Success?

WARNING!  If you get (easily) disgusted by 'bathroom things', stop reading/looking at pictures right now.

On May 16, 2012 Maya asked to be put on the toilet and for the very first time in her life was able to use it for both number 1 and 2.  Since then she's been requesting to be seated there between 5-10 times a day with no success.  The first week, I had hopes but soon learned that her wanting to sit on the toilet is just a game and no need to go to the bathroom.

Maya having fun using the toilet.

A couple of nights ago, Maya asked again to be helped to go to the bathroom.  After noticing that I had no intention of stopping doing the dishes only to play Maya's little game, Len decided to take her and put her on her potty.  As usual, she sat there for a while and then out of nowhere asked Len for some privacy.  When he came back to check on her with Klaudia after a couple of minutes, they both screamed:  "Mom, you've got to see this!"

I ran to the bathroom feeling proud of my peanut.  I knew she must have gone with at least number 1.  And, she did.  Here is what I saw when I entered the bathroom:

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...speaking of number two... (this is more for me to remember that it happened rather than to share with the rest of the world, but feel free to read on if it amuses you, too)

Right at the beginning when K learned how to use the toilet, she would categorize her number twos depending on their size.  One day she would say:  "I made daddy!", or "I made mommy and baby Maya".  Sometimes she would be more creative and give her "tootsie rolls" our neighbors' names.  But when we went camping last year, she surprised herself, and as gross as it may seem, it was so much fun to watch her.  As she was finished using the toilet, she quickly glanced back at what she produced and exclaimed:  "Mommy, look, it's ME!"



View From Our Window

For the last few weeks, we've had some deer hanging out in front of our kitchen window, but this was the first time we saw so many little ones.  

Taking Over My Cell Phone

This is what I find on my cell phone when K starts playing with it:

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Happy Birthday Mikie! Keep shining like the little star you are.

Happy 4th Birthday Klaudia Doll!

What a year has it been!  You got potty trained, you started preschool, piano lessons and you basically started to talk.  You're an awesome and very responsible big sister, great and patient playmate and our little perfectionist.   

You absolutely love your school, the kids there and your teachers, Ms. Elizabeth and Ms. Peggy.  You enjoy your dance classes.  Going to the park, riding your bike there and playing with your friends is probably your favorite. 

You're still a very picky eater, but at least you eat.  You're still very much into fruit - any kind, and mac and cheese. 

Dora the Explorer is still your hero. 

Happy Birthday our baby goose!

Look At Me!

The other day I was on the phone, and somewhere in the background, I could hear Klaudia calling me.  But it wasn't until she said:  Mommy, look at me! when she finally got my attention.  I noticed her doing the same thing to Maya and Len, and surprisingly it worked every time.  She must have learned this at school, where in order to get their attention, a teacher would ask kids to look into her eyes. 

But the other morning, it sounded a little cuter, when Klaudia found candy wrappers on the table from the night before and asked:  Daddy, what are these?  After getting no response, she firmly asked again:  Daddy, look at me!  What are these?

Our Life in Africa

A few weeks ago we had a tarantula crawling on the side of our house.  Last weekend, there was a bobcat in our backyard.  And this past Friday night when driving home, an owl came out of nowhere hitting the side of our minivan ripping the side mirror off.  Sometimes it feels like we live in Africa.