32 weeks

Wow, time is flying!
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Like Rorschach Ink and Clouds,

but grosser.

This is a post I've been debating about posting because it is another potty training one, but I really want it to make it into our blog book for us to remember.

Last Friday Mike bought jelly beans to give Ethan when he goes potty in the toilet (instead of a sticker chart). We also have a jar that Ethan gets to put a noodle in each day and night he keeps his underwear clean (noodle because it isn't a choking hazard like marbles). When he gets enough noodles we go to a water park, and did so on Friday. Between those two exciting things Friday, and Mike being home for the weekend and helping me recover from the negativity of an overwhelming week or two, all the sudden Ethan started being in a much better mood, using the toilet all the time again, and even sleeping in later most mornings!

Anyway, onto the real story. Now that Ethan is going #2 in the toilet again, I've been reminded of another little quirk he's developed. He still prefers using his little training toilet most of the time. When he goes #2 he always names his accomplishment. Sometimes he just says big or little, but most of the time it is something like these actual examples: Mickey, snake, dinosaur, pickle, etc. "Look Mom, a pickle!". Then he opens the toilet "open the lid, open the seat" and dumps his training toilet. As he flushes the toilet he'll bid a fond farewell, "Bye pickle! Bye pickle! The pickle went down!". It cracks me up! He has even done this when his pee did not cover the bottom of the little toilet so a hole was left behind, he'd name the shape of the hole. These names are used throughout the day as he remembers his accomplishments or shares them with others.

On a side note, Ethan's vocabulary is increasing a lot. For example, we have never had pickles in our house and Ethan won't eat them, but one of his favorite books lately mentions pickles. I showed him a black and white picture of me from my college days (wearing a beanie) the other day and asked him who it was and he said "woman". I had no idea he knew that word. He's soaking everything up and changing so fast!
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You know he was raised in the desert when...

He lifts the flap to see what is climbing the tree and says, "lizard!" every time.
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Change of Scenery

Phoenix heat really changes 4th of July celebrations. This morning Mike let me sleep in and then I went to the gym, but before I even turned on the treadmill I got a sharp pain in my head. I thought it'd go away as I started exercising, but as I continued with my circuit of treadmill and weight machines it got worse and I got nauseous, so I called it quits. I walked home and collapsed in bed where Mike rubbed my neck and shoulders with peppermint oil until I could fall asleep. I stayed in bed until the afternoon.

Ethan took a long nap and we decided to drive up to Tempe so I could get out of the house. The first place we went was Barnes and Noble where Ethan found a train table. Good thing we drove all this way to play with trains! :). Depending on how Ethan does with his attitude and underwear (one pair down one to go) we may spend the evening at a splash fountain and/or watching a big fireworks show from the air conditioned comfort of Mike's office.
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Thoughts from this Weekend So Far

I should have been drinking more water while weeding yesterday morning; the effects are still with me.

I'm glad Mike sent me in at 9am this morning. The 90 degrees didn't feel bad, but I've still felt worn out all day. Mike stayed out a lot longer. Who knows how hot it got before he came in this afternoon, but it is currently 115.

I am so tired of driving trains around and around and around Ethan's track, but he really wants me to, constantly!

Ethan correctly uses the word junction (along with other technical words) while playing with trains: "no, Mom, leave Spencer at the junction!"

Mike was laying down in the train room after getting tired of driving trains (post yardwork). He had is arm over this face. Ethan pulled his arm off and said, "wake up lazy bones!". Which is a line from one of his favorite Thomas stories.

Ethan keeps trying to take my phone as I type this. "Phone away, phone down" because I have not been excused from playing trains yet.

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