humph........

I am sure that you can tell I have been doing some rearranging. I even spent two hours the other evening learning how to write html code and was able to add my widgits back to my new page. There are still some kinks to work out, so bare with me!

For some reason I have been feeling a little grumpy lately. I guess it is just one of those weeks. I was really sick with a sinus infection, but I am feeling a lot better. Overall things have been good. I only have 8 days left with kids (at school). I am so ready for summer. I will be spending some of my summer working on school stuff (at least one week long conference), but I still plan on spending lots of quality time with Jo.

Jo is doing pretty well. She struggles with spring allergies. I feel so bad for her! She has had a lot of drama surrounding her naps and bedtimes lately (that's probably why I am grumpy!). She cried before her nap, but then sleeps for a long time. She also has been waking up once a night. It started with scary dreams about spiders, but now it is just so we will hold her. So, I've started refusing to pick her up. I just tell her to lay back down and give her hugs and kisses in her crib. I hope it gets better soon. I think we will transition her to a big girls bed soon. I want to redo her bedroom this summer. I will have to enlist some ideas from you all!

Easter and Mothers Day were great. We celebrated Easter with both families which was really nice. On Mothers Day Jo and Brian brought me breakfast in bed, and took me out to dinner and dessert. Jo was so cute when she gave me her card. She even said "Happy Moders Day!" The rest of the day she kept telling me "Happy Easter Mommy" which was pretty funny too!

We have lots of stuff coming up. Brian and I leave for Boston on Friday. I have a shower and bachlorette party to attend for my friend Mere who is getting married this summer. YAY- I can't wait! Brian lived in Boston for a short time and is excited to get to visit for the weekend. I will also be taking a trip at the end of June to visit my Grandma in Florida. Don't be jealous yet because I am going with Johanna (age 2), my mom, my sister, and my sister's two kids (ages 3 and 5). Did I mention we are driving? Yes, I am nuts. Yes, I will be taking sedatives.

At the end of July I will have Mere's wedding. I decided that I need to lose like 20 pounds before then. The bridesmaid dress doesn't come with a corresponding jacket to cover any flab ;) I kept telling myself to lose the weight now. I would lose like 10 pounds and then gain it back. Who am I kidding....I have always been a procrastinator about that stuff. I am coming down to the wire soon though, so I'd better start!

I think that about covers a general update on the miller clan. I am sure that I will get back to more regular posting with school letting out. YAY!! Anyone who thinks that teachers have it easy to have summers off should spend 180 school days with seventh graders. I dare them to make it a week without needing to be sedated or going postal! Oh, and they should probably be reminded that many teachers work 60- 70 hours a week during the school year (grading papers, planning lessons, etc. on your own time).

Ok, I am really done this time...but here are some recent pics for your viewing pleasure! The last one is nothing less than....SUPER JOHANNA!

Party Time!

.......a Potty Party that is!!! Here are some before pictures. I'll post some during pictures at the end of the week.

Here is the main potty party set-up

A sign to remind her about using the potty

Her sticker chart and stickers



Let's not forget the prizes!! The orange bag candy treats are for tinkles, and the black bag bigger prizes are for the big deuce!!

Last, but not least...the snacks to make her want to drink a lot. I am so cruel!


We started out day one (Monday) by gathering all the diapers and packaging them up for the "diaper fairy" to take to all the babies who still need to wear diapers. She was very into this! We then put on a pair of "big girl" panties and she got to open her "potty presents." She started playing with the doll right away. She was very into feeding the doll and then making the doll go on the potty! We watched the potty time Elmo video which is actually pretty cute. She was very into the idea, but I knew she really didn't understand yet. She held it most of the morning, but between 10 and 12 she peed through 6 pair of underwear! Luckily, after lunch she had a success. She started recognizing the she was going right after she started and I was able to get her on the potty before it all came out! I later found out from other moms that this was pretty good for day one!

By day two she was having a more of what she did on day one. I was beginning to question whether or not she "got it" or if she needed to have more time (wait until summer), but that evening she had a HUGE success. She told me she had to "tinkle potty" and she made it to the potty for the whole thing. This was VERY exciting!!!

Today (day three) was great in my eyes. She had only one minor accident this morning while we were baking cupcakes. She peed in the potty the rest of the day (Praise the Lord)! She even stayed dry on a long trip to pick up Brian's truck from the mechanic's house.

I know that we will still have set-backs, and I am not trying to night-train yet, but I am soooooo proud of my little girl. She is such a trooper and didn't give up, even when she got frustrated. I pray she continues to have perseverance throughout her life.

My little girl is growing up.

Potty Time

The time is finally here. I am going to start trying to potty train Johanna starting tomorrow. I have everything ready (I even took pics which I will post later) including candy, prizes, elmo potty book, elmo potty dvd, salty snacks (like pretzels) to ensure lots of drinking, flushable wipes, juice boxes, a couple potty's, and hopefully an extra dose of patience! I will keep everyone posted!