Toni is a BIG GIRL

Finally!! Toni is potty trained.

 I started pushing it in October during our Fall break and the girl was no ready. She would sit on the potty as long as you would read but rarely went. She knew she could get several books out of you and just loved the one on one time. She refused to wear underwear and I was not going to have her just not wear them, so I paused on the issue for a while.

Thanksgiving came and she was ready. Brandy and I both had the first thing in the moring done and the after nap potty down, but she was not all the way there yet. So with the three or four day break we stayed at home and hung out in our underwear. It worked and she was amazing. She was doing everything on her own with needing just the help of getting on and off the toliet. I was so happy and so proud of her. So we gave it a few more weeks before we actually said she was potty trained!

I tried so hard to get a cute shot of her not only in her undies but Ariel ones which were almost impossible to find! I just adore this picture of her and her little tush...Watching for daddy.

So all in all she is doing great. Funny that I write this today as we are having a small set back, but hoping it is just a small flaw. On Christmas Eve she expierenced her first Atomatic FLUSH and she is not cool with going in public places for the moment. We have had several accidents due to this. I am hoping that the trouble she got into today and the amount of time she had to wait for "dry" pants will change her mind about this. Uhhh "it is just a stage" RIGHT?

Then there is the BIG GIRL BED! Jake and I had bought this for her months ago and again, finding the Ariel comforter and sheets was not easy to do but again we found those a few weeks ago online. So the first weekend of break we took the crib out and put in the big girl bed. I have to laugh because as a kid I got a DAYBED when I turned 13! It was a HUGE deal in my house and here my 2 year old gets it as her 1st BED. Hmmm...I love it though and the Ariel theme goes great with the already tropical theme she has in the room.

She was so excited!!! Absolutely LOVED IT!!! The only thing is it has been a week and she refuses to sleep under the covers. she wants only to sleep on Ariel. Oh well.

She has done great with this transition too. Only has fallen once out of bed and has done wonderful with staying in bed in the AM until someone comes to get her. Even if it is brother to watch shows. Can't believe my baby is out of her crib. However, I will admit I am super excited that I have no cribs or diapers in the house at this point. Yes!!! I do love this stage the most!

We are super proud of our TONI GIRL!

Fun with our Elves

Our Elves arrived promptly on December 1st for the holiday season. This year was special because we had a new elf for Toni and the elves brought the first annual North Pole Breakfast. Elfie is our original elf in red, Toni had the privilege of naming her elf on her own and I must say with little help from Waylon and I she came up with Peter Pan. Impressive considering the elf is kind of dressed like him in green and Peter does fly with magic dust like our Elf does. So Peter Pan and Elfie were here until Christmas Eve to keep watch on the kiddos.

This was the North Pole Breakfast. They arrived with a table set for Breakfast. Snow covered donuts and treats and prizes for each of the kids.

They brought little wooden toys that had pictures of Santa, a Christmas Tree and a North Pole sign with markers to color with. The kids loved them and started on them promptly after eating breakfast.

The elves also brought hats for each of the kids. Waylon loved his it was Rudolph and Toni, well she was not into hers this year but we will keep it and see how she feels about it next year.

Here was another night the elves had some fun. They were always together each night so it was easy for the kids to find. One of the first nights they decided to ride on the horse and it looks like they had a lot of fun. They were also caught in the village, kitchen, up in the kids bathrooms a couple of times and even around the Christmas tree too.

This was one of the last things the elves brought for the kids. It seemed because there were two elves more "things" came this year with them. On this morning the elves had left some magic seeds thanking them for their help from the night before. Yeah we had a small mishap and had to make an elf hospital because dear Toni touched the elves. So thankfully we had a small visit from Connor and Emma's elf for next year who is in training come and help our elves down to the hospital we had made and also deliver these magic seeds to plant the next night.

We had to plant the seeds in sugar and then wait overnight to see what would grow.

Viola! Cookies!!!

On Christmas Eve we decided to gather all our treats, candy and all the sugar we could find to make treats for our Elves as a thank you for all they had given to us this season. Well and for the trip back home to the North Pole too.

The elves were a huge hit this year and I am looking forward to their return again next year. They LOVED the treats because just the plates were left in the morning ALL of the candy was gone.

To Elfie and Peter Pan...we will miss you and can't wait until next year is here again.

Waylon Starts Kindergarten!

                                          

I cannot believe that this is being posted as late as is it but I guess life just happens and I am having a harder time keeping caught up with the blog. Here we are officially on Fall Break and I am writing about the first day!

Waylon started Kindergarten this year at my school Coyote Hills in the Peoria Unified School District. He was so excited to start which made it easier on me. I was excited until it actually got here and then my nerves took over and almost went out of control. The idea of having him so close to me was exciting yet terrifying at the same time. Jake was apart of the first day and made it to school in time to officially walk our "young man" to his classroom and spent about 15 minutes in the classroom with him. Then it was time to say their goodbyes so that Kindergarten could officially start. Up until this point Waylon was excited with some nerves, but then when it was really time to say goodbye he was nervous but pulled out his amazing brave card and gave his daddy a big hug with a little tighter squeeze than normal and walked back to his seat. Several other kiddos cried and our little guy did a great job of holding it together for his daddy.

I wish I could have been in there too with them, but I also had to start my day with my students so I had to change from Mommy to Mrs. Pickard quickly and begin my day. I was also brave as I walked past his room peeking in throughout the day. (he is literally down the hall, I can open my door and see his classroom) I never walked in to check on him and thankfully he never came to my room crying his eyes out either. As you can see by the picture below (sent to us from his teacher on the first day!) he blended in a began to show his true colors quickly. (he is the one on the far left back row)

Waylon has made a wonderful friend in his class named Wyatt. This is kind of funny because his mother and I met last year at the Kindergarten Round Up meeting and thought it was so cool that our boys had similar names. Well I guess the boys thought the same thing because the first day they were next to each other in line (because they lined up alphabetically) and became friends.

Even though this was not written on the first week of school like it should have been. I am still so proud of him every day. There are days I know he (and I ) miss the small days of Brandy with lots of smiles and hugs, but as we grow up we have many changes. This is a change for both of us on many levels. I think for the most part we are both doing fine and learning how to adjust to school.

I know Waylon will do wonderful I am ALWAYS proud of our little man! We love you Waylon and are so excited to see what you learn in Kindergarten.