Animal Behavior

Tonight Liam and I were doing one of his puzzles and he was asking me what the animals were. I told him the bird was a parakeet and he started laughing at the word parakeet and told me that I was wrong. So, I went to my trusty IPhone and brought up images of a parakeet so he would know that I was indeed correct. This resulted in Liam wanting to look up more pictures of animals, so we looked up images of a lion and also images for a shark.

Many images for the shark looked like this:

My commentary for the picture so that Liam wouldn't be scared was, "Wow, he looks hungry! What do you think he wants to eat?"

Liam's response: "Cheerios."

And then I decided I really didn't want that image to be the last image he saw before bedtime so I tried to think of a very gentle animal that does not have 5 rows of teeth. I went with this:

Seriously, when I typed in zebra images, this was the first one to come up. Much less scary than the shark for sure but I hope I will not be woken up numerous times tonight because of these two photos.

Exciting times

Yesterday we went out to Evergreen Lake to take Butters swimming and to have a picnic on a beautiful Sunday. We were extremely prepared for our afternoon at the lake including beach chairs for Evan and I to sit in during our lunch, a blanket for Liam to eat his lunch and even his potty chair in case the public restrooms were not the cleanest.

Butters went swimming first and had a great time. Evan would throw her a stick, she would go retrieve it and bring it almost back to shore. Liam and I sat on the grass and watched her for a good 10-15 minutes enjoying every second of watching her "work." And we thoroughly enjoyed watching Evan almost slip in the mud and fall in the water to get the sticks that Butters refused to bring all the way back to him. She was a happy dog after that workout.

After our picnic lunch and watching Liam play with a few of his trucks that we brought along, he suddenly stood up, and announced that he had to poop! As we have been potty training for a month now, we understood that we must move fast or we would be in serious trouble. I jumped out of my chair, grabbed Liam's hand and off we went at a sprint to the car which was a good 30-40 yards away. Yelling back at Evan who had the car keys I screamed, "Pop the trunk!" as this was where the potty chair was.

So, picture Liam and I running towards the car, Evan still sitting in our beach chair hitting the remote repeatedly, finally getting up as he was not within range of the trunk actually opening and now sprinting after us so that the car would register that we were in an emergency situation. I was continually asking Liam to hold it, we're almost there in a frantic frenzied voice.

Miraculously, he made it. Success in the potty chair instead of his underwear and I was so proud. Until about 5 cars drove by staring at us, while I tried to shield Liam from their site.

After I sent Liam back to our picnic spot with Evan I suddenly realized that I now had to figure out how to dispose of "our success." I have never been camping but I think what I ended up doing would be acceptable at most campsites. I won't go any further.

After our exciting moment we spent the rest of our time playing on the playground equipment and letting Butters dry off in the sun. It was a great afternoon!

Just some good advice

This past Sunday we took Liam to Wildlife Prairie Park due to the marvelous below average temperatures we've been having. The cooler temperatures are perfect for viewing animals because than they're not hiding in the shade. They're out an about in the 78 degree weather enjoying the beautiful day!

So, anyway, Evan and Liam were watching the Cougar walk around his den and than Evan told Liam to tell the Cougar goodbye so we could go see more animals.

Liam: Bye, bye Cougar.

Evan: Say, keep cool Cougar.

Liam: Keep cool Cougar.....and keep your undies dry!

This made Evan and I laugh quite a bit as I hope it does you as well. Everyday when we drop Liam off at the babysitters we tell him goodbye, that we love him and to keep his undies dry!

It's really quite excellent advice for everybody, including cougars.

Mysterious lady

My dog is truly a mystery to me.

When I think she will be good, she isn't. And when I expect her to be awful she is the most obedient dog in the world.

Tonight Evan is at a concert in Peoria so that meant that instead of the four of us it was only the three of us on our nightly walk. Walking with a stroller, with a toddler in the stroller for part of the time and the rest of the time asking when he can get out and walk, and a 65 pound dog who is pure muscle, can at times be tricky.

In my head I know that Butters can walk alongside the stroller without any trouble. I often decide, hastily, to risk it all and go somewhere where I know that Butters will have too much temptation and therefore she is pulling on the leash or trying to meet other people and dogs and making me want to take off her leash and leave her behind.

Tonight was no exception of my poor decision skills as we headed out for our walk a few minutes to 7 and I remembered that there was a band concert at the park a few blocks away from our home that will begin shortly.

My Fantasy: Sitting in the park listening to music while my son and dog sat nicely next to me and behaved themselves.

My Goal: To walk the perimeter of the park and scope it out. See how many dogs were attending the concert and just how many people that would tempt Butters into being a naughty but friendly lab. Possibly sitting at the edge of the park listening to 1-2 songs.

Our Reality:  We sat in the park, listening to music while my dog sat nicely beside me and my son sat in my lap. Liam got up and danced around us during the Sousa marches and Butters stayed put. She wagged her tail furiously as people walked past us wanting so badly to go over and say hello, but did not move or try to dart off. We were able to stay and listen to the concert for 25 minutes before we left. (due to a need for potty time and an upcoming bedtime)

It is true that we were at least 30 yards away from the majority of people. But only 10 yards away from the nearest person.

I mean who is this dog???? It's times like these that I can see all that time and money we used on obedience classes when she was 2 and under have really paid off. Now if I can only get her to sit and stay when company comes over instead of mauling them as soon as they walk in the door and pretending she's a German Shepherd, I may be a happy dog owner.

Are we really doing this?

I don't know how I feel about potty training. I don't even know if we're actually doing it. What I do know is that we're going with the flow so to speak. If Liam wants to go on the potty he tells us and if he wants to wear undies, he tells us.

I believe with the vacation we just got back from, where both of Liam's cousins that we were staying with were either being potty trained or already a potty pro, has greatly encouraged and spiked his interest in going on the potty. I also was told by our babysitter last week that we should start bringing undies to daycare for him to wear because she thinks he is ready.

 I decided since the last part of the week we stayed in Canton that I wouldn't bring any undies because I didn't want to potty train at Grandma and Grandpa's house was the best decision. However, the first thing that Liam said when he woke up the first day was "Mommy, I want to go potty!"  Ok, great so apparently this potty training thing really only works when the child has it made up in his mind that he is ready. (so I've heard and read)

Luckily we had 2 pairs of undies from daycare in his backpack that he was able to wear for an hour. Until he peed in both of them.

Today I asked Liam while trying to rush out the door if he wanted to wear undies to his babysitters house. Of course, he said yes, much to my dismay and surprisingly stayed dry the entire time while I was cursing every red light that we came across. (of course only in my head)

At the end of the day I was told that Liam wore undies all day with no accidents and even got up from coloring to go on the potty without being prompted. Holy cow! A run to the Dollar store was Liam special treat for staying dry all day at daycare, where I told him he could pick out any toy that he wanted. Of course a race car was the one that was taken to the check out line where he told the cashier why he was getting this special prize. She was great and played along nicely telling Liam what a great job he had done and to make sure he did it again the next day!

Unfortunately, once returning home Liam had 3 accidents. Why is this? I can't decide if it's because he missed his mom and dad so much that he would rather play with us than go potty or he was just doing it because....I have no idea.

I really was not looking forward to this milestone but I'll just try to remember to stay relaxed about it and hopefully Liam will catch on quickly.

Pentwater

Vacations are a wonderful thing. A time to relax with your family and loved ones and spend 24 hours a day with each other until you can't stand to look at each other anymore. Good thing that on our family vacation we see Evan's entire family so there's lots of faces to look at and you don't get sick of any one person in particular.

Building castles with Aunt Carrie

Making it rain on sand castles with Staley

Proof that I did get in the water this year

Riding a big boy bike with Uncle Ethan

The beginning of Liam's modeling career

My birthday crepes made by my awesome husband

We were only slightly tempted to leave him buried in the sand

Elliott and Liam riding in the boat. Thanks Uncle Eldon!

The boys and Grammie

Sweet baby Adelie and Uncle Ethan

Our adorable little family

I can't think of a better way to spend my 30th birthday than on the beach with some of the people who love me most. Thanks to my husband who made everyone crepes in the house to celebrate, my awesome mother in law who babysat so that we could go mini golfing without Liam and to Aunt Mary who bought a cake for both myself, our cousins Kirsten, and the next day Elizabeth. 

It may be the same vacation year after year but it just keeps getting better!

Introducing...

Our brand new beautiful fence!  Isn't she a beauty?

I can now let Liam run in the yard without having to worry that he's going to run into traffic on the other side of the hedge, or as my sister in law put it, not have to worry that some kidnapping creep sticks his hand through our hedge and takes off with our child. Honestly had not thought of that until she said it one year ago.