I know I say this practically every post, but Anne seems to be changing at a remarkable rate. Especially in the last three weeks or so, Anne has started making her own complex sentences enabling us to actually have a coherent conversation with her. Also, she spontaneously started singing to herself at random times, even songs that we hadn't sung in months. Her favourite song to sing is Old McDonald, and she can often be heard singing to herself, "Moo moo here, moo moo there. E-I-E-I-O!"
Since Christmas, Anne has also learned to count... sort of. She learned to count to ten (sometimes to thirteen) just saying the words, but in the past week or so, she has successfully counted groups of one to five items. She doesn't always get it right, but she is learning to say one number for every item we point at.
Anne LOVES to play hide and seek. She mostly likes to hide in the spot that you were just hiding in, and she sometimes needs a hint to find you in the house, but she just can't seem to get enough of this game.
In mid-February we took Anne out to see Aunt Laura, Uncle Jon, and Gramma and Grampa B on Pender Island in BC for a week. Anne was really good on all of the flights and ferries, although she didn't sleep a wink. Not even on the flight over there, during which we stayed up until three o'clock in the morning. We had a fabulous week visiting with family, relaxing, playing games, and going on a couple of walks. The scenery was amazing, the weather was beautiful, and the company was superb.
This weekend we started potty training with Anne. We decided to go cold turkey and drop diapers completely, all at once, day and night. We are using the 3 Day Potty Training method by Laura Jensen. Here's what has happened so far (Warning: scatological content rated PG: reader discretion is advised):
Day 1: In the morning, Anne threw all of her remaining diapers in a garbage bag and we said goodbye to them. We put her in underpants and a t-shirt and explained to her how the potty works. Then we continuously fed her liquids all day long (mostly watered-down juice since that is the only thing she will voluntarily drink when she isn't really thirsty) and reminded her to tell us when she has to go We watched her like a hawk to catch accidents during the act. The first two pees were accidents, but after that Anne seemed to understand to tell us first so we could rush her to the potty before she went pee. That part was no problem. Although often there was a drop or two in the underpants (we actually went through a lot of underpants that way), we only had a couple more accidents that day and then only small ones (remarkable considering how much liquid we fed her). The problem for Anne seems to be that although she knows she has to go, she is unable to make herself release when she is sitting on the toilet. This resulted in about a thousand trips to the potty that day (it doesn't feel like I'm exaggerating although I surely must be), often only a minute or two after we had just been there with no success. Sometimes there would be nothing, sometimes only a teaspoonfull, and a couple times we got a complete pee. The one poop she had that day, we caught mid-poop and she was able to finish in the potty. During nap time and at night, she didn't go during her sleep, but seemed to go as soon as she woke up but before we could get to her. This day ended in a lot of laundry, a lot of stress, and only a little hope that the method would work for us.
Day 2: I think there was only one or two accidents this day. Again, we rushed to the potty a lot for false alarms, but not quite as often as Day 1. When Anne did manage to pee, she was able to pee a lot at once rather than just a dribble at a time. Unfortunately, we missed the poop entirely (Daddy and I were talking to each other and not watching Anne at that exact moment). Anne also peed right after her nap and before we could get to her again.
Day 3: I hesitate to say... success!? I woke Anne up this morning, so I was able to catch her before she peed. Thus, dry undies all night long! I went to an appointment, leaving Anne with Grandma G to find when I got back that Anne was STILL wearing the same, dry underwear! Over the course of the day Anne had several big pees in the potty and NO ACCIDENTS! She still had several false alarms, but not as many as the previous two days. She did not poop today though, so who knows what will happen with that. Overall though, I am very optimistic. It may take a couple extra days to wake up dry and to catch those poops, but I am excited that we may be done with diapers forever. Fingers crossed. That is, until the next baby comes along.
Which leads me to my next topic. Anne has a new baby sister or brother arriving in September. Anne tries to look down my shirt to see the baby in my tummy. She wants it to come out. Jeff calls the new baby "Nancy", short for "pregNancy". I have been very tired and sick up until now, hence why there have been no blog posts lately.
And now for your regular barrage of photos and videos.
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| New baby |
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| New baby is very wiggly |
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| Creepy head-on view of new baby |
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| Anne feeds her kitty |
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| Anne's latest hair cut |
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| A WestJet employee drives Anne and Daddy around on the cart at the airport |
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| On the ferry |
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| Anne and Mom Listing to Port |
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| Anne in her new coat on Pender Island |
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| Anne and Grandma. Surely this photo wins the point-and-shoot photo contest, no? I like it despite the fact that you can't see either of their faces. |
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| The view from the deck |
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| More view from the deck |
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| Anne likes to ride in laundry baskets |
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| Anne "smiles" on command for the camera |
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| Ditto |
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| Anne feeds the ducks |
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| Anne with cousins Max and Darwyn |
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| Anne likes to taste each ingredient as it is prepared |
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| Anne cleans the house |
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| Anne looks for the neighbour's dog |
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| Gramma put Anne's hair in cute pigtails |
A video from Christmas that I forgot to upload in the last post
Anne having fun at the house on Pender Island
