Potty Training Update

NOT ONE ACCIDENT!!! AT ALL!!  EVER!

Miracle of all miracles!

I was always so jealous of the couples that said their child pretty much potty trained themselves.  Well, folks, we are one of those elect few now.  Yesterday after changing Ty's dirty diaper he said he wanted to sit on the potty.  He's been saying this for a few weeks with nothing to show for it, so I just assumed we'd sit on there for a second and then get off.  Not this time.  He pooped!  We did our potty dance, sang our potty song, and couldn't believe our luck.  Then, he said he wanted to sit on the potty again.  Seeing as it had been 2 minutes, we again thought he'd sit on it for a second and get off.  Again with the poop!  So, we did our song and dance routine again and laughed.  We put him down for a nap with a diaper and contemplated starting again with potty training.  I've still had at least one headache a day and still feel the occasional overwhelming dizziness, so I didn't quite feel ready to take on the 10 minute potty rituals.  Plus, we're going out of town on Thursday!  So, when Shelby took off his diaper after nap time and he went pee all by himself, we again couldn't believe our luck.  And now today, with no accidents we're counting our lucky stars.  Our son potty trained himself in one day!  He even has the control to sit on the potty and push out one little drop just so he goes each time we tell him to.  Although, so far we haven't even had to tell him to!  Ladies and Gentlemen, let me just say I'm a big fan of them doing it on their own:)

Happy Birthday Brennon

The day has finally come when Brennon gets to celebrate his birthday on his actual birthday!!!!!!!  Happy Birthday Brennon!!!!! We're still undecided as to what we're going to do to celebrate.  Nowhere in town will let you put on a party on the weekdays- no matter that it's a special weekday!  So, we're probably going to go out to dinner (his choice, so probably McDonald's) and then maybe go swimming.  I can't wait for freezing hair in this snowy wind!  Brennon has been asking for the past 29 days if it's his birthday.  Today he was jumping up and down screaming that it finally was.  Now he just has to wait another 4 years to be able to do that same dance again.

Funny story!  Shelby and Keilie were arguing (surprise, surprise) about who was "Tigress" from Kung Fu Panda.  Caden said, "I know, why don't you both be Tigress."  Brennon said, "Yeah, and I'm Poo."  He stopped for a brief second, realizing his mistake, and burst into his cute laugh.  "I mean Po!"

Four is Fantastically Fabulous!!!  Or is it One:)

Hair

We have a Native American Sister Missionary in our ward right now named Sister Yellowhair.  Shelby was talking with her the other night and said, "You know, you don't have yellow hair.  I do.  You should be called Sister Blackhair instead."

Arrogance

When Caden was about 5, Randy bought him a play snowboard.  One that is all plastic that he can stick his feet in to so he can learn balance.  Caden used it maybe three times.  So, when he heard he was able to choose between skiing and snowboarding for his field trip, he chose snowboarding.  As he was getting ready that morning, he was so excited to be going at all.  He was happy to do any chore I asked him to do while getting his gear ready.  As we were getting in the car, he burst out, "I know I'm going to be the best one today."  It made me laugh a little because of his innocent arrogance.  He's been on a snowboard maybe three times in his life, none since he was five, and already he thinks he's going to be the best.  I've been skiing all of one time in my life and HATED it, so I was nervous that he'd hate it as well.  Not the case, he loved it.  I asked him if he was the best.  He didn't know, he was concentrating on doing the hill called "Black Diamond."  This tells me he really is good!  However, you won't get me on the mountain any time soon!  It has something to do with the fact that you have nothing to slow you down.  Other than maybe your whole body falling less than graceful into the snow and rolling down till you stop.  Or simply sliding down the mountain on your backside, which is what I did most of my one and only time ever going.  I just don't like speed!  Or cold!  Or falling!

So Much

I have been incredibly tired the last few weeks.  To the point that I've actually tricked my kids by saying we were going to play a game, they would sleep and then eat lunch.  I was just too tired to fix them anything, so I made it fun for them to eat later.  Lame, I know, but I couldn't help it.  I'm just tired!  Wednesday night I went to bed at 9:30 and pried myself out of bed to get the kids ready for school.  I dropped them off, came home and told Randy I was going to nap.  Randy woke me at noon for his conference call.  I fed the kids lunch, put them down for a nap, and laid on the couch.  I just feel so tired.  And heavy.  When Ty woke from his nap, he ran in, threw himself on me and said, "I love you so much."  Although it didn't make me less tired, it did make me feel so much better.  I love his sweet adorable cuteness!  As a side note, I went to bed at 8:30 that night and slept through the night!  YIKES!

Sledding

Caden went with Randy to YM's this week sledding on the mountain.  The next day he had a field trip with his class to go snowboarding.  Keilie was so upset that he got to go up on the mountain two days in a row that she actually started to cry.  She didn't care that it was a field trip, she still just wanted to go sledding.  So, Randy took her out of school an hour early and took her sledding.  He heated up some hot chocolate in a thermos, stopped by the store and bought doughnuts, and they were off.  She loved every minute.  Just her and dad.  I'm so glad that when Randy's home from work, he's really home.  He takes each child individually if he can and does something special.  They stopped by McDonald's on the way home and she was ecstatic to actually be getting a Happy Meal.  We usually only get the kids dollar menu and water.  It was heaven.  Before she went to bed that night she had to find her "most special frog" that she got with her meal and was more than happy to go to bed.  Dad's are the best.  Especially when they're Randy Dirks!

Friends

We are having some friends come over tonight so their parents can go on a date.  This is their last weekend before she has her sweet little Levi.  I wanted them to be able to have just one last fling before he comes.  I asked the kids to help me clean up the toys so that the house would be clean before they come.  Shelby said, "Why?  When we have friends come over it gets messy anyway.  Plus, our friends will still love us even if we have a messy house."  Wise words from my sweet five year old.  However, the house still got cleaned:)  And it will be a mess when they go! 

Legs

When I change Ty's diaper I always ask him "Who has cute legs?"  It's just a fun excuse to squeeze his sweet chub.  I don't think he'll have that much longer, he's growing so fast.  Anyway, I ask him almost every time I change him.  So, it surprised me and made me laugh yesterday when he said, "Kennedy."

WWotW

I went to bed with a migraine two nights in a row.  Which means that I also woke up with a migraine two mornings in a row.  Since the kids did not have school on Thursday, I said they could watch a show while I laid down for a much needed nap.  However, they chose to watch America's Funniest Home Videos.  This left them bursting into laughing fits for most of the time I was laying down.  So, naturally, this is when the Wicked Witch of the West comes out.  As I'm storming up the stairs to get my ear plugs, I pass the kids with a mean face (that would melt anyone on the spot) and a growl, "Why did you have to pick a show that would make you laugh?"  When I think of this now, I laugh out loud.  What parent gets upset when their kids are sitting peacefully watching a show together and even laughing?  Me, that's who!  When my head hurts, there are no guarantees that I'll say anything nice.  Or rational!

Trumpet Triumphs

I remember the early-days learning to play the flute.  I wanted to be good.  I practiced hard to be the best.  I already knew how to read music from years of playing the piano, so all I needed to do was learn the fingering of the flute and I was off.  I love everything about music.  It reaches me in ways that nothing else can.  So, as I was getting better and better, I was thinking more and more about the flute.  I remember playing the same song over and over until I had it mastered and then moving on in my books to master the other songs so I sounded perfect for the class.  I'm a nut, I know, but I LOVED the flute.  Fast forward a few years (*ahem*... 17) and you have my son.  Caden is getting really good at his trumpet.  He hasn't had many years of piano, but he does know how to read music.  So, he just needed to learn the fingering and he's off.  He is constantly humming the songs he's working on and looking for new things to play.  He got the Children's Songbook from primary and has learned I Am A Child of God.  He pretty much has his trumpet with him when he's got a free minute.  The funny thing is, although I remember being exactly like him, it's still getting on my nerves:)  I've heard The Fight Song, Star Wars, and I Am A Child of God about a million times a piece!  He's going to be great.  He's even been invited to be in an Ensemble Group!  How glad I am he didn't want to play drums.  And that his room is in the basement.  And has a door! 

School of Choice

Casper is a "School Of Choice" city.  This means that you can send your child to any school within the district no matter where you live.  You can have one child in one school that caters to their needs and another child in another school.  Each year they send out a booklet letting you know the statistics of each school.  The statistics are for Reading at Grade Level, Reading Proficient, Math Proficient, Language Proficient, and Science Proficient.  Out of those 5 categories, our elementary scored dismal.  We chose to go to our "neighborhood" school for ease when we first moved to our house.  I was going to have Ty in two months and didn't want to travel that many hours in the car each day with a newborn.  Now Ty is older and Caden is going to middle school.  We decided to take our kids to a better elementary, one that has higher statistics.  Our number one choice is the school we came from, Southridge.  We'll find out before the end of the year if our kids' got into the elementary of our choice.  However, we found out yesterday that Caden got into the Middle School that he wanted.  So did his three best friends that make up the "group."  Brayden, Danielle, and Violet.  They've been best friends since about the second month of Bar Nunn.  So, although the school doesn't have the numbers we'd like them to have, we're grateful to have gone for these last two years.  I got a text asking if I'd got my letter.  I jumped in the car, sped to the mailboxes, ripped open my letter with fumbling fingers and did a school-girl squeal when I saw we got his number one choice.  I then sped to his school to show him his letter.  He did an air punch and said he couldn't wait.  Can you imagine the bucket of nerves I'll be when a certain mission call letter comes?  I'll probably upgrade my school-girl squeal to my "famous" tiger scream!

Roller Coaster

I feel as if I've been punched in the gut.  The funny thing is, there is really no reason.  Some might even think me crazy.  Here's the story.  Three weeks ago I had that crazy episode where I rode in my first ambulance.  That alone cost $1970.60, by the way!  Not fun.  The doctor came in and asked if I'd ever been diagnosed with Chiari Malformation?  I hadn't.  I had never even heard of it before.  As he was showing me the symptoms I was getting more and more relieved.  All of the symptoms that have been scaring me and making me believe I had a brain tumor finally had a name.  I had 5 of the 6 symptoms.  Then, everything started to come together and I was told I needed a spinal tap.  That scared the sense of relief right out of me.  Reality hit me pretty hard that I was possibly going to see more needles in the future than I ever thought I would.  Not fun!  So, I prayed.  I got an EEG and found out that I have a beautiful brain and that the brain activity was perfect.  I do not suffer from a seizure disorder.  I never thought I did!  So, while meeting with the neurologist, I asked if she'd actually seen the Chiari.  She said yes, however, it was mild.  She ordered me to once again get my eyes checked by an eye specialist, then we'd get an MRI, and then I'd be transferred to a neurosurgeon that specializes in Chiari.  We were going places.  I felt like I'd be getting answers soon.  One of our friends in the ward monitors brain activity while in surgery.  He talked to the neurosurgeon about my case and was able to get him to look at my MRI.  So, I took it to his office and once again was left to wait.  The news came yesterday.  It's not Chiari.  I'm in shock.  We're back to square one.  I shouldn't be so disappointed that I don't have a brain malformation.  I will not need to take medicine for the rest of my life and I won't have to have a surgery that removes bone from my skull.  However, I'm still left with these 5 symptoms that are quite debilitating and times.  I'm seeing double vision with floaters and flashing lights.  I have headaches that strike at a moments notice and leave me begging for bed.  I've had a headache every day for three weeks, since passing out in church.  I'm falling over when walking.  I'm dizzy even when sitting or laying.  I have to wear sunglasses while at the movies.  And more!  So, now I may be a person that has 5 different things that just happen to be the exact symptoms of Chiari.  I just don't understand how someone found something that seemed to fit perfectly and that it's not even that!  So, we're back to where we were May 2010.  However, we now know through MRI, CT Scans, and EEG's that I have not had a migrainal stroke, I do not have a blood clot in my brain, I do not suffer from seizure disorders, I do not have thrombosis, and that I do not have Chiari.  We just don't know what I do have!

Dreams

Today was Class Picture Day.  Shelby wanted to wear one of her new shirts purchased because she's growing like a weed!  The shirt says Make Your Dreams Come True.  Caden was telling her how cute her shirt was and asked her how she was going to make her dreams come true.  In her silly almost-growl voice, she said, "You go to sleep, silly!"
On a side note- picture day was cancelled!  Figures!

Expected

Randy has been home for for almost 2 weeks.  Tonight, he boarded a flight for Arizona for a National Sales Meeting.  So, naturally, my car dies in the parking lot of the elementary while I'm trying to attend all four kids' Parent Teacher Conferences.  I'm telling you, it's becoming a habit for things to happen when Randy's gone.  Expected, really.

Dance

I was having a particularly bad headache the other day.  On headache days, I spend most of my time on the couch.  Randy came in, pulled my legs onto his lap and played this song for me.  My favorite verse says If you knew how much this moment means to me, and how long I've waited for your touch.  And if you knew how happy you are making me, I never thought that I'd love anyone so much.  As I'm crying, again, at this verse, Randy leaned over and asked me to dance.  It was such an unexpected tender request.  Of course, that made me cry even more.  I'll never forget it as long as I live.  I love him so much.  That verse is exactly what I'd say!  While in Billings I saw a Willow Tree sculpture of a couple dancing.  Now each time I see that small statue I'm reminded of that special moment.  I love him so much.  It's those small and simple gestures that make me feel so much like a queen.  Randy is the perfect combination of masculine/romance.  He is my Mr. Darcy/ Peeta/ Ky/ Edward.

How many?

While at a doctor appointment this week, I was getting all checked in with a seriously cute nurse that was so happy and jovial.  It made it easier to put aside some of my anxiety.  Some.  It was so refreshing.  She was joking and we were simply having a great time.  As she was asking me all of the questions and typing the answers into the computer she said, "You have any kids?"  "Five."  She started laughing, shook her head as if I'd said the funniest joke and said, "No really, how many do you have."  This is where I started laughing, shook my head and said, "Five."  It was fun watching her face sober, seeing her look at me in all seriousness and say, "Really?"

When the doctor saw diapers in my purse, she asked how many kids I have.  After my response, she asked, "Are you Mormon?"  She then asked why Mormons have so many.  Randy gave her some of the answers that are somewhat textbook.  However, I got to thinking why we had five.  It's not because we had to.  It's not because of the tax breaks.  It's because we wanted that many.  And our loving Heavenly Father blessed us with our kids.  Yes, our hands are full.  Yes, most wouldn't envy us.  Yes, it's not the norm in today's society.  But, it's what we prayed for.  What we got.  And our lives are richly blessed!  We know we are lucky!

Later, Randy took us to dinner so I wouldn't have to clean the house after.  It was perfect!  As the hostess was showing us to our table, she asked, "Are they all brothers and sisters?"  That's a different way of asking.  Usually we get the cursory, "Are they all yours?" 

Swim Suit

The last time we pulled out our swim suits was in December when we went to Utah.  Shelby complained that the suit was too tight.  It is a 3T after all!  Last weekend when we went to Billings, I tried to find another suit in our "Keilie" hand-me-downs.  Nothing.  So, I had to bring her small one.  When I got it out to give her, I started telling her how I knew it was too small, but that I'd forgotten to find her a new one.  In my defence, have any of you started looking for a new swim suit this winter?  See, I'm not totally to blame.  Anyway, before I can get a good defence in with Shelby, Keilie pipes up, "Yeah, Shelby, once mom made me wear a swim suit that was too small and it pinched my butt," in this completely judgemental tone that made me feel SO small.  Now, in my defence with that one, we were at the Schliterbahn and I had NO idea it was that small.  She ended up having her thighs/butt rubbed raw!  Apparently it's rubbed into her brain as the worst swim suit incident as well!  I'm the worst ever. 

While Randy was at his temple session I decided to take the kids shopping in Billings to get Shelby a new swim suit.  We found a suit that she loved.  And let me tell you, it was NOT cheap.  I just felt like scum for "making my daughter wear a suit that pinched her butt."  As we were trying to figure out where we wanted to eat while Daddy was at the Temple, Shelby says, "Guys, don't worry.  I get to choose.  I'm the one with the new swim suit."  So, if you want to choose the place to eat next time, you'll have to buy a new swim suit.  Preferably one that doesn't pinch!

Time?

Since having kids, we've always done lunch time and then nap time.  Basically till they leave for Kindergarten.  There have been few times that it hasn't been like this for each of our children.  So, when Randy asked after lunch, "Brennon, what time is it?" we thought he'd say naptime.  Instead we got, "10:04?"  Ran.dom!

Shelby

I was texting back and forth with a friend yesterday.  I left my phone for a moment to answer the door.  When I got back to my phone there was a message that said, "I didn't understand your last text.  It simply said 'shelby.'"  Apparently, Shelby knew the answer to my text:)  shelby!  I knew it wasn't a mistake on my part because I would have capitalized her name:)