Just a note: The blog was hacked this week.  Not cool.  My husband and our hosting service have got most things back to normal, but there are still a few kinks to work out.  Please be patient during this process and if you notice anything weird (other than that title in the wrong place in the header above) please let us know.  Thank you and down with internet scum!!!

Now where was I?

Oh yeah, Porter turned 34 months old on Wednesday which means we are just a mere three months away from his third birthday!

What Porter is Wearing:

• Slowly growing out of his 2T shirts.  He needs more 3T shirts STAT.
• Even though he is 34 months, his 24 month pants still fit well.  He wears one pair of pants that are 2T.
• He wears 2T pajamas right now, but he’ll be out of those in about two months.
• Still in size 5 diapers (more on our potty progress later.)
• Just about to bust out of his size 7 shoes.

What Porter is Eating:

• We have entered the “This is your dinner: take it or leave it” phase of parenthood.  We use to give him dinner and then if he refused it we may give him something else later.  I use to worry that he wasn’t eating enough or thought that he would wake up hungry.  I’m passed that now.  He needs to be eating what we are eating.  His pickiness is getting ridiculous.
• He is now refusing to eat chicken and beef.  He pretty much won’t eat any meat that isn’t deli meat, hot dogs or bacon–all of which is loaded with junk.
• Still refuses to eat pizza or macaroni and cheese.  When he was offered a piece of pepperoni pizza recently he said, “Pizza is yucky to me.”
• However, he will gladly eat lettuce of all kinds, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, celery and lots and lots of fruit…
• …except blueberries.  He ate them when he thought they were grapes, but we let it slip that they were something different and now he removes them from his plate.
• He will only eat potatoes in fry or tot form.  This has always been the case.
• Porter now enjoys sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
• He and I both loveChobani Greek yogurt.  
• We also have been sharing bowls of popcorn lately.  Porter finds the popped kernels really fun to look at (and then eat.)

What Porter is Saying:

• Porter seems to have reached the non-stop-talking part of toddlerhood.  This is fascinating to me since I am a fairly quiet person.  He is saying all sorts of funny stuff these days–mostly because his imagination is going full-tilt.
• Porter has started referring to me and Aaron as “you guys.”  Pittsburgh hasn’t taken a hold of him yet since he isn’t calling us “yinz.”
• He likes to call things “cute” or “pretty.”
• He asks us for privacy during diaper changes if both parents are present.  All thanks to this book.
• After he has gone to bed, but has yet to fall asleep he likes to open his bedroom door to tell us things, such as “Mommy, kangaroo is sleeping.”
• Sometimes he will come to the bathroom door while I am in there.  He’ll knock and say, “Mommy, you in there?”  I will respond with yes. “Can I come in?”  I will ask him if he needs to or wants to try to use the potty.  He replies, “No, I just want to watch you.”  Great…
• Everyone is his “best friend” lately.  Even his toys.  ”This is my best friend Toby, the steam tram.”
• Restaurants are now referred to specifically as “food restaurants.”  Not sure why the change…

What Porter Likes These Days:

• “Cooking” in his kitchen
• Books
• Puzzles
• Pretending
• Dancing
• Singing
• Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood

What Porter Doesn’t Like These Days:

• Using the potty at home.

What Porter is Doing:

• Porter is creating long and involved imagined scenarios.  It is fascinating to witness–both by eyes and by ears!  I think I am going to write a post just about his imaginings.
• He is “reading” (and by reading I mean reciting word for word) books to us and to his stuffed animals.
• There has been lots of spontaneous dancing lately.
• Singing the theme song toMister Roger’s Neighborhood.

Can you believe that I haven’t done a monthly update since OCTOBER?!?  With my crazy work schedule, the holidays and then my grandfather’s passing I just let months slip by.  I have so much to tell you about!

P delivers a spirited rendition of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" on Christmas Eve

What Porter is wearing:

• Size 2T shirts, but with a few 24 month shirts still in the mix.
• Mostly size 24 month pants with a few 2T pairs creeping in.
• Still in size 5 diapers.
• Would be in size 2T underwear if he let us put them on him

What Porter is eating:

• He is on a huge vegetable kick right now.  As always, raw vegetables ONLY.  I just can’t believe that a toddler can enjoy salad so much.
• Chicken use to be his favorite, but now it is hit or miss.
• His “on again/off again” relationship with wheat toast with peanut butter is back “on.”
• He still refuses typical toddler favorites such as pizza and macaroni and cheese.
• Spaghetti and meatballs use to be our “go to” food since we knew he loved it.  We were eating it once a week.  Now?  He could take it or leave it.  Depends on his mood.
• He likes olives now.  Green only, please.

What Porter is Saying:

• A lot.  So much, in fact, that a whole post is in the works solely devoted to what he says on a daily basis.

What Porter Likes These Days:

• Cuddling under “cozy blankets.”
• Books books books.
• Thomas Thomas Thomas.
• Timmy Time
• Puzzles!

What Porter Doesn’t Like These Days:

• Wearing his winter hat.  He’d rather wear his hood on his coat.
• Using the potty at home.

What Porter is Doing:

• Imagining.  In the last three months, his imagination has blossomed.  It is just amazing to watch him play and to play with him.  He likes to hide from “monsters” by sitting on his bed with the covers pulled over him.  He isn’t scared of the “monsters” or anything, he just thinks it is fun to hide from them!
• Having a “party”–which means he turns the overhead light on in his room and spins in a circle until he falls down laughing.
• Having a “kangaroo party.”  Same definition as above with the addition of him throwing his stuffed toy rabbit named Kangaroo up in the air.
• Cooking in his play kitchen that Santa brought him.  He only serves water and hot dogs at the moment.  And he keeps his eggs in the dishwasher.
• Playing trains!  Never gets old.
• “Reading” books.
• Hopping around on all fours pretending to be a frog.
• Running.  Always running…
• He can recognize his name and some words–like zoo and school.
• He likes to refer to himself by using his full name–first, middle, last.
• And…HE IS USING THE POTTY AT DAYCARE!!!  Not all day, but one time most days–sometimes more!

Over the summer we slowly started collecting new furniture for Porter’s room.  He is growing up so fast and it was apparent that the crib-converted-to-toddler-daybed just wasn’t going to cut it through the end of the year.  So we started shopping around for some new items as well as some “new to us” things to help makeover his room without breaking our already strained piggy bank.

First, we found a twin bed frame on craigslist for $40.  I painted it white.

I bought new Big Boy bedding 50% off at Target!   I got a few sets of sheets during the Labor Day sales at Kmart.

Another craigslist deal: we found an Ikea dresser for FREE–and it happened to match the Ikea nightstand I bought in ’05 when I was living in New Haven.  The dresser had a broken drawer glide, but Aaron fixed that.

Then we bought Porter a twin mattress for his new bed.  No box spring quite yet (it would make the bed a bit too tall for him right now.)

Finally, we bought a pretty sweet storage unit brand new from Ikea and storage bins from Target (itso bins fit PERFECTLY.)

Here are just a few photos of the new set up.  I actually took these photos before the room was completely finished, so no shots of the dresser yet–sorry.  (We’ve been super busy.)

We just recently got a fourth blue bin for the bottom shelf.

Porter LOVES his new room.  And since we are still working on potty training, we actually use the top of the storage unit as a changing table (with changing cushion.)  At the time I took this photo, the changing table was still in the room (since it was too heavy/awkward for me to remove from the room by myself.)

Next post: Porter helps to make his bed.

Okay first off, do you know how hard it is to talk about the potty to Porter and not accidentally say the word “port-a-potty”?  Ugh.  So difficult.  It honestly never crossed my mind when picking out his name.

But anyway…

Since Porter decided “Hey, this potty thing isn’t so bad!” every day has been different.  We haven’t pushed him; we’ve let him lead when, where and how long he wants to practice on his potty.  That means some days he doesn’t even look twice at the potty and that’s okay.  During the week we are only with him for an hour in the morning and then a few hours after daycare.  That leaves little time to really work with him on the potty.  However this past weekend, Porter wanted to sit and hang out on the potty whenever we were home.  He peed in the potty THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY on Saturday!

Needless to say we are very proud of Porter’s progress, but there have been a few things we’re getting use to.  Porter now likes to drop his pants, take off his diaper and sit on the potty for long periods of time.  He carries the potty around the house with him, diaperless, pants around his ankles, so he can do activities in other rooms.  He bellies up to his train table while on his potty.  He wanted to watch Daddy work on putting his new dresser together, so Porter set up shop in the dining room.  This potty migration means that Porter isn’t always situated on the potty when he “goes.”

Accidents happen.

But for the most part, things are progressing.  Onward and upward!  Or outward…?

For months I have been fretting over Porter’s lack of interest in the potty.  Pretty much every parent I know as well as his teachers at daycare told me not to worry, he is still young and there is still lots of time for him to become interested in being diaper-free.  We noticed that on his notes from daycare this week Porter was at least sitting on the potty four times a day most days of the week.  This was a change from two to three times on the potty three times a week.  Aaron and I were glad that his trips to the potty, even without “remnants” left behind, were growing in frequency.

Today I geared up to paint our bathroom.  The landlords had painted it a dark blue-green, which in my opinion didn’t go well with the 1970s mustard yellow tile on half the walls and floor.  I was happy to finally have the time to change it.  I cleared the small bathroom of its contents which means that Porter’s potty chair went in Porter’s room.  Porter’s potty had been in his room before, so I thought that he’d just sort of ignore it like he has been doing.

SO NOT THE CASE!

He walked right over to the potty and sat on it.  Something he hasn’t done at home IN MONTHS!

Aaron and I both exploded into applause and cheers.  There were hugs, kisses and lots of high-fives.  Porter LOVED the attention, so he sat on the potty again.  He got the same, very enthusiastic reaction.

And just like that, it happened.  Porter wanted to get to know the potty!

In the beginning of the afternoon, Porter was just sitting on the potty with his pants on.  But as the afternoon progressed, Aaron slowly worked with Porter and as I primed the bathroom (twice, ugh.)  Through lots of encouragement and songs made up on the spot, Aaron managed to teach Porter how to drop his pants then sit on the potty.  At one point as a show of solidarity, we all were pantless in Porter’s room at Porter’s request.

That’s what family is all about, right?  Supporting each other.  Even without pants.

We read a lot of book while he was on the potty, including The Big Boy Potty by Joanna Cole which Porter really, really likes.  It really is the perfect book for him right now.

Porter just couldn’t get enough of the potty and because he was so interested–for the first time EVER–we didn’t want to stop encouraging his behavior.  While I was still priming the bathroom, Aaron eventually got Porter to sit on the potty without a diaper.  This was a huge step for us.  There was lots and lots of cheering!

Then things took a turn we didn’t expect.

Now that Porter knew how and was encouraged to take his diaper off, he didn’t want to keep a diaper on.  He didn’t want underpants either.  We tried a swim diaper (because it was the closest thing to a pull-up we had) but that only confused him.  ”Swim trunks on?” he said.  As a result of no diaper, we did have one accident.  No pee in the potty though.  Later in the afternoon he peed in his diaper while sitting on the potty, but told us right afterward.

At one point in the afternoon he decided that he wanted to sit on the potty in the kitchen, so he dragged it from his room down the hall and planted the potty in the middle of the kitchen floor.  He sat there for quite some time.  He could have put the potty on the back porch for all we cared–we were just SO HAPPY that Porter was finally warming up to the potty!

We aren’t sure if today was a fluke or if Porter has finally entered this stage of Toddlerhood–but either way, it is rather exciting.  And we are praying that he keeps his pants and diaper on through the night!

I have to give a huge thank you to Aaron who did a great job both encouraging and entertaining Porter today–even though he was sick.  Thank you!  You did such a great job!

Have any good potty training advice or stories to share?  We’d love to hear it!

Saturday Porter officially turned two and a half years old.  Aaron and I had the following exchange while out to dinner that night.

Me: Can you believe that he is two and a half already?!  We’re halfway to three!

Aaron: We’re half way to five!

Me: jaw hits floor

And scene.

What Porter is Wearing:

• Finally graduated to size 5 diapers!
• Finally has officially outgrown the remaining pairs of 18 month size pants!
• A few 24 month and 2T shirts are getting a little small, but it really depends on the brand.

• He actually ate cantaloupe this month!
• Still completely uninterested in typical toddler favorites like pizza and macaroni and cheese.
• Still loves his tacos and guacamole.

With each passing month, our baby is evolving into a little boy.

What Porter is Wearing:

• Still in size 4 diapers.
• Just graduated to size 7 sneakers.
• Shirts range from size 24 months through 3T (depends on the brand.)
• Size 24 months in pants.
• His size 24 months hoodies still fit, but he’ll probably outgrow them before we get to winter.

I’ve thought long and hard about what to write in this momentous 500th post.  I have written several posts, gotten half way through, slept on them and then the next day promptly clicked the “Move to Trash” button.   With the school year/theatre season just about to start, our life is transitioning yet again.  New/old routines are being established and adjustments are being made to ease into them.  Our life as a family and as individuals is always evolving.

This blog, too, has evolved.  When I started this blog, never did I imagine I would still be posting on it almost three years later.  The blog has been such a blessing.  It has helped me talk through so many feelings.  It has helped me connect with so many people–people I have known for years and people I have never met.

This truly amazes me.

I am very grateful that you continue to stop by and stay awhile.  Thank you.

I can’t say that I think that this blog is going to make it through another 500 posts.  This blog will someday have an end.  And knowing that breaks my heart a little (and by a little, I mean a lot.)

Monday is a big day for our little man: he returns to daycare full-time today and he also officially turns 28 months.  Gosh, he’ll be two and a half before we know it!

What Porter is Wearing:

• Still in size 4 diapers.  We give the new Pampers Cruisers a thumbs-up, by the way.
• Some size 24 month/2T shirts are starting to get a little snug–a few 3T ones too.  Just now sprouting out of some size 18-24 shorts.  Probably only have a month to go before we are in size 3T pajamas.
• I think we need to shop for some new shoes.  His size 6 sneakers just fit.

• Check out last week’s post “Words and Phrases”  for some laughs!
• Last week he scrunched up face while pinching his cheeks and said, “Cheeks are AMAZING!”
• Last Monday he came home from daycare and started telling me all about his day, without me asking him first.
• Sometimes he adds an “-ee” sound to the ends of words, like milk becomes milky.  Not sure why…
• His teachers at daycare are Ms. Tracy and Ms. Jasmin.  Last week he referred to them as Tracy and Batman.
• And I forgot this one last month, he is using the word “too” correctly.
• “See you soon!”  Porter says this all of the time, when he leaves the room, when we are leaving a store and he is saying his farewells to everyone in the store…
• “I had a good nap!”  Not only does he say this after he has taken a nap, but he says it to us when he has decided not to nap and instead played in his room for an hour or so.  He even says it to us when he wakes up in the morning.

• His new train table!  Post coming soon.
• Hero of the Rails.  We watched this like 15 times last week.  Thanks, Netflix.
• Singing.  Wow, so much singing, you guys…and humming, too.
• Puppets, or really just my hand pretending to talk to him.

What Porter Doesn’t Like These Days:

• Naptime.  It has been such a huge struggle the last week or so.  He has been napping only a few times a week, each time falling asleep around 2pm–a full hour later than usual.  And we only let him sleep for an hour to an hour and a half so he’ll fall asleep at a reasonable bedtime hour.  Not sure how he will adjust to napping at daycare five days a week again.
• The potty.  Won’t wear underwear.  Won’t sit on the potty.  He has even said in regards to the potty, “No, not yet!’
• Eating dinner that consists of something other than hot dogs or chicken nuggets.
• Because he learned to drink from a straw a few weeks ago, we bought him some straw cups with the hope of phasing out the sippy cups.  Now sometimes he throws a fit if he wants a sippy instead of a straw cup.  Good times…

• Have I mentioned singing?  He sings a lot.  And hums a lot too–mostly Twinkle, Twinkle.
• Playing with his trains and track on his new train table.
• Practically running Netflix on our Wii all by himself.  He can definitely start new episodes on his own.
• Climbing the hill in the backyard, getting to a point and then triumphantly yelling, “Climb up the rocky hill!  PORTER SO TALL!”
• Practically kicks Aaron and I out of the house when the babysitter shows up.

What We Are Working On:

• The potty.  I’m sure I will have more to report on this next month since starting on the 29th Porter will be moved into a daycare room in which they have every kid sit on the potty everyday.  Hopefully seeing his peers do it will make Porter want to do it too.

Improved Since Last Month:

• He can use a straw now!

I was one of those weird kids that really liked school.  I didn’t always enjoy all of the homework and I hated middle school, but in general I really liked school.   Back to School time reminds me of a fresh start, even more so because my birthday falls around the time classes start up again–new year of school, new year of life!

Aaron starts back to school next week, though he doesn’t start teaching again until a few weeks later.  I start work on my next show next week which means Porter is going “back to school” too–he will be returning to daycare full-time starting next week!

We are all very excited about this.  Porter LOVES daycare.  He has been going one day a week since February, when we took him down from five days per week attendance to one day a week due to my lack of work (and therefore lack of money.)  But work has picked up for me for the fall–booked straight through January, in fact–so back to daycare Porter will go.  For two weeks he will return to his usual room with his usual buds, but on August 29 (my birthday) he will be moved up to the Older Toddler room!

A lot of his friends who moved up earlier in the year will be there.  I’m excited and nervous for his move.  I love his teachers in the Young Toddler room.  Love them.  And they love Porter.  I don’t really know the teachers in the other room so I am nervous about how Porter will like them.  Secondly, a whole lotta potty trainin’ goes down in the Older Toddler room.  I am excited and terrified about this.  I am eager for Porter to be surrounded by kids who are successfully using the potty, however I know that he is very much not interested in doing anything other than sitting on the potty fully dressed.  I don’t want them to push him too hard, but I also want them to work with him and encourage him.  Overall, I don’t want him to be overwhelmed by all of the change.  Then again, maybe I am just projected my anxiety on to him?  Anyway, it all is still exciting nonetheless!

So I guess next week marks the end of The Summer Switch.  Aaron will be back to work (and then some, besides running his program he is also teaching online classes for the university where we worked in Florida,) I will be back to work on a fairly regular basis and Porter will be back to daycare.  And just like that, life changes all over again.  Cheers to new beginnings!