Year 3, June 11th-13th, 2018: Potty Training Week - Overview

This is the non TMI verion of Potty Training Week.  If you want all the glorious details, you read the post "Potty Training Week - All the Details" which also has these same dates.  However, here is Day 1 Overview: 4 accidents, nothing in the potty, kid doesn't drink enough, we are about exhausted.  Middles did their thing. Benaiah had orientation for Chick Fil A but needs work permit from school in order to actually start working.  He has more orientation tomorrow.  Overcast all day, a little cooler, but didn't think to send the kids out because it was damp and we were potty training.  I had an appointment today, so Grandma babysat.  We cooked up the fish the kids caught on Saturday and it tasted bland but fine.  Feeling frustrated and a bit overwhelmed, but that's to be expected.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Day 2 Overview: Nope, today was worse, way worse.  Still not potty in the potty, 5 accidents.  Mommy had a meltdown, and put a diaper on the kid by 4pm.  I'm so over it and embarrassed by it. And can't handle it along with my own health issues and side projects.  Can someone else potty train him?  I'm done.

Benaiah has some nice benefits that serve the whole family at his new job!  He has to go to the local school to get a work permit though because his school is not accredited.  Um, ok, not sure how it works with homeschoolers, too, but I know we've discussed it on the Facebook homeschool page multiple times.  I'm not happy about the idea of him going into the big high school for a piece of paper but whatever.  I'll do my own research.  Justin mowed the front lawn and Keturah played with the neighbor girl.  I do have to say we've had to reinstate some rules because of playing with this girl.  She isn't naughty per say but we're not exactly on the same page as her parents and what they allow and not allow.  So, they can only play together if Grandma or I are around to monitor what is said and done.  Let's just say, Keturah came home with makeup on and I wish that they had asked first.  I would have said yes.  Same goes for the nail polish they did get out today at our house and I was too busy to notice.  MY nail polish, thanks.  Common courtesy is to ask first and wait for an answer.  And this girl watches TV shows that are outright banned from this house because of content, some of which is very much adult content.  This girl is 11 yrs old.  So, we will try to be friendly, but there's going to be a ton of limitations and absolutely not sleep overs at either house.  This will make for an interesting summer.  Sigh.  It's hard having 4 kids in 4 different stages of growing up.  Teen, pre teen/almost teen, upper elementary/pre teen, and preschooler.  And you wonder why I get overwhelmed.  This wasn't exactly what I was thinking when I had planned to have a family.  So, I must get over it and do the best I can and muddle through.  Same as always.

Day 3 Overview:

We had to fill out a health form for CIY and had to use the computer mouse to write our signatures.  Benaiah wrote his and instantly cracked up laughing, like guffawing! We sent it to his English teacher, Mrs. McCollum, who also laughed at it.  She's been helping students with their handwriting, and Benaiah is one of them that needs help!

It was so hilarious that he was doubled over in laughter!

Flashback to the sweetest puppy we know!  This was taken on the Sunday we brought Socks home.  He was 8 weeks old I think. Gentlest pup even when he was young.

And now look how big the almost 10 yr old is now!  When we moved Benaiah's gate, Justin rediscovered these much loved cups.  The kids played with them all day again.  Most people would have thrown these out, but we've played with them over and over again.  And now they don't need our assistance!

Daddy did put the last one on the top on though.

When you have to get your 3 yr old to sit still for a bit while potty training....electronic devices come in handy.

Classic.

Playing with a new toy he found in Benaiah's stuff.

Booger with a diaper on.

Day 1 is done. Not sure if it was a success.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Day 3: He did it! Twice for pee, one for poo! And he had one accident for poo and 3 for pee.  That boy can hold his bladder for a long time!  I tried to make it a big deal, but honestly, I couldn't muster up much energy.  He spent some time outside, even saying he wanted to pee outside because Socks does. In fact, he mowed the grass in the nude and played tarzan on the tire swing, all in the nude.  Oi! And he was so exhausted from having Mommy constantly breathing down his neck that after the first pee in the potty, he wanted to sleep, and even told me so, so I put a diaper on him and he slept for 2 hrs (I had to wake him up).  Tomorrow we are out all day, so we'll have to put a pull up on him and then "try" to go potty while we are out.  Ugh.  I did almost lose it again today, and in fact, I had to journal some crap down and then treated myself to Starbucks after my appointment.  Now we have to keep all this up and deal with accidents while we are out, etc. That's the part I loathe even more than being stuck at home doing it.  I'm exhausted and he's exhausted.  But they won't move him up in Sunday School until we do it.  And he's beyond mature in other ways for his age.  It's got to be done.  Sigh.

Justin mowed the lawn and Keturah puttered around.  The neighbor wasn't available and I was glad she wasn't.  We needed the break. Benaiah was gone all day to church to help as usual, practice drums for his PLAYING ON THE BIG STAGE AT FRANKLIN ROAD CAMPUS on Sunday, and then youth group midweek meet up at a coffeehouse and ice cream shop.  His friends picked him up at church, took him to the coffeehouse and brought him home.  Yeah!  Justin and I packed him for his Houston trip with Grandma and Grandpa next week for hurricane relief mission work.  Tomorrow is the dentist for everyone and I have a concert (see below and tomorrow's blog) that I'm getting in for free because I'm volunteering! And Friday is celebrating Keturah's birthday with grandparents since they leave early on Saturday with Justin, which is Keturah's actual birthday.  So, packing got done today.  We also pre packed him for CIY because he gets home the next Saturday at noon and leaves for CIY around noon on Sunday, so that's 24 hrs to get him ready for that.  Then I have that week to get the other two ready for their camps, while Jared goes to the NACC (and I join him for one day).  Then a wedding, then camps, then vacation, then school starts......life's never dull.

This is what happens when someone accidentally pees in a room with a sloping floor.  Thankfully it was just the box and not the books inside. The books that need to be on a shelf but Mommy hasn't decluttered the shelves enough to put them up on a shelf.  That's next summer's goal or rather before next year's round of homeschool book sales.  This year, I just need access to my shelves.

Justin got very upset at Abishai following him or mowing beside him.  Abishai just wants to be a big boy in all ways except using the toilet.  It took Justin 4 hrs to mow the backyard today.  I was not happy about it.

Tarzan.

Exhausted from potty training.  He was upset his blankie was still warm from the dryer so he asked for his little fan to be put on so he could cool it off.  He does have a regular diaper on because he was rubbing his eyes, asked for a diaper and put himself to bed.

This was the sweetest reward I could have gotten myself.  Triple Mocha Frappicino made with almond milk and regular whipped cream.  It was incredible!  400 calories and worth every single one.  Pure sugar and worth every gram.  Worth the $6 regardless of having a gift card.  It was made even sweeter when I found I had a gift card left in my purse so my drink was free.  And the store was only a mile away from my chiropractor.  They were a little slow on making my drink because they had to wash the equipment, but that's ok.  They apologized profusely and I appreciate when anyone takes the extra step to prevent cross contamination.  I can handle the whipped cream if I use an alternative to dairy for the rest of the drink. 

These cups have been around for over 10 years and they are just for building towers.  It looks like Abishai had a little too much fun near my desk.  Clean up on aisle 4!

Flowers in the front garden.

Helping Daddy water the trees first thing in the morning.  He also stayed on the sidewalk watching Daddy's truck turn onto the next street.  He really wanted Daddy to stay home this morning.  Benaiah also was gone all day and evening to church and out with his friends. Abishai didn't like that either.

Concert prep: I actually was a street promoter for Third Day once! I put up posters and got a free preview CD.  And these are the albums we own.  They weren't as prolific as Newsboys discography, so I do have 2/3 of them this time.  But had no idea the band members changed a few times. The last time I saw them was in 2006.

Signatures of course.  Cuz I'm the cool mom that has met her teen idols.  Ok, they weren't teens but they were one of my top favorite bands.  In fact, I've seen the perfect trifecta in the last 4 months: Michael W. Smith, Newsboys, and Third Day!  Those were my top 3 favorites in my pre teen and teen and college years.

The concert I promoted at my college, Indiana Wesleyan.  It was held at nearby Grace College.

Oh yes, the one and only scrapbook was taken out for the third time this spring.

Bwhahahaha.

Come to find out, this is was the OFFICIAL launching of Third Day but they did have their band name and were founded in 1991.

OOOOO, I found this gem!  For King and Country is hugely popular right now.  They are brothers to Rebecca St. James, who was popular in the 90's.  I'm going to go try and see them at the free stage at the Indiana State Fair in August.  I think it's only $8 to get onto the fairgrounds and then the concert is free.  They had to change things up when the temporary stage scaffolding collapsed in 2011.  A person or two were killed and many were wounded.  A storm was rolling in and the stage wasn't secured properly.  Anyway, that's why concerts are on another stage and they are free instead of paying for tickets with actual seats in the grandstands.

It was an 85 degree day and when I got in the car for my appointment it started to pour rain.  Because the car was hot and the rain was cool, I had water vapor on my windshield.  It was 3:30 in the afternoon!

And two minutes down the road it was clear skies.  Just normal midwest summer weather.  Jared said it rained for a longer time at the church, just a couple miles south of us.  Again, Indiana weather.

I ate a healthy meal to combat the Starbucks deliciousness, and I had eaten pretty lightly earlier in the day so it all worked out.