Potty Training Boot Camp

Day #1 of potty training has been a little long. Ben is currently watching Little Einstien's because we are all worn out. I think Ben was even a little stressed today with the schedule we kept him on. Jake set the timer for 40 minutes all day long which signaled potty time. I think he was afraid to actually go because after waiting 40 minutes, sitting on the potty for 5 or more minutes, and then finally getting up, Ben would still go in his undies. I'm sure he had to figure out what it "felt" like to have to go, too....but, we did have success. Below is Ben in his first pair of underwear for the day. It's about 7:30 am. I had to do laundry during nap (we still put him in a diaper for nap) to keep up with the accidents. By 6:00 pm, Ben finally went pee IN the potty which was underwear #7 of the day (and he still needed to put on pair #8---getting to the potty caused a little excited tinkle)! We were all so excited and yelling and clapping and cheering and eating candy corn (Ben's incentive) that I'm surprised the neighbors didn't hear us. As I'm posting this, Jake is at the store buying more underwear. Six undies will not last long especially when we get to the pooping in the potty party. Ewww. Hopefully this time next week will be much easier. Doesn't he look so big?
George was there for Ben, helping him get the big day started.

Landscaping

Jake got all the bushes out of the front and we're slowly planting a shade garden.
We also got the side of the house ready for something :-)
cool toad lily
from the left in the back: toad lily, fern, thyme, and more thyme
from the left in the front: some kind of purple flowering plant, parsley, oregeno

After bath

Freshly bathed mummy.

Halloween Costume

Ben starts with B which rhymes with T and stands for TROUBLE

Ben decided not to nap today. I found him with his bed stripped, his shorts off, his diaper off, and a puddle of pee on his mattress. Right now he's thanking God for his life because he's been banned to his room. Good thing there are toys in there and a window for fresh air. I thought about treating him like a puppy and rubbing his face in the pee so he could just potty train himself....I think I need to hire a nanny.

Pumpkin Patch

Ben and I went to Ranalli farms in Tontitown this morning to check out the pumpkins. Ben touched every single mini gourd and mini pumpkin in the display area. He didn't really take a bite...but he pretended to about 50 times.
Checking out the "goose" gourds as Ben called them.
BOO! (Actually he said ROAR!)
Ben and the mini pumpkins.

He's saying pumpkin instead of cheese.
more loud pumpkin....it's just that saying pumpkin doesn't create the same smile effect as cheese

He was very proud of himself for stacking the pumpkins.

I like this series of pictures...you can tell when he's getting tired of me.

Once Ben discovered the wagon he was either in it or pushing/pulling it. His friends Ellie and Lauren Moore.

Ben's big boy room

We have a new bed (a queen! Yes, we've been sleeping on a full size for 10 years). So, Ben has a new BIG bed. I switched some furniture around so he has a bed-side table and a lamp. He's so grown up. And he is reading his new children's Bible. He's perfect.

The funny part is that he wants to sleep in his crib. He likes to play and read on his big bed. And check out his new cowboy boot bank. Great grandma-Snodgrass (that would be Gramps' mom)gave it to Ben. It even has some change in it.

Ben in his favorite attire: shorts, tee, winter boots, batting helmet, and ball.

The Barn

My parents recently gave me my childhood doll house that was yellow with a white roof and a few frills. Now you can see the transformation. Although it still looks more like a "dollhouse" than a barn, I had fun painting, sanding, glueing, and hammering. I still have some of the furniture and with the added cows, horses, dinosaurs, cowboys, and Little People, it'a a regular community barn for the whole town.
It's time for her to go to bed.

This is Ben's favorite horse. He calls it his peanut butter horse and he likes to put as many "guys" on it as possible. Great Aunt Ruth gave two buckets full of toys to Mema just for Ben. There are horses, cows, dinosaurs, old fashioned cowboys and Indians, whales, dogs...you get the picture. It's hours of fun for us both :-)
Cowboy Glenn here is roundin' up the dinos.

Panda Bear, Panda Bear

The video is a bit dark, but Ben couldn't be cuter! Granny gave Ben this book last weekend so he wouldn't feel left out when dad was opening birthday presents. At first Ben was bummed that his gift was a book but after reading it a few 1, 000 times it's now his favorite book!

Preschool Bound!

Ben is FINALLY at school. He's been asking to go all weekend. This morning he escaped outside TWICE ready to go to school. He walked in, met Miss Johnna, and went straight to the bus and started playing. He was telling me that the kids in the bus were going to school.

First day of preschool pics with dad and mom.

Trying to get Ben to sit still and smile is difficult. He can't help but move around and he's so interested in looking at the picture on the back of the camera after it's taken. These pics were taken just before we left for preschool.

Yes, he's going to be THE cutest kid in the whole preschool. And probably the most ornery!