True Confessions of a Potty TrainER.

This may sound obsurd to most, but I am so excited to get started with potty training. I hear most moms dread it, and its their least favorite part of raising children. But I am looking forward to it. As Carl reminded me, "Paula, you are not like most people". I am excited for a few reasons (please keep in mind I have only been at it for a day, and she is my first child)...

1) She is so smart, I want to give her the benefit of the doubt...she may pick it up fast. If not, nothing lost.


2) I am bored. Photography is not keeping me that busy, YET, we don't have any big trips planned right now, I only have one child and really...I need something to keep me motivated and on my toes.

3) I need something to keep me on my toes!!!

Ok, so we have been sitting Kya on the toilet first thing in the morning for a week now and at first she was a little scared of falling in. Then we put up a sticker chart. She gets a sticker for everytime she sits on the toilet. She loves stickers.
Last night we went to the store and bought a little "Dora" seat for the big toilet, and some really cute panties. With some recommendations from family and friends, we also bought the plastic panty covers. Kya was really excited to try on her new "panties". I was probably more excited than she, but she put them on. And she really gets excited to sit on the toilet for a sticker. So far, so good.
This morning we decided to put her in panties all day (with the exception of her nap and going to the store). It is 11:44 am and she is sleeping now, but before her nap we have gone through four pairs of panties. Each time she goes she says, "Uh, oh...a mess". So we run to the toilet, sit on it and put on new panties. Leaving me hand washing each pair to make sure we have enough for tomorrow. (On my toes...lovin' it). She has been a trooper so far. I can tell there are moments when she looks like she wants to refuse but she just smiles and goes for the ride. If I ask her specifically to go "poop" on the potty, she will say "Uh, no".
Disclaimer: This is my first time, and only the first day, I may eat my words later, but I really am excited we are doing this and I think Kya will do great. There will be days when I will not want to be on my toes and we will be out and about that will frustrate me when she wets (or poops for that matter) in her panties. But she has to learn and I have to learn patience. I guess I am back to taking a diaper bag with me everywhere, with extra clothes and panties. This is why I became a mom, to be there for every step of my children's progress and failures.

Tagged...Through the years!

20 years ago...I was 10 and living in Massachussetts, delivering the paper early in the morning and loving my church friends. Got a brother, finally!

10 years ago...I was living in San Diego as a nanny for a beautiful little boy named Brandon. Finished with my associates and wondering where my life is going next.

5 years ago...Living in Logan, Utah. Married almost two years. Working as a nurse for a spine surgeon and supporting my wonderful hubby in school.

1 year ago...Finishing out our time in Logan, getting ready to move...somewhere. Finally a mother and loving every minute with my precious little girl. Working nights as a pediatric nurse, while Carl finished up grad school.

Today...Learning how to be a potty trainer. Cleaning my house, and gonna go to Costco for the first time as a member. I am so excited about this trip to the store. Wish I had some sisters to go with.

Tomorrow...Run for training...outside with Kya. The weather is supposed to be great (as usual). Work on some decorating projects, work on some photography projects, and still on my toes with Kya...potty training.

I tag...Lacey, Marlo, Jana, Ashlie and Angie.

New Feature

To the right on the sidebar, I have added a list of the things Kya is up to now. She is so stinkin' smart (at least I think so...I'm her mother...little bias), but she's amazing us with something new almost everyday. So I thought I would keep track of all her little quirks and share with you. Check it out to see "What's New with Kya". Mostly for my own journaling purposes. Thanks for humoring me by reading.

Too Funny not to post.

We went to a park downtown, it was such a fun park. If it wasn't so far from home, I would go everyday. Kya really enjoyed it. She loves watching the other children, and especially loves the swing.
This was too funny, I don't know what they call this but she grabbed on and enjoyed every minute of the ride. She cracks me up. Check out the video right after the picture.

She loves dogs, poor girl needs a buddy. We saw these two dogs at the park and as you can see, they are huge. A mix between a german shepard and a poodle. Crazy dogs. But she loved them. A day in the park...fun, fun, fun!

Little Miss Fashion

So bear with us for a minute. Today after daddy got home from work, mommy went into her craft room to organize Kya's hair bows and digglehops, and thingies. Kya wanted to put all her hair bows in. Each time we put some in her hair, she ran into daddy and he would take a picture of her. So here is our little fashion forward beauty...setting a trend. That's my girl!

Cutting Hair

I learned how to cut hair in high school, just for friends and such. But I am so glad that I did learn how. Tonight I gave Carl a haircut, a typical routine of ours sometimes twice a month. Well, after his cut tonight we started to figure out how much money we have saved on haircuts. In 7 years, we have save over $1200.00 by me cutting Carl's hair. His hair grows so fast. He is so cute! Just a note.

Tagged...twice!

Ok, I was tagged twice this last week or so, and because of my adoption post and valentine's day, I neglected to return the tag. Here they are! First "Tune Tag"

Five songs from my playlist, or favorites...
I love music, as most do, so this was hard to choose. I am a centimental fool and all these songs have a special meaning behind them.

Since Carl proposed to me on a bridge, this became our song...


This is the song for our little Kya's adoption.


This song will mean something to us in the future, we have dedicated it to our next adoption story.


Every so often we need to be reminded that we are loved. Of course, I too (like my sisters) am a Josh Groban fan.


This song meant a lot to me in high school for various reasons, besides...its Boston.



The other tag was from Dayna...

The rules:
1) Post the rules on your blog.
2) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
3) Tag at least three people at the end of your post.
4) Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
5) Let the fun begin!

1) I used to be a neat freak...a perfectionist if you will. Now, I feel I am more relax and if its not perfect, who cares, I certainly am not perfect, why should anything I do be perfect.

2) I wish I was an all organic, sushi eating health nut. I love food too much to change over. A good plate of chips, cheese, guac and salsa is too yummy to go organic with.

3) I color coordinate my closet...not a perfectionist though.

4) I love being around people. I love to watch people in their element. One of my favorite pasttimes is to sit in an airport and make up stories of people's trips, reasons for traveling or just try to figure them out. It entertains me! Of course I don't go to airports as much as I used to, so now just whenever I am in public.

5) I am learning to appreciate my husband's unique show of affection, rather than dream up what I would want him to do for me, I am learning to recognize how he shows his love and embrace it. I am a dreamer.

6) I want to always live in a fantasy, reality sometimes isn't fun for me. Probably why life can be hard sometimes, I live in reality. I just don't want to. If I could just live in a fantasy....I would probably wish I had more reality. (Its scary what goes on in my head sometimes)

I tag anyone who wants to do the "Tune Tag" and all my sisters to do the "6 Quirks" tag. Have fun!

Valentine's Surprise!

Ok, I wasn't going to post anymore about Valentine's gifts, but the surprises just keep coming. Not only did Carl spend the day with us (yesterday) but he helped clean the house. (mentioned in my last post)
This year (since our pennies are being saved for a new addition to the family) we decided (and by we, I mean me) to just be creative and as corny as possible with spending no more than $10 for Valentine's Day. I sent Carl on a bow hunt. I put up a tartget board in his office with different heart targets on it and he had to use the little $1 toy bow that I gave him to hit the target. When he did he had to figure out the riddle and then he could go find his gift. Mostly just cookies and treats, with the exception of one gift that I made special for him. Well, that was fun and as corny as can be. But I stayed within the rules. I made him chocolate covered strawberries, which he loves, we drank Martinelli's and then asked each other questions from my "get to know you" jar. Ok, so can it get anymore corny....probably. But he did not give me anything that day. No big deal, I love him anyway.
So, yesterday he said that he got me a gift and was going to give it to me last night. He said I am taking you out to dinner. So at 5:45, I went upstairs to get Kya and myself ready for dinner. Anything to keep me from having to cook, works for me. We go downstairs and there is a lady there from Carl's work, she calls herself "grandma", as if Kya doesn't already have enough Grandmas (love you all), and Carl set it up for us to have a babysitter so he could take me out to dinner alone. I LOVE IT! Don't get me wrong, love my little Kya, but I do miss my Carl's undivided attention a little and I have been asking for a date with him alone for sometime now. We just have too much fun taking Kya out...although it was very nice to have his eyes on me at dinner. He took me to a really nice italian restaurant. It was so yummy and a great environment. Ok, long story short....his gift; a surprise (babysitter), a date (alone), dinner (italian food), oh, and the cleaning help in the morning. What more can a girl ask for...I loved every bit of my gift. Carl says he is not very creative with gifts, but I think he did a great job with creativity. Thank you again, Carl...I love you!

What a Guy!

Carl worked four ten hours shifts this week so he could spend today with us. Well, Friday is "Cleaning Day". Since I am not much of a clean freak anymore now that I am a mom, I love my Friday cleaning days, it rejuvenates me. Carl ran a quick errand this morning and then came home around 9:00 am. He walked in the door, saw me cleaning and said, "What can we do to help?" What a guy! He and Kya cleaned up her toys and vacuumed the whole house. Of course I had music on (Micheal Jackson always helps me clean) and we danced and cleaned. It only took two hours as opposed to three (sometimes four when Kya helps). Carl you rock! Thanks!

Carrying on a Tradition!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Ok, so as a kid, my mom went all out for the holidays. She was the best example of a fun mom. Because I love what she did so much, I do plan on trying to be just like her. For Valentine's Day (among other holidays), she would make us pink pancakes, color the syrup pink and even our orange juice. The best part is that she would drop red food coloring into the toilet to color the toilet water too. I LOVED IT! Although I married a man that finds any food that is not the color "it is supposed to be", disgusting, I still plan to "carry on". When my children tell me they don't like it, that's when I will stop. So I made Carl regular pancakes, and Kya and I ate the delicious pink ones.

See her eyeing down my pancakes. She loved them, and even ate three of the little hearts. I did not color the toilet water...sorry mom...Carl just wouldn't get a kick out of that, and Kya isn't using one yet. So that tradition will have to wait.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

It Is Time...

We are so grateful to all our family and friends, old and new, for your love and prayers as we strive to expand our family. On this special day, the first anniversary of Kya’s eternal union with us, we would like to announce our desire for a larger family.

Last year on February 10, 2007, we took Kya to the Logan Temple to be sealed to us for all eternity. What an awe inspiring experience that was. We were touched by the spirit, by the words of my grandfather, and by the spirit Kya carried as she looked at the picture of our Savior on the wall and reached out for him with open arms and the sweetest little giggles. She knows her Savior and that she is a daughter of God.

We feel it is time for her to have a little sibling (maybe two), either that or a puppy. But as we are renters and pets aren’t allowed, the puppy will have to wait. Besides, I would really rather change another diaper, than pick up poop. Don’t worry, Kya will get her puppy the first chance we get.

We have started another blog, an adoption blog. Please visit it, share it with others, and pass it on. In the gospel we are encouraged to ‘do all we can do, and He will carry us the rest of the way’. This is one of the ways that we do ALL we can do to have a family, it is to share our desire with all of you and spread the word. We know that it will be in His time that we will be blessed again, but first we must play our part.

The link to our adoption blog is www.threepluslove.blogspot.com. Please visit, comment if you want and again, pass it on. Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for your prayers. We feel the power of others' prayers daily.

A BRIEF TRIBUTE

Thank you a million times over to Kya's birthparents and families for blessing our lives with our sweet Kya.

Kya's Statistics!

Wow, how the time has flown by since this picture. She was such a tiny little thing and she is growing so fast. She is now holding baby (dolls) and wanting one (or two) in the house.
Anyhow...we went to the doctor today for her 18 month checkup.
Weight-----23 lbs-----50%
Height-----33.5 in.-----95%
And still, cute as can be. More and more personality everyday! By the way, had two shots today, screamed for about two minutes and was happy when she got a "Nemo" sticker and saw the fish in the big fish tank in the lobby. She's a character! The last eighteen months of ours live's are beyond explanation, best ever!

Precious Moments! Everynight we go in to check on Kya before we sleep, what an angel!Playing with Mommy and Daddy's hats, I love that she is starting to like some form of dress up!

Running for Life!

Ok, so just a quick update on the "Baking" post. My bread turned out great, and I even attempted wheat bread, which also turned out delicious. Kya must be my lucky charm. From now on...she helps!
I am so excited! Today was the official start of training for the Wasatch Back
race that my family is running in. With new shoes (since my old ones are from the 2003 Top of Utah Marathon), an enthusiastic attitude, and a gym to train in while the weather is cold...I believe I am set and ready to train. This morning's run felt great. I love a challenge, and running is a challenge for me. I hated it in high school and now it seems to be something I really enjoy, for the pure sake of accomplishment.
So get out your banners and come cheer us on...teasing. I am just excited to get started officially and definitely looking forward to seeing my family too. Good Luck everyone in your training!