Puppy Poops!

For those of you who don't know, we have a very large side yard between our driveway and sidewalk - no windows to really see this piece of land so it is rather "private" (for the middle of town that is!). We maintain this piece of land. We play in this piece of land. We pay monthly for the privilege of having this piece of land.

AND every neighbor with a dog seems to think it is OK for their dog to poop in this space. As gross as it is I have stepped in dog poop countless times in this part of our yard. James has considered installing lots of illegal things to electrocute, spray water, paint, etc... the dog that crosses into this peice of land. We have laughed about putting a giant sign that says "Smile You Are On Candid Camera". We have considered installing a large sign that says "Would you appreciate my child pooping in your YARD???". We have even considered a kinder more gentler approach of installing a motion sensing light to the side of the house but this would really only help with the dogs walking at night.

But at the end of the day when the jokes are over, Lydia isn't allowed to play in that piece of land any more and every week or so I go out there (and try to even keep a nice attitude about it!) and clean up the poop that is between the trash cans and driveway.

Occasionally if I see a person allowing their dog to poop in the yard I will kindly open the door and say "oh I see you don't have a poop bag wait just a second and I will give you one". Genuinely thank the shocked and bewildered person for cleaning up their dog's mess and tell them how much my daughter loves playing outside in her yard!

BUT the point of this post: this morning Lydia was enjoying her morning spy session on the neighbors. "Mr. Wade is sleeping. His car is home." "Oh, Miss Vickie Miss Vickie (sings Lydia) what are you doing today". "Mom what about Avery". "Can Jack play?" "Play nice with David". "Remember watermelon". And on and on and on the conversation went - quite honestly I tune these spy sessions out! But then I hear the front door opening and I go running only to find my dear daughter on the patio yelling at a passerby "Puppy poops. Need a bag. WAITTTTTTTTT. Don't leave gross!"

And yes, the passerby who was leaving puppy poop in our yard was made to feel very guilty and seemed to appreciate the bag that my daughter ran out to give to said person. Personally I wouldn't allow my dog to poop in the crazy toddler's yard again!!!!!!

No Privacy Left at The Stojan House

This morning we were out and Lydia needed to go potty. I was skeptical that she really needed to go potty but she insisted. So we went and found the disgusting public restroom (I haven't found a public bathroom that made me sing and dance for it's cleanliness yet!). I take her in to the potty and after she quit admiring the dusty fake flowers I usher her into the little tiny stall.

Lydia: Potty Mommy I will watch.
DeAnna: (Thinking quietly to herself, "seriously did you really just insist that you needed to go potty to watch me potty in this disgusting bathroom"???)
"Lydia, I don't need to go potty. I went at home."
Lydia: Shaking her head, arms waving "No mommy potty".
DeAnna: Do you need to potty?
Lydia: Still having a small fit "No I AM FINE".

I then wiggled and squirmed to get the upset child and myself out of the disgusting bathroom. Got ourselves washed up and as we are walking back to find James Lydia is loudly declaring "Just wanted to watch Mommy potty".

I have no privacy out in public and defiantly no privacy at home either. 

Mom and Dad Apologize

Lydia has a "new" (slightly annoying) trick. After she is tucked into bed, she knocks on her door and says she has to potty. We play this game for 45 - 60 minutes - pretty much every night for the past two weeks.

My patience is growing thin with this "trick". James patience is growing thin with this "trick". And she gave us a couple nights off - we cheered for her and were hoping that we had survived another developmental milestone.

Last night she started her trick again. I played the game for 35 minutes and then told James it was his turn. (He was SOOOOOOO excited!). James played the game for one round. The second round Lydia was informed that the game was over and she needed to go to bed.

James went to watch his football game in the basement. And I heard the knocking again. Ignored it. And then 45 seconds later lots of banging with a new urgency.

Oh, yes. Lydia wasn't lying that time and really needed to poop! 20 minutes later after that lovely mess was cleaned up and the little girl was tucked back in the bed James and I both apologized to her. Tonight we are talking about only knocking when you need to potty (how can we know if your knocking means something when you knock lots of times for NOTHING!).

The Deck!

I always thought we had a small deck. Then we took the huge playhouse off the deck. And the flower pots that "one day we will plant something in" (giving up - when one day comes I can go pick out new flower pots!). AND then we discovered that this deck is actually 300 square feet and badly needing to be stained and repaired. We got ambitous and decided we could do this on a weekend.

Which we did but have decided next time we will just sell the house before staining it again! But it's done ;)

Freshly Power Washed. Looks almost brand new!

Before.... 

After... 

24 Hours of Firsts

First bee sting (and thankfully not allergic!). AND amazingly enough, I have never had a bee sting nor have I ever cared for anybody with a bee sting. So we are thankful for neighbors who are always a phone call away ;)

First time fishing underwear out of the toilet. Not asking how. But lesson learned - we don't put things in the toilet. First fishing out of "stuff" from the toilet is complimentary. NEXT time dear child, it's on you to fish whatever you threw in the water out of the water!

First time washing Lydia's big girl sheets just because it's been a week and a half since I changed her sheets! Not wet with urine. Not poopy. Just dirty from daily use ;) Celebrate!!!!!!!!!!

And last night, we went to Goodberry's. First time we have gone with our not peanut allergic child. So our frozen custard treat was made on the machines directly infront of the window and I lifted Lydia up to watch. She thought this was the greatest thing EVER! In proper Goodberry's fashion when our treat was served to us, the treat is tipped over, and then handed to us. Lydia thought this was pretty neat. We talked about it but I didn't think a thing about it. We drove home in the 90 degree heat and ofcourse our treat melted just a bit. I gave Lydia her bowl of frozen custard and she promptly poured it out. In slow motion just watching her sweet goodness dribble out of the bowl, on to her pretty dress, all over the seat, and down to the carpet. I would like to say a lesson was learned but nope. Lydia's viewpoint on the entire situation "magic ice-cream". Yep it's magical - or something like that!

Promotion Sunday

 In preparation for promotion Sunday at church (when the children all move to their new classrooms!), Lydia's classmates have gradually been introduced to the idea of a new classroom. Two year olds are not known for their ability to handle surprises well!

Week One: the children went on a field trip to visit the new hallway. Coincidentally the same week a child pulled the fire alarm... Hmmmm interesting! But Lydia was excited to make a "being brave" necklace in her new classroom.

Week Two: The children got to visit the new classroom and be picked up from their new classroom. Lydia's discovery "animal cookies for snack". Seriously I think we could have taken her to the new class without any transition time at all if she knew she was going to get animal crackers instead of Cheerios. UPGRADE! I think she learned a lesson but all Lydia learned was how great snack time is on the preschool hallway.

BUT Lydia got to say bye to her teachers, receive a certificate, and get bubbles. Let's not forget about the fact that apparently snack is better on the preschool hallway!

This Sunday coming up is the big week - she moves to the preschool hallway. I think she will be just fine (but she has spent the week giving kisses to the picture of her toddler teachers!).

She was telling me all about those "yummy" animal crackers! 

Close up of her certificate. 

Power of M&M's

What will a little girl do for ONE M&M? Stay dry all night! Motivates a little girl to not be lazy and walk the 7 steps from her bedroom to the bathroom at nap time too.

Lydia had been staying dry at night. And then she decided that she would just pee in her pull-up (seriously why did I give her those??? Sometimes Mom will do anything to sleep!). We will avoid my soapbox but Lydia was choosing to pee in her Pull-up rather than walking to the potty. I had talked to her. I had kindly taken her to the bathroom when I went to bed - which equaled Lydia being awake until 2AM. James had talked to her. We had offered her park trips, pool trips, walk to the lake, etc... Really nothing was motivating her and she was peeing more in her Pull-up. Really a little girl should not be peeing so much in her Pull-up that she is soaking the bed!

And then she started having trouble at nap time. Which we mastered nap time dryness weeks after potty training. I was frustrated to say the least!

But I decided to show my poker face and not let Lydia see my frustration. So as I was eating chocolate after cleaning up poop in the bed (it's a fact anybody who scrubs poop off their potty training child gets the chocolate treat of their choice!) and Lydia wanted a treat. My initial thought: oh, no! I am sneaking this treat because I just cleaned up your POOP because you refused to walk into the bathroom and poop! But I was the grown up and gave the toddler a small bite which she declared "mmmmm" and wanted her own handful.

My response: "Well, sweet girl treats are for big girls who stay dry".
Lydia: "I will stay dry"
My response: "After you are dry, you can have chocolate".

James and I decided that we were not going to make a deal anymore about her sleeping wetness/dryness and just move on. Pull-ups aren't that evil AND sleep. Well, we all need it.

The next morning I hear a little knock coming from a certain some body's room followed by a little voice "get chocolate need to peeeeeeeeeeeee". I go running. And that child had stayed dry all night.

And she got THREE M&Ms.

60 hours and counting of dryness!!!!!!!!!!!! (P.S. The Pull-ups are leaving our house - at our house the Pull-ups breed laziness! From mom and daughter!)