Birthday Interruption- It's Potty Time!

Last year about this time we had a birthday interruption for walking, and this year our girl has decided it is time to use the potty! So here's our story:

January-March: Ivy pooped on the potty..... almost every time. I don't think she knew to make that choice she just didn't like a yucky diaper. Then suddenly, she was okay with having a poopy bum and reverted back! I wasn't going to push the issue at all.


May: We had our first attempt at truly potty training. We got panties, set a timer, did rewards. Ivy wasn't quite ready. She understood that we wanted her to pee-pee but didn't quite understand where to go. Each time she wet her panties she clapped and said "YAY, Ivy!" At this point, we knew Ivy was not ready for the potty but we introduced the idea that when she was two she would use the potty.


June-July: On many attempts we would try having a naked bum or wearing panties. In all of our attempts we only had one accident. Ivy actually had the opposite issue. She was afraid to use the potty and she had crazy bladder control and would hold it all morning until naptime when she got a diaper. At times she would cry that her belly was hurting and she needed a diaper. We stopped pushing the issue because the last thing I wanted was a bladder infection to develop. Each time she would not want to pee pee on the potty she would say, "When I be 2!"


July 31st: Ivy is 2!!! I had decided not to bring up the potty because I didn't want to make her birthday stressful in the least. However, Ivy had other plans! She woke up from nap around 3:15 and proclaimed, "Ivy's 2, I use the potty!" and low and behold that is exactly what she did.
She had 5 potty successes and no accidents. We wore panties to eat dinner and to the park! I thought it may have been a fluke.


August 1st: Ivy woke up, picked out her panties, and it's been in the potty all day long! We even went potty at Wal-mart!

I am so proud of her success and now I don't think there is any going back! I am a firm believer that they will use the potty willingly when they are ready. This is different for every child! She will wear diapers at nap and bedtime until she starts waking up dry. We are no where near this point. She is excited and has chosen a reward of new big girl earrings :) Go, Ivy!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Ivy!

Dear Ivy,

Today marks the day of your second birthday! It is hard for me to believe that you are already two years old. I feel like just yesterday I was laying in a hospital bed, waiting on my c-section, so that I could meet you. Since the moment you were born, I've said that you look just like your daddy. You have his eyes and his facial expressions to a tee! But wow, it was clear the moment you started to talk....you sure do have your mommy's spit-fire personality! I hope that your strong willed personality will be used for the good. I want to teach you to be a strong woman someday. I want you to be bold to speak your mind when needed. I want you love with all your heart, even when it means you may hurt sometime. Daddy and I promise to continue to give you experiences and lessons to help you to grow and mature into a little lady that loves Jesus with all her heart!

In the last two years, you have brought endless joy to our lives. Loving you, only the way a parent can, has made me fall deeper in love with my Lord, Jesus. His love is so perfect. I can't imagine how our God put his son on the cross for our mistakes. Ivy, Jesus loves you too! I think you know that and are learning more about it each day. He created you just the way you are. He knows the plans of your life and it is our job as your parents, to encourage and support you. We will pray that you will allow His plan to guide you.

You are so much fun! Daddy and I are so glad you are here to provide non-stop entertainment for us. You are silly and at night we lay in bed laughing at all the things you did to make us smile that day. You have blessed us beyond belief and we can't wait to watch you grow each year (even if sometimes we do want to push pause)!

We love you so much and are so glad to be your Mommy and Daddy!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Little One!

* Sorry the video is dark!! This was right when I went in her room to wake her up! **

A Wedding Party

Our great friends, Aaron and Erica, got married last weekend! Greg was honored to be one of the groomsmen. Ivy didn't join us for the actual ceremony but she was so excited to attend her very first "wedding party." She was prepared for something really fancy... to get dressed up, to see a princess, and to dance dance dance! The whole way there she proclaimed that she was so excited and she definitely had a blast! Congrats to Aaron and Erica on a gorgeous wedding and thanks for letting us celebrate with you!

Erica looked fabulous.... she had a lasting impression on Ivy! We are still talking about Princess Erica :)

We got to hang out with Megan and Jake! We hope to get to go visit them in Minnesota next summer.



Ivy and Daddy doing the twist!

Ivy's First Trip to the Dentist

This week Ivy had her first dentist appointment. We have been talking about going to the dentist for about a month to get her ready. Mommy and Daddy had dentist appointments earlier in July.... she kept reminding us that it was soon going to be "Ivy's Turn!" Here are some photos to capture this Ivy first!

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We got several books from the library and read about the dentist religiously for two weeks!

Ivy walked in and opened her mouth wide for the receptionist... assuming that was the dentist. It was pediatric dentist office so she was entertained while we waited, and once they called her name she was done with the toys and ready for "Ivy's Turn!"

The brushed Ivy's teeth with a normal tooth brush and she did great! However, they then attempted x-rays and she was not okay with this. Then they showed her the tooth tickler (polisher) and she was not willing to lay down in the chair. She kept telling them "I sitting up."





Dr. Wheeler thought Ivy's teeth looked great... she has 4 more baby teeth to come in.
Such a big girl!

Ivy's least favorite part... having to lay back to get a glimpse of those top teeth chompers and her pretty little gap!

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Overall, I think that Ivy's first dentist trip was great! It wasn't scarring and I know that she will be comfortable returning in January. I hope that 6 months from now Dr. Wheeler will be able to check a few more things off of her "to do" list!

Have you ever seen such cuteness??

Ivy absolutely LOVES her Unc!!!

Dollywood Adventures

I had never been to Dollywood but this was most definitely the highlight of our trip. Ivy had no idea what to expect. In fact, when telling her about Dollywood- I think she envisioned a place with a bunch of babydolls. The morning of our Dollywood trip I asked her where we were going and she responded "Babywood" and then when corrected she said "Hold you, Dolly." When we entered Dollywood she was in awe by the bright colors, the large crowds, and she was sold on the place when we rode the tram/train through the parking lot. This was her first experience with rides or anything of the sort. She loved it to say the least and therefore she threw quite the tantrum when she had to get off after each ride ended. Then she would go back in line and yell-
"Ivy's turn"- until it was in fact her turn. She never once seemed scared. I wish I could have captured our whole Dollywood experience on video for Greg to be able to enjoy! I hope to take Ivy to another amusement park soon so that her Daddy can see her in her new found element!!

Absolutely priceless Dollywood comments from Ivy that I don't want to forget:

* When she rode on the first ride, a carousel, and her horse didn't move up as quickly as Nana's and Ivy began screaming "Giddy-up, horsey" and clicking her tongue. She was not smiling or waving, she was absolutely determined to make her horse move up and down like Nana's.

* She begged to ride the "peapots" (teacups) over and over! We only rode once because these are not Mommy's favorite.

* On her first ride on the flying elephants- she was demanding "on the floor" or "in the sky" over and over.... giving us quite the bouncy ride.

* Ivy enjoyed her first ring pop in Dollywood. She thought she had died and gone to heaven because she had a sucker that resembled a paci... TRUE LOVE! Then she whined "OH NO!!" I looked to her to try to see the problem, and she responded, "My suckers going away." She was not pleased that this new sweet, paci wasn't going to be a permanent fixture in her mouth.

Girls in Gatlinburg

I am blessed beyond belief!!! After this weekend, I am so thankful that I have a mom and sister in law that I can go away with and have so much fun. Add my baby girl into the mix to make it even more exciting! We hope to make this a yearly tradition of relaxation, fun, laughing, and great food. The only thing that we would have done different is stayed in Gatlinburg just a little bit longer. We enjoyed each others company and Ivy thought she was living the high life with the big girls.

The WONDERFUL girls in Gatlinburg!!!

Rocking in chairs at Apple Barn... with full tummies!!

Look who Ivy spotted~ Santa in July!

Singing "Happy Know I" so that Ivy remains tantrum free when the tunnel was over!!

Ivy and Nana in the pool~ mark your record books!! Nana got in the pool before mommy!

Esie teaching Ivy her swimming tricks- seriously, you all didn't know that our Esie is a pro-swimmer! (Basically....)

Getting a "sun man"

Mommy and Ivy rocking out our shades~ isn't that the girliest cabin you have ever seen??

Ivy and her "purse"- she had to have one if everyone else did!

Eating her breakfast on the couch after sleeping in a HUGE kingsize bed with Mommy and loving every minute of it! She said she slept "side ways" :)

Watching the ducks ~

Pretty girls!

The girls about to go to DOLLYWOOD!!
This adventure deserves it's own post.... COMING SOON!!!