Today

Liem: 30 months
Priscilla: 8 weeks

I have been absent for some time. The reasons can all be summed up in one word: diseased. My little family has run the gamut of illnesses, and it would be too long and boring to list them all. Sufficed to say, I finished the last of my antibiotics yesterday and we're all well---what a blessing!

I have learned many lessons over the past weeks. Things like, just put your kid in the tub when they have a stomach bug. It's hard enough for adults to decide which end of their body to use the toilet for; don't put that kind of pressure on a two year old. And this lesson: bring more than two changes of clothes for a baby with projectile poop abilities, even if it is only a 15 minute errand. Instead of sharing all my lessons at once, though, I'd like to tell you a few anecdotes and one of today's lessons.

My two year old provides most, if not all, of the humor throughout my day. I really believe God did this especially for me, since it breaks up his other "adventures." His use of the English language is really just my favorite:

My husband has a few regular exclamations hr uses when things aren't going according to plan such as, "Come on, man!" (I don't know who this man is.) Liem likes to repeat these for emphasis at the time, and then later in his own moments of frustration. My favorite is his version of "dogon it!" I've heard this pronounced many ways like "daw gone it!" and "dog on it!" and "da gum it!" But my son's interpretation, or rather misinterpretation, is my favorite: "all gone it!"

Liem is a big fan of Disney's movie, Cars. But his pronunciation of the name of the main character, Lightning McQueen, needs some work. It always comes out, "Wiping Queen."

Today's Lesson: Adventures in potty training are really just reasons to double my efforts.
Liem is quite capable of using the "big boy potty," he just doesn't want to. As soon as he is coerced onto the toilet, he goes, lets you know what he did, cleans up, puts the potty seat away, flushes, and washes his hands. Knowing that he has the intelligence, understanding, and capability I have begun to force the issue. He always has an excuse not to go, though. Reasons such as, "I'm too busy to go potty." He even started saying, "I don't need to use the potty, I have a diaper." So today I took the diaper away and told him that if he went pee pee on mommy's floor or couch or bed or chair (it is of great import to be 100% clear on everything hr may not pee on) or Liem's bed, etc. that he would be in trouble. He did a pretty good job all in all. So today when he needed to go to the bathroom in the middle of talking to me, he dropped his toy and ran to the bathroom. Yay! Success! Or not. He didn't make it. He came back very upset and said, "Mommy, I went poo poo on the floor." He sat on the toilet to finish, though.

In news on Prissy, she coos and smiles beautifully and we're loving every minute of her development. She's such a sweetheart.

A picture of one of my sweet girl's first smiles, as well as my two wonderful children together: