The Weapon of Urination

Esther has become a bit of a challenge these days. Quite frankly, we are beat. I feel like she is winning this battle and I'm not sure how to best her. She does all the usual screaming, kicking, flailing around, but her latest weapon is one I don't quite know how to combat... Urination.
Shortly after she turned two, she potty trained herself. After all our difficulties with Noah, it was a God send. It was amazing and we couldn't believe how fortunate we were... Or so we thought. She has managed to turn that gift back on us. It is her secret weapon. Anytime I put her in time out, she pees everywhere. (She only sits in timeout in the kitchen now so as to save the carpet.) Anytime she gets mad in the car, she wets all over her car seat. Two weekends ago, we went to Rogers and she peed on the way there and back just because she was tired of being in the car. Now she'll just let it loose anytime I get on to her. Doesn't matter where she is.
Let me tell you, it is exhausting. I am so tired of scrubbing the carpet and washing clothes and carseats. Not to me room the mental drainage... Every time she does something she is not supposed to, before I get onto her, the thought goes through my head, 'please don't pee everywhere. Maybe I should just let it go and not get onto her.' I always end up going through with it, but she has definitely gotten in my head.
I have asked friends and pediatricians many who have been practicing for 30 years and the response is usually, 'oooh, I don't know. That's a tough one.' 'Have you tried ignoring her?'...yes. 'Have you tried putting her in a diaper?' I threatened it and her response was, 'Yes, I want a diaper!' So I bailed. Pretty much everything I have tried, has failed. I keep trying to think about what I would tell my patients, and I keep coming up empty.
Today, after screaming and trying to kick the door down for about two hours because she didn't want to take a nap or stay in her room, she finally passed out. I stepped in a puddle of urine on my way in to check on her.
Notice the wet panties on the floor in the picture. Sigh. What am I going to do with her??? I am guessing that this is something that eventually she will decide on her own, that it is not worth it and just stop. Until then, we wait and do a lot of washing and scrubbing.

Slumber party

This was the first night Esther was allowed to sleep with the big kids. She was so excited.

Tiling

Not something I would prefer to do again, but it's done. Ahhhhh.

Pop culture invades

The other day I was getting on to Noah about something. As I was mid sentence, he stops me and says, "Mommy, you don't know you're beautiful." Thank you One Direction. Thank you for interfering with my parenting. And Noah thanks you for getting him out of too much trouble. :)

Conversations you don't want to hear...
Noah: hey Esther, if you put your face over the candle, it will warm your forehead. (Pause) MOMMY!!!! Esther's hair is on fire!!!!!
Esther: scream!!!

Easter

Nine Months Old

There is just no other word to describe Thomas other than joy. He is so sweet and happy pretty much all the time. I love this age where you start seeing more and more personality, but yet they are still so sweet. Here is what he is up to:
- He started army crawling around seven months and did that exclusively for about 2-2 1/2 months. We were wondering if he would just skip crawling all together, but he has finally started crawling normally now.
- He is pulling up. Still not cruising much, but working on it and starting to take a few steps with his little push walker thing.
- He can wave. He does prefer high fives though. He laughs and thinks it is hilarious when you give him a high five. He will just hold his hands up and wait for it with a big grin on his face.
- He is quite active. We had kind of gotten out of the habit of child proofing our house because Esther NEVER got into anything. We have been reminded of the need. He is constantly racing for Rudy's food and water bowl every chance he gets. He LOVES the bathroom- splashing in the toilet, knocking the shampoo bottles into the tub. The bathroom provides a lot of entertainment. He loves night lights too. We have several in various places around the house and he loves to unplug them. There is one in Noah and Esther's room that has the actual screw on small bulb instead of the LED light. It is amazing how fast he can unplug it, unscrew it, and out the bulb in his mouth. That one stays out up most of the time.
- He eats four 6-oz bottles a day and eats solid foods at mealtimes. We are working on using a cup now. He has two bottom teeth and one coming on on the top.
- He is a good sleeper, but hasn't been napping quite as long lately. He takes two naps a day for probably around an hour and a half. He sleeps about 12 hours at night. We finally weaned him of his swaddle and then noticed that he was waking up a lot at night. We tried putting a blanket over him and he once again, sleeps all night. I guess he just likes to be snugly. :) He sleeps with a paci and seems to like them but is not nearly the addict that his sister is.
- He loves his brother and sister, especially Noah. It is so cute to watch Noah playing with him. He has been the first baby we have had that actually preferred me. His daddy is definitely making a comeback though. As soon as Brian walks through the door, Thomas starts crawling toward him and kind of whines until Brian picks him up. He pretty much wants nothing to do with me for the rest of the night.
- He loves to play rough and wrestle. He always wants to be in the mix when Brian and Noah are wrestling. He also loves to be tickled.
- He is still super flexible and just goes with the flow, although he does not nap as well outside of his bed anymore.

It never ceases to amaze me how before having a child, you can't imagine life with them. But after a few months, you don't know how you ever lived without them. Thomas you are such a joy. We are so blessed by you and thankful for you. We love you so much and can't imagine life without you!!!