some random thursday updates

1. my grandma passed away a couple weeks ago. i had written about her on here over the past year or so. her health had been deteriorating for quite a while. she was admitted to the hospital over a dozen times in the last 18 months and in january, suffered a couple strokes. she lived as a polio survivor, and i always admired her strength and courage living with a physical disability. she was diagnosed at 9 months old and spent her first 3 years of life in a children's hospital. can you imagine? i'm so thankful that she was in my life for 29 years and that she got to meet ashford in her final days. i have so many wonderful memories with her, especially our tradition of making pies and me sleeping over at her house the night before thanksgiving until i was in college. her funeral is this weekend and it will be sad saying our final goodbye, but also wonderful to celebrate her life.


2. potty training. i'm planning on doing a post dedicated to this subject, but here has been our experience in a nutshell: azalea is on her 5th day wearing undies during waking hours. she has been at home and at daycare during these days and she has had almost no success on the potty. she is very stubborn and holds her pee all day. she either doesn't "get" how or doesn't want to go on the potty. i know accidents are an important part of learning, but she's barely having them, she's just not going...period. we've tried lots of fluids, treats, stickers, character undies, talking about being a big girl, letting her tell us when she needs to go, putting her on the potty at regular intervals. i'm sort of at a loss. i know she will get it eventually and i want to stick with undies until then, so she doesn't think she can just go back to diapers, which is probably what she wants. she is almost 3 and should be physically and emotionally able to do this, she is just stubborn. hoping we turn the corner soon! anyone else have a stubborn potty trainer? 

3. my maternity leave is flying by! with all the cold and snow lately, ashford and i have been having lots of quality daytime tv watching snuggle time on the couch. it's wonderful! he's also starting to smile, which is the best! :) we are counting down the weeks until our trip to florida. our plans have changed a bit. originally my mom was going to come up here to fly down with me and the kids (thatcher is going down a few days later), but she fell off her bike in florida and broke her ankle!! she had to have surgery (on her birthday to boot!) and can't put weight on it for 4-6 weeks. so needless to say she won't be able to help me with the kids. it sounds like my brother is going to fly down with us instead. whew! florida, we can't wait to see you!


Comments

JJ said…
sorry to hear about the loss of your Grandma. She sounds like an amazing woman. I'm glad she was able to meet Ashford.

Enjoy your time in FL. I always enjoy your recaps.

Hopefully Azalea will get the hang of the potty soon. I'm sure others will have lots of tips for you. If you ever need help with doggy potty training I'm your gal!
Sarah said…
Oh hun! I am so sorry to hear about your grandma. I am so glad that you were able to introduce her to Ashford. I know those photos are priceless.

So jealous about FL but darn- your poor mom! Hopefully the surgery goes well and I will be thinking about her and your family, as I do often!

Could Azalea not be wanting to go to the potty due to all the changes in your house ie Ashford? Could that possibly be distracting her from doing this?
~Dawn~ said…
So sorry to hear about your grandma. She sounds like a fantastic lady!! I'll be thinking of you this week as you say your final goodbye's.

Hang in there with the potty training. I think Sarah is right in that bringing Ashford home is a big change for Azalea whether you are keeping her as close to her normal routine or not. One day she is just going to 'get it' and you'll be able to look back on these days and laugh.

Have you tried talking to her pediatrician about her holding it, tho? That would be my only concern...you don't want her getting bladder infections..ect.
Katie said…
I'm sorry about your grandma, my grandpa had polio too so lived with post-polio for a long time, its hard to imagine having something like that for your whole life.

I hope potty training gets better, she sounds stubborn! I'm sure she'll eventually get the hang of things though :)
Anonymous said…
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Grandma. Sounds like you have some very wonderful memories with her, and what a joy you must have been to her! Baking pies and staying over for all of those years...wow, those are priceless memories! I'll keep you in my thoughts!!

P.S. Yes- we have a stubborn potty trainer, too. So stubborn, in fact, that I don't know what to do with her! I keep telling myself that Adam will be potty trained before her! lol Loads of accidents in this household...loads!
Brittany said…
Sad to hear about your grandma but it is so nice that she was able to meet Ashford :) You're going to have so much fun in Florida!!
Becky said…
I'm sorry to hear about your grandma, Melissa. But yes, what a blessing for you and her to have been able to meet Ashford.
Good luck with potty training! We're kinda there too - not sure what to do next. I was a stubborn potty trainer. She'll get it. Like Dawn said, I bet some day (soon!) it will just "click."
Kris said…
Sorry to hear about your grandma. Hugs!

I'd love to see you before you go back to work. Any upcoming weekends have time? I'd be happy to pick up lunch and stop by. :)
Kristin said…
I'm so sorry to hear about your grandma. Thinking of you lady.
ajs {of MN} said…
i love that you have such wonderful memories with your grandma, sleepovers the night before thanksgiving for so many years- i love that!

potty training... all i can say is that it will just click one of these days, patience is key for both you and AZ and... help from daddy (avrie REALLY loves impressing her daddy) so when he was offering high fives and hugs for being a big girl she was even more all about it. i am thinking you are doing ok with letting her be the one to figure it out.

as for the holding it... there were def days where avrie would hold it for hours (ALL DAY) it was so strange... i would say if this happens for more than a day or two i would contact your peds nurse to talk about it.
Unknown said…
I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother. How wonderful that she was able to meet Ashford!

And I don't even want to talk about potty training at our house. GEEZ. Well done, Azalea! :)

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