The Duffy Family

"The Gift"

Brandon, Becca, Brian and I (and all the kids) are so thankful that Mom and Dad have been willing to take us to the beach for two years now. We wanted to thank them for such a fun time and we knew exactly what to do. Mom and Dad have been wanting a digital frame ever since we all got my grandmother one for Christmas. We thought it would be the gretest way to say "thanks" if we got them a digital frame and loaded it with pictures from our most recent trip to Orange Beach. I think it's safe to say they loved it and are enjoying it :) The video of them opening it is at the end of the post.

More News...

Potty training is in full swing! I swore I wouldn't "potty train" Ella Kate. I worked hard...really hard with Eli. We had sticker charts and smarties as incentives/rewards. He actually did really really great...for a while...and then lost interest and I was finding myself spending the majority of my day cleaning up messes. So, I decided that was it...when he was ready...he'd do it and that was SO MUCH EASIER not to mention less stressful and "dirty." He came around about 3 years and 3 months and told me one day, "I'm ready." That's all it took...for it to be his idea...and he was potty trained...just like that. So, I figured it was perfect for Eli so it would be a perfect plan for Ella Kate. I've been putting it off. Yeah she's been interested in the potty for quite a while, but could really care less if she was wet. If she asked to go, I took her, but have never really forced the issue. My point is, she CAN do it...but is she willing? Brian told me if she followed Eli's path and decided on her own that the time for her to start "being a big girl" was 3 years and 3 months (or later), we'd have a BRAND NEW baby. Hmmm...a new baby and another child learning to potty. Not a combination I think anyone desires at the same time for themself. So, operation potty training began on Tuesday. And may I say that for two days now, we've only had one accident? And may I also say that our wood floors were the best investment we EVER made??? It's not a big deal to clean up a huge puddle of pee off laminate. She seemed quite distraught yesterday that her entire outfit, legs and shoes were soaking wet. Hopefully that's all it took. Today, she woke up this morning DRY!!! That is a first. She came and got me and said she had to potty...and she did!!! We even ran out to the grocery store and to deliver a meal and she stayed dry those times too!!! I am quite excited and hope that's all there is to it. Tomorrow she goes to school and is insisting that she wear her special Dora panties to school. I just hope she doesn't insist on showing them to her beloved Thomas :) So...it looks like I might be done with diapers (at least for a couple of months-ha).

Tonight, I was out in the yard. The weeds had once again reared their ugly head into my beautiful flowers beds. Don't they know I'm pregnant and can hardly bend over let alone get on my hands and knees digging weeds out of flower beds without paying for it dearly? This was the very last time I was going to be doing this...I promised my husband that. So, off he went to Lowe's to get some garden soil and mulch. He got home with an ungodly amount of dirt and mulch (containing weed control) and together we dared those weeds to come back and look at this pregnant lady. We unfortunately ran out and so we are going to need more...but we ran out of sunlight so it'll get done another day-most likely Friday.

Speaking of pregnant...how is it that this baby who is only like 3 1/2-4 pounds right now can cause so much physical pain?!?! Apparently, he or she is "sitting" on my sciatic nerve. We'll, that's what I'm guessing it is. Excruciating pain starts in my right butt cheek and shoots down my leg. I am quite a sight-hobbling around like I'm 102. The kids are sweet though. Well, at least one of them is-Ella Kate (who is infatuated with "boo boos") is having alot of compassion on me saying things like "it's ok mommy" and "it'll get better." My son on the other hand just grins and says, "boy that baby sure is getting big"-then proceeds to rub my belly like a genie will pop out at any moment to grant him 3 wishes! Boys!!! How can you not love those two. So completely different yet both have stolen my heart equally :)

Welp, that's all for now. Lots to do the rest of the week. I have an OB appt. tomorrow and errands to run. Here's the video...