E&E : Potty Time!

So we took the plunge yesterday. We started potty training Levi. I was reluctant to be honest but Levi had started to ask to wear his big boy underwear and Eric pointed out that there will never be a time when I'm excited to do it. So we busted out the chocolate chips and the sticker chart and I downloaded the Elmo Potty Training app and Saturday morning when Levi woke up I took him potty and put his big boy underwear on him and we started. We set a timer and take him potty every 30 minutes and any time in between that he looks like he's going to go or if he has an accident- which happened 6 times yesterday. Thankfully we managed to only have to clean him and his clothes each time except once and Eric took care of that one because he's a super rockstar daddy and husband. Anyway, I'm not sure how well Levi is catching on or if he just likes treats haha. He gets one chocolate chip every time he sits on the potty, two if he goes pee and three if he goes poop on the potty. He loves chocolate so he pees pretty much every time he sits on the potty which makes me really wonder how it's even possible that he has accidents since he goes pee every 30 minutes but he must be holding back because he still manages to. He also gets a sticker every time he can go 30 minutes keeping his undies dry or if he tells us he needs to go potty and then goes without getting his undies wet. Today for church we put him in a pull-up and still took him potty pretty much every 30 minutes. He still peed in the pull-up twice though. And we are still doing diapers for night time and nap time. So that is the big thing going on in the Martino household right now. Not sure yet how I'm going to approach grocery shopping tomorrow!

In other news, Emery had a bad cold again last week which meant very little sleep for us and lots of worry for me. One of the nights she was up every hour and a half! And I get so anxious when my baby has anything going on that affects her breathing! I check on her all the time and I have a hard time sleeping. But thankfully after a couple pretty bad days and nights, the saline drops and nose frida and humidifier helped out and she's doing pretty well now, just a little residual congestion. And thankfully she's back to at least 4 hour stretches of sleeping at night (knock on wood!). Two weeks ago she actually slept through the night (down at 8 and slept till 5) so I know she has the potential to get back to that.

Poor sick baby!

Our family has been embracing fall. We went to an apple festival last Saturday and got to go on a tractor hay ride and drink delicious apple slushies and eat apple donuts. I especially appreciate these things this year since I was too sick to do so last year. Levi especially liked the giant apple bounce house.

How Emery and I enjoyed the apple festival. I'm glad she still likes to be worn even as she is getting bigger.

Then on Friday, I took the kids with Ashley and her kids, Liam and Macey, to the zoo and we got to see the giant squash squashing! Aka the zookeepers gave the elephants giant pumpkins and let them squash and eat them. We actually didn't even know this event was going on, we just wanted to go to the zoo and it was perfect weather and then when we showed up we were like, "why are all of these people here?! And what's with the news crew?" Haha.

Levi, Macey and Liam watching the harbor seals.

Also last night we got to have the missionaries and Meredith and Elijah over for dinner. That was fun even though the boys were absolutely crazy. They get along really well and have a blast together.

Levi and Elijah snuck into Emery's room and were jumping like monkeys in her crib!

I get stressed having my house all wild but I think it's worth it. I hope Meredith keeps listening to the missionaries and finds out the truth for herself because I know it will help her and help her with Elijah. She does a great job with him but it must be so hard as a single parent! And I know the scriptures and prayer help me sooo much when I am trying to raise Levi. He tries my patience and I need every bit of help I can get! Haha. Speaking of, here are some more actual things I said to Levi this week that sum up parenting a toddler boy:

* "Don't lick the car!"
* "Please keep your mouth off of the shopping cart!"
* "We don't eat things off of the toilet seat!" (I know! Soooo gross!)

I tried Emery's Halloween costume on her and its soo dang cute I can't even! Of course, right after I took this picture, Levi tried to pick Emery up by the green tuft on her head. *sigh*

These smiles are my favorite thing in the world right now!

I got Levi a lunch box this week and he came to me while I was feeding Emery on the couch and he was like, "Got my backpack, got my lunchbox, I'm ready for an adventure!"