Potty training, missing teeth & birthdays!

Thomas is a prodigy! Seriously, remember when he was crawling at 5 months & walking at 8months ? He is a boy, he is 2 1/2 (3 in July) and the kid toilet trained in 5 1/2 days! Which I think, compensates for the early movement/ destruction!...and everyone told me boys take longer-HA!

-2 1/2 days on

-then 2 days in a diaper b/c I had to run errands and do church.

-then one day on

-then 5 days off b/c I went to America

- and then 2 days on and he was DONE.

As you can tell I made a half hearted effort as far as the training was concerned. I didn't bribe him with a toy...I did have Easter candy that I would occasionally reward him with but lets be honest we just ate through that on our own and then one day it just clicked and he didn't have any more accidents (previous days were half n' half) In addition, every day he seems to conquer something new that I thought we would have to ease into. So proud of you Thomas!

• Peed in the toilet & flushed
• Pooed in the toilet--this one he always got in, which I was happy about, I can handle pee accidents (or wee as they call it in Australia)
• Peed standing up
• Wiping his own bum--goes through 1/3rd roll of toilet paper but it is CLEAN!
• Washing his own hands
• Potty training at NIGHT....yes, he takes off his diaper and bangs on his door in the middle of the night that "its coming out"--I still am not up to the night thing. I have to talk him into a diaper at bed time.

We have accidents (usually at soccer practice) but he is almost perfect when we are home. The standing up part has minimized accidents when we are out and about all together. Stan insists that my perception of Thomas's perfect potty training is delusional...he says Thomas only goes to the bathroom for me. I don't know what he is talking about--when we are home together he just takes care of business!

There is only one thing left...pulling the pants up without needing assistance...the underwear always gets twisted up when Thomas does it himself! So one more bridge to cross...but my youngest child is out of DIAPERS!!!!!!!!!

My oldest child, Olivia (7) just lost her second front tooth giving her the precious toothless grin! So cute!

And last but not least I had a birthday! I opened most of my gifts in the USA when I saw my family. Stan woke up at 6 am, to make me special birthday pancakes,

He also made a cake that Thomas ate

and in the evening Stan took me out to eat for dinner. It was great. I rode the ferry into the city at night and stood on the deck. It was kind of sprinkling (because we are going into winter) but I was so in love with the city and the water and life. I get so happy every time I ride the ferry, I don't know how I could ever leave!