Pest Problem....

We have Carpenter bees outside on our utility shelf! For 2 weeks now I kept hearing this ticking sound and I knew it was a mouse or anything, so I did some research, and I'm about 99.9% sure it's Carpenter Bees... Now what??!!!?? I cleaned everything off the shelf, but if there's one thing I don't do, it's BEES!!! Adam is going to try to drag the shelf to the road for the garbage man to come pick up, but I'm scared to think what we're going to find when we pull that shelf off the wall... Hope they haven't burrowed into the house!! :-/

If you look closely you can see 2, half in. round holes... Apparently the bees burrow into the wood and make tunnels throughout it to form a nest. These are the only holes i have discovered so far, but by the amount of sawdust I have found, I know there are more...

CRAZINESS

Our Potty is here!!

Our potty arrived early this morning!! Tori was so excited to open up the box and throw all the packaging and papers everywhere till she finally got to her blue potty! She was so cute!

Ice cream, M&Ms, and lots and lots of patience... We will get this!!

Tori's Quote of the Day:

We were sitting at the dinner table and we were telling eachother about how our day had been. Tori asked Adam, "Daddy what you do?" and Adam said, "I was at work." Then, my brilliant child responded..."You workin in da big chuck(truck) and you sencing(fencing)?" Adam said "yes" and she said, "Good job daddy, good job wis dat sence!" What a sweet girl to show her daddy how much his work is appreciated around here!!

hmm...

Potty training has gone great most of today! Only 2 accidents and everything else has gone in the potty! Tori made me so sad tonight though, because she sat on the potty and cried, "I not yike to go potty Mommy, I put on my dipa and be a baby now." Hmm... Should I be discouraged?? Or is this just part of the process...

Potty Training.... Step Two

We are patiently awaiting our potty. Tori told me today(and yesterday), "Mommy, my potty come i-i-inn da mail... I-I-I-In a box! but, but it's a blue one mommy, a blue potty!!" so cute! Can you tell I'm loving the stutter? Her brain is working too fast for her mouth, and she just can't get it out! lol anyways back to the matter at hand. So the past 3 days we have been beginning the process of potty training, and today was our first day to wear big girl panties! She did have an accident in them, but I'm so proud of her!!! We sat on the big potty, I gave her some juice, and read "Once upon a potty" at least 4 times today. I will post a picture of her sticker chart later this week!! When it has more stickers on it :).... I'm determined this time, and so is she!! She'll be a big girl in no time!

If you are looking for a good potty book this one is great!!! There's also a boy version if you have a boy :)

We're sensitive around here...

This post is for anyone who has a child with sensitive skin. I thought maybe it would be helpful to others dealing with these issues to know what products we use, and how we handled the issues of dry skin, eczema, and break outs. 

Since the day Tori was born, she has had sensitive skin. The hospital gave me a small pack of pampers diapers, and it took me around a week to figure out she was allergic to the diapers. After some trial and error I realized that ONLY Huggies snug and dry would not break out her little bottom, and for a month and 1/2 I had to make my own baby wipes out of paper towels, until I finally found a wipe that she could handle. As she has grown up we have had 2 cases of the hives, just from someone putting something on her skin, that was not pre-approved by me. Though it has gotten better, and some things she can tolerate much better that she used to be able to we still have break outs from time to time, dry skin issues, and eczema issues. We have prescription hydrocortisone, take baths a little less often that normal, and lotion daily with Aveeno lotion.  3 months ago cupcake icing left little red smears where she had gotten it on her cheeks, and just Sunday a friend of mine made some AMAZINGLY yummy spaghetti sauce, and Tori had red spots wherever it touched her skin!! Usually this clears up on it's own, and if it doesn't one dose of benadryl does the trick, and we really try not to let it effect our daily lives, but I do have to be careful what I put on her skin. Our most recent discovery; a bubble bath that she can use!!  Tori has only had 3 bubble baths in her lifetime because of this problem, and I am proud to say we FINALLY found a bubble bath, that does not break her out!! She was so excited this afternoon to play in bubbles and I was so happy to let her!!!  If anyone out there is dealing with the issue of sensitive skin here are some products we have used that helped!! 

Here's a link to some of the recipes I used for Tori

All Natural Recipes for Babies

Tori's Quote of the Day:

I got home from Target and Tori immediantly came to me and said: "Mommy, W-W-W-W-What'ya been doin?"  Someone tell me why the stutter is so stinkin cute, and how on earth my 2 year old even knows to ask that question?? She is just brilliant...

Then and Now

A funny picture Adam decided to recreate the other night... Looks like they both grew some hair since then hahaha...

Potty Training.... Step One

Ok guys I have to admit I have been procrastinating a little bit on this potty training thing, but I am at least heading in the right direction! Today I ordered Tori a potty (blue of course and she is so excited to get it! She said "Mommy my potty come in da mail, so so I can get it and go tinkle and poopy in it!" haha... Step One: buy a potty... CHECK!!

Raining....

Sometimes you just have to play in the rain!!!!!

Best Friends...

Tori and Taylor... It's crazy how much they love eachother... and so very precious

Mama getting creative...

When we left for our trip I wasn't sure how Tori would do with us being gone so long.(She barely missed us at all!! haha!) So I made her a sticker chart to count down the days till we came home.... It was a big hit!! Here's a picture of it after she put the stickers on!

In case you can't read my little poem it says: 

"Tori Grace we miss you so!!!

And we just thought that you should know

That we will see you smiling face

When all the stickers are in place!"

I sent it with her to Gigi and Papa's house with a set of stickers and put something on each day for her to do! She had a blast with Gigi, Papa, and her Aunts and Uncles, and honestly barely missed us at all! Thanks so much to my Mommy and Daddy for keeping her for us!! We had an awesome break from real life. :)

My sweet little Sunshine...

Some days I just look at Tori and think.... "She is so beautiful!" This is usually followed by me, tiptoeing to get the camera and trying to snap a shot before she sees me and hides.... Today I have some sweet, successful shots... Enjoy

Sweet girl... loving the bunny on the floor :)

Tori and Sam... She loves him and he loves her

Playing outside... So glad for warm weather :)

Tori got half of Mommy's flowers all you herself in her own little vase... she loved putting them in and smelling them.... She said "Yook at my sowers Mommy!! Dey petty(pretty)"