Owning the potty in 2016

Let's go back one month and cover our adventures in potty training.

It started back on December 9th, which I'll always remember since it was my father-in-law's 75th birthday. Valerie woke up with a dry diaper and I asked if she wanted to sit on the potty. She said yes, and she chilled out on the potty while I read her stories for a while, and then she peed on the potty. I cheered and maxed out my excitement and gave her candy, and suddenly, the connection was made. She knew she could pee on the potty for treats and we were off to the races. Well, I should say, I still put her in a diaper for school that day, since putting her in underwear based on peeing on the potty once seemed a bit hasty. But, her teachers said go for it, so we started sending her in underwear the next day.

The first week was definitely hit and miss and 2-3 pairs of pants per day at school, and then that weekend was the big Timm family get-together followed by norovirus, so we totally gave up on the potty for about a week in all that chaos.

Around Christmas, we started getting back on track, and while we were gone, Grandpa took over potty patrol with mostly good results, though he faced a few nasty accidents at the park that week. Upon our return home, though, we seemed to have made it through the woods. In our first full week home, she had just one accident, on Friday night, while we were watching a show together. (Suffice it to say, I look forward to the day we kick our couch to the curb.) Otherwise - the week was a blue ribbon victory, and I feel it is safe to say we officially have ourselves a potty trained child!!! So exciting!!! We even leave her in underwear at night and for naps since she was always waking up dry. Knock on wood - we haven't had any nighttime accidents yet!

I think being back on her usual schedule and going to school was the missing link. December was so crazy, with her only going to school one week of the month, and lots of traveling and visitors and sickness. Now that we are back in our normal routine, she is like an old potty pro. She even told me yesterday she had to pee while she was in the bathtub, and I hoisted her out of the bath to pee on the potty. #soproud #shediditallforafruitsnack

It feels so good to be home and together as a family. We had a nice first weekend of the year with Valerie, who was and still is SO, SO glad to have Mommy and Daddy back home with her. Most days she still excitedly says some variation of: "Mommy/Daddy, you came back!" "Mommy, you always come back." "I miss you." "I love you so much!"

It's the sweetest thing in the world, and really the most affection she's ever shown us, so we are eating it up with a spoon. We got to do lots of cuddling on the couch and playing together and I got all the hugs and kisses I could want. It is a wonderful change of pace from the terrible behavior and whining leading up to the holidays.

Friday night the 8th we watched planet earth (that's when the big couch accident occurred) and ordered sushi from Fuki Sushi, and walked over to pick it up. They have the BEST miso soup. I could drink it all day every day.

Saturday morning we went to Véronique, Elise and Justin's place for brunch - loaded waffles, sausage, melon and mimosas. Soooo delicious and so good to see everyone after a long holiday break! Then we did some shopping at the Stanford Shopping Center. Oh my god Becky, the sales!!! I got leggings and socks from baby Gap for lower prices than at consignment shops and Rich got some new shirts and pants. I may need to go back this week and take better advantage of all these crazy sales. Valerie did great walking all around by herself and then we came home and she took a FOUR HOUR NAP. What!?! We couldn't believe she slept so long. It was amazing. We made popcorn and  watched Wild and had some relaxing downtime.

Sunday morning was Valerie's beloved friend Kalinda's 3rd birthday party and we headed to her house for some preschool age chaos. They just got a new swing set and a weather miracle occurred: the clouds parted and the sun shined down on the party for a reprieve from the rainy and overcast winter. It was a beautiful day, maybe 55 degrees and with the sun shining, it was fantastic. Truckloads of 3-year-olds ran in circles, played in the sandbox, went down the slide, fought over the swings and tricycle, and basically had the best time ever, shrieking at the top of their lungs.

Valerie had the time of her life chasing Kalinda all around the yard, playing with her toys and trying to blow out the candle on her cupcake. She fortunately did not succeed. On our way home, she wanted to facetime with Kali. They truly are sisters at heart.

It was an exciting day, but after a four hour nap the day before, there was no nap to be had. Amazingly, she was in great spirits and a pleasure to be around all day even without one. We put together her new puzzle, played with Cinderella and the prince, read lots of books, played with her baby doll, facetimed with friends, sang Let it Go, made words with bananagram tiles, and snuggled on the couch watching Finding Nemo. Nothing beats those sweet snuggles. A wonderful winter weekend.

Oktoberfest 2015

We had such a fun weekend! A nice recovery from last weekend's hiking debacle. We started out by checking out the free movie in Downtown Menlo Park on the Chestnut Paseo on Friday evening, which was Big Hero 6. Rich and I had seen it before, and we knew it would be a little scary for Valerie, but we figured she could handle it. She did great! When she got scared we told her to look away and cuddle up with Daddy.

We brought camping chairs, blankets, popcorn and candy, and it was the perfect Friday night family activity. We're planning to go back again this Friday for the last movie in the series, Cinderella.

She was cracking us up on the way home from the movie. She kept interrupting us and saying, "Stop talking Mommy and Daddy! I have a question about Baymax" (the robot from the movie).

"Okay, what's your question?"
"What does... he... do... like... save the day." Every time she would say, "I have a question about Baymax" and we would ask, "okay, what's your question?" And she would make some vague statement. We tried to turn it around by asking her questions: "Is Baymax nice, or scary? Who programmed Baymax? Who is Tadashi?"

In spite of the scary parts, she loved getting to watch a movie with Mommy and Daddy while eating a lollipop. It's so much fun for us to finally be able to watch a movie all together! We'll have to take her to a real theater soon... maybe when Frozen 2 comes out.

Okay, I just googled Frozen 2, and apparently it's not coming out before 2018. We'll probably go see a movie before that.

Saturday morning we took turns getting our workouts in (Rich at the Stanford gym, me at Core Studio) and I made a quick trip to the Palo Alto Farmer's Market for fresh bread, fruit, herbs, fish, avocados and some rosemary almond butter (yum!!).

After a relaxing afternoon and some naps, we got ready for the Redwood City Oktoberfest. We love Oktoberfest in Cincinnati, where there are so many free events around the city every weekend through September and October, and we knew we wanted to find an Oktoberfest in the bay area this year. The big one is in San Francisco next weekend, but it's fairly expensive ($30/person) and we would need a babysitter for the evening one. We'd need a sitter for the daytime one, too, if we wanted Valerie to get her nap that day, but we really wanted to bring her if we could. She loves the music and dancing, and sausages. Redwood City is closer, cheaper, and allows kids, so we decided to go to that one.

don't miss the balloon beer hat on the woman on the left.

We fortunately purchased our tickets earlier in the week because the event was sold out when we arrived. A few of our biodesign friends were planning to meet us there, but hadn't bought tickets in time, so we were bummed about that. We waited in a long line to get our 1-liter steins and bracelets at the entrance, and then got in the beer line. Lots of waiting in the hot sun, but it was worth it! We really had a great time and were impressed by the solid glass beer steins that came with admission. I was expecting something cheap and plastic. There was live music and a few dancing shows, log sawing, and an open dance floor, which Valerie TORE UP.

She is becoming a maniac on the dance floor lately and I LOVE IT. We have dance parties at home all the time now. We'll definitely have to get her in dance classes in the next couple of years.

She was the star of the show. A photographer wanted some pictures and video of her dancing and had us sign a waiver (so maybe we will see these pictures sometime?), and lots of people commented on how adorable she was dancing in her German girl costume, which was actually a Little Red Riding Hood costume I found on Amazon. We left the hooded cape at home, but were not spared the red glitter on the skirt that got everywhere.

The beer was cold, the pretzel covered with havarti was the size of my torso, the music was loud (a bit too loud... my ears were ringing when we left), and Rich convinced me to participate in the women's stein-holding contest at the end - in which I made an impressive (for me) showing! I was one of the last 3 or 4 women standing, and the winner was crowned just a few seconds after my arm gave out. I felt pretty proud of myself. Rich tried to be in the men's stein-holding contest that followed, but he was too slow - all the men wanted to volunteer and they only allowed ten. At that point, Valerie was starting to melt down anyway so we made a hasty exit.

By then it had cooled off and felt wonderful outside. We put the top down on our new (to us) convertible and enjoyed a refreshing ride home in the evening breeze. Such a fun and memorable Oktoberfest this year!

Sunday morning I was inspired to make waffles, and Rich had the brilliant idea to top his with almond butter and nutella. I took it even further by adding some of the fresh strawberries from the farmer's market to mine - YUM! There's a whole post about the waffles on my new blog at Wordpress, LizZestLife - check it out!

I have the best waffle helper!

waffles topped with almond butter, nutella, and fresh strawberries - YEP

Our friends Brett and Ali came over for lunch and Valerie got to meet their 5-month-old daughter Amanda, which was really the cutest thing ever.

We had the loveliest afternoon catching up with them in the backyard even though it was blazing hot outside. We sat in the shade and brought a fan out to keep the air moving so it wasn't too brutal. I am so ready for some of this "not scorching" California weather that I have been promised! "You don't need A/C in the bay area," they said. "It doesn't get that hot here," they said. "You won't be sweating to death in your house for six weeks." LIES.

We had sandwiches with the fresh bread and ingredients from the farmer's market, along with tuna salad and truffle mayo that I made, and of course Sunday Funday style beverages.

Valerie and Amanda timed their naps perfectly so the parents could eat lunch in peace, and we bonded over our shared misfortune that in both our houses, the closet rods are hung too close to the shelves above for hanger clearance. An incredibly frustrating problem I never even knew existed! But we are not alone! There are others out there suffering with us! Seriously, who hangs the closet rods too close to the shelves above?!? Combined with an already too-small closet, this makes the hanging of clothes a hellish task.

Anyway, we had a blast with Brett, Ali and Amanda, and a quiet evening at home Sunday night since Rich had work to do. It was so hot in the house I decided something deliciously ice cold would be necessary.

It was a great weekend of family, friends, tasty treats, dancing and relaxation despite the heat. Next weekend's forecast is a refreshing high of 80 degrees. Bring. It. On!!!!