I Heart Jason

And here's why-
*
He saves me the last chocolate chip cookie, even though we both know I've eaten more than my share.

*

He let's me run screaming out of the house as soon as he gets home (I don't actually scream...usually).

*

He takes over Leah's 45-trips-an-hour to the potty from 5 to 7.

*

He gave me a blessed ONE HOUR massage the other night.

*

What a man. I love being married to someone who knows what I need most.

A Tiny Glimpse

Every time I put Leah to sleep- nap or for the night- as soon as I sit down, I start to feel a little bump-bump-bump in my belly. I guess the little man is starting to gear me up for the days when there will be no rest for the weary just because Leah's asleep!

Also, I finally weigh more than I did when I got pregnant with Leah. I'm sure it has nothing to do with these or these.My two favorite foods these days. Gross and embarrassing, I know. Maybe now that I've admitted it to the world, I'll scale back a little bit.

Portrait of a Potty-Trainee- Day One

I call this Day One because we have finally run out of diapers, and I told Leah that I wasn't going to buy any more. She is very excited to be wearing "Princess Pants", and I guess I thought they would be the miracle potty-makers... not so much.

As you read, keep in mind that I am not really interested in potty training. But Leah hasn't pooped in her diaper since this day, so she's on the potty whether I like it or not. We've been half-heartedly getting her on the potty a few times every day for a month or so, and usually she will produce a little something. But now that we're out of diapers and the weather's warming up, I'm officially committing to GETTING IT DONE. Bear with me. And pray for me.

Day One

7:10- Leah wakes up, as she does most mornings, saying "I have to go to the potty!" Jason springs to action, gets her on the toilet, and we have a small ceremony to introduce her to the world of Pull-ups. No more diapers here!

Attempts on potty: 1 Pee in the potty count: 0

8:00- After breakfast, we head to the potty. Leah mildly resists, insisting that she does not need to potty, she needs to play.

Attempts on potty: 2. Pee in the potty count: 0

9:00- As we're getting dressed and ready for the day, I remind Leah that if she needs to pee, she needs to sit on the potty. No peeing in the princess pants!

Attempts on potty: 3. Pee in the potty count: 0

10:00- Getting ready to leave for the grocery store, I insist that Leah try sitting on the potty one more time. Better at home than in the store. Leah throws a small fit and insists that she does not need to potty.

Attempts on potty: 4. Pee in the potty count: 0

11:00- In the grocery store, I ask Leah if she needs to potty. Intrigued by a public toilet, as she usually is, she says yes and we head to the bathroom. Yuck.

Attempts on potty: 5. Pee in the potty count: 0 Princess pull-up is pretty much soaked by now.

12:00- Back home for lunch. One more try on the potty before naptime.

Attempts on potty: 6. Pee in the potty count: 0

3:00- Up from nap. Perfect time to potty. Leah throws a fit, and I get desperate. Surely there must be something in there? Most days I can get something out! Slight hysteria sets in (me), bribes with M&Ms ensue.

Attempts on potty: 7. Pee in the potty count: 0. Second pull up fairly soaked, but she doesn't seem to mind.

4:00- Friends over to play. As a social potty-go-er, Leah insists that she "NEEDS TO SIT ON THE POTTY". After 20 minutes, Jason gets home and I take the friends outside to play. Without an audience, Leah hops up and joins us outside.

Attempts on potty: 8. Pee in the potty count: 0

.

5:30- Jason gives Leah dinner while I spend a few glorious hours alone spending birthday money. He gives her privacy on the potty, per her request. When he checks in on her, finds her sitting on top of her potty, lid closed, reading a book.

Attempts on potty: 9. Pee in the potty count: 0

6:30- We're all hanging out in the bathroom while Leah takes a bath. She hops up, announces, "I need to go to the potty!" and actually sits on the potty and PEES! (Mind you, this was halfway through her bath! Surely she had let a little pee out in the water by now?)

Attempts on potty: 10. Pee in the potty count: 1. Yay! We do the celebration dance, and Leah gets a sticker and a tiny chocolate donut.

7:30- As I'm typing up this post, I hear, "Mommeeeee! I have to go to the potty!" This is her nightly attempt at delaying bedtime. I sit her on the potty, and tell her to call me when she's done. After 10 minutes of silence, I find her scrubbing her toilet with a washcloth. "I'm cleaning," she informs me. Back to bed.

Please tell me tomorrow will be a better day?!?!

Try This At Home!

Do you ever wonder why you spend money on toys?

And It's A....

Healthy Baby!

And that's the most important thing. This baby has a beautiful spine, arms, legs and face. And that makes me so happy.

I've had no real idea either way if this baby is a boy or a girl, and I was too chicken to guess. Here were my arguments for either side, just to draw out the suspense.

Boy:

*This baby kicks and kicks and kicks! Not that boys do that more than girls, but Leah sure wasn't this active this early, so maybe it's a boy.

*Every dream I've had about babies since I've been pregnant has been about a baby boy.

Girl:

*Leah is a girl, she has lots of girl cousins and aunties, we are just a girl making family. Maybe it's a girl.

*I have a few more girl names I like. Maybe that's my way of knowing it's a girl.

Either/or:

*My closest contact to heaven (Leah) changes her mind daily. I heard "I have a baby brother and he's at school!" just as often as "I have a baby sister and she's coming to play with my toys!" No real help there...

So...

After the doctor's appointment today, we now know that it's

a

BOY!

And we couldn't be happier! He's healthy, active and beautiful. Jason especially is thrilled to know that he won't be a lonely man in the female-heavy Morales/Henscheid families. He can't stop smiling, and keeps saying things like, "camp-outs! Little League! GI Joes!". I am thrilled, but feeling a little nervous- I may be a mom, but I've never been a boy's mom before! But either way, here he comes!

Oh, and can you tell the guy liked printing pictures of the baby? There are a dozen of them! And those boxes behind me are full of Leah's baby clothes, most of which will just be packed up and stored for a future little sister.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Thank you so much to everyone that thought of me on my birthday yesterday- it was a great one! Jason always knows how to spoil me, and Leah has more party spirit in her than anyone I've met! One year older and wiser too? I guess we'll see!

So cute- after a great party, three pooped granddaughters curled up to watch Pixar shorts with Grandpa.

Gender Poll

If you're an "effective" blogger like me, you're probably on on Google Reader, and don't know that I added a gender poll on our blog. We find out on Monday, so head over to the blog to make a guess now!