potty training, admitting defeat, and a new year

1. Potty Training, Day 3

Potty Training commenced on New Year's Eve at our house.  I thought since I had a day off it would be a good time to start.  Doesn't potty training a 2 year old while home by yourself with the 2 year old and a 3 year old while 31 weeks pregnant sound like a good idea?  It was pretty much exhausting.  The day started off with me showing Hazel all the wonderful treats she would receive if she stayed "dry and clean" and pee-peed in the potty...which lead to her lying on the kitchen floor crying because she wanted the treats right then.  Great start to the day.  But, she has actually done very well...she hates to be wet or dirty in any way (she cries if she even spills her drink on her pants), so that has helped.  We have eaten a lot of M&M's and had a lot of chocolate milk.  Her first steps were for a brownie, so chocolate seems to do the trick for her...every girl can be bribed with a little chocolate, right?

2.  Admitting Defeat

On the other hand, I am admitting defeat in the sleeping department for Hazel.  We have tried, for months now, to get her to sleep in a bed in the room with William.  It has become almost comically bad, and we are giving up.  We have read books on the subject, blogs on the subject, gotten advice on the subject...I really don't know what else to do.  She will not stay in her bed when William is in the room.  She is fine as long as he's not there, but if he's in the room she immediately takes all of her stuff (pillow, blankets, animals, books, water) and runs to his bed.  After Thanksgiving, we started putting her in the pack n' play in their room if she got out of her bed, but this hasn't helped either.  She also tries to take all of her clothes off and we have found her in the pack 'n play completely naked several times...she doesn't like to leave her diaper on if it's wet so she just takes it off after she tee-tee's...thus the need to potty train ASAP.  So, we are moving her crib into their room and buying a new one for the baby.  Maybe she will just sleep in her crib til she's in kindergarten.

3. A New Year

I'm keeping my New Year's resolutions simple this year.  There are lots of things I would like to get done, and I am definitely in full out nesting mode right now, but what I really want is to change what I do on a daily basis.  I even made myself a little list and put it by my bed to remind myself of these daily goals.  I want to get up earlier...HJ and I are both serious night owls, and we tend to stay up to midnight most nights.  We rarely go to bed before eleven.  But, I can study the Bible and pray with so much more focus in the morning. And, it really makes a difference to be up before the kids instead of rushing around like crazy to get ready for school and work once they wake up.  I also feel like my Bible reading has just gotten very routine...I want to read to learn and grow and pray trusting that God is good and has good plans for me.  As for being present, I am committing to putting the phone away when I get home...I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I am distracted during the short time I have home with the kids in the evening.  I want to love and serve them (and HJ) more selflessly. I know those are all things I should already be doing, but I am hoping putting them in writing will help me commit to doing them. Happy 2013!