A Good Note-Mostly...

We've had a fun and busy January, and I was happy that we had made it through the month without any sickness...until today. Poor Nate has fallen victim to the flu and cold season. I very much hope he has a good night and feels a lot better tomorrow. Since Nate has actually been "napping" the last three-ish hours now, that for sure clues me in that something isn't right! (he hasn't napped since right before Christmas) Fingers crossed he's a happy boy tomorrow and mommy and daddy avoid getting the bugs!

Other than that, it really has been a busy and fun month for us. Here are some more activities we've been up to!


Park time

Disney on Ice

"Mickey Mouse!"

Feeding Charlie the giraffe @ The Phoenix Zoo

Liking his train conductor hat from his train craft class

Flying leap from the haystack at Superstition Farm

Milk from the farm!

Potty Time!

This exciting news deserves its own post! Starting on Friday, Nate all of a sudden became interested in going potty in his potty chair. At first he wanted his privacy (lucky for me he used his potty with music that played when he went so I knew something happened!) He didn't freak out when he did it and I immediately made a big deal of it-out came the Mini Oreos and Skittles and a potty dance.

Since that time, he has wanted me in there with him participating (him on his little potty, me on mine). What a good little boy-we'll sit there patiently waiting, even up to fifteen minutes. I've been doing this a few times a day with him (he doesn't tell us when he needs to go though, so he still uses his diaper, but when I invite him in to go potty he runs in with me). He's gone a few times though, which is a great start!

Luckily we don't have many diapers left so we'll move on to pull-ups and eventually underwear. We've had a busy weekend so I'm looking forward to concentrating on the potty a lot more this week when we get a chance to be home. I'm hoping to get out tomorrow and make him a basket of sorts to keep by his potty to help entertain him while we wait. I'm just so thrilled that he's interested and willing to at least try, with a huge smile on his face! I find it amazing that it was literally very sudden-just like an off/on switch.

I owe credit to the following items that I think helped Nate decide to be a big boy :)



Nate watched the potty video in particular two dozen times I think before he was interested in trying himself. He still watches it! The potty behind the video is a Fisher Price one that makes all the noise. We still have his old one which basically just doesn't make music that he uses too. Lucky boy, he gets to choose which he prefers that day! :) So proud of him.

Fun Times

Thought I'd post some pictures from December and a few from January so far of our fun days!


Up close and personal at the World Wildlife Zoo




Meet the Creature event-just a porcupine strolling behind...



Toy Town


First time bowler-was more content watching mommy and daddy play

Now for 2011 so far!



Train craft class-first project was painting a wooden train


Playing at Artville-in the Arizona Museum for Youth




Wee Play class


Reflecting on a South Mountain hike with daddy

Whew. I'm getting tired just looking back at all those pictures! We've certainly been busy, and the month isn't even over yet. More classes, Disney on Ice this coming weekend and other fun dates with friends. Guess that'll mean more pictures in a few weeks ;)

Also in a few weeks-my little boy's third birthday! Wow, it's here already. We're planning to have another park playdate with friends in our Moms Club and another family birthday party at the same park as last year. This year Nate's birthday theme is Thomas the train. Nate is in love with his train sets and The Polar Express movie so I think it's a good fit! I bought a train cake pan that I'm going to attempt for dessert. I will have to declare myself Martha Stewart if I can pull it off :)

Again, in a few weeks-the start of my last trimester with Aaron! That is also unbelieveable. At first time felt like it was moving slowly, now it's really been moving quite fast. I'm currently twenty three weeks along-here's a recent shot of me :



I'm growing more week to week :) I think I only have two more months of monthly appointments before they start becoming every two weeks/one week. Wow. I can't believe that in no time we'll become a family of four.

Time for some quiet reading-until next time!

Happy New Year!

We hope everyone had a fun and memorable Christmas and New Years! We had a great time with Josh while he was off. Even more importantly, Nate must have thought it was "winter vacation" himself and slept in each day Josh was home! What a treat for us all to get some extra sleep. It was so weird (but nice!) to not even start opening stockings or gifts on Christmas until 8am. Christmas was even more fun this year since Nate was actually interested in unwrapping his gifts. He got a lot of fun toys (including two laptops-now mommy can type on her computer while Nate uses his, yay!)

We didn't do much New Years Eve-in fact we didn't even stay up until midnight even, we were pooped. We had some appetizers and played games, just chilled at home. Josh and I got some nice restaurant gift cards for Christmas, so maybe next year we'll use one and have a little date night on New Years.

For a pregnancy update : I'm now twenty two weeks along. Just started with heartburn :P I'm already doing better than my pregnancy with Nate by still working out at the gym-I didn't work out with Nate past my first trimester. In fact, I just signed up for a 5k race at our zoo and a 10 mile total mountain climb in February. I'm more motivated this time around to stay in shape in hopes of not gaining quite as much weight and being able to lose the weight,hopefully, a bit faster afterwards. For Christmas I got a Nike+ Sportband which records the distance, pace, time and calories burned during runs. I love it! Though I move a lot slower and it takes longer for me to go further, I'm still running, and having the sportband that records all my info motivates me to do it. I also have my account set up to download my running info to Facebook, so that motivates me too. Hmmm...I should also say that I'm trying to work out also because my little boy loves his bagels and cream cheese, as well as pizza :) I have each of those a few times a week. Not the healthiest, so I need to do something from gaining eighty pounds!

Some exciting news: around New Years Eve, I started to feel baby movement! I mostly notice it when I'm sitting/laying down. Little kicker. We have also decided on a name for our little guy : Aaron Michael. Josh and I had a list of names we liked, but couldn't decide on one so we had our families help decide. Josh did paint his room over the break and I just put up some wall decals.


Until we get the new carpet we'd like, there's not much else we can do to his room. I'm excited to get it all set up. I bought a jogging stroller about a week ago, I can't wait to use it with the little man. Nate isn't much into sitting in strollers anymore so I wasn't even going to try using it with him. I'm hoping to use it in another stroller class or at least outside running.


I love all the storage/compartments, deep cup holders, area for music and the snap on/off toy for when Aaron gets older. Can't wait to take it out.

Back another time with some Winter Break pictures!