photoblog

pooping on the potty is not a prank.

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

Despite the fact that it’s April Fool’s Day, my heart jumped a little (or a lot) when my phone rang around lunchtime and I saw that it was the babysitter calling.  We communicate via text more than 99% of the time during the day.

Theo was on the other end of the phone and said those 5 magical words I’ve been dreaming of for almost a year.

“I pooped on the potty!!”

The next line of business was to find out if we were going to follow through with our promise that we made about getting ice cream the first time he did it.  I promised we would and then the babysitter explained that she was busy helping another child when Theo announced that he needed a diaper because he had to poop real bad.

I’ll skip the gory details but he pooped in the potty and we did go out for ice cream frozen yogurt. He was excited to make several phone calls to tell everyone about his big achievement.

His choice:  White Chocolate Strawberry yogurt with cherries, gummy bears, and sprinkles.
Dexter enjoyed sharing with mommy & daddy, and doing a few handyman projects of course.
My choice:  Chocolate Peanut Butter frozen yogurt with a few Reese’s cups and hot fudge.
My boy is getting so big.

Maybe the joke’s on us – maybe it was a fluke.  Maybe he’ll never poop in the potty again until he’s in college (that’s how it has felt for a few months now).  All I know right now is that he pooped in the potty. Today.

Today was a great day!

xo,
~C~

our home: the boys’ shared bedroom

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest
Looking in their room from the hallway.
The canvas print you see when you first open their bedroom door.  From Target. I love it.
This is looking to the left when you walk in the room.  
Looking back at their bedroom door from the opposite side of the room.  The changing table… I rarely use it.  Dexter is pretty much too big and the thought of putting Theo on there is hilarious.  But it’s where we store diapers, wipes, sheets, some blankets, etc. We’ll keep it until we are ready to sell all of the nursery furniture as a set.
Their messy but large closet.  It could use a lot of reorganizing.  Theo’s clothes are on the right and Dexter’s are on the left.  Tubs of toys and clothes.  So. Much. Stuff. 
Dexter’s bed. Opposite of their bedroom door.  The hamper gets used for stuffed animals now since we have a laundry chute. It will be a sad day when we no longer have a baby in a crib…that day is probably coming sooner than later!
Toy storage between Dexter’s crib and the dresser.
Just another view. Dinosaur canvas print from Target.
Cutie pies over the dresser in the corner.
Nursery furniture is from Burlington Coat Factory/Baby Depot.
Curtains from Target.  Curtain rod, holdbacks, and finials from Pottery Barn Kids.
Cute kids by me & R.
Theo’s big boy bed and the inspiration for the paint colors in the room.  My mom painted the room.  She did a fantastic job, didn’t she!?
Bedding from Target.  Canvas print from (SURPRISE!) Target.
Closer to how it usually looks. 🙂  I feel like this long wall needs something on it. Maybe a better way to display their art (than taping it to their closet doors), but then I worry Theo will mess with it.  Have to be careful what we hang above his bed.  I think their room turned out super cute.  I love the colors.  I can’t imagine having this large of a room for one child.  Sharing a room has been great for them so far!
What’s that you say?  Not impressed?  Maybe I should have showed you the “Before” photo first.  I just wanted to save the best for last. 
I can assure you — this is the same room in the same house in the same decade. 

xo,
~C~

fun bonanza: a week in photos

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

I should probably break this up into at least six separate posts, but eh.  My blog. My rules.

First things first, the boys got haircuts last Tuesday.  It was sort of spur of the moment.  I didn’t realize when I said “use the clippers” that Dexter would be BALD 2 minutes later. Whoops.  I had her use the scissors on the top of Theo’s head.  My boys look so different.

Moving right along.  Friday I took dinner to a friend who had a new baby boy 2 weeks earlier.  Maybe it was partly an excuse to get over there and snuggle up with a cute, squishy newborn.  Maybe it was an excuse to get my boys together with her big boy, who is 7 months younger than Theo and 7 months older than Dexter.  Neato.  ðŸ™‚ 
The boys loved little Parker and had fun playing on Paxton’s cool bunk bed.  We had to get home to clean up the house before my mom rolled into town and were surprised by sweet friends who stopped by with some gifts and pizza for Theo’s belated birthday. Dexter was kind enough to help Theo open his presents.
Somehow I managed to forget all about bringing my camera along with us on Saturday but posted a couple of pictures of the fun things we did on Instagram.  

 We went to the zoo.  I took this picture while Dexter and I were waiting for my mom, Theo, and Ryan to finish looking at icky snakes.  Honestly, it’s so hot in the desert building that I was about to start sweating.  We were fine catching some fresh air and chit chatting about life.  See?  That’s Dexter’s serious face.

After the zoo, we visited Jersey’s Cafe, which Ryan and I had seen featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives 2 years ago or so.   The food was amazing!  I had the Little Egg Harbor Crab Cake sandwich.  Wow.  Just wow.

We stopped by Ashley Home Furniture on the way home to see a bed in person that a friend of mine is selling.  Turns out, we love the bed and are getting it this weekend.  Like it?

Then we went home and talked about how full we still were from our late lunch, played with some cute little boys, and went to bed.  Sunday we revisited one of our favorite places to take the boys in Columbus, Indiana.  I love looking back at the previous times we’ve been there to see how much these bubs have grown!
The first time we went, Dexter was 2 months old and Theo was 16 months old.  
The second time we went, Dexter was 9 months old and Theo was 23 months old.  

This time, Theo was way to old to count his age in months (36) and Dexter was 22 months old.

It never ceases to amaze me how fast time flies. It’s even more painfully obvious when you have young children. I love these two places I’m about to blog about for the THIRD time, but even more I love looking at how much the boys have changed.

We visited the Commons, an amazing and unique indoor playground perfect for cold or rainy days, and an old fashioned soda fountain, Zaharako’s, perfect for ruining any diet.  (P.S. Did you notice my naughty eating habits…Friday pizza & Saturday giant sandwich.  Oh, and a sundae on Sunday.  That splurge meal turned into a splurge weekend…gotta live a little, right?)

This kid was a little tentative about climbing by himself.
Watching his big brother, not too sure what to think.  Nervous face.
Ryan and I both ended up climbing to the top a couple of times.  So much fun (and not a bad workout).
Up the slide…
And down the slide.
 (Ha – I just noticed Ryan & Theo on the big slide in the background!)
my monster.
A step back in time just across the street.
Restored to it’s original glory.  Ridiculously beautiful and equally delicious!
Mom headed back to Tennessee after lunch and we visited Ryan’s parents afterwards since Theo’s been begging to go there for the last week or so.  Monday was uneventful.  That brings us to tonight. 
Oh, you know how it is on a Tuesday night.  Guys’ cards night and everything. Gets a little out of control!
xo,
~C~