Pooping in the Potty is EPIC!

We did it. Maximus is about 90% potty trained and yes, HE POOPS IN THE POTTY. We can't believe it.

The poop thing was really hard. One night during dinner, he got up and pooped in the toilet. We were like, "did that just happen?" For the next couple of days, he'd wait until the last minute and go. He was holding a lot of it in.

Today. Oh boy. Today when I picked him up from school, he told me his tummy hurt. We got home and he went 3 times in 15 minutes. Then...he sat on the toilet for a half hour getting 3 days worth out. Oh geez. Hopefully he's totally comfortable and won't hold it.

Poop is a really big deal to us now. I had no idea it could nearly consume your day, your conversations, even your thoughts. Part of being a parent. But hooray! Now he won't be the only snowboarder on the mountain wearing a diaper.

Potty Training an Epic Child

A few days ago, Jesse and I had it with diapers. We decided no more, except at night. Maximus can snowboard, so HE HAS TO LEARN TO PEE AND POOP IN THE POTTY.

He can pee in the potty. He's got that down for the most part. If he's busy having fun, he'll forget and go in his pants and we expected that. No biggie. One of the biggest challenges I've ever faced in my freaking life is getting through to him that he needs to poop in the potty. He's totally fine with going in his underpants!

Saturday was awful. Maximus and I stayed home when Jesse went snowboarding and my plan was to follow him around and ask him every 20 minutes to go potty. He did great with the pee. Only one accident. However, the poop thing was insane. The first time he stood by the fireplace and had that "look" on his face. I asked him if I could look in his underpants and he freaked. I looked and he said, "me poop mom". I'm using patience that I never knew I had, so I calmly walked him into the bathroom, dumped his poop in the potty and flushed it. Seriously, 20 minutes later we were upstairs and he ran out of the room yelling, "no me need uh (to) poop". He ran down stairs, stood in the corner and dropped a softball sized duke in his underpants.

I'm like, COME ON DUDE!!!

Yesterday he peed at home and after we got to the Levi outlet store, he hid in a rack of clothes and pooped.

How do I get him over the comfort of pooping in his underpants?! I bribe him, nothing. I tell him it makes me sad, nothing. He sees me gag and tells me not to gag, nothing. I literally sat on the bathroom floor crying Saturday, nothing.

He can snowboard, swim, ride a bike, catch and kick a ball better than any of the other kids in his class, hit a ball right out of the air, play hockey accurately, but why can't he poop in the potty?! Can you tell I'm frustrated? I need suggestions. Please deal with my frustrated blog posts because it's my only outlet as I'm remaining calm in front of Maximus as I'm freaking out inside.

Covered

Remember last week when I was so excited to see our backyard? We got 14 inches last night.

Smoking

I smoked for a few years. I started during chemotherapy as a coping mechanism...pathetic, I know. When I found out I was pregnant, I quit cold turkey because it was one simple selfless thing I could do for the health of my Maximus. After he was born and I smelled cigarette smoke, I wanted to try it again...just a little bit. And I did, just a few a year, every now and then.

I started working out and made it a HUGE part of my life for the last couple of years. I no longer have a desire for it and frankly, it disgusts me. I don't even want my child to see anyone smoking. Our guests this weekend smoke a bit. They are polite and respectful and keep it primarily hidden from Maximus, which I am so thankful for. They hide in the backyard and respect our lifestyle. Tonight I walked by the kitchen table and noticed a pack of Camel's on it and was very proud that I was kind of grossed out. I used to think they smelled good, but no...not anymore. Yeah, I'm patting myself on my back that I no longer have that addiction.

I'm writing this because I'm proud of myself! I used to LOVE smoking, especially with alcohol, and now...now I rarely drink and I think cig's are GROSS! I know of the damage they can cause and I'm glad Jesse and I have removed them from our life.

Like with many of my opinionated blog posts, I'm going to get some nasty remarks and comments behind my back. I don't care. I've been on both sides of the fence and I have a valid reason.

Avalanche!

See the sections on the mountain where it's just snow and very little trees? That's avalanche damage. Pretty cool, eh?

"Sumies"

When Maximus wakes up from his nap, he asks for a "sumie" (smoothie). I'm always happy to put a bunch of healthy green stuff in a blender for him. The picture is when he got a brain freeze from drinking it too fast.

More Yard!

Here's more of our yard I've never seen before! Look how weird the snow is melting...

Mountain Goat

I walked past the kitchen door and saw Goog standing on her hill like the mountain goats here.

Our Yard!

We moved here in December and I've never seen our yard without five feet of snow. Look what I discovered today- another patio and a walkway!

Altered Kid

Yesterday Maximus had a hard time leaving my side to stay at preschool. 95% of the time he's like, "gye mom!" (bye mom) and runs off. But for some reason, he didn't want to stay at school. His speech pathologist, Kirsten, walked into the room and he perked up. Maximus, Kirsten and I went into her office and he noticed some stickers and a bag of Cheez It Duos on her desk. He asked if he could have some and since he was having a hard time, I was to the point where anything would help. Anyway, when I picked up my suddenly happy Maximus later that day, I found out he ate the entire bag of the crackers. Typically when we eat a little off like that, I'll make sure we eat very healthy for the rest of the day.

Now, you're like, what's the big deal? They're crackers...sort of: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL WITH TBHQ FOR FRESHNESS, SKIM MILK CHEESE (SKIM MILK, WHEY PROTEIN, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO COLOR), WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF SALT, WHEY, BUTTERMILK, PAPRIKA, CHEDDAR AND MONTEREY JACK CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, PARMESAN CHEESE (PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), CULTURED NONFAT MILK, LEAVENING (YEAST, BAKING SODA), GARLIC, TOMATO, SUGAR, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, ONION, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SPICES, MALIC ACID, ANNATTO COLOR, SODIUM CASEINATE, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, PAPRIKA OLEORESIN, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, PARSLEY, TURMERIC EXTRACT FOR COLOR, YELLOW #6, YELLOW #5, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, POLYSORBATE 80, SOY LECITHIN.

When you don't have certain things in your diet and you consume a load of crap crackers like that, it's going to affect your mood. Maximus spent the rest of the day as, well...a total butt hole. He refused to eat ANYTHING else and begged for more of the florescent orange crackers. I would have allowed him to have a few more if he ate other things, but he refused. I stuck to my guns and didn't give in. Holy cow, the fits that Jesse and I witnessed last night were something I've never seen. We talked about how easily affected our kid is when a wrench is thrown into his routine. This is the second time where he's gone off the deep end when his diet was changed.

Typically I only write about food and health on my food blog because it really irritates certain people. But yesterday was a total "ah ha!" moment as a mom. Today he woke up, ate a large bowl of slow cooked plain oatmeal and drank his healthy green juice and went to school as a saint.

Coffee and a View

Enjoying my coffee and the epic views from my house this morning...

Look What my Phone Can Do!

Better

Poor Maximus was super, duper sick over the last week. So sick toat he was literally passing out in the doctor's office. He's about 90% better today and man, it's good to have him back!

A lesson to parents: do NOT send your kids to school sick!

I'm blogging from my new phone!

Yes...I am. Welcome to a new world of blogging!
More to come...

Little Athlete

When Maximus was a baby, I used to dress him in those onesies that had little basketballs on them that read, "Little MVP" or "Future All Star". They must have worked- our kid is all about sports and being active.

The other day in preschool, Maximus and a buddy were playing catch. Maximus kept throwing the ball to his friend, who wasn't able to catch it very well. Finally Maximus goes, "Caak uh ball!" (Catch the ball) and his teacher had to explain to him that most kids his age aren't the best at catching the ball. Maximus' gross and fine motor skills are off the chart. I loved saying that I could swim, play catch and ride bikes with my 2 year old.

Yesterday as I worked out, Jesse and Maximus played basketball in the gym. Maximus was all excited- he put his basketball in Jesse's gym bag, wore his new Air Jordan basketball shoes and his Air Jordan sweatband. Each time I ran a lap, I could see them down below on the court shooting hoops. Maximus literally sprinted and dribbled the ball the entire time. He was one happy kid. As my mom says, "he's such a jock."

"Pops Guck in Kaffic"

The other evening, it was snowing pretty hard. Vail pass shut down and there was a ton of traffic from Copper Mountain to our house and Jesse was stuck in the middle of it. Jesse could never live in Los Angeles- he absolutely wigs out in traffic.

Maximus decided to paint a picture of Jesse stuck in traffic. He calls it "Pops guck in kaffic."

Visit From Papa Barch

Thank you, dad for visiting. It honestly was one of the best times of my life.

I love and miss my parents very much. I delight when they visit and this last weekend my father came up to see the snow, us and his 3 year old grandson. Let me start off with publicly thanking him for taking over my role during his visit. I never once gave Maximus a bath or put him to bed. My dad politely pushed me aside and enjoyed the routine things I do as a mom. Maximus was all about Papa Barch this weekend and was his little redheaded Velcro. At night he clung to my dad and my dad slept and got kicked in the face by traveling Maximus.

When we dropped off my dad at the airport yesterday, Maximus lost it in a way I've never seen. It's like he was hurt when he realized Papa Barch was leaving. He screamed and threw a giant fit, which made me cry. We shopped around for a bit until we both felt a little better. All day today Maximus asked, "when Papa Barch come my house?" He pointed out the snow mounds that he and Papa Barch climbed and sat on. He frequently said out of the blue, "me wuv Papa Barch".

Maximus loves all 3 sets of his grandparents and visits like these are very special. I was so touched this past weekend. Jesse said this evening, "your dad really gets around great for a man his age" and it's true. Don't ever try and keep up with him at the gym. The man's cardio routine is insane.

Thanks for visiting, Papa Barch. You and mom are my inspiration.

Snowboard Park

Today Maximus is 3 years, 1 month. Here he is shredding the hill. We'll be working on toe turns next. Watch for when he jumps off a snow ramp and eats it pretty hard.