So if you've been around the Princess lately you know that she's a pretty good talker. Like full sentences and paragraphs, complete with the di-di-di-di stammer and the ummmm... stall.

Her vocabulary is large...75 words or more and it grows all the time. She takes great pleasure in expressing herself and she's quickly learning the rules of conversation. She says "excuse me" when she wants to interrupt and "thank you" when you give her something. I think that having an older brother that talks fairly frequently and clearly has really helped her.

So the other day I asked her what she wants for lunch. She said, very clearly, "Ice cream."
I told her that was a dessert and what did she want to eat for lunch. Her reply: "Pizza".
Then I wised up and said "Do you want yogurt or a peanut butter sandwich."
"Ummmmm...I want...yogurt...with cheerios."

She's turning two next week and so far her personality hasn't suffered very much (knock on wood). I think it's because she can express herself so well and can get what she wants without hassle and screaming. Not to say that she always gets what she wants, but at least she can get her point across.

And that makes us all happier.

Someday I'll have the courage to tell the hairdresser in the expensive salon that he cut my hair way too short and I don't like it.
But for now I'll pay him his wage and thank him for his time. It's not like he can put the hair back ON, right?

Someday I'll have the courage to send my meal back to the kitchen if it's not done right.
But for now I'll just eat it. After all, they're under a lot of pressure back there and they can't hit a homer every time, right?

Someday I'll have the courage to get a passport and travel to distant lands. Maybe even a land where I don't speak the language!
But for now I'll sit and dream and appreciate the scenery around me that people travel from all over the world to see.

Someday I'll have the courage to tell my husband what his illness is doing to me.
But for now I'll grin and bear it. No use in two of us feeling guilty, and it's not like he can do anything about it, right? Besides, he's a great guy and I love him.

Someday I'll have the courage to hire a babysitter who isn't related to me and actually leave my children with him/her.
But for now I'll rely on the generosity of my mom and brother who are usually willing to play with my kids while we go out. I may hire a non-related babysitter, but I can't guarantee I won't worry about the kids the entire time I'm out. What can I say, I'm a worrier.

Someday I'll have the courage to walk out of a movie that's crass, boring, or just not my style.
But for now I'll sit and endure and get my money's worth. Nearly $10 for a movie? There'd better be something of redeeming value in this sucker.

Someday I'll have the courage to take Mommy Time without letting in the guilt.
But for now I'll just have to to take the time with the guilt. At least I get the time, too, right?

Someday I'll have the courage to walk my little boy to school, let go of his hand, and just leave him there.
But for now I'll enjoy every single day I have with him, even the bad ones. They're gone before you know it and you're left with lots of Mommy Time when all you want is Kid Time.

In that line of thought, we're heading to Seattle for two weeks to visit with the in-laws. If I don't post, that's where I am. I'm traveling with the kids alone, so wish us luck!

*Warning: this post contains the word "poop", "pee" and discussions of such nature. Not for the faint of heart.

So the last few weeks when I see Princess grunting I'll run her to the potty and have her poop there. It's mostly selfishness as I'm tired of wiping caked-on poop off her cute little buns. She's interested in everything her big brother does, including his bathroom trips. She'll watch with great interest, sometimes getting waaaay too close and then clap for him when he's done.

So, I guess it should come as no surprise that things are happening in the potty department. Yesterday she wanted to walk around naked (she loves summer), so I got the old training potty out of storage, cleaned it up, and sat it in the living room in front of the TV. She thinks it's a throne (hee, hee) and sits on it for quite awhile playing, watching tv, reading books, etc. Yesterday she pooped in it three times. That's my little overachiever.

I was worried that she was too young to understand the letdown reflex needed to pee. It's not an easy thing to learn, and an even harder thing to teach. But once they do it a few times, they've got it. I guess sitting on the throne for a few hours worked because all of a sudden she stood up and yelled "Princess did it, hooray!!!!!" I looked into the bowl and sure enough, there was a big puddle of yellow. We took it to the potty, I let her dump it in and flush (which is the funnest part) and made a big deal out of it. No candy or treats for her, going is its own reward. I did the candy thing with Shay and he thought he needed a treat 5 times a day. I considered leaving candy on the back of the toilet, but deemed that unsanitary and just a little icky.

This morning after breakfast when we went down to the living room, she immediately took off her pjs and diaper and sat on the throne. Not 5 minutes later, she disassembled the throne and started walking to the bathroom with the bowl. In there was another little puddle of yellow and Princess had a big grin on her face. Pumpkin loves to encourage her, and will sit beside her as she's on the throne offering words of support and advice. And he praises her jubilantly when she actually does her business. I'm pretty lucky to have such a great cheerleader in the potty training arena.

So here's the catch. I'm heading to Seattle on Tuesday to visit D's parents (just me and the kids) for two weeks, and then in a month I'm heading to the beach in NC to visit my family. Two big trips and two big plane rides. I'm trying to decide if I should put up with the hassle of a newly potty trained, not-yet-two-year-old, or wait until after we get back and just keep her in diapers during the trip. I don't want to lose my window of opportunity of potty training, but right now she can't even reach the potty and carrying around 2-3 sets of clothing for emergencies just doesn't sounds like fun.

What would you do?

Lest you start thinking of me as Super Mom...

Sometimes I take longer than is strictly necessary to walk around the car and get my screaming kids out. The silence between the driver's door and the backseat door is golden.

I have been known to sit my kids in front of the TV to earn myself some badly needed computer time/shower time/cooking time/quiet time.

Sometimes I just lose it and raise my voice at the kids. Interestingly enough, yelling "Just Stop Crying!" at a two year old doesn't make her stop crying. Note to self...

I've picked up food off the floor, blown on it, and put it back on their plates.

I've been known to openly mock their beloved kids' shows and movies in order to keep my sanity after watching it for the 400th time.

Sometimes when I'm making lunch I'll sneak a few M&Ms into my mouth and then feign ignorance when they ask if they can have some candy.

Sometimes I just let the whole house go to pot, knowing that on Saturday D will help me clean it up. Good thing he doesn't read this blog.

In that vein, I haven't cleaned my bathrooms this month.

Sometimes when Pumpkin is trying to tell me something serious I'm laughing on the inside because of his word choices and mispronunciations.

Sometimes I think about what it'd be like to just hop in the car and take off by myself for a week or two. Or more. I'd probably miss the kids by day 3 and come back.

Sometimes I read books while they're playing. Then when they bring me a book to read to them I tell them I'm too tired to read anymore.

I occasionally pointedly ignore my 4 year old who is saying the same thing over and over trying to get my attention.

I've left my not-yet-2 year old in the bath by herself to run and get a book for me and a towel for her.

Last Sunday Pumpkin's black carseat was too hot from sitting in the sun, so I put him into the front seat for the 3 block drive home.

I'm sure there's more, but right now I'm going to go take a nap while Princess is sleeping and Pumpkin has "quiet time" in his room for an hour.

Hey, I may not be Super Mom, but at least they're alive, healthy, and happy, right?

Last night I had an errand to run for the Relief Society. It was a delivery I had to make a few blocks away. I forgot about it until about 8:15 at night, just when I was about to put Pumpkin to bed. I decided on a whim to see if he wanted to come with me.

It was a beautiful night. There was still plenty of light outside and we decided to walk barefoot to our destination.

We held hands and skipped along the sidewalk.
We ran through sprinklers, laughing.
We pretended to be secret agents and hid in the shrubberies.
We avoided the cherries lying on the sidewalks like complex mazes.

We sampled the fruits that our former-orchard neighborhood has in droves.
We had pre-ripe grapes and tiny apples.
We tasted the sweet nectar of the last honeysuckles of the year.

Pumpkin made up a game with a rock he'd throw in our path and running after you stepped on it.
We collected tiny seedpods shaped like pyramids.
We found the man in the moon.

It was one of the nicest, funnest, most peaceful moments I've had in awhile. And I got to share it with my favorite little boy in the world.

I am one lucky mom.