Many moons ago, I sort of gave up on the idea of New Year's Resolutions. It wasn't because I didn't see the value in them. I do. I just also believe that you don't need to wait until a new year to try something new. So I resolved to just make life changes as they come to me. 

BUT, that being said, in 2016, I adopted the idea of a one word focus for the year. I liked the idea of having something to center myself on when it felt like maybe I wasn't accomplishing things or just generally felt a little bit lost. I've always tried to find words that focused on family but also accomplishments (as you can tell, this is a theme in my Type-A life - gotta have those accomplishments there too!)! Words of years past included: 

2016: Thrive

2017: Count

2018: Flourish

2019: Intentional

2020: Connect (ha! virtually, maybe!) 

And so in 2021, as we get closer to our new baby arriving, as we become a family of five, as we (hopefully!) get back to spending REAL IN PERSON TIME with family and friends again, as my business is what it is because of the wonderful customers turned friends who support me, the word of the year for 2021 is:

Cherish!

I went back and forth between words many times before landing on this one, but ultimately this is what I kept landing on. I want to cherish these moments with Henry and Harrison before their new brother is born. I want to cherish those moments with our newborn when he gets here, even if I'm sleep deprived and it feels hard. I want to cherish the moments of being a family of five - something we've never been before. I want to cherish the moments with our family and friends and not take it for granted when we can see each other safely again. I want to cherish the quiet moments with a cup of hot coffee and a book and a warm couch to snuggle on. I want to cherish the messages and connections with my customers when they tell me we found the exact perfect piece of jewelry that tells their story or a bag they're obsessed with or skincare that's revolutionized their lives. I want to cherish the big moments and the little moments and every moment in between. I want to cherish it all. All of it. 

So when things start to feel out of control in 2021 (as at some point they surely will), I'm going to refocus on cherish - holding dear, keeping and cultivating with care and affection. <3 

Navigating a pandemic pregnancy: What I've learned so far

 

Let's dive right in, shall we? When the ball dropped on NYE 2019, my husband and I had some serious talks about whether or not we were going to add one more family member. We'd always been on the fence between two and three children, and we knew that if we were going to have another, it was now or never. We both turned 37 in 2020, and our oldest will be six next year, and we wanted everyone close together. So, we decided we'd wait until after our Disney trip in February, and then we'd see what happened. 

Well, as you know, the world exploded. We returned home from Disney on March 4, about five seconds before everything in the world shut down due to Covid. Life got strange in so many ways. But our plan stayed the same - we knew we still wanted to add another baby, and if we could, we wanted that to be soon. And, as luck would have it, in early June, I got a positive pregnancy test! 

But, navigating a pregnancy during a pandemic is WEIRD, for so many reasons. We knew several friends that were due at the beginning of the pandemic, but of course, they'd had no idea there would be a worldwide illness outbreak when they got pregnant. We, on the other hand, kind of knew what we were up against (although we hoped and prayed it would be long gone by the time the baby came). 

Gratefully, this babe is our third, so we knew what pregnancy was like during "normal" times. I was blessed with in person baby showers with our oldest, and we had a wonderful sprinkle with our second baby. I continued going to my favorite workout classes and taught Jazzercise until I was 35 weeks pregnant with both babes. People  hugged me. They touched my belly. I went to lunch with my girlfriends and playdates with my oldest, and life continued as normal. 

This pregnancy has been - weird. I haven't seen more of my friends in person in months. Most have never seen me pregnant this time around. It feels weird to not physically share such a monumental journey of having a baby with the people I'm close to. 

I haven't gone out to stroll the aisles of baby clothes, diapers, and gadgets for our little man. Gratefully, we have mostly everything we need already, but it feels weird to not take some of those quiet moments to just go look for new little things for him. 

Hell, the fact that we even found out the baby is a HIM is because of this pandemic! We didn't find out with our previous two babies, but of course, we had the luxury of having our families come to the hospital to meet our boys. This time around, his own brothers won't be there to meet him in his first few days, so we opted to find out so they'd know in advance what they were getting. 

But. BUT. 

There are so many great things that have come out of this pandemic pregnancy too. Honestly. 

Our family has spent more time together, and I feel like we've better prepared both brothers for what's to come. I know part of that is just KNOWING what it's like to have multiple kids, but I feel like we've gotten so much quality time together in these past several months, and I don't know if life would have naturally slowed down for us to do that otherwise. 

I've been able to tune in more to what my body is saying it needs. I tend to be VERY go-go-go, and that's great. But sometimes I ignore the triggers that say, "you need to slow down," or, "you're tired - you need to rest." While this pregnancy has been stressful just because of the state of the world, it's been so much easier to step back and listen (and take more naps!). 

I've savored this pregnancy more... I mean, maybe not that first trimester, but AFTER that part. Because of slowing down, I've noticed the flutters and the kicks and those things that much more - I felt this baby LONG before I felt the other two. 

Maybe it's the pandemic. Maybe it's knowing it's my last pregnancy. But it's made me more grateful for those moments. 

So, if you're in the midst of a pandemic pregnancy too, give yourself grace in all the things. Have gratitude when you can. Feel when you need to. And give yourself grace, always. 

And when you can, enjoy the ride. <3 

The end of an era: Hanging up my Jazzercise shoes

A lifetime ago, I was 22. I'd just graduated from college, and I was about 15 pounds heavier than I started my senior year. I'd been pulling late nights working at our campus newspaper and snacking a LOT while grading papers student teaching, so it wasn't a huge shock to me that I'd gained weight. But I was uncomfortable, and I wanted to do something about it. 

So my mom suggested we join Jazzercise together. She'd done the program a few years earlier, and really loved it. I told her we could try it. 

And after my first class, I was hooked. The music, the dancing, even the strength - it didn't FEEL like a workout. It just felt fun! So it became my workout five days a week. I'd go on my way home from work or on weekend mornings. It was the first program I'd ever stuck with for more than a few months, and I lost the extra weight I'd gained from college. Win-win. 

About eight months after I'd started, the owner, a wonderful woman named Karen, approached me to ask if I'd ever thought about being an instructor. It was LITERALLY the day I'd gotten laid off from my first teaching job, and I thought - well if this isn't a sign, I don't know what is! 

So in 2006, I added aerobics instructor to my repertoire. And I started teaching - first in one location, then two, then three. I'd teach three classes a week, then five for many, many years, and at times, I'd teach up to seven when we needed subs (one INSANE summer week, I taught nine because so many instructors were out of town. I don't recommend that!). 

But, as much as it was about the classes and the workouts, it was never really about that at all. It was always about the people. 

I know it's cliché to say that this group of people is the best you'll ever meet. But it's true. Jazzercise became a family for me. It wasn't just seeing people in class. It was the relationships you formed outside of them too. The women I taught at southside Jazzercise cheered me on through my first half marathon training - I carried a magic wand they gave me for the whole 13.1 miles. I got ready for my first date with my husband at Jazzercise of LaPorte with fellow instructors Janet and Becca keeping me calm the whole time. And the women at Jazzercise of Mishawaka - we've attended each other's weddings and celebrated each other's babies and so much more. 

But now it's time to step away. And it's sad. But it's time. I haven't taught in a studio since March. Our newest family member is due in February. And we're about to have three amazing boys under six while I work from home doing something I LOVE. The time just isn't there. And it's time to prioritize other things. 

So as hard as it is, I walk away knowing that those people I talked about - the best ones you'll ever meet - are still there. Just because my time on a stage is ending doesn't mean the friendships are. And that makes me feel infinitely better about taking steps forward.  

Baby P #3 is a...

Today marks 20 weeks of pregnancy with Baby P #3, and it's a HE! Which means we're adding our third sweet boy to our family! We've had a little time to process this news, and since is the first time we've ever known the sex in advance, it feels a little funny to know. And to call the baby HIM! I find myself reverting to "It," and then I have to remind myself, "Oh wait! We know this time!"

So, since this question has come up, I thought this would be a great time to address it. I want to make it clear that we're in no way disappointed about having a third boy. Is there a part of me that hoped I'd one day have a girl child? I mean, yes! It would have been so fun to have a little lady running around the house and have the chance to raise a daughter. But there are lots of experiences in life I'll probably miss out on, and THAT'S OKAY. (Seriously, you should see my travel Bucket List - probably not getting to all those amazing places either!) 

I could literally NEVER be upset about the fact that we've been blessed with three healthy babies and three healthy pregnancies. That's not something I take lightly at all. We are so lucky, and we know there are so many people who haven't had this experience. So, no, we're not bummed at all about having a third boy. I get that Gender Disappointment is a thing (it's real! I Googled it!). But mostly, we're just feeling really DAMN LUCKY.

We know boys in this house, and we love boys in this house. And now there will be three of them! Plus their daddo which means I'm pretty outnumbered. 

Our biggest problem right now is NAMES, y'all! We never officially intended to have H names for the boys, but those were the names we loved most. And now, we're feeling a little stuck. We haven't found a H name for this baby we love, but we also want something that's complimentary with the names Henry and Harrison (your suggestions are MORE than welcome, although we do have one we're leaning toward!)! And we're definitely NOT tied to having a H name for this baby.

So bring them on, friends. What do we name this sweet little nugget? 

Our Newest Addition: Baby P 3.0!

Well, hellllo, friends! I see you've made your way here to learn more about Baby P 3.0! You've come to the right place, and we're excited to share our little secret from the past few months with you! So, I thought I'd put together this handy dandy FAQ sheet! 

When are you due? 
Friends, whenever I do a training for my S&D team, I preach about consistency. And we are NOTHING if not consistent. So Baby P 3.0 is due on February 13... which just HAPPENS to be our eldest's birthday. Time will tell if that's the actual date, if Henry hates us forever, or if we get to give him a really cool gift! 

How are you feeling? 
The short answer is not good. The long answer is... holy hell, I don't know how women do this when they've got other littles to chase in the first trimester. I love, love, love my boys, but I'm exhausted, and chasing a 5-year-old and 2-year-old in the summer is, well, even more exhausting. I also pretty much wanted nothing to do with food, so that's fun. And I haven't had coffee since about week six. Yes, I miss it. But it makes me want to hurl. Speaking of hurling, that's happening this time around. I never threw up with the boys, so that's been a new and unpleasant experience. And from about week nine on, I've been suffering from Dysgeusia which is essentially a metallic or sour taste in the mouth ALL THE TIME. It's gross. Everything tastes gross. But, we seem to have turned a corner here at the end of the first trimester, and I will take that! Very much hoping for a return of energy SOON! 

How did the kids react? 
I told Harrison right away, because he's two, and doesn't have a clue what I'm saying. But we waited to tell Henry because he's five and says all the things. Henry was IMMEDIATELY excited! He jumped up and down and proclaimed it was going to be a girl. We told him the baby is due on his birthday, and he said the baby would be born a day after his birthday, on a Sunday. FREAKY. Because February 14 IS a Sunday next year, and it's not like we've talked to him about the day of the week of his birthday. So time will tell there! Harrison likes to kiss my tummy and goes back and forth on whether he thinks it's a boy or a girl. They ask about the baby a lot, pray for the baby every night, and tell us how they can't wait to see the baby when it gets here. Be still my heart! 

Were you planning on 3 babes? 
We always said we had a window of 2-3. Welp, decision made! 

Will you find out the sex? 
With the boys, we never knew the sex until Dan announced it upon their arrival! But this time feels a little different. This is DEFINITELY our last baby, and with so many unknowns in the world right now, I felt like any additional information we could have this time around would be good. We've opted to find out, and I'm excited to see how it feels doing it this way! 

Is a pandemic the right time to have a baby? 
I mean, NO. But I'm 37, and it could be years before Covid is no longer a thing. So we're taking extra precautions, following our doctor's orders, and hoping and praying for the best. 

Are you hoping for a girl? 
Absolutely! We need more girls in this house! But will I be bummed if it's a boy? Not in the slightest. We have two of the most amazing boys, so adding one more would be wonderful and adorable. But damnit, those ruffle bottom outfits are SO cute! Either way, we're excited to add the final Putt to our brood! 

A Coronavirus plan: Make someone else's day!

Y'all, what a strange, strange week it's been. Two weeks ago, I'm honestly not sure I'd ever even heard the term Coronavirus. A week ago, I thought... man, this thing is getting kind of crazy. Today, it's so much. Like many others, I've spent a lot of time researching, reading, analyzing, weighing pros and cons, and deciding what was best for our family. 

We're in a good place right now. We're social distancing as much as possible, Dan is now working from home when he's able, and we've cancelled pretty much all plans in the foreseeable future. Well, here we are then. Inconvenient? Yes. Will we get through it? Absolutely. And my sincere hope is that when this is all over, we'll be closer, happier, less crazed, and calmer. (I also really hope teachers come out of this with ridiculous amounts of respect, but that's a blog for a different day!) 

So here's what we're doing before we start going cray-cray. Every day, we're focusing on how we can make someone else's day during this. Yes, we're physically distant. But we actually don't have to be socially distant. We just have to choose different metrics now. Here are some of the things our family has added to the list. What would YOU add to it? 

-Facetime a friend or family member. 
-Pop a care package in the mail. (Bonus if you can do this without leaving home).
-Leave a post it note for your spouse on the mirror reminding him or her that she's doing a good job. 
-Do something nice for someone else in the house. 
-Send a letter or a card. 
-Leave a video message for someone (Marco Polo is my favorite app for this!). 
-Support a small business by purchasing a gift card, and then send it to someone else (local restaurants are still operating as carry out in most states!). 
-Grab a funny meme you laughed at and pass it on to someone else who will laugh too. 
-Give a compliment. 
-Take a walk outside with your family. 

Our Post Disney Recap: The Tips and Tricks I Didn't Read Anywhere Else!

We're baaaaaack from the most magical vacation to Disney World, and while exhausted, we're still feeling the Disney Magic glow. We learned a TON on this trip (which is good, because more trips are definitely in our future!), so today, I want to share these tips with YOU so that you'll be in the know too! 

The Details: Before I jump into these tips, let's get to the details. We went to Disney for six nights from a Thursday to Wednesday. We traveled as a group of six: my parents, my husband, and our two children ages five and two. We stayed six nights at Coronado Springs in conjoining rooms (worked out SO well!). We did four park days - Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, a rest day, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. 

Top Tips:
Take grandparents! I realize this won't work for everyone, but I WILL tell you that having two extra sets of hands there was HUGE in making the trip less stressful. Just having the extra help getting onto a bus, having someone else to hold a tired toddler, and having someone to help make decisions was CLUTCH, y'all. If there's any way you can travel with extra adults, you should totally, totally do that. 

Memory Maker is a must! Want to know the best use of your money? Get the Memory Maker package. I was SO excited to not have to pull out my phone every time something fun was happening. I know there's a lot of debate about doing this if you're not planning to see characters (which, if you have littles, SEE THE CHARACTERS!), but we found that there were photographers EVERYWHERE. You'll get your money's worth if you're looking around. We literally had hundreds of photos taken, and the looks on the faces of my boys in them - they're priceless. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, pictures are the BEST use of money (this is my wedding advice too!)! 

Plan a break day! So as I mentioned, we have small children. And maybe the most crucial decision we made to the happiness of our vacation was planning a break in between our park days. And here's why. By like 10 a.m. on the second day of our trip, my five-year-old was asking if we could go back to the hotel. It was a LOT. A lot of people, a lot to look at, a lot of noise. Sensory overload to the extreme. He muscled through the day and had a great time, but just knowing we had a break coming up was a lot of the reason why he was calm. Our break day was perfect. We went to a later breakfast at 1900 Park Fare (which was SO fun!), took naps at the hotel (the only day we did this!), and went to Disney Springs to walk around and get souvenirs. It was just what we needed for our littles, and I would totally recommend this if you can swing it! 

Park your stroller in backwards! Have you SEEN the stroller parking at Disney? It's a LOT of strollers, friends. I read a ton of blogs before I left about how you should mark your stroller in some way so you can quickly find it in the masses, but my genius husband had a better idea. When it was time to park, he simply turned the seats facing us as opposed to the seats facing inward. That's it. And 90% of the time, the stroller was right where we left it and SO easy to find (probably because the Disney workers didn't want to have to mess with unlocking it once we'd pulled it in that way!). The other 10% of the time, it might have shifted, but most of time, it was waiting seats out for us! 

Use your meal plan from the get go! Y'all. Let's talk Disney Dining Plan for a minute. We went back and forth on whether or not to do this, but ultimately we decided to do the dining plan. We chose one table service, one quick service meal, and two snacks a day. Since our little was still free, that gave us 3 of each meal and 6 snack credits per day. And in the beginning, we were so nervous about using all our credits up quickly, so we majorly paced ourselves. We're talking, like, using one snack credit a day for our family so that we could hoard them. Mistake! Just spend the credits, people! Like many meal plan newbs, we got to our last day with a whole lotta credits we were spending in bakeries and cafes. Just use the credits! I suppose if you run out, you can pay out of pocket then. But get the treats, get the meals (and see some of our favorites below!). 

End of February/Beginning of March weather was perfect! No long explanation for this one. The weather while we were there was amazing. The high each day was between 62-82, and it was so amazing. Go then! 

Our unexpected favorite: The Skyliner! Guys, have you ridden The Skyliner yet?! This fabulous new transportation system wasn't at Disney the last time we were there, but this was an unexpected favorite of ours on the trip. We'd seen the gondola looking system when we were walking the world showcase at Epcot, but it wasn't until we were at Hollywood Studios that our five-year-old asked if we could ride them. As we left the park that day, we decided it would be a fun way to travel around to get back to Magic Kingdom, so off we went. And it was SO fun! The boys loved being up in the air and cruising over the different hotels and resorts along the way. At one point, the kids said it was their favorite ride (which, great, that's a free ride!)! But it was SO convenient, and there was no waiting. We'll strongly consider staying at a resort that Skyliner goes to the next time we go to Disney. <3 

Stroller naps are clutch, so take a stroller! We debated heavily about whether or not to take a stroller with us... until one day in January when our kids were napping and we happened to be driving through a nearby neighborhood, and we saw a Bob double jogging stroller with a FREE sign at the end of a driveway. No shame in the free stroller game, so we pulled over and snagged that guy immediately! It needed a SUPER good cleaning, but we figured if it got lost or taken, we wouldn't really be out anything. And let me tell you, it was SO amazing to have a stroller with us for the airport AND the parks. We had planned to go back to the hotel every day so the kids could nap, but I'll tell you, that stroller was perfection, and the boys both slept in it (multiple times!). We couldn't have asked for a better free stroller to take, so if you're able to find one on the cheap (or free!) ahead of time, do that. Stroller rental ranges from $20-45 a day at Disney, and that adds up, friends. 

Hire a planner! There are a LOT of details when it comes to Disney planning, and it was overwhelming for even a planner like me. Find yourself a planner who knows the ins and outs. We used my friend Dixie with Miss Mouse Magical Vacations. She was SO helpful! She took care of our initial booking (and broke down all the options for us!), answered any questions we had along the way about dining, rides, and parks, AND she was pretty much on call while we were gone (and answered questions in MINUTES when we had trouble with Memory Maker and when I forgot our luggage tags from Disney at home!). You pay nothing for using a planner, and they literally make sure you save money. It's a win-win! 


Dining plan tips and favorites: 

Favorite Meal: Be Our Guest dinner! Yes, we went for dinner, and yes, this was two table service credits. It was TOTALLY worth it! The atmosphere was so amazing, and the food was so, SO good (I got the filet, and you could cut it with a butter knife, y'all). We got to meet the Beast afterward in his study which was so fun! This will totally be somewhere we go again. (Our second favorite meal was 1900 Park Fare character breakfast - Mary Poppins was amazing!)

Favorite Use of Snack Credits: Everything I read prior to the trip said that to really get the most out of your snack credits, you'll want to make sure your snacks are at least $5 or more. It's easy to do with some super yummy options... and shocker, we mostly went for sweets with our crew!  

Starbucks Venti Drinks and Cake Pops - I can almost hear the groans on this one, but hear me out. For one snack credit, you can score a giant delicious drink (and as the sweet barista told me at Hollywood Studios, you can add an extra shot to it too!). AND, you can score three cake pops for one snack credit! This was perfect for giving the kids a little something sweet without loading them up with a huge dessert. Plus, I knew they were familiar, and the kids would eat them. 

Goofy's Candy Company - Make your own rice krispie treat - At Goofy's Candy Company in Disney Springs, you can make your own Mickey Shaped rice krispie treat for one snack credit. Each of our boys made one (one with white chocolate covered in sprinkles and white chocolate drizzle and one with m&m's and chocolate with white chocolate drizzle). They were MASSIVE, and we brought them home with us and nibbled pieces of them for several days afterward. So fun! 

Ghiradelli Ice Cream - Apparently all our favorite snacks were at Disney Springs! We stopped by the Ghiradelli Ice Cream Shop where we snagged a single scoop of ice cream in any sort of cone with any one topping for a snack credit. Y'all, the portions were HUGE, and we all opted for waffle cones filled with chocolate. Seriously good use of snack credit! 

Peter Pan Float - And our other favorite ice cream treat was this green deliciousness from Story Book Treats in Magic Kingdom. It was lime flavored soft serve with Sprite in it, and I'm telling you, it was GOOD. Plus, it came with a chocolate feather on top. Super refreshing after a busy park day, and the four of us split one (see what I mean about not using our snack credits?!). 

Lent: Giving up things and getting so much more

Fat Tuesday is HERE, and if you're anywhere near the South Bend area, you probably had a Paczki or five (or at least saw them heavily advertised) today. And while I could probably stand to give up the sweet treats, we're heading to Disney during Lent, so unfortunately, that's a no go this year. 

I started thinking about what I really wanted to give up this year that would make a difference not only for me but for our whole family. I'm being much more vigilant about intentionally connecting this year, and one of the things that holds our family back from those intentional connections is the amount of STUFF we have. 

You guys, we are SWIMMING in stuff. When we bought this house, it was a good 1,000 square feet larger than our last house, and I remember my husband and I commenting that we could never fill all the space. Well, low and behold, we've come to find that you'll fill the space you have, and some of the rooms are BURSTING - so much so that we don't even know what all is in them anymore. 

So for Lent, we're clearing the clutter. Every day, we're donating one item in our house per family member to somewhere that could use it. Clothes to our local shelters and Dress for Success programs. Baby items to a halfway house for mommas who don't have anywhere to go. Duplicate books to organizations that gift them away. All. The. Things. 

In doing so, I'm hoping that we'll be able to connect as we pick our items each day, connect to our community as we give them away, and connect more with less in our home. By the end of Lent, we're hoping to be 160 items lighter and more connected to each other, our faith, and our home. 

What's your Lenten plan this year? I'd love to hear it! 

Potty Training 2.0: How it went with the second boy child

Let's talk about my least favorite part of parenting so far: potty training! HOLY CRAP this is so hard. But we're about four weeks in, and dare I say, I think he's got it! So tonight, I thought I'd share a little bit more of what this journey has looked like for us the second time around! 

A little background before I dive in. I potty trained our older son at 26 months old. He was just over two, incredibly verbal, and showing huge indicators that he was interested. Around the time he turned two, I picked up the book Oh Crap Potty Training, and I absolutely loved her method. Essentially, the child walks around pantsless for a few days before transitioning back into pants and then undies/pants. For those first several days, this is the only thing you focus on. Like, at all. I remember days 2 and 4 being REALLY tough with him, but I also remember that it clicked pretty quickly. 

So with our second son, I knew I wanted to try to potty train around the same age. I have incredibly stubborn boy children, and I can only imagine what more months would have done for them. 

Here's what the book doesn't address: What in the actual HELL are you supposed to do with the older child while you're potty training the younger one?! It's practically impossible to focus all of your attention on the potty training child, because you HAVE ANOTHER KID. Gratefully, we started this process during the holiday break when my husband was home and could entertain said other child, but this was my biggest concern going into it, and it was a hurdle that was tough.

Days one and two were like a dream. He got it so quickly, and we were thrilled with his progress. We did that stupid thing that parents do where we patted ourselves on the back and thought we totally had this thing nailed. 

Then day three came. And, spoiler alert, we had some SERIOUS resistance to going on the potty. Like, we weren't getting there at ALL. And worse, he was waiting until the second I went to warm up coffee or grab something to let loose. So he totally knew what he was doing! Stinker! 

Days 3 through 10 were TOUGH. We had largely stayed home from activities during the time, so on top of going stir crazy, I was getting super nervous about what our eventual return to real life was going to look like. Even if we avoided outings for awhile, at the very minimum, the time was coming where I had to take my older son to and from school three days a week, and that was a necessity. 

I remember at one point, we had a very real conversation about doing a "reset" - stopping potty training for two to four weeks and trying again after that time had passed. I was frustrated. Dan was frustrated. It was frustrating. But, in Oh Crap, she recommends waiting two full weeks and REALLY giving it a good effort before throwing in the towel. Admittedly, my focus couldn't be completely on our potty trainer because there were other living beings in the house that needed care and attention too. So we decided we would go until the 14 day mark and then decide. 

We really worked with him and tried to use language around the idea of the feeling of having to go potty. I could see him getting frustrated with himself when he didn't make it to the potty, so I knew he was trying! We did a lot of praise and encouragement, and big brother was SO helpful with this. He absolutely cheers the loudest, which is so sweet! 

And then. Day 11. 

I don't even know what changed. Maybe it was the fact that I relaxed a little bit. Maybe it was the fact that we were back to our normal weekly routine with school and activities and a regimented schedule. Maybe he just decided he wanted to show us what we could do. But on day 11, he just started using the potty. 

And knock on wood, almost a month in, it's been success ever since! He's been so good about telling us when he has to go (he even alerts us to WHAT kind of potty he needs to do), and we've seen very few accidents in either form in the past two weeks. Praise be! 

So here, in no particular order, is what I learned. 

It's hard to give full attention to potty training with other kiddos in the house. I don't have a remedy for this. I mean, if you have a way to offload other children for the interim, I suppose you can do that, but it's very hard to REALLY give that full attention. It might take a little longer. 

All progress is good progress. So many days looked like failure. I made a point each night to celebrate ANY progress forward we had during the day. Find the good moments and celebrate those while you cry into your beer each night. Or chocolate, if you don't want beer. 

Make one parent the point person. One of the things I think we didn't do a great job of this time around was splitting the duties. When I potty trained our first, I was running the show. I did the bulk of the training, and I think our son got used to my style of potty training. With our second, we were kind of tag teaming in order to make sure we both had adequate time with each child, and honestly, I feel like it kind of messed him up. I tend to be more patient with things like this while my husband is more patient during play, and I think our sweet little guy got mixed messages. I can't say for certain this hurt the process, but it definitely didn't help it. 

Give it the two full weeks. I will tell you, on day ten, I was thisclose to just throwing it all away. Our house was NOT harmonious, and I was honestly beginning to question my sanity. It was a lot. But the idea of having to start this process over from scratch was so exhausting, so we vowed to give it the two weeks. It is SO hard when you see immediate results that disappear. But I am SO thankful we didn't quit. That being said, we had some pretty big indicators that he was getting it and was just resisting. The fact that he was waiting until we walked away just proved that he could control his bladder (and control when he released it!)! 

Do what you gotta do. The book says not to use rewards. And we didn't with our first child. But this one, well, you do what you gotta do. I am totally okay with giving him a jelly belly five times a day if he goes on the potty. We didn't start out rewarding, but somewhere in the process, I was like - whatever it takes here, people! Sometimes he asks for a treat afterward. Sometimes he asks and forgets. Sometimes he doesn't ask. I don't stress about it anymore. He's doing great, and that's what counts in my book! 

So, tell me your potty training experience! How did it go when you potty trained your littles? 

Budgeting in the New Year: Spend. All. The. Gift Cards.

Happy New Year, all! 2020. I still can't quite believe that we're in the new Roaring 20s (YES, I will be calling them that from now on, so you should adjust, because we've got a decade of it comin' attcha), but alas, here we are. 

So on NYE, when my husband took a peek at our holiday credit card bill, we had a little come to Jesus meeting about our spending. We've always been decent with our money and allocate into savings, retirement, and our various other accounts, but we've got big dreams, big vacations, and big plans for 2020, so we're trying hard to cut back. 

Light bulb moment! 

Are we the only ones who acquire gift cards and forget to use them? That's us. We get a gift card that we're really excited about, and then we put them somewhere safe, and weeks or months pass before we even think about them again. 

So on January 1, I went to all the spots in our house where we keep gift cards (which, P.S., was seven different spots), and I made a list of all of them. 

Gift cards for date nights. 
Gift cards for fun outings with the kids. 
Gift cards for groceries. 
Gift cards for wellness. 
Gift cards for car washes.
Gift cards for all the things we normally do and just haven't used gift cards for. 

I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how much we had in gift cards (it's four digits, y'all). So we dubbed January the month of the gift card. If we can use a gift card on it, that's what we're doing. 

This is my friendly reminder to you. If you've got gift cards sitting in drawers, go get them out NOW and use them up this year too, friends! I bet you too have more than you think you do laying around, and it does no good for any of us to let them sit in the drawer! Join us this month in gift card-ing... and then we'll figure out a new budgeting plan for February! <3