House Broken!

What a process this has been! We heard so many suggestions...everything from "they'll figure it out on their own when they are ready" to "let them run around naked and they'll want to use the potty". Luckily, I have been blessed with a supreme amount of patience to persevere through the lengthy process!

Actually...truth is that I'm lucky that I have a beautiful wife with the patience to persevere through the process. Anyone who believed my previous statement probably shouldn't be reading this blog!We tried just about everything. We let her go naked. We forced her to sit on the potty. We bought pretty Dora undies so that she would (hopefully) want to keep them clean. There were times where none of that seemed to work. The amazing thing about kids is that everything just "clicks" all at once. Looking back on Julia's development, that's the way it has been. You try and try and try to get them to do something and just when your perseverance is shattered, out of the blue they do it!

Getting her to go pee-pee on the potty wasn't too tough. She got that consistently pretty fast...although we did have a stage where she was going for Mommy and school, but refused to go for Daddy. Given that I have her alone on weekday evenings, this was a frustrating time period.

Poops were the big challenge. I feel like she was scared to go. She would save them up and then just explode in a massive accident...rendering irreparable damages upon whatever cute cartoon character she had been wearing that day. Then one day it happened! It happened at school, but she did it!We had been promising Julia a "Special Treat" when she finally went poops for the first time. So I picked her up from school and they told me of her massive achievement and I took her to the toy store to pick out a toy. I was willing to deal with the "I want that...and that...and that..." because it was worth it! I was SO proud of her.

A couple weeks previous, she had been looking at a store flier that had Pillow Pets in it and she told her Mommy that she wanted the Blue Dolphin Pillow Pet. As we walk into the toy store, she spies a bin of these overpriced, under-supportive pillows and said to me, "Daddy, I want the Blue Dolphin Pillow Pet". After letting her hold it for a bit, I convinced her to not make such a rash decision and look at some of the other toys in the store.

We finally find the Dora aisle (yes...she has her own aisle) and Julia starts to vibrate. I was certain that we would be walking out with some sort of Dora play thing. I let her check everything out and play for a few minutes. Her excitement was amusing not only me, but several other store patrons who stopped to be entertained by her for a moment. Finally, I squatted down next to her and asked which toy she was going to choose.

I was really expecting her to ask for all of them and get upset when I made her choose. I'm pretty sure that's what two-year-olds do. But she knocked me on my heels when she said, in a rather matter of fact way, "Daddy, I want the Blue Dolphin Pillow Pet!"

The three of us left the store together that night, happy as can be..."Squeaky" the Blue Dolphin Pillow Pet, who had found a little girl who was going to love the heck out of him, Julia because she got Squeaky and me because my little princess could not have made me prouder that day!

-Andy

Another Year Passes

It's official...Jules is two! She's on her way to being a little heartbreaker and in preparation, Daddy has been shopping for firearms. I figure I won't buy any bullets. That way I can scare the crap out of boys without being tempted to use it!

She had a doctor's appointment last week and the doc says that she is likely to be tall and slender. So allow me to add this all up...my little girl already has beautiful BIG blue eyes. She's shifting to her mother's darker complexion and she's going to be tall and slender. Maybe I ought to look into bullets too!

I'm kidding (sort of)...but seriously, the last year has been amazing. Literally it feels like she grows everyday in some way. We are spending the weekend this weekend working on potty training. By we I mean Mommy. There are certain things that Daddy really has a tough time with and cleaning up accidents is one of them. Don't know what I'd do without Courtney!

We had another summer BBQ for Julia's birthday last weekend. No ponies, bounce houses or clowns, just lots of friends, family and food. Where I come from, that's how its done. It's just a few hours to come together to celebrate a special little girl's birthday. Plus, I fear setting a ridiculous birthday precedent...don't want to have to top it every year!

It was great to have everyone over and fun to spend a few days with LBJ (Luke, Ben, Julia) reunited. The three of them together emit so much energy that you really should wear sunscreen around them. The best was the early mornings. Benny tossing toys into Julia's crib and all three of them doing their best to get Uncle Andy out of bed.

It was also cool to have Nana and Papa spend some good time with Jules. They definitely don't get to see her enough, but I know that Julia knows them and is always excited to see them.

Last year for her first birthday, I did a post with a top ten list about the previous year. In the interest of starting a tradition, here's my top ten list of year two experiences and happenings:

1. Communication - Love that she can tell us what she wants! Raising children would be easy if they would just speak up and tell people what they want!...and then were reasonable enough to understand and deal with "no"!
2. Throwing Arm - Once after watching Julia, Pop said "if it's in her right hand, she's throwing it!" Well that's the truth. She's got quite an arm and to be honest, most of the time her form is perfect. She even usually steps with the correct foot!
3. Kiddie Pool - No better way to cool off!
4. Vacation - If I may quote Uncle Ben, "the Outer Banks is the greatest place on earth".
5. Papa and Uncle Louie - Without them, the bathroom remodel would still be a dream! By the way...should have a completion post coming soon!
6. SNOW! - A winter of epic proportions! When I was growing up there were so many stories about the blizzard of '78. Now I can share similar stories with Julia. But when we get our next once in 30 year winter, her husband better come dig me out!
7. Tax Deductions - With a kid and paying loads of interest on your home, doing taxes is fun!
8. Peace, Love & BBQ - A book that Courtney got me for Christmas that is expanded my enthusiasm for BBQ. I've also learned a few key tricks from is and feel like I'm improving in the craft.
9. Friends and Family - Even though we are separated from family, it has been much easier to raise Julia because of all the help that we get from our friends and family. We're just waiting for some friends to expand their families so that we can return the favor.
10. My Girls - Always at the top of the list! No matter how rough it gets, we're in it together and just a smile can turn your day around!

-Andy

Back to School and Ready for Some Football

Over the summer, Courtney definitely found a new buddy in her very own mini-me...Julia. The two became inseparable and for the first time, Julia was exhibiting some separation anxiety when mommy wasn't around. Well that all changed. Julia went cold turkey last week.

Courtney has a week of hell every year when her sports teams return for fall practices. Most do two or more practices a day and that means that I become full time daddy and honestly, I was nervous. With Courtney at home all summer, she took a lot of pressure off me. Here I needed to jump back in with both feet.

It took a day to get our routine down, but by Tuesday I had Julia at school in time to get to work early. And she might be the only one year old at daycare that actually walks herself in every day. We don't want Julia to be one of those kids that you have to carry everywhere, so we look for every opportunity to let her walk, even if it means that it takes a little longer to get there.

So last Wednesday (day three of Daddy week) we finished breakfast and I asked Julia if she was ready to go to school. She nodded and walked over to the door saying "out". I opened the door and she holds her hand up and says "hep", which is Julia for help. I take her hand and she walks down the stairs, out to the driveway and down the driveway to the van parked out front.

This was the routine everyday, but on this day it got better. We get to daycare and I take her out of the seat, put her down and extend my hand to walk with her into daycare. She pushes my hand away and heads off for the door. That's right...miss independent didn't need Daddy to hold her hand walking into school. I could just hear her saying...Daddy, stop! You're embarrassing me! Good thing was that it was only in my head and hopefully I have a few years before I actually hear that!

With the return to school comes the start of football season and Courtney surprised me with quite possibly the greatest purchase that we have made for Julia in her short life. Check it out:

We're getting ready! She already does Touchdown and even says it...sort of. And when you put a football in her hands, she wastes no time spiking it! Do they make pink Micheal Vick jerseys?

-Andy

Daddy's Temper

This is the post that I've been waiting for! This is the one! The first one that she will truly despise me for writing! Especially when I call it up and show it to her first boyfriend. Now I wouldn't show it to embarrass her. I just want to help him out...let him see what happens when the little princess doesn't get her way!

She is definitely her daddy's girl! I've never seen mommy exhibit a temper like this. Now it should be noted that my temper only shows itself in the most trying of circumstances, such as when someone is driving too slow in the left lane or when I can't seem to figure out how to put a screen door together.

There's not too much to say about this post. The pictures say it all! Princess didn't like what we told her and she absolutely lost her mind! She was a HOT MESS! The best part is, as she laid flopping on the ground Courtney and I just laughed...and laughed...and laughed. I don't know if we have EVER laughed so hard together...at least not since I dressed up as Courtney for Halloween.

That's a story for another time...

-Andy

I'm Walkin'!

It seems that every time Julia spends time with Luke and Ben that she comes away with some new skill. Well, lately she's been teetering on walking...taking a step here, a few steps there. Well we just got back from an awesome visit to Connecticut and Julia will never be the same.

It seems that she's earned a new nickname...Ms. Rita at daycare calls her Frankenstein...because of what she looks like when she's walking! It is too funny. I'd show you a video, but they're too large to post. I'm going to have to figure this thing out.

We had a great time up north. Although I'm still a little upset with myself that I fell short in the Whiffle Ball Home Run Derby at Liz & Nate's Memorial Day Party, it was a great time. We managed to visit a few folks, although there's not enough time to get to see everyone when you're only there for a couple days.

Julia got along great with her cousins. I think Luke really likes her. She definitely lights up when he's around...good thing we don't live in West Virginia.

The car ride was even pleasant. Traffic was light in both directions (relatively speaking), so I guess we'll think about heading up there again next Memorial Day. Besides...I need another shot at the title!

-Andy

No Stopping Us Now!

With the onset of Spring, you expect all sorts of new growth and I feel like Julia too has stepped things up to keep with the season. We are actually getting to the point where her incredibly competitive Daddy (I know...I hide it well. You probably didn't know that about me.) is really starting to compare her development with other kids and I must say...she's kicking ass!

It wasn't too long ago that we were hoping that she'd be crawling when we head down to North Carolina to visit Kenny and Amanda later this month. As it turns out, she may be walking by then! She is currently pulling herself along and letting go without much regard for safety. And she just so happens to be a world champion speed crawler. She'll be competing in the infant olympics later this summer...wait a minute; that could be a real money maker!

Anyhow, yesterday Mommy had the fantastic idea to take Julia to the YMCA to go swimming. About a week ago, Mommy had signed us up at the Y. Apparently we need a little help losing the baby weight...no, not Courtney...me. She's done great. I'm the one that still looks pregnant.

So back to the pool, where Julia and I are sitting and waiting for Mom to change and join us. Looking at a pool crammed with about 20 kids in the shallow end yelling, splashing and playing around, Julia starts balling her eyes out. I figure that this will be a quick trip. But then Mom comes and takes Jules into the pool and she's as content as can be. She slowly did more and more, discovering the water and her surroundings and they spent about an hour in the pool.

Julia has also pushed for her Independence on the eating front. She likes feeding herself and fights things a bit more when we try to feed her. Of course as far as I'm concerned, she can keep on feeding herself.

The interesting thing for me with all these developments is that the first five or six months seem so far in the past. I remember so many days thinking what the heck have I gotten myself into!?! That thought is long gone and replaced by what is she going to do next!?!

-Andy

Super Secret Crawler

I'm guessing that one of the joys of parenthood is seeing your child develop and accomplish new things...sit up, roll over, crawl, pull up, walk, etc. Another joy is sharing those moments with family, friends and blog readers!

Our little girl is becoming more mobile every day...only she's sneaky about it and doesn't want anyone to know. She's begun pulling herself up really well and will even take steps with help, but she's not big on crawling, at least when we're looking.

The other night I was playing with her and got up to use the bathroom. She was out of my sight for about 45 seconds. When I came back, she was about 12 feet from where I left her. I've seen her crawl a limited amount from time to time, but for her to move that far that fast, she has to have it down.

So I decide to experiment. I place her in her area to play and scatter toys all around her, but at different lengths out of her reach. Then I sit in my chair and watch. She pivoted and swiveled her way over to a couple toys, all the while keeping an eye on me. So I turn my head and start watching TV. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as she thought I wasn't paying attention she turned, dropped and motored right over to a toy about six feet from her!

She definitely has a mind of her own. She won't come to you, unless she wants to. There are times where she'll sit for hours and play and others when she wants your undivided attention. Apparently she's choosing not to let us know quite how well she can move.

On another note the 6'5" dream is still alive. She's gaining about a pound a month and is into 9-12 month clothes. I'm worried about when we switch to more complex clothes sizes. I don't think I can handle the whole "T" thing!

I am afraid that left handed might be out the window though. She's developing thumb and forefinger motor skills with her right hand, but the left isn't even close. The good news is that if she's right handed she can be a catcher and carry on the Wisk legacy!

-Andy

All It Took Was a Shoe Lace

Go figure! Julia has been looking like she wanted to crawl for a few weeks now and Courtney and I have been anxiously awaiting that moment. It finally happened tonight and I was the only one who saw it! Tonight was another "Daddy night" and I must admit, I'm getting pretty darn good at this thing.

Now don't get me wrong, this was not a full fledged haul tail across the floor crawl, but it was a big step beyond the belly drag that she's been doing for a couple weeks now.

I placed Julia on the floor in front of Mia, thinking that Mia would motivate her to move. Instead, they both stood there on all fours in a stare down for about two minutes until Mia became bored and walked away to rub her face on the corner of a cabinet.

Julia then turned to me as I was standing over her and that is when she discovered my shoe lace. It didn't take long playing with it to figure out how to untie it. As that lace lie there on the floor with Julia fixated on it, I thought...well, Mia likes to chase shoe laces...

So I began to drag the lace just out of Julia's reach and it happened! She lifted up and took two crawl strides, caught the shoe lace and settled in to play with it for a while. So I moved it again...and again...and again. This continued on for about five minutes and Julia had traveled about ten feet across the kitchen floor.

I wonder if Baby's R Us carries shoe laces. They should...it's a great developmental tool!

-Andy