Sunday Picture: Fall activities + Day 3

We've been pretty busy the last couple of weekends and really got a break this weekend. Bub has a soccer game every Saturday this fall plus we've done a few Halloween/Fall activities like Boo at the Zoo at our local zoo and we went to a pumpkin patch one day to play and get a pumpkin. We also took family pictures last Sunday for Christmas cards and to update last year's picture. Button looks so different from last year and Bub looks so much more grown up. This weekend we didn't have much planned which was a bit of a welcome change because next weekend gets hectic again.

So for Day 3, I have to say that I am grateful that we get to go out and do these kinds of fun activities and that the weather (mostly) allows for it. I enjoy doing these kinds of things and I try to bring the kids to as many activities and fun things as I can.

Day 2: Taking Turns (The Grateful Project)

Today I am grateful for taking turns. When Bub was a baby, my husband and I established a system where one of us got up with him on Saturday and the other got up on Sunday. That way we each got a turn to sleep late. We did that until he was old enough to get up by himself. And then we had Button and we reestablished the system. It's nice to get at least one day of sleeping late even if we still occasionally argue about who has to get up.

More thoughts on potty training

As Button moves closer to 2, I've been considering more and more giving potty training a try at Christmas. We will be home. I'll be off. Maybe it could work. She is certainly showing more signs of readiness than her brother ever did. She doesn't like to be dirty. If you ask if she needs a diaper change she will walk into her room and wait by the changing table. She seems grossed out by it. She's starting hiding a little now too. She is definitely interested when someone in the household uses the toilet and likes to throw toilet paper in it. So these are small signs but some signs nonetheless. I'm contemplating getting the potty seat down from the attic and putting it out to see. But then should I get pull-ups or just let her get use to it being in the house? I don't even know. It's new territory for me having a child who is interested in this at all. Bub was 3 1/2 by the time it was all done with him and he was only vaguely interested. He didn't see the value in having to stop what he was doing and so we had to make him see the value. She is much different than him. Button loves to be clean. I think that is partly why she enjoys her bath time so much. So I'm beginning to feel like my 2 weeks off could be an opportunity I shouldn't pass up. I mean, how awesome would it be to have a child potty training before the age of 2? And no more diapers. *sigh* I can only hope.

Day 1: Babysitting (The Grateful Project)

Today I am grateful that my mom is willing to babysit pretty much whenever we ask. For example, today I am working the Reference Desk as the afternoon librarian. My university closes at 12:30 on Fridays (a left-over measure from Hurricane Katrina) but the library is open til 4:30. So there is always one Reference Librarian on duty and I usually volunteer to be on the rotation since the extra comp time is a good thing. BT was unable to take the day off so my mom is watching Button. She usually watches the kids in the afternoons but not typically on Fridays since I get off early. Her willingness to help out with the kids and to be flexible about it makes my life so much easier. We try not to take advantage of her kindness. It's nice to have someone to help out though.

The Grateful Project + NaNoWriMo

So I thought for November I might do a month of saying what I am grateful for everyday. I'm thinking of stylizing like I did with the 31 Things Project. I had a lot of fun with that. I know last year people did this on Facebook but I don't think I want to do it there. I'd like to keep it to something I am grateful for that day rather the general my family, my house, type of thing but I can guarantee there will be a few days at least devote to those topics. But I'd like to celebrate the small moments if possible. It might end up being a day behind if I do that since I will be saying what I was grateful for the day before which will be fine too. I guess I'll have to see how it works out.

The other thing that has come up is I think I might try to do NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I have an idea swirling around in my head and though I don't want to really be a writer for real or anything, I do like writing and I miss it. I use to write all the time before grad school but I don't do that anymore. This seems like a good time to try again.