For Better, For Worse

It's been awhile since I posted anything so I thought I'd share the ups and downs we've been experiencing. Sorry this post doesn't have any pictures, but I'll try to put some up sometime today of the two kids.

We've been trying to potty-train Lila, not very aggressively, but we have the toilet seat out and will ask her if she needs to go. Recently we had a major development -- she decided she hated to get in the bath because she was afraid of going potty in the tub! On the bright side, if the alternative was getting in the tub, then she was more than willing to sit on the toilet! But I was so sad that she no longer wanted to take a bath. She used to LOVE bath time! And I'm not talking about shouting "no!" or throwing a fit and running away. I'm talking about terrified screaming, clinging for dear life when we try to put her in the tub, sobbing "I don't want to go potty!", runny nose from so much crying, irrational fear of urinating in the bathtub! Well, it's not like we can say, "ok, we'll just try this again in a month and see if you're ok"... she has to take a bath. I'd consider a sponge bath except how do I wash her hair? I've tried all kinds of suggestions to get her to get in there, but nothing worked. Bubbles - nope. Take a bath with me? Nope. Keep your diaper on? Nope. Swim diaper? Nope. 

Well, I finally found something that works, praise God! We have some Bath Paint that I'd never opened before; someone gave it to us when Lila was born. It is basically colored hand soap in a bottle. I asked Lila if she would want to stand in the tub with her diaper on and paint. She was excited about that so I gave her one of my cheap paintbrushes, squirted a little bath paint onto the soap tray and she "paints" while I wash her hair and exposed body very quickly. (SO GLAD we have the shower head that you can pull off with the hose). Then once she's rinsed off, I told her I was going to take off her diaper to wash her bottom real quick and we'd be done. She didn't mind! I did this yesterday and today she ASKED to do it again! Hopefully we can do this until her fear passes and then it's back to baths as normal. Yesterday was trash day. As some of you know, Lila used to be very afraid of the garbage truck. She could hear it coming and would run to me in fear. Yesterday she heard it coming and got up to go look, so I think we are past that fear. I'm hoping this bath fear will be the same way. Until then, bring on the paint brush! Also, through all of this she has gotten better about going potty. She still doesn't tell us she needs to go, but when I put her on there she doesn't complain and often will go after 5-10 minutes!

Wyatt has also had his ups and downs - with sleeping. Some nights he sleeps great - like last night. Other nights he doesn't - like the night before. I am trying to figure out what may be the cause to see if we can establish a pattern of sleeping better. He has moved into 6-9 month sleepers. If it is 2 pieces, he can still wear some 3-6 month things but most are getting too snug. I've gotten him to laugh only a few more times. He is incredibly smiley though and has gotten to be very vocal, especially if he's getting tired. Not crying (although it does eventually get to that) but just loud "talking". He also likes to blow bubbles with his lips. No rolling over yet but I don't think that's too far away.