Vegas And Surprises

At Christmas, I surprised V. with a Vegas trip this past long weekend for his Christmas/birthday present.  We left on Friday, came home this afternoon.  The kiddos enjoyed their time with my parents and we enjoyed our adult time in Vegas, our first since right before I was pregnant with D. in 2010.

Of the last 3 Vegas trips which would take us back to 2007 (I think), this one was the best because V. and I were on the same page.  I won't go into details but there just weren't any Mr. Individual episodes which have got him into trouble in the past.  Again, another example of D. healing us.

I was really missing the kiddos while we were gone, especially D.  I know that sounds really bad but I thought about it and this is why.  I. is already in school all day long and I have already gone through a grieving process with not getting to spend very much time with her during the week so it's not as drastic a change as with D. who I spend most of the day with.  And since he really isn't quite the 2 year old that my intense daughter was, I really enjoy his company instead of looking forward to getting breaks from the intensity.  I also miss that time at night when we snuggle together in the rocking chair, talk about the day and sing together.  We may not be nursing but this skin to skin, together time is still our own time, to reconnect and move into sleep.

About 2 weeks ago, I got the potty seats out from the garage and set them up much to D.'s excitement.  Since he's not even 2 1/2, it was just an exercise to get comfortable with what they were especially because D. became very interested in the potty book and his best little friend is now officially using the potty which is of interest to him.  So for a couple of weeks he's been sitting on it off and on enjoying the novelty of it.  My main goal was to teach him how to sit on it properly and to position his wee wee (yes, I know it's not politically correct but I can teach him the alternative name for it when he's 5) behind the hat (as I've nicknamed the pee guard).  I mean come on, I'm a girl what the heck do I know about these things?! 

Well, in just a couple of days he mastered the "push the wee wee behind the hat" but was like a jack in a box - sit for 3 seconds, up for 3 seconds etc.  I figured he had at least learned how to sit on it so that was a step in the right direction. 

We all get home tonight and after bath he saw the potty (for the first time in 4 days) and said he wanted to go potty.  He sat himself down properly and he and I hung out there talking about how his eyes got soap in them and were burning.  He actually sat there for almost a minute because he was distracted.  Then I told him he had better go have Daddy put his PJs on if he wanted read time with Daddy so he stood up to go find him.  I glanced in the potty and lo and behold there was a bunch of pee in there!  There was a big family celebration with a ceremonial pour into the big potty and D. was so excited.  I can't believe it.  Tonight he said he is going to tell his music class that he went pee pee in the potty.  Fingers crossed that there is hope that D. is easy to potty train.  God knows I deserve it as a reward for my patience with I.'s potty training marathon.