Okay, for anybody that does NOT have kids…you may want to stop reading now. This post has a lot of “dirty” words, they might just be bodily functions but anyone who has not had children may find themselves a bit squeamish after reading the following.

So I invested in a new potty bench because I’m not sure what happened to Em’s but it was donated somewhere along the line, I think. And A. has been very interested in all things potty lately. So I figured it can’t hurt, right? But mostly it has been used as a little stepstool and not really for anything “potty.”

But this morning as we were going into the bathroom and stripping Ad’s jammies off of her, she kept saying “Potty, Potty!” And I thought it was because Em was um, er….”on the potty.”

But just on the off chance that she had to go, I put A. on her new potty bench and before I knew it – I heard her actually…peeing!

So we had quite the little party in the bathroom for her. We were all cheering for her (Emma loudest of all!), I took pictures and J. took video. Emma kept standing over her instructing her how to “wipe.”

“You go front to back, Addie!” (She is taking her big sister role very seriously!)

So we took the pee-pee to the potty and waved goodbye and Addie got to do her first flush. It was all very exciting. (I can tell you are all trembling with excitement!)

But, wait! That is not the only potty news for the day – while we were in Target, she turned to me and exclaimed, “Poopy!” Although we didn’t get to the bathroom “in time,” I’m thinking she is really starting to recognize what is happening there. So maybe it will all be a very smooth process?

Look at that proud little face!

Yes, I remembered that it was A.’s 17-month “birthday” a few days ago. And I have been trying, like I do monthly for her, to put together the little birthday letter. I’ve been trying for the past three days. But truth be told, I am completely exhausted by our little A-kins lately. You know when your Momma always said, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all…”

…Well, I am feeling very hard-pressed these past few days to find “nice” things to write about A.

So, I am going to skip this month and just write on her 18-month birthday. That is a much more important month anyhow – and I’m praying that her crankiness will have passed by then. Yeah, I know it is probably wishful thinking – but at least her ear infections, colds, and teething might have passed.

Then we can just try to deal with the “nearly 2-year old” attitude.

We are missing a piece of our sweet, little family pie. Addie is staying with my parents this weekend while we go to Chicago for my godson Will’s baptism. Originally it was just going to be the girls and I, and since I will be sitting up with Will – and that would probably not go over well with Addie – I asked Nana and Papa if they would keep her.

Then, Jamie was able to switch his schedule around and meet Em and I in Chicago. So we are staying at a really nice hotel having a little vacation before we go out to Kim and Brian’s. Emma is so excited and keeps saying, “Mama, we are on vacation!” – but it just feel strange without Addikins here.
Don’t get me wrong…it was a WONDERFUL night. We got to lounge around, order room service and meet Aunt Vicki and Uncle Dick for coffee. And Emma and I took a long soak in the tub and used every smelly spa soap, shampoo and lotion the hotel provides and, most importantly, we all had a loooong nice, uninterrupted sleep.

Now we are lounging getting ready to go grab some breakfast, it is all very luxurious and leisurely and reminiscent of when we were just a family of three. But as much as I can appreciate a relaxing evening now, it just isn’t right. Emma also said to me last night, “Mama, I miss my Addie.”

I do, too.

Um, normally this would be a lengthy write-up about all of the amazing things you are doing or can do this month. But really the most important thing is something you are NOT doing. Which is sleeping.

I must get some sleep.

Maybe tomorrow I will write about your never-ending cuteness, put up all the Rose Bowl pics, and show off our new beautiful niece/cousin.

But. Now. Must. Sleep.

That is kind of what I’m subsisting on right now.

1 teething, purple Tylenol sticky, up all night toddler = one very tired, cranky mommy.

Any ideas on either how to make all 4 molars come in more quickly, or how to knock her out so she doesn’t care that they are all coming in at the same time?

P.S. Baby Motrin, Baby Tylenol, Baby Orajel, Hyland’s Teething Tablets, Hyland’s Teething Gel, and some sort of homeopathic Teething potion. None of them work. I think they are a ploy to make the parents feel like they are helping, but in reality… they do nothing.