Independence Day

This year, like most years, we spent the Fourth of July hanging out with family. Last year, my Uncle Tony and Aunt Genia hosted everybody over at their place for a bbq/pool party. I got sick the night before though, and couldn't go. So Chad took Jonah and I stayed home on the couch. Blah.

This year, I was thankful that everybody was in good health and ready to swim and eat and have a good time! We borrowed a floaty vest from Jonah's best buddy Maverick so that we wouldn't have to worry about him in the pool as much. But I didn't know that we were going to be doing this this year when I scheduled my tattoo appointment to start on my arm piece. So, having a fresh-as-fresh-gets tattoo on my arm, I couldn't get in the pool or have it exposed to the sun. I brought a light sweater thing to throw on over my tank top for when I was in the sun and just stayed in the shade as much as possible.

Just the rough outline is done right now...

...I go back in two weeks to finish it up.

We weren't really sure how Jonah was going to do in the water since he hasn't been in a pool since last summer and he's much more...opinionated now about what he does/doesn't like. But he didn't do too bad! He liked it for the most part, except for when he got water anywhere near his face (including the time we dunked him to see how he'd do). :)

The water was a little chilly...

He went down the slide!

Swimming!

Jonah and his Daddy.

Learning to kick.

He liked swimming with all the different people who came...Uncle Kevin for a little bit, Uncle Tony, Pops, Uncle Dude, and Daddy. Most of the ladies (except Sheena) stayed out of the pool and just talked. We ate yummy grilled food, fresh fruit salad, and my homemade, super yummy salsa.

Swimming with Uncle Dude.

Hanging in the swim chair.

Jonah in the swim chair and Daddy being silly.

Speaking of silly...

Uncle Dude and his cousin, Blair.

Uncle Dude and his nephew and cousin.

Jonah swam/slid/played so much that he took a nap about halfway through and then woke up and swam and played some more. He would love it if we had a playground and pool like they do in our yard! :)

Blair swimming with her Momma.

Blair swimming with her Momma more.

Jumping in!!

Cute little Miss Blair.

Trying not to smile...

Eating a popsicle after swimming, yum!

Thankfully they're hosting another pool party for their daughter's (my cousin, Hannah's) birthday at the end of July, so I'll get to swim then...and Jonah will get to practice swimming some more!

We went home that afternoon around 3/4 and pretty much just vegged for the rest of the day. Chad got pretty burnt and he had hiked the incline that morning, so he was feeling really sore. I kind of wanted to go see the fireworks at Memorial Park, but they didn't start until dark (which is 8:30 here) and there was no way Jonah was staying up that late. Maybe next year...

Digging in the yard...in shoes and a diaper.

Happy Fourth-from Jonah and Maddie!

Happy Independence Day everyone! I hope you all had a fun day celebrating our freedom with your family and/or friends!!

Jonah's Second Birthday

Growing up, my family had an "every other year" tradition when it came to birthday parties. One year you'd have a big, fun, birthday party with all your friends and the next year you'd have a smaller, laid-back, birthday party with just family. Since last year was Jonah's big, first birthday bash, this year was a smaller "just" family" party. (We consider the Batteigers to be in this family category, with Maverick being Jonah's BFF and all, so we had them come too).

We mainly celebrated on Saturday, the 29th, since we had church and life group the next day, on his actual birthday. Chad's mom and brother even ended up being able to come down for the celebration, so that was an added bonus!

Here's some photos from our day...We love our family so much and were so blessed to be able to celebrate two whole years of our sweet Jonah's life with them.

Grandma Debi, Jonah, and Chad

We started the party at the park...and then got rained out.

Blair, my cousin, and Joshua, Maverick's little brother.

Our little family.

Jonah's super cute Despicable Me cake.

Singing Happy Birthday.

Trying to blow out the candles.

Eating cake with buddy Maverick.

Everyone hanging out, eating cake.

Blair playing with a bow.

Opening presents.

More presents!

Maverick helping open presents.

A lego set from Uncle Tris.

All he wanted for his birthday-a trash truck.

Playing with his trash truck with Grandma Debi.

His birthday present from Aunt Nikki...Maddie!!

On his actual birthday.

Daddy and his Bug.

How handsome is this kid??

Birthday boy!

He's such a boy.

And a silly one too!

Posing. ;)

And Happy Birthday to our handsome, funny, sweet sweet Jonah bug. We love you so much and are richly blessed to have you in our lives.

Potty Training Day 1 (& So Much More)

I have been so excited about this day for WEEKS. Jonah and I picked out his big boy underwear (Cars and Toy Story) and we borrowed a few of the extra-padded Gerber ones from our buddy Maverick, for the first few days. We got extra potty seats (the kind you set in the big toilet), an extra stool, some plastic covers for going out and about, and Nana picked up some jelly beans (Jonah's favorite treat) for rewards. I showed him his underwear, talked it up for days, and last night, I told him that tomorrow we weren't wearing diapers anymore and that he finally would get to wear his big boy underwear!

I woke up this morning, with a game plan. Double-layered underwear (an extra-padded underneath and a cartoon character one on top so he would be motivated not to potty on them). Set the timer for every 15 minutes and at least go sit on the potty and try. Up the fluids so he could have a reason to potty. One jelly bean for pee and two jelly beans for poop, in the toilet of course. Ready, set, go!

I put him in his underwear as soon as he woke up and we started our timer, and our day. He went pee on the toilet, every time I put him on there for about two hours. I was feeling REALLY good.

And then, the first accident happened. It was kind of my fault, because I thought since he was doing so well, that I would let him try playing alone in his room for a little bit. Less than five minutes after I closed his door, I heard him yell potty and sure enough, he had peed in his underwear. From there on, we had three accidents in a row. Two of them being on the couch. AHHHH!

From then until nap time, he only had one or two accidents, but the seed of doubt and fear had been planted in my heart. You see, I struggle with really bad anxiety. It's a long story, that I'd love to share in full on here someday (or am almost always willing to talk about it in person). I'm on medication for it, but I guess the overwhelming nature of today (taking him to the potty every 5-15 minutes, bending over a lot and squatting a lot which was causing a lot of bad back pain, getting frustrated with Jonah when he kept having accidents or when he didn't feel like going potty again) just sparked that anxious, panicky, emotional feeling in me again and it scared me big time. It IS scaring me big time.

I think this is one of the first times since this anxiety came back (not long after I got pregnant) that I've felt this overwhelmed again. All I want to do is cry. Cry because I miss our carefree days of just playing, cleaning, running errands, going to friends houses, etc. etc. AND IT'S ONLY BEEN HALF A DAY OF DOING THIS! The logical side of me knows that it's gonna be okay. It's only his first day of doing this, for Pete's sake, and he needs extra grace and love. This is an even bigger change for him than it is for me! It sure can't be easy or particularly fun. And it's not going to last forever. My Momma always tells me that when I'm in the middle of a trying phase, whether it be sleep-training or teething or sickness or whatever. This too shall pass.

I think that's one of the most frustrating things about this "anxiety" that I suffer from. I feel like when it hits, it hits HARD. There is no middle-ground where it just picks at me a little and it's more annoying than it is overwhelming. When I feel anxious, I immediately want to give up. Drop it all, go back to how it was before, and never ever change anything again. But you know what? That's not life. That's not how it works. I need to strengthen my "anxiety muscles." I need to build up my mind, soul, spirit and heart muscles so that when IT hits, I can say to myself "This is tough. No lie. But I can and I will get through this. It will get better. I will survive...and not only survive, but be happy! I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me...whether it be depression or potty-training, budget-issues or road rage, attitude problems from toddlers or fights with my husband, not having the energy to clean the house or not having the motivation." He is with me in the little and the big, and I've got to get better at remembering that when I feel good and when I don't.

I'm so thankful He doesn't give up when the going gets tough, because chicken-little, mere-human me, wants to. I'm so thankful that He isn't human so that He can hold me up when my strength is lacking. Even when it's over something silly like Day 1 of potty training.

So pray for us as we continue on this potty-training journey. Jonah really is doing a pretty good job. Right now, he can pee/poop on the toilet when the timer goes off and reminds him too, but he can't remember to do it on his own. We'll get there...right?? :)

And just to end this on a happy note, here's a few recent photos of my Bug and I few things I love SO much about him.

 I love how he (very) occasionally just asks to hold my hand.

 I love how when you ask him to make fish lips (stick his lips out) he puts them in instead.

 I love how when you tell him the name of something, or someone, he almost instantly remembers it.

 I love how he gives squeeze hugs.

 I love how he can sing three (almsot four) lines of Jesus Loves Me by himself now.

I love that he has so many people who love him (and us) so so much.

Love yours truly (and painfully honestly),
Alyssa