Police Car

Owen can spot a police car, fire truck and ambulance from a mile away. Sometimes we will just be driving and he will yell out "Police Car". It often takes me a few seconds to find it. Fortunately it is not behind me with its lights on!

I was putting Owen to bed tonight and he told me this story:
Owen: Momma, I saw a police car today.
Mommy: "You did? Where?
Owen: I was in the car with Daddy. The other car was going too fast. But the police car caught him. We weren't going too fast.
Mommy: That's good!
Owen: Ya, I asked Daddy why the police car was stopped and Daddy told me what happened.
Mommy: What happened?
Owen: The police car caught the man that was going too fast. We weren't going very fast.

Love that he told me twice that they weren't going too fast! He made sure I knew that!

No secrets and the great escape!

Owen always has a story to tell and there is always someone around to listen. From telling every one in his path that he went pee and poop in the potty to telling someone this morning that he ate fruit snacks in the car. There will be no secrets with him!
We love that he is friendly, chatty and super sweet.

On a different note, last weekend Owen had trouble napping. He did not want to lay down on Saturday. We walked out of his room while he was throwing a fit and figured he would tire soon. I left to go to a cycling class and when Clint went to get Owen up he had a big red spot on his nose. Owen told Clint he got it from "trying to get out of bed". Saturday night, Owen was tired enough that he actually fell asleep while Clint was reading books to him before going to bed. Sunday nap time rolled around and Owen threw the same fit as Saturday. Clint and I were downstairs cleaning up and playing with Avery when we heard some loud thumps. We could hear Owen yelling for us, but the yells sounded louder than normal. Sure enough, he had climbed out of his crib and was by his door. He sat quietly with Clint for a few minutes, but then wanted to play. I tried to lay down with him in our bed, but that didn't work out either. Again, Sunday night he was very tired and ready to go to bed. Once the kids were asleep, we immediately started shopping for mattresses. We already have the conversion kit for Owen crib to turn it into a full bed, we just need the mattress and sheet set.
Around 6am on Monday morning we heard "Mommy!" followed by three knocks. That was Owen, inside his room, calling for me and knocking on his door. He had once again climbed out. Clint ordered a mattress set and it should be here within a couple of weeks. Since I had the day off on Monday for President's day, I took some time to lower Owen's crib mattress right down to the floor. That seems to have bought us some time!

The security of both of our kids being in cribs is gone! We hope Owen will like his big boy bed!

Happy Valentine's day!

Our little man Owen caught on to Valentine's day VERY quickly. This morning we told him it was Valentine's Day and he immediately started wishing everyone he saw a Happy Valentine's Day. He told his teachers at school that Mommy and Tessa (a girl that USED to be in his class) were his Valentines.
I just pulled dinner out of the over (albeit a few minutes too late apparently) and am waiting for all my Valentines (Daddy, Owen and Avery) to get home. Here's dinner:


I also snapped a quick picture of the last two Valentines that the kids have to deliver tonight to our neighbor friends. Daddy and I put these together last week. Owen told us last night that he was going to give lollipops to his friends at school...so it was a good thing they were designed into his Valentine cards!!!


I will try to get a picture of the kids when they get home from school. They were both dressed in Red this morning and looked very festive going to school. Depending on the day they had...they may not be wearing the same clothes when they get home!

Avery - 9 months!

Our little negotiator

We started a small toy bucket that comes out when Owen goes pooh on the potty. He gets to pick one thing out of it. There is everything from crayons to chocolate, small puzzles to a small book in there. This little incentive backfired on us about 10 days ago. Owen started wanting to go to the potty to go pooh ALL THE TIME! He would throw a fit if we told him he had just gone and that he was fine. When he did sit on the potty, he'd strain, push, grunt, hold his breath, turn red in the face and finally stand up and say he went. Sure enough there would be something in the potty. At his request, out came the toy bucket. Then one day last week, school called and said Owen had a deep dark rash on his face and it had spread to his neck and back. Mommy was out of town for work, so Daddy went to pick him up and take him to see Dr. Falik. Owen was diagnosed with having Petechia. Basically, he was bursting small blood vessels under the skin while straining on the potty.

SO...we had to change our tactic a little bit. Now, the toy bucket can only come out once in the morning and once in the evening. If he does go pooh on the potty another time, we have promised Owen that he can have a Skittle. The other night, Owen had chosen his toy from the bucket as a reward and then proceeded to go pooh again later in the evening. Here was the conversation between Owen and Daddy:

Daddy: Yeah Owen! I am so proud of you for going poopy on the potty!
Owen: Yeah Owen! I want something from the toy bucket.
Daddy: No, buddy. You already got something from the toy bucket tonight. I can get you a Skittle.
Owen: One Skittle?
Daddy: Yes, one Skittle. What color do you want?
Owen: I want two Skittles.
Daddy: No, I am just going to get you one Skittle. What color?
Owen: I want three Skittles.
Daddy: No, just one.
Owen: OK, just one, but I get to pick it out.
Daddy: OK (with a smile).

Aim high, settle for a bonus.