Totally Blog-worthy Moments and Stories (mostly poop related).

Me: Mary Louise? Do you have a stinky diaper?
Mary Louise: (matter of fact voice while shaking her head) No Momma. I no poo-poo. I just toot toot in my jammies.

In light of our switch to cloth, poop and toileting discussions are definitely the norm here lately. Things are going well. I've adjusted my washing routine a little to compensate for our hard water. I've also happily taken advantage of the sunny weather for diaper drying purposes which easily removes any remnant stains. Brent and I both keep saying how much we really like this whole experience - well - we like it as much as any parent can like dealing with excrement and awesome amounts of urine. We will soon run out of disposable wipes and switch completely to cloth there as well. If I'm washing one thing in a poop load, why not wash more? (no, I didn't buy the fancy reusable wipes - baby wash cloths and a few stitches in layers of "all too small" receiving blankets work wonders for a quick bum wipe).

The diapers have proven to provide some unexpected benefits as well:

Mary Louise and David LOVE to choose the color of their "fwesh fancy diaper Momma!" and get so excited when the color of their diaper matches their chosen outfit for the day. (ha - connoisseurs of fashion already those 2!) They are quickly becoming pros with all of their colors and the choosing process has pushed David to really start to grasp that colors and textures can match (a concept he didn't quite get before).

AND:

Flipping the solids with the flushable liners into the potty has offered a visible connection between poop and toilet - putting "things" where they go. Mary Louise and David proudly flush after a dirty diaper - an easy reward that is hopefully laying the ground work for potty training in the near future. Mary Louise has also asked to actually sit on the toilet a number of times - though the success of the squat is limited to the fact that she asked - nothing produced quite yet.

I'm still hopeful...one day...

They are both surprising me more each day with their speech as well. They differentiate between soy, goat and "dada's" milks when asking for milk in their sippie cups. (Brent drinks the 2% - I've never been much of a milk drinker - if they get "Dada's milk, they think it's just about the  best treat ever!). Speaking of sippies, they are doing very very well with them and also working with open cups much much better as compared to just a few weeks ago. They regularly bring me books and often "read" them to me by attempting to describe the pictures and reciting the stories from memory.

They use words such as, "excellent", "beautiful", and "delicious". (they also say "yummy" and "good").

I have a cleansing spray that smells of orange and herbal oils to use when cleaning their bottoms. David makes me laugh when each time I clean him he says, "oooh, mells niiiiice Momma." He seems to have developed quite a southern drawl as he also replies in the positive, "yay-ah" like a little old lady from South Carolina.

David had a really rough time in speech today. The lady with the state program came to our house for her weekly visit and David actually seemed excited at first - but when they sat down to begin working, he burst into tears and wouldn't even face the therapist for the session. We moved outside thinking it would make him more comfortable, but he screamed even more. Finally, I tried going inside and looking through the window. With quite a bit of effort on the part of the therapist, and Mary Louise coaxing him along, David finally began to come around and played a little - though he didn't fully cooperate speech wise the entire time. I am hoping last week's evaluation hasn't somehow scarred him for future speech sessions...but it was really sweet to watch Mary Louise getting David involved in her made up game. I'm still not really sure what happened. David has never acted that way with his home therapist before...she gave compliments again saying that though Mary Louise and David have a ways to go as far as their maturity, she feels they are very bright and will eventually catch up and possibly surpass their peers universally. Amazing. (I have to say, I do agree...*grin*)

Suga is doing well too (it seems): kicking, moving, turning. No doctor appointment this week or next believe it or not. 27 weeks on Sunday!!!!

xo,
Heather