Cuteness Comes in Pairs

I find myself talking about pears and pairs a lot lately on this blog! But, seriously, cuteness comes in pairs with LIVIE AND LUCA SHOES. I'm smitten! They even have a partnership with Art for Humanity to donate gently used Livie and Luca shoes to poverty stricken children in Honduras. I don't know if I'd be able to part with these shoes when they don't fit anymore, but if I could, the cuteness would be passed on to some very needy "soles." They have heart and they are cute. And my heart is stolen and I have a feeling these will be on some little toes around here very soon.

The London

Pio Pio

It's All About the Bowl

When you are only seven months old, all you need to entertain yourself is a bowl and a spoon. Naomi has been working hard at feeding herself. She can get her little veggie puffs in her mouth no problem and she's getting pretty good at using the spoon! Pears and carrots (not at the same time) are her favorite. It can get pretty messy, though and I am really glad I went ahead and sprung for this four sided, magnetic closure bib by bebe au lait! It's awesome.



The other little person in my life is also all about the bowls lately. He running for the bowl a few dozen times a day and making it nearly every time!



Bowls are pretty thrilling around here lately and I am having a great time being a part of all these new milestones and big steps.... except those that involve poop falling out the bottom of the britches. Those steps, I am not having fun being a part of. We're getting there though. One potty party at a time!!!

Potty Party or Party Pooper???

Something is missing in this picture. Can you tell what it is?

A diaper!

We're having a Potty Party!!! Mr. Lawson is becoming a big, big boy these last few days. At any given moment, you'd find him wandering around the house sans pants, ready to dash to the potty whenever he feels the need! The first day had me plum spoiled. I thought this was going to be a piece of cake! Out of the blue, he asked to go potty before nap time and I jumped all over it. He went, we clapped, jumped up and down and scared the pee out of Naomi as we made a big, huge deal out of the greatness of his peeing in the potty. He napped, woke up dry again, peed in the potty again, we scared Naomi again with our overzealous celebratory dancing and hollering and the rest of the day went about the same. He would yell out "potty!!!!" then dash to the bathroom and go. His excitement may have had a little something to do with him getting a treat after he peed... maybe just a little something to do with it, but it was going really well!

Anyway, the next morning he woke up dry again!!! I thought we were home free! We said bye bye to diapers and discussed his new status as a big boy. Morning was going smooth as can be and the beverages and treats were flowing. Told you it was a party around here! Then, he got hungry and grumpy. I can totally relate and I know his Aunt Kelly would, too. Stay out of our way when we're hungry. GRAAAARRRRRR!!!!!! So, the grumps started and the accidents began. Using the potty was no longer fun, it was a struggle for power and I was losing my patience. I really tried to keep it fun, but by the third pee puddle on the floor just outside of the bathroom as he refused to sit and potty, I was pissed. I also was very aware that he had to poop and he point blank refused. Flat out would not go. In fact, I heard him use the word "diaper" for the first time as he asked for one to poop in. Poop. Poop. Poop! This was all going so well... and then.........

it wasn't.

Naptime was eminent and I put an Imse Vimse on his bottom and crossed my fingers that he'd wake up dry again. Well, he didn't. He didn't wake up at all, actually because he never fell asleep. He bounced around in his bed for over and hour and I finally took him out to try to use the potty. He peed, we pulled up his trainer again and he took off running. No poop and no nap. We took a wrong turn somewhere back there at the corner of Hungry and Grumpy and were quickly approaching Messy. Lucky for me, the unavoidable mess was contained in his trainer as he hid behind my bed pretending to play with Naomi. As it turns out, pull-ups don't do so well with poop. The removal of the trainer off a wiggly two year old yields very undesirable results. Although, after we got his bottom, legs and feet all cleaned up in the tub, he was back at peeing in the potty like an old pro! There's something about pooping that is just not happening though. Any clues on this would be more than appreciated!

So, that's where we're at right now. Potty parties galore over here! A few "surprises," as he puts it, but we're making some serious progress! I'm so close to only diapering one set of buns, I can taste it! Well, maybe that's not the best way of putting it, but you know what I mean! Bring on the big boy boy undies!!!! And Lawson, keep them on. Okay? No more stripping in your bed before nap. Got it? Okay, good... On with the party!!!

Going pee while reading about peas. Very appropriate.

Always wash your hands after you use the potty!!!

Yep, we bribe.

Come See Wee See!!!!

You See!!! Wee See!!! Wee all see Wee See!!!!

I came across this new-ish baby DVD series today and fell in love! It's simple enough that I don't feel like it's going to give Naomi an issue staying focused after watching it and Lawson was maybe even more into the sounds and sights than she was when we previewed it. For those of you with little one's, this is a neat way to entertain them for a few sweet minutes while you attempt a task made easier with two free hands! So, check it out! Oh, and if you really want the full effect, right click on the video and hit "full screen". It's better that way. Enjoy!

wee see - collection one from Rolyn Barthelman on Vimeo.

Air-resistable

Today I ordered the BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance Air from Bed Bath and Beyond (say THAT five times fast!) with the lovely 20% off coupon and I can't wait to get it!!! I have been searching for a really great bouncy chair for Naomi and finally settled on this one. The best part is that it can be used through to age 2, which means Lawson can also sit in it! I pondered some of the more stylish versions, like the Bloom Baby Lounger (DROOL!!!!) but the inability to store it made it kind of obsolete. The Balance Air folds up nearly flat and also has several positions from reclined to upright. I tested it out with Lawson at a local baby store today and the bounce this bouncer has is, well, quite bouncy! It doesn't take much to get this thing rocking, which is going to be great for Naomi while she's still very small. Lawson loved it for the fun factor! I love it because it doesn't look really baby gear-ish and still does what I need it to do for BOTH kids. The added bonus is that it doesn't take batteries and doesn't require any assembly. At all. *Insert happy momma dance here*

Now, onto the double stroller purchase...