A Dirty Story

We've been working with Lincoln since Thanksgiving to get him potty trained. He had a hard time at first, then we got him a "froggy potty" and everything changed for the better! He did very well after that but still had a hard time learning how to go "No. 2" in the potty.

He's now since graduated from the "froggy potty" and won't go anywhere but a big-boy potty...not even on a tree. Isn't that a right of passage for boys?

We had months of wet pants and poo poo undies. Finally after having cleaned yet another pair of undies with poo, we decided to bribe him with a toy. He is SUPER into Toy Story, so our first thought was to get a "Sherriff Woody" doll. But there was a little Lotso figure with a truck Josh thought would work better. We bought it and showed it to him saying, "If you go poo poo in the potty, you get Lotso."

"Lotso!" he would say. "Not until you go poo poo in the potty."

I can't tell you how many times we said this. Finally, after about a month of trying to bribe him, I was about to give up, then I went to check on him during nap time. He was in the bathroom and had poo all over his hands and toilet paper in the pot, but no poo. He looked at me and said, "Poo poo in the potty! Yeah!" I asked him if he went in the potty and he said Yes. I was still skeptical but I wanted to reward him, so he got Lotso.

Two days later, the same thing happened. I didn't witness it, but again congratulated him and made a big deal of it. He has also taken to closing us out of the bathroom to do his business. So finally I made a point to sit down in the bathroom with him to witness the deed. And YES, he did it!

We've made huge strides in his potty training now. He lets us know when he has to go, or he'll just say, "I gotta go" and run to the potty himself. He washes he hands with soap, drys then off, and comes running out saying "I pee peed" or "I poo pooed". He still has accidents every now and then, but he's done wonderfully.

Now onto the next issue....His teachers sent home a note saying he told them he had to potty three times and then went, but they had to constantly tell him to take his hand out of his pants. That's a daddy conversation because I just don't get it.

Time Out

Lincoln, Age 3 1/2

Lincoln has been doing so well at school and learning to string his words together, especially in song, that he is using sentences all the time...including when he is in Time Out.

Yesterday he was put in Time Out for throwing a huge fit over who-knows-what and was made to sit on his TO cushion. Instead of sitting, he sprawls himself down on the tile floor, either on his stomach or back, and fake cries. But after a minute or so of Josh and I ignoring him, I heard a song coming from the TO corner.

**Now let me preface this by telling you that Lincoln picks up songs, phrases, and sayings from movies, t.v. and just about anywhere. But he has a particular fascination with the Backyardigans, a cartoon show on Nick Jr. that has singing animals using their imaginations in different scenarios. His favorite episodes include a Kangaroo (Austin) racing around the world, a Moose (Tyrone) making Samuari Pies, and a Penguin (Pablo), Kangaroo, Moose, and a whatever thing Uniqua is. Maybe she's a bug. **

So, back to Lincoln. I stop to listen to his song as he is lying on his back... He is singing a song from the Racing Day episode where one of the characters is in last place.

Again, as he is sitting in Time Out... "I'm not happy about this...no sir. I'm not happyyyyyyyyy about this." It was just classic! Josh and I had to stifle our laughs.

He really has gotten lots better with his sentences, but I have to drag them out of him alot of the time. He will begin by saying one word of something he wants and I have to say, "I..." then he says, "I want banana please." This is a constant battle. Now that he's getting more vocal, he's also getting more independent. "Lincoln's turn, Lincoln's turn!!!" is a frequent phrase now a days.

I guess that's the price we pay for our kiddo growing up and progressing. And we LOVE it! He's a stinker, but well worth it. He has also adopted the phrase, "I'm a hugger" from Toy Story 3. And he is!!!

"First thing you got to know about me is...I'm a hugger!" Lotso Huggin' Bear

Dinosaur Crafts

Lincoln has been working on all things dinosaurs at school...
He's doing really well at school. Now if I can just get him to go poo in the potty instead of his pants!!!

10th Anniversary

Today Josh and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary!
It's been ten years filled with super highs, some not so great times, and lots of love! Here's a look back at the last ten years. Thank you, Josh, for the greatest adventure! I love you more and more every day!

Family Christmas/New Year with Friends

Our Christmas/New Year was a crazy one, full of traveling, visitors, lots of presents for Lincoln, and lots of laughs.



New Year's Day at the Bond home.


Samantha, Lincoln, and Allie at Braum's.


And Noby too!

Christmas day at Nana's house.

Merry Christmas!

"I love my guitar AND my rain boots!"

Eat your heart out Sheldon...

Santa's Helper...

Three generations of Smiths.

Christmas

Christmas Past

This Christmas season has been the best so far with Lincoln. He is old enough to enjoy the music, shows, and Santa. The last two years, even as an infant, he cried each time he saw Santa. And presents were just something we opened for him. I'm hoping that he will WANT to open presents this year. We'll see.

This year is always stressful for me because of the gift buying, figuring out where we are going and what family we will get to see. But the best part of year for me is seeing the smile on my kiddo's face when he really likes something. This year, that something has been "Elmo's Christmas Countdown." It's a video that we checked out from the local library and he has wanted to watch it over and over and over again. I credit Elmo for helping Lincoln feel more comfortable with Santa. Plus, his teachers at school have been talking about Santa.

My favorite moment thus far happened at our church Christmas party. Santa arrived, read a story, then the kids lined up to sit on Santa's lap. Lincoln stood in line, with a little help, then when it was his turn, he walked directly to Santa, sat on his lap and smiled!! As you look at our Santa pictures from the past years, you'll see what a big accomplishment this is.

I'm glad that Lincoln can recognize not only Santa, but his Savior as well. There was a picture of Santa and a picture of Jesus Christ on the same wall at a friend's house and he pointed to Santa and named him, then did the same with Jesus. I'm just happy that he is speaking so much more, but it was the icing on the cake to know he can recognize his Savior.

I feel very blessed this year, even with the tough trials and decisions that we've faced. I'm grateful to my Savior and Father in Heaven for all my blessings and for my wonderful and loving family. Merry Christmas!

2007

2008- Mele Kelikemaka

2009

2010