It's official...

We have a proud little girl at our house-who ONLY wears big girl panties! Can you believe that she was trained in a day and a half??? We have not had an accident since last Tuesday afternoon. I am shocked, a week ago I was pulling my hair out because I thought she would never get it. We even ventured out on Friday and Saturday a little bit to run errands. I ordered a travel potty seat, but it hasn't arrived yet. So we headed out with the potty seat from home in a bag-and it worked!!! It was so nice to get out-we were going stir crazy here at home.

On Friday I went with my mom to a Stampin Up party that my aunt was hosting. It was so much fun!!! I had such a good time creating cards and cute crafty things. It made me want to run home and start Taegan's scrapbook(yes I am 27 months behind) and not put it down until I was done. How fun! Needless to stay it started a thing with my mom and I and we decided to create us a little area to craft and create:) I had a lot of stuff that I had accumulated and so we are starting there. We went and bought cabinets, put them together, and now we just have a little bit more to get and I think we are ready to start! I can't wait-it will be something so fun my mom and I can do together!

I just started reading The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes because I found a book club blog and I must say it is a great book. We were to have the first 10 chapters read today and then come chat about it-so fun!!! I was surprised at how fast the book is moving and had a hard time stopping at Chapter 10!!! If you want to join in the fun head over to http://bookendbloggers.blogspot.com/ and join!

Off to read some more and I will post some pictures of our new craft area soon!!! Keep your fingers crossed for us here that we stay accident free!

Day 3 of potty camp...

For fear of jinxing things I wasn't sure I wanted to put this out there, but Miss Taegan has decided she kind of likes the potty!!! She has been accident free since last night at 6pm. This includes bedtime and nap. I can't believe it-she is rocking it out!!! I hope this keeps up. I don't have to ask her anymore, she tells us when she needs to go and she goes. To say we are blessed is an understatement. I was really not sure I could do another day like Monday or morning like yesterday. What a BIG girl!

Here potty chart after 3 days.

Showing off her Woody doll after a full day of no accidents!!!!!!

Day 2 of potty camp...

I'm glad I waited until this evening to write this post! Had I written the post at naptime today it would have been MUCH different. This morning was very trying for me-very! I was learning patience I thought I would never learn. She was being so stubborn and just really refusing to use the potty. She would sit there and sit there, not go, get up and 3 minutes later go in her panties. UGH-I was maxed out after she did this 3 times to me. I did fail to mention that she was DRY when she woke up this morning. That was a huge success and I thought for sure the morning was going to go great, not so much! It was so discouraging. She ended up going before lunch/nap on the potty and then stayed dry all through nap!!!

She woke up crying to use the potty from nap and I thought for sure it was gonna happen-nope! She sat there for 10 minutes didn't go, and then proceeded to not go for another hour and a half!!! I was shocked. I left the room for one minute and she ran up to the bathroom and told me she needed to go and sat right down and went. Twenty minutes later she went poop on the potty!!!!!!!!!!!! I was feeling like a rockstar. She had an accident while playing with my mom and then went 4 more times before bed by telling us and then going. I really feel like we are onto something...I hope. Since she finished her first row of stickers after going poop she got her first prize-we are working towards the second. She has to go all day with no accidents to get the next one! Wish us luck tomorrow.

First row of stickers complete!

Showing off her new "Cars" car Sarge-soooo proud!

Meeting Miss Ayla...and potty training!

Our newest niece was born on Friday night-late!!! Ayla August was born at 11:52 weighing 7 lbs, 14 oz, and 21 inches long. She was healthy and doing great. Kendra did awesome with the labor all day and Garret, we were told was an amazing coach for her! I couldn't wait to get my hands on her-and she was precious. They got to go home yesterday and are enjoying their time home together. We got to go over last night as they got home and let Taegan meet her. She loved her and then became real shy! I can't wait to see them grow up together and even more excited to have Taegan, Kinsley, and Ayla play together. So fun!!!

Aunt Angie SOOO excited to hold her!

She has tons of hair-we put it in a mohawk!
Proud Uncle Justin.

The happy family-so sweet!

Taegan giving her kisses-lots of them.

I decided that today was the day to start potty training boot camp. I got my attitude ready and all my ducks in a row. I read a book from a friend about this 3 day training(not that I have my hopes up for that) and it sounded like something I really wanted to give a try. We woke up this morning, threw away all the diapers, took away the diaper changing pad, put up the potty chart, changed into BIG girl panties, and started our day!!!! I really had no idea what I was up against-but soon found out. We had 3 accidents before there was a success. I know I looked like a FOOL dancing around, but she loved it. She gets a sticker and an M&M with each success. After she finishes one row of stickers she gets a prize that she has wanted(the first one is a new Cars car). I cleaned and cleaned the floor today, but was SOO excited when she had 2 successes before nap and woke up from nap dry. It went downhill after that-with 4 accidents! She is very stubborn and decided that she would sit on the potty and try and then get up and potty in her panties 5 minutes later. Then look at me and just asked to be changed. Justin decided that after the 4th time she was getting to stay in her wet panties. And she hated it!!! Needless to say we had a success before bed:) We put a pull-up on her for bed and told her if it was dry in the morning she would get a sticker!!! Time will tell. I was exhausted after today and hope that tomorrow is slightly better-it has to be!!

The potty chart before stickers!

Throwing her diapers away.

Totally mad about putting her panties on this morning.

Las Vegas Birthday

We made it back and what a trip we had!!! I had so much fun and was so glad I got to spend my birthday with the group I did in Vegas. It was SUPER hot there, but we made the best of it! The first night we got in we saw the show KA and it was absolutely great. I loved it, but we couldn't take pictures:( The second day was my birthday and we spent it by the pool, walking the strip, and ended it at Coyote Ugly-what a wild time we had! I must say that is one of my favorite bars to have fun at. We all enjoyed that. The third day we all did our own thing(we just relaxed by the pool) and then spent the evening at Old Downtown. It was an early morning this morning so I will let the pictures say the rest so I can get to bed!! A HUGE thanks to Di, Allen, Colleen, and Leland for making my 30th a special day.

We made it-our limo ride to the hotel.
The girls!

Had to get a picture with Hello Kitty for Taegan-but I had NO idea they do these pictures for money, I didn't pay.

Justin's kiddie ice cream bowl at the buffet.

Allen and I before the show.

Justin and I.

My birthday cupcakes-Justin and Di couldn't wait!

Margaritaville.

Birthday lunch.

Coyote Ugly after 3 hours of dancing on the bar-I am SOOO sore.

Fountains at Bellagio.

Our pool.

I am so glad to be home, but will cherish the memories!

It's time

Today is the day...we are packed and ready. Now the hard part is saying goodbye to Taegan for 4 days. I know it will be good for all of us, but it is gonna break my heart to leave her! I know she is FANTASTIC hands, but it is always a challenge to leave. I am SUPER excited to be heading to Vegas and so ready to have some adult fun with the couples we are going with. I also realizing that in less than 48 hours I will be 30!!!!!!!!!!!! I am trying to embrace it-wish me luck on that this weekend. And just because she is cute here is a picture of the little love that we are leaving for the weekend.

See you on the flip side:)

A great weekend...

What a fun family weekend we had! Friday afternoon Justin, Mom, Dad, Taegan, and I all headed to KC to have a birthday dinner for me, get a little shopping in, and go to a family birthday party. It was a good night-although we did figure out that Taegan is at a very rough age for going out to eat. We went to Cheesecake Factory(my favorite) and she wanted to sit in a booster seat. This was a terrible idea and she was all over the booth. We will limit our eating out until she is at a better age/mood to enjoy these experiences. Saturday Taegan and I laid around the house because I wasn't feeling so good while Justin went to work. That night we got pizza and played at home. Oh it was so good to be at home just being silly and together. Sunday we woke up and went to church(I have missed it the last few weeks). Taegan was super excited to go see her friends at church and it was a good morning. We met Justin's parents for a birthday lunch for me that day and it was another terrible outing with Taegan and her attitude. Darn it. The rest of Sunday was spent as a family and having fun. I got to go to dinner with Maegan for my birthday while Justin stayed home with Taegan and they played and played.

After reading everything we did all weekend it is obvious that I am a very lucky girl and have lots of people in my life that love spoiling me for my birthday!!! There is more to come this week-tomorrow evening I am going with Di to get my toes and nails Vegas ready and Wednesday we head to KC to stay before we head out Thursday morning. I have been tackling my to-do list today and am making great progress!!! Here are a few pictures from the weekend and today...

Putting on my boots and strutting around.
Using her bib as a cape and she asked me to take her picture.

Reading her bedtime book with Daddy last night-so sweet!!!

1 week...

One week from today I will be in Las Vegas having a great time with some great friends!!! As excited as I am about all of that, I can't help but be reminded that I am going there because I am turning 30. WOW-30??? Am I really gonna be 30 in a week? There are somedays when I think that it is no big deal, and then there are other days that I step back and think about all the things I have done in my 30 years. I really want this to be a great year and one that I embrace rather than dread because, well, it means I am getting older!!! So to help myself feel better I am going to make a list of all the things I feel are important that I have done so far in my 30 years!! Here it goes-
*I was born to two amazing parents that loved and took care of me-and still do!!!
*I graduated high school, and being the total nerd that I was had only drank once by the time I left high school. I am proud of that actually and I hope that someday Taegan has the same values. I never did drugs and have still never touched drugs.
*I went to college for a semester and realized that I had totally rebelled and needed to pull myself together and come home. Best decision I ever made.
*Went back to college after working 3 jobs for 9 months.
*Graduated college with a 3.8 and was on the Dean's List for a 4.0 for a year and a half.
*Got married to what I believed was my soulmate and moved back to Topeka.
*Got a job teaching 4th grade at Indian Hills and LOVED it.
*Made one of the hardest/painful decisions of my life and got divorced at the age of 24.
*Decided to get my master's degree while going through the divorce-best decision.
*Met and married my true soulmate on the beach in Jamaica...no words to describe how perfect that was.
*Graduated with my Master's Degree with a 4.0.
*Gave birth(which I swore I never would) to a beautiful baby girl, Taegan.
*Made it through 7 days of Taegan being sick and in the NICU as soon as she was born.
*Being the best Mom to her for 26 months now.
*Making it through the first year of me being a stay at home Mom with one income.
*Joining a new church that Justin and I enjoy and we feel very comfortable at.
*Taking Taegan on family trips and loving all the memories we make with her.

It feels good to look back at this list and know that I have accomplished a lot. I look forward to my 30s and hope that even more great things happen! But for now-I still have one week in the 20s to enjoy:)