty and actually got to the point where she was telling us she needed to go. YAY!!! I was proud of how well she did. Now I am just hoping that the next few days it will completely click and we can go from there! I never knew how many panties a little one will go through for this process. WOW. I had to run to Walmart tonight to buy more because we went through ALL of them today. Luckily I got her to bed and got the panties in the wash ready for tomorrow! It's kind of funny because ever since I had a child I ALWAYS dreaded Potty training. And NOW I KNOW WHY! I pretty much was at her side ALL DAY and when she would sit on my couches ............ I would go into RED ALERT mode! I did NOT want pee on my couch! But she did SO good and everytime she'd start to dribble she'd yell and RUN as fast as she could (with her legs all apart and ackward) to the bathroom. Our problem now is that she can't reach perfectly on the big toilet. But she WILL NOT go in her little potty. So we have to figure something out. She did pretty good getting on it by herself. . . but hopefully we can figure something out to make it easier! I do have to say that it was SUPER hard NOT to get frustrated . . . . especially when she would get mad and hit me while sitting on the toilet. But by me staying positive I think she was more willing to keep going. What made me happy was that i let her nap in her undies and she stayed dry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But after the nap was when things got rough. But when I went to the store tonight Cory called me and said that she didn't go in her pants and told him she had to go. Lets just say the my house today was filled with Loud made up potty cheers (that we would sing after she'd gone in the potty) and lots of treats for after she went. I am hoping things keep looking up over the next few days!! WISH ME LUCK!

Update overload . . .

Okay. Well I haven't done any pages for a while so tonight was the night to get some done. Last week was a crazy week for us. But it was a good one . . . for the most part. On Thursday we had a bit of a play date with my nephew: Logan and neice: Londyn. I decided to make homemade playdough and let them use their little cooking packets that we had bought them a while ago. They had fun. After an hour or so of making us "food" with the playdough . . . . they dissappeared and then I went into my room and found them with all my bed pillows on the floor . . . and them just relaxing in them. It was quite funny . . . I had to snap a shot of it! Araleigh has also been REALLY big into wearing my heels. I thought it was cute when she was walking around in it . . . so that is what the following pictures are. Anyways . . . here are the pages I did of the trip. Araleigh DID NOT cooperate when trying to take pictures at the show. HER EYES WERE GLUED to the stage. So all the pictures were not real good.

On Friday, we took off after my doctors appointment (which everything was great with baby FYI). We ended up getting to SLC and headed straight for the mall. It would have been a much more pleasant time if we would have had STROLLERS. But no . . . so it was me: a pregnant short women and my mom . . an even SHORTER older woman CHASING after my NAUGHTY two year old who liked to randomly run away and hide in clothes racks. IT WAS BAD! So I was really fearing that that was the sign of a horrible weekend to come . . . . but we ended up SURVIVING the mall . . and I even got some great deals on boy clothes while there. You cannot beat great sales! Then it was off to Red Lobster . . because it was the closest to us. EVEN BIGGER NIGHTMARE. The two little ones were SO car crazy that they were running everywhere and beating each other up like crazy. Now . . .this was all going on in a waiting area with NO moving room because of all the people. Finally a man came and got Logan to calm down by talking to him about hunting and fishing. So that was pretty funny. By the time we got to the hotel it was like 7ish and by 9 o'clock my sisters wanted to go down to JB's a get some food. I opted out because not only was I exhausted from tackling a 2 year old but she was also crabby and I knew I needed her to be rested for the next day. So I got her to sleep . . . then by the time everyone got in the room and settled in was like 10:30. Long story short. I didn't sleep AT ALL because of back aches, no circulation to my legs, Araleigh kicking and turning all night . . . . and some snoring. I got to bed at 4:30ish . . . . and by the time 8 am hit ......................... I WANTED TO DIE! I was so tired and knew the day would be long. Anyways, so we got up, got ready . . . headed to JB's for Breakfast and then off we went to the Disney show. Araleigh was excited to get a Little Einstein guitar and a minnie mouse. She had fun. When the show started . . . I was greatful to be SITTING and she couldn't take her eyes off the stage. Then when they started singing their songs . . . she was up. . . dancing and SINGING at the top of her lungs. It was SO much fun to watch her singing the songs and dancing around. She was so into it. Watching her at the event made the WHOLE trip and challenges of going on my own--- totally worth it! Over all it really was a fun time and she had fun. Although I am SO GLAD to be home and have the help of the hubby. . . . that whole trip I was thinking "HOW AM I GONNA HANDLE TWO????" Well, too late to think those thoughts . . . . but seriously. HOW DO YOU PEOPLE DO IT??? I am SO tired from my high maintenance two year old. I guess my answer will be to just shut myself inside and never go out . . . . without either a. a nanny (which we will never get) or b. Cory- I guess we will be jobless so I can function with two kids! haha.