Here are this week’s updates:

• Thursday we took E to the circus. After we paid $18 for two 8″ pizzas and a 20 oz water we found our seats. We were pretty high up. As we were watching the “pre-show”, E announced “this is fun”. When the circus finally started, we moved and got closer seats since there were a lot of open seats. We all had fun and I am glad we went. Definitely worth the outrageous prices for dinner and the present Grandma O gave him money to buy. You can see videos I took of the elephants here and the cannon here.

• Friday we viewed and ordered our family pictures. They got some great pictures so I am excited to hang them on our walls (and hopefully post them here for you all to see).

• Friday afternoon we packed to go to a church retreat up Provo Canyon. There was snow on the mountains and I was worried we were going to freeze so I packed for three different seasons – spring, fall and winter since I had no idea what we were going to need. As we were driving to the retreat, I said to Joey “I don’t think we can fit another thing in this car. Good thing we didn’t need to bring your drum” and then he told me he did need to bring his drum. Oops. I called my mom and asked if she would be willing to bring it up to us. She was nice and agreed to come. Thanks Grandma!

• Friday night, Saturday and Sunday we enjoyed hanging out with our church family and just relaxed. We went on a little hike (or walk if you ask Aunt Christene) as a family and Joey and E enjoyed a campfire Saturday night and roasted marshmallows for s’mores. Baby A got lots of compliments about what a happy baby she was. She only cried a few times. She had lots of people to hold her and love on her. A few people were sick at this retreat so Joey, E and myself all came home with a head cold. Baby A didn’t seem to catch anything (yet).

• Sunday evening I went to start a bath for the kids and the knob turned but no water came out. Joey had to take the knob apart and use a pliers to turn on the water. Lovely. Glad it was not a bigger problem. Still a bummer that the knob broke.

Here are this week’s updates:

• Wednesday I took these cute pictures of E and Baby A

• Thursday E needed a suppository to help him poop. He was in a lot of pain and kept telling me he needed to poop.

• Friday I made an appointment with a pediatric nutritionist and a GI doc. The GI appointment isn’t until 12/10 but I knew it would be a while out and I am okay with that. It will be give me time to get a good history prepared and come up with a list of questions I want to ask the doctor.

• Friday we had lunch at the park and E had fun pushing Baby A in the stroller

• Friday afternoon I gave Baby A some rice krispies. She wasn’t ready but I got these funny pictures

• Friday evening my mom came over with two bags full of fiber-rich foods and a some information about Encopresis.

• Saturday we had family pictures taken at Murray Park. Here is a teaser of what’s to come. I am excited to see the rest!

Here are this week’s updates:

• Monday Baby A turned 6 months old. Time sure is flying by!

• Tuesday I came home from work and made dinner while Joey picked up the kids. I made meatballs in the oven and mashed potatoes. I accidentally added too much milk to the potatoes so they were soupy. Bummer. Then I decided to add the cold gravy to the pan that was in the 450* oven so I didn’t have to dirty another pot and that was a big mistake. The pan shattered in the oven! Big bummer! I am lucky I didn’t get hurt and all the glass was contained in the oven. I called Joey and said I ruined dinner and asked him to bring something home. I cried as I stood there trying to come up with a plan to clean it all up. It took me an hour. It was not easy. I hope I never have to do that again!

• Wednesday Grandma Day made us a dinner. I was happy to not have to cook and it was probably safer if she cooked. Thank you Grandma Day!

• Thursday Grandma O told me that E was not feeling well and he needed to poop but wouldn’t go on the potty. I had a cancellation so I bought liquid glycerin suppositories for Grandma to use (better her than me, right?) and “special underwear E can poop in” (pull-ups) and it worked. He pooped (mostly liquid) and then he acted like he felt better. I knew that wasn’t enough poop for going 6 days without pooping and was glad I had an appointment with the pediatrician the next day. I cried all the way back to work. I am beyond stressed about his pooping situation.

• Friday I took E to preschool and then we had a picnic lunch at Grandma Day’s house before our visit to the pediatrician. Baby A had her 6-month visit. She got 3 immunizations and a flu shot. It was very sad. Here are her stats:

Height: 24″ (4th Percentile)

Weight: 14.9 ozs (21st Percentile)

Head Circumference: 41.9 cm (32nd Percentile)

• During Baby A’s 6-month visit, I had a lengthy conversation with the pediatrician about E’s constipation (it was not our first conversation about this problem). He suggested we try 1 tablespoon of mineral oil mixed with yogurt 2x/day for several days and then give E a small bottle of miralax mixed with 48 ounces of liquid to help clean him out. He said that it may take 3 months to get E “regular”. I showed the pediatrician a 3-day food diary for E because I wanted show that he eats a variety of good foods (with fiber), it’s just a very limited amount. The pediatrician has told me several times that eating the right diet and exercising are the most important things to staying regular but I just feel like there is more to E’s problem. I would really like to talk to a nutritionist and a GI doc to see if there is something we are missing. Allergies? Food intolerance? Not enough liquid in his diet? Too much fiber in his diet? No enough fiber? I’d also like to know what I should be doing to help him poop? I just need a little more direction.

• Saturday E went to Little Gym with Joey and I worked that afternoon at the hospital. I went grocery shopping after work and picked up some Kefir and mineral oil. E drank it no problem and even said “mmm. That was good”. I was relieved.

• Sunday night I took this picture of Baby A and E. E is okay to have her near his toys but does not like it when she touches his things. Life around here is going to get very interesting soon.

Look how good she is sitting there

• Sunday I made healthy fiber-filled muffins and E wanted to put icing on them. While he was putting the icing on (a little sugar won’t hurt the fiber, right?), he told me that he wanted to cut the muffin and then said “Teacher Kim told me to go back and forth”. It’s fun to hear the things he is learning at school. It makes the “trouble” of taking him there worth it. (I know it’s worth it, but I think God gives me little things like this to help me relax):

• After eating the “cupcake”, E saw his papers from school on the table and wanted to trace his lines. He then wanted me to help him write his name and it was making him very upset. I am hoping he was just tired (and/or not feeling well) because I really don’t want homework to be like this when he is older.

• I am also wondering if we have a perfectionist on our hands? I texted Aunt Christene to tell her because I saw a glimpse of her in E.

Happy 6 Months to Baby A today. Here are her one month to 5 month pictures

and today’s picture

and just for fun, here’s a link to E’s 6 month comparison pictures.

Here are this week’s updates:

• Monday E went to a Fire Fighter birthday party for a friend. He had a lot of fun and even got to climb in a real fire truck. After the birthday party, E ran errands with me and we had lunch.

• Monday I took this picture of Baby A sitting up. She’s getting so big!

• Monday night we went to a BBQ and E got to play on a wiggle car and had a lot of fun. It was hard to leave.

• Wednesday was E first day of preschool. He did great and I didn’t cry either. Here’s a quick video I took of him before he got in the car

• Wednesday night we went to dinner with Joey’s parents for his birthday. After dinner, E had a sleepover with Grandma Day.

• Thursday night at 7:00pm I gave E a laxative to help him poop and he didn’t poop before he went to bed. Not a good sign.

• Friday morning Joey got Baby A at 6:30 in the morning so I could feed her and when he came back, he told me “Their room smells like shit”. Lovely. That was not fun to clean up and just in case you were wondering, dry poop is worse than wet poop. When I tried to clean him up, I tried to put him in the bathtub and use the shower head to rinse him off and he was not having it. He fought me pretty good and we ended up with poop all over the side of the bathtub and on the wall because he was backing away from me. Gross! I eventually got him all cleaned up and we made it to preschool on time. Amazingly.

• Friday afternoon I started reading this book “It’s No Accident” and I couldn’t put it down

• I would highly recommend that every parent that potty trains and teachers that require kids to be potty trained at age 3 read this book. It gave me some great ideas to help with E’s constipation and understand why he wets the bed occasionally. I know he’s only been potty trained for a few weeks but according to this book, accidents should not be happening once they are “toilet trained”.

• Sunday Baby A woke up with this cough and E was kind of fussy so we stayed home from church.

Here are this week’s updates:

• Monday while at Little Gym, E he peed in the potty. Yay! His teachers were impressed that he told them he needed to pee.

• Monday night he pooped in the potty. A big accomplishment so we called Grandmas and he got a new toy.

• Monday afternoon, Baby A got herself stuck. She is starting to get around

• Here’s a video of Joey and Baby A. She loves her daddy.

• Tuesday E didn’t have any accidents at Grandma O’s house. Yay!

• Wednesday Grandma Day took E to ToysRUs for a new toy since he is a big boy and uses the potty now. He also used the potty while at ToysRUs. Awesome. That night we went to a preschool orientation for E. It was a little overwhelming for me. I am excited for him to go but I am not looking forward to the extra responsibility – getting him there on time 2x/week, homework (memorizing Bible verses and practicing his letters and numbers), sending a snack 1x/month, etc.

• Thursday Grandma O propped Baby A up on the step at her house. She looks so big and ready to crawl.

• Friday I fed Baby A peaches for the first time – she made all sorts of tongue clicking and funny faces. Too funny.

• Friday E probably pooped 12 times in the potty. It was a nightmare for me since for some reason not all the poop made it in the potty. Thank goodness for Clorox wipes and flushable wipes. I have also learned that just a little bit of Miralax is all E needs. Not an entire serving.

• Saturday night Joey had some cuddle time with the kids on the couch (for a minute or two)

• Saturday night Joey went to get us some frozen yogurt and while he was there I got this text

(and just in case you were wondering, the fudge brownie batter was very rich. Almost too rich. AND I think this text goes to show you that my husband really does not like talking on the phone.)

• Here is more proof of Baby A getting around (and on and very near E’s toys). I need a bigger house STAT!

• Sunday this happened for several seconds before he said very loudly “Abby is touching my cars!”

Let the fun begin….