Tuesday, January 12, 2010

32 Degree weather

I sent my kids out in the cold today to play. We just had had enough of being stuck indoors. So, at 4:00 today, I said to them, "All right, everybody get on their socks and shoes, coats and gloves and go outside! You are going to play tag out there and enjoy it!" Previous to today, I don't think I would have ever made my kids play outside in 32 degree weather. (I personally try not to go anywhere ever with the kids when it is cold, unless I have to.) But last week, I ran into Lisa Johnston and she told me that where they are from if it gets to 10 degrees below freezing, then the kids cannot go outside for recess! What!? You mean we've been cooped up and had cabin fever now for almost a month, when I could have been sending them outside every day! This is an awesome revelation. We bundled up and played tag outside. Then the boys decided to walk on the frozen little creek in our back yard. Micah said he was having an "adventure." Eventually, Ezra fell through the ice (It just went up to his calf) and then of course Micah had to keep doing it until he fell through too! Wow, what an adventure! After about an hour, they all came in and I gave the boys a hot bath. We are definitely going to do this more often!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Tales of a Batman Fanatic


When my first child was almost two, I eagerly checked out the infamous, "Potty Training in Less than a Day" book from the library and started my first attempt at potty training. When that didn't work, we checked out the "Once upon a Potty" videos. While these provided much entertainment and sing-along opportunities for the kids, I saw no real connection between the video and them actually being potty trained. Most of my kids were potty trained around 2 and a half years old. However, Tom and I spent two grueling years trying to potty train one of our children. It was a trying time, as you might imagine. A few months later, our youngest child turned 2. The thought of spending another two years potty training him, seemed overhwelming and I hoped we would not have to repeat it. As it turns out, this little boy was actually potty trained in one day. Actually, I wouldn't say he was trained at all. My husband just decided on Thanksgiving Day at my in-laws house to put him in underwear and he has worn them ever since, with very few accidents! The secret: Batman underwear! This kid is completely and utterly in love with Batman underwear and now even insists on wearing every available clean pair he can find all at the same time. He may appear to be wearing a diaper, as his bottom is twice the usual size, but alas, it is his six pairs of batman underwear, and one pair of boxers he found in his brothers drawer all underneath his superhero pajama pants. If only I had discovered the Batman secret earlier for my other boys!

(On a side note, I do want to be sure not to falsely guarantee the Batman method to other parents of todders. From all my reading, it is apparent that there is actually a physical readiness that has to be present when potty training, which I am sure now that Caleb had that my other sons didn't at this age. Which translated means, really, he can hold his pee forever!)