10 on Thurs, no Saturday

1. I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted last. Wow, so much has gone on this last month. August 4:

I had major cramps last night! I don't remember ever having it that bad with Joseph. But you forget a lot of the not so fun things about pregnancy I've realized :)

Joseph Jr's favorite word to say now is "box". His favorite word to sign is "dog". He's such a cutie and learning so fast! I love my little man :)

2. August 9:

We got French doors put in our dining room :) We love it!!!

3. August 18:

We had a great time in Palm Springs, and Joseph Jr had a great time with his grandma and pop pop. We're back home now :) Joseph Jr is taking a long needed nap :)

4. August 19:

Potty training begins today :) It turns out my son pees OFTEN. He goes pee in the potty, washes his hands, and not 10 seconds later goes pee again. That time he doesn't pee in the potty. Maybe I started too early. I definitely think today is not the right day. I believe he's teething and his nose has been running all day today :( UGH!!!! Any suggestions on potty training boys?

5. August 20:

Jr had his five month check-up even though he is now six months of age. He is 26.8 lbs and 34 in. He went from an average of 25% to 77% in weight and 90% to 99% in height. My boy has been growing! I love him so much. He's going to be a great big brother :)

6. August 21:

Today has been one of those days :( However, I did have a great time with Betsy and her family :) So it wasn't a total wash. Well, now that I think about it, maybe it didn't turn out so bad. I got to spend more time with my two favorite men than normal. And my honey is going out and getting me some dinner since I have yet to eat and am starving :) We'll be watching "All American Hero" tonight.

7. August 22:

Joseph Jr loves saying prayers. When we sit down to eat, he always says, "Amen," and repeats that until we pray. It's so cute :)

8. August 24:

Joseph has been waking up during the night and/or too early in the morning. Maybe it's time to drop his naps down to one a day. Any thoughts?

9. August 24:

It turns out the third heartbeat was an echo of my heartbeat :) Maybe we'll have twins next time :)

10. August 28:

Yesterday, Joseph Jr took a 2 1/2 hour morning nap. He talked for 1 1/2 hours during his afternoon nap. Went to bed at 7pm and woke at 2:57am. He talked to himself for about one hour and then started complaining. So I went in and changed his diaper and laid him down again. Not sure if he fell asleep but at 5am I know he was awake. At 5:30 am he began to cry, so I went in to let him know it was still night night time. He soon fell asleep. I finally got him up around 7am.

So I thought we'd take away his first nap and see how he does. That lasted until 10am when he started to cry for no good reason. We'll see how the afternoon goes. hmmm...

10 on Wednesday

1. I posted the following on FB on July 25:

There are so many views on disciplining your child. I have always leaned towards "spare the rod, spoil the child". I know every child is different and therefore different disciplining tools are needed for different children.

Well, Wednesday I went to visit a friend from college who has five children ranging in ages from 2-8. I saw her children at church a couple years ago when she was pregnant with her 2 year old and was amazed at how well they behaved. After service, my husband and I joined her and her family for lunch at their house. Again, the children were perfect angels. She would give a direction and immediately the children would follow it. I was floored. Well, I saw the family again a year ago and asked her husband how they have such well mannered children. He quickly said that it was his wife's doing. So I asked her. She told me she could give me a list of books.

After seeing my friend a year later, she lent me "To Train Up A Child" by Michael & Debi Pearl. I'm only in the first chapter, but it is amazing! And it's not a discipline technique. It's a book on training your children starting as early as a baby. I wish I had read this book before I started teaching. At least I'm reading it now :) It's so good and obviously works with at least five children that I wanted to purchase a bunch and give them as baby shower gifts. However, I found the book on-line. So I thought I'd share with everyone of my FB friends :) Please share with your friends as well. It is well worth the read!!!

Man, did I ever get comments. Most comments were against the book/authors of the book. I think some of the people who commented misunderstood what the authors were saying. Some are completely against any kind of spanking discipline. The main thing I'm getting from the book is to train your child how to behave rather than disciplining your child for not behaving the way you expect them to without teaching them what you want in the first place. I look at it this way: you start a new job and they train you how they expect things done vs starting a new job and you getting docked pay for not doing it their way even though you don't know what their way is.

Training up your child: An idea as told to me by a friend- Set up a room in your house with stuff found in a grocery store or other store. Have your child walk beside you holding onto your pant leg. Instruct the child not to touch anything. Walk around the room picking up items to place in your "shopping cart". All the time your child is quietly walking with you holding onto your pant leg and not touching a thing. Do this a few times before taking your child to the store and periodically afterward to remind your child what to do :) This way your child knows what you expect before going shopping. Less stress on you and your child :)

2. Wow! Tearful, joyful... I'm not sure. But I had to pass it on :) Marriage...A Must Read

3. I'm planning a yard sale for Saturday, September 25. Some of my family members are going to join in. It should be fun. Now all I have to do is talk my husband into letting me have it :)

4. I finally purchased tickets to go to Vt :)

5. Saw the doc for the first time this pregnancy. I got a pic :) I'll post it after I get it on my computer. The baby actually jumped while we were looking at her :) It was so cool!

6. Wow! I think I cried with tears of joy through the entire video. Beautiful :)

Cesarean vs. VBAC: A Dramatic Difference

7. posted July 29

We've got ants again!!! I swear, I'm pissed!!!!!!! I think the storm sent them into my house. It was crazy. They weren't here one minute and the next they were everywhere, well, in my front hallway and part of my kitchen and dining room. I used the Borax solution first. Then I picked that up, vacuumed, and put the Borax down again. They came in from a different place than all the other times. I feel like I'm losing my mind! UGH!!! Thankfully they were gone after being vacuumed and Boraxed :)

8. Please keep us in prayer. We are looking for another church :( I loved the last one, but my ears couldn't handle the volume level.

9. My son slept about 30 min on the way down to Tucson Friday morning :( But slept about 1 1/2 hours on the way back yesterday :) We went down to visit some friends and go to Betsy's baby shower. She now has four children. Her oldest daughter, whom we all love and miss, I'm sure was looking down from heaven with joy in heart on her new family members :) Then there is her oldest son, Nik, her youngest daughter, Lily, and her new born baby boy, Marcus. Lily was the only one at he baby shower. She is so sweet and beautiful :)

10. Spent Monday morning with two of my sils and some of my nieces and nephews at a splash park in Chandler :)