Inside, Outside, Upside-Down!

Watched Stuart Little, made banana bread with the kids, played outside, started our 2009 JDRF Walk Team shirt design. I think we'll use Hercules, Zero to Hero! Not sure about the picture on the front, but it'll come. Any ideas? Know any girl heroes? Besides Wonder Woman?

Clay has had another rough day. He is so touchy, for lack of a better word. He did a lot, but spanked Ethan right after lunch. I heard the slap (on his bare bottom) from my bedroom! Ethan just cried, and Clay thought he wouldn't get in trouble? We don't even spank Ethan (it simply doesn't work for him, or we might). Ches had him write sentences, and he stopped at number 12 to read. I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I can't leave him alone with Ethan for a minute (and Ches was with them!), and they are brothers. So. Frustrating.

I missed a baby shower today. I feel bad, I totally forgot, but it was all the way in Rogers, and I'd have had to leave early for church...excuses. There's just so much to do anymore! We are going to take turns at church to keep Ethan home. Ches will take Clay at 4pm, then I'll take Mary Claire at 6-we have a wedding! It's just tough to get us all in one place (quietly) for an hour. Even church. The last few times have not been fun, so we'll tough it out a little longer. Besides the potty-training and everything (and the multiple loads of laundry that includes).

I'm sure it'll get better (it can't get worse?). I think moms have to put on this armor of Reserve and Perseverance, and just Make It. You really don't have a choice, so you suck it up and keep going. There are those tiny moments of joy (excitement over working on a recipe together) and excitement (pooping in the potty chair!), and contentment (sitting outside in the shade working together on rhyming words for a shirt), and you just have to make that fuel fill you up and sustain you. Until tomorrow.

*Potty-training update: Ethan ran around in undies all morning, and no accidents. But. Later in the morning, he went outside, and long story short: accident. Down his legs, socks, shoes. Ick. 'Nother bath. But after he came back inside, all good. He even had a great poop before nap! : )

ps-I've learned that potty training is a process. It is achieved in tiny, baby steps. It happens sometimes when you least expect it. And each time you add a variable, it knocks you back a step or two. Underwear, shorts, outside, upstairs (in a box, with a fox, I do not like green eggs and ham, I will not eat them Sam-I-am!) Oh, sorry-maybe consequence of the rhyming dictionary?