Why I call her Hairy...

Waiting

While I'm waiting for Leah to decide that she's finally ready to pipe down and go to sleep, I thought I'd make a list of things I'm waiting for right now.Waiting....

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To get the last offer from one more graduate school and accept one of the three.

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To know where we will be living in four months so I can start looking for a new home/neighborhood/ward/life!

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For April 24th to come so I can have my husband back (at least for a few days, until spring semester starts)

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For May- Our 5 year anniversary- the reservations are made, Leah's trip to Grammy's is set, and I'm ready for a break!

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For spring to officially make it's appearance, so I can pack away winter clothes and go outside without a coat on- I almost can't zip mine!

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For my belly to really pop so I can officially look pregnant, not just pudgy.

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To figure out what the heck this baby's name is!

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For July! The magical month where I will know if I'll have to have a C-section, if my baby boy is healthy, and if I am able to function as a mother of two in a new state with a busier-than-ever husband.

I think that's a good list to start with... I hate to wish away today, but I am getting excited for the future!

A Perfect Spring Day

Involved grilling!
And yet, today, it's snowing. Boo.

Potty Training- Day 6

This has been a long week in the bathroom department, but with the suggestions my sweet friends made (thanks, ladies!)and a few tweaks of my own, overall, I think the week has been a success. Leah is getting more familiar with the potty, and I have decided that it's going to happen, albeit slowly, so we're doing it. I'm learning a whole new level of patience, and I don't want to forget what a joy this experience is, so I'm posting details here for future reference. Feel free to skip this post if you're not into potty talk right now!

Today Leah completed her first potty chart, so we made a BIG deal out of it- taking lots of pictures and heading to the Disney store to pick out a little toy, which she "paid for" with her potty chart. She was thrilled, and now she knows that there are rewards for filling potty charts with stickers.

Things I like:

*Our new potty charts. I decided to use these templates, because it makes more sense to put a sticker on each flower, rain drop, Easter egg, etc., than to have to fill in a bunch of boring ol' boxes. And Leah loves it! Plus, there is a different number of dots on each picture, so I can up the dots as she gets more successful. I love this idea, and yes, thank you, I came up with it myself (I think).

*Successful trips to the potty. Leah is starting to hold it long enough to get to the bathroom, and her pull-ups are staying drier longer every day.

*Pull-ups. This is actually a toss up, because they are much easier to get up and down than a diaper, and they leave her feeling more wet and smelly than a diaper, so she doesn't really like them. However, she knows it's just like a diaper, and if it gets wet, she gets a new one. I'm looking forward to big girl underwear, but I think we have a few more successful weeks of potty training before we get there.

Things I don't like:

*Naked days. I tried this on Tuesday, and Leah does not yet understand that no diaper=no peeing unless you're on the potty. I cleaned sheets, chairs, and carpets that day, and was just about to give up before the day was over.

*Early morning potty trips. A few days this week, Leah has woken us all up at 5:00 AM with shouts of "I have to poop! I have to go to the potty!" Ugh. I don't mind once, but three times in one hour tells me that she's just playing games. So we're still trying to figure out the mix between going because you have to go and staying in bed because it's not time for games.

*Number 2. A lot of moms have told me that this is the hardest part of potty training, but Leah will not go unless she's on the toilet. That means lots of trips to the toilet before she will sit long enough to feel the urge and get it over with. I'm glad she's going in the potty though. I certainly don't miss stinky diapers and wipes.

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We're getting there. I'm confident that Leah will be in big girl undies before the summer is over- and that's my goal. One diaper wielding baby at a time!

I Heart Jason

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

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

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

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

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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

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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!

Wheee!

Actually, that should be Wii! Jason won a Wii at a conference he went to a few months ago, and we have been having a lot of fun with it! We got the Wii Fit, which has a lot of fun games, but can get your heart rate up, too. Even Leah is starting to get interested in the games- it's amazing what 21st century kids are hard-wired to do!

My favorite part about the Wii Fit is that it tracks your weight and BMI, but as far as I can tell, there is no option to tell it your pregnant, and therefore will only be gaining weight in the months to come. Every time I get on it, it gives me a little pep talk about the importance of not eating too much and getting more exercise! I can't wait to see what it tells me once the baby gets here and the weight starts coming off again!