Abe has been developing so much lately that the video camera has gotten more use that the SLR. We've gotten some really great videos recently, but I didn't really feel like uploading the whole slew of them; I know you're grateful. So, instead I tossed them all together in a collage of sorts. Nothing fancy, but I certainly was able to trim away much of the "fat" of each video. Again, I know you're grateful. Enjoy! =)

P.S. I also have updated Abe's pictures, including ones from our trip to New Hampshire to see my sister. Check them out. The new ones start here.

P.P.S. Just realized I forgot to include the video of us feeding the dolphins. Oh well. I'm sure you'll get over it before I will.

Abe 20-22 month summary from Mike on Vimeo.

The Return to Diapers

Well, we gave it our best shot and if called to vote, I think I may dethrone the self-proclaimed "Potty Training Queen". Even though Abe was only showing nominal interest in the potty, we (okay, I) had read this book, 3 Day Potty Training: The Queen of Potty Training will share..." blah, blah, blah. After all, she had trained her 5 boys and 3 of her 6 children in 3 days or less - she must have something right! Figured it was worth shot. It was only 3 days out of our lives. We also thought her approach made a lot of sense (still do). In fact, it was actually quite similar to how we potty trained Dexter, which we found amusing: catch them in the act, correct the behavior, praise them like crazy, and give them a treat!

Day 1 - Started out pretty much as expected. Many accidents in the morning, finishing in the potty in the afternoon and even two full "everything" in the potty. Really exactly what we had expected and more than we had hoped for. No nap, which made for a horrible bed time. (I actually rocked him to sleep which NEVER happens.) However, he slept through the entire night, without a diaper. I think he may have had one accident, but I'm not sure.

Day 2 - Everything that wasn't started in the potty finished there and a full everything in the potty right before I left for work. In fact, Abe was completely dry from about 10 am until after (and including) nap the next day - over 24 hours (if you don't count the accident in the crib right when he woke up, which I don't)! Very encouraging. I was already planning this blog and how we need to officially crown Lora Jensen the Potty Training Queen.

Continue reading "Potty Training Part I"

Since Mike and I will be on opposite sides of the country on our actual 5 year anniversary, we decided to celebrate a little early. So Saturday, after a quick stop at Red Bud Isle to exercise the dog, we packed up the fam and headed south to Boerne, a small Texas town north and a bit west of San Antonio. The Blue Dog Room at Cresent Quarters in Historic downtown was our temporary home. Don't judge them on their website. The room was even better in person and we were quite pleased with the hotel as well. (Click here for more pictures of the weekend.)

We spent Saturday tooling about the town, chasing Abe up and down the side walks, and rescuing whatever treasures he would happen to find in the shops. Intentionally low-key. Both Abe and Dexter slept amazingly well both nights, which always seems to be the deciding factor in how much a trip is enjoyed. To quote Mike after Saturday night, "Both of our animals did great last night."

Sea World Sunday we headed to Sea World to introduce Abe to the wonderful world of sea creatures...in tanks...doing flips and tricks. Shamu's show was a hit and Abe loved feeding the dolphins once he got over being mad at them (it was nap time). He lasted through about half of the dolphin show and only about 5 minutes of the Sea Lion show. The play area,

Continue reading "Long Weekend - Boerne"