Billings, MT visit August 2010

Friday started out with Mickey Mouse pancakes - a specialty of Grandma Carol.
Then painting.....another speciality.....

Then playing with Magnetix (under close watchful eye of Mama to make sure none went in his mouth - these can be pretty dangerous if swallowed).

Then a tour of Pictograph Caves outside of Billings. As you can see....we got so many great pictures of the cousins together it is difficult to pick the best.

On Saturday we went to the Farmers Market in the morning, then spent the rest of the day at the Fair.

We went to Red Lodge on Sunday to go fishing with Grandpa & Grandma. We packed a picnic and then walked to the lake. I caught 3 fish, Grandma caught 2, and Grandpa came up empty handed - we all lost a lot of worms to the fishes. Brennan, he caught ZERO....he was too busy playing with Rocco - another 3 year old at the lake.

I'm going to catch one THIS BIG!

Brennan and his friend Rocco

Playing at the many fun wading pools & splash parks in Billings on our last day there.

Trip to MT

We got back from our trip to Helena, MT early last week. We left on Tuesday morning.....it took us 12 hours & 10 potty breaks but we got there. I was really so proud of Brennan.....out of those 10 potty breaks we really only had 1 false alarm that didn't result in either poop or pee. He had a lot of raspberries/blackberries earlier in the week, which unfortunately resulted in some hurty poo's - its no fun to have your 3 year old crying beside the roadside while trying to poo.....so we took a break from berries once we got to MT.

When we got to Missoula, we talked to Grandpa to find out that he wasn't feeling well at all, and was going to have the Brennan's take him to the Emergency room. Nana was on her way back from Shelby where she picked up Sean's sister Erin and her two kids from the train station. We were met at the road leading to the cabin by Gabe Brennan to give us a key.....and he gave Brennan a good squeezy hug and "did him like a baby" - aka held him like a baby. It was as good as a substitute as we were going to get given the fact that Grandpa was in the hospital. (he was initially treated for Heat Exhaustion/Stroke, and later was found to have a bacterial infection).

Unfortunately, Grandpa was in the hospital until Sunday - so we decided to drive home on Tuesday, and stay an extra day so B could hand out with Grandpa.

I wish I had gotten a video of Brennan waking up in the morning - every morning he would say to me through half open eyes....."Its a sunny day outside, mama." It was so cute, and something I will always cherish. He also did a lot of serenading to "Molly Malone."

Funny shot of B playing the keyboard the morning we left for MT - take note of the cook big kid underpants.
Brennan LOVED to go on the 4-wheeler with Sean. Cousin Dennis brought them up to the cabin and they were a big hit.....this helmet was a little big for B, but it was better than nothing......

Brennan and his cousin Sean Patrick....

Sean giving Brennan and cousin Kade a ride....

potty break from 4-wheeling.....no time to take off the helmet.

Giving water to the horses:

Setting up a drum set with the musical instruments brought up by the Brennan's....

Brennan getting guitar lessons from Gabe Brennan.....

Giving all 3 kids a ride.....

Kiddos standing in front of their woodpile..

BIG Accident - for the record books

I have been pretty busy, and have fallen behind on my blog writing - but I wanted to document B's first real BIG potty accident. It was definitely a day I was thankful to be at work.

Sean had put his name on the list for riders with Senior Services after several weeks of break - due to potty training. About 15 minutes before leaving the house, B started playing "turtle." This means he would proclaim he had to poop, run to the potty, and then after 2 seconds of sitting there, he'd proclaim that it wasn't coming. So, Sean just let him run around with no pants in hopes he would make it happen before they had to leave.

About 5 minutes before they had to leave, Sean started loading stuff into the garage, and B followed him. Once they got the garage, he told Sean he had to poop, so Sean encouraged him to go run to the potty. Sean finished what he was doing and when he went to go back to the house, he met Brennan who said, "Papa, I didn't make it....." Sean said "That's OK, pal, accidents happen, let's go clean it up." Brennan turned around and Sean saw that he was covered in poop from his feet to his butt. He ended up hosing him off outside, before going inside to find 8-10 little piles of poop all the way from our backdoor to the bathroom. Of course, he was completely mortified! He did what he could to clean it up, spray woolite, but then he had to go to pick up his lady for her dentist apt.

When he got home later, he set Brennan up with his favorite show and a snack and told him to STAY PUT, while he tried to clean up the mess. Brennan was goofing off and spilled his glass of milk. THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW for Sean - understandably so! Sean told B to go to his room - and that is where he stayed until Sean came to get him - he was cowered under his blankets.

The good news is that we just got back from 7 days in MT and B did just great on the car ride & being out of his routine. We had just one pee accident (happened when he cut his finger on Grandpa's tractor - so it really doesn't count.) and one poop accident - he was just too excited to be at Nana & Grandpa's house, and didn't make it.

Grandpa's Chain Gang

We have been in MT for a week - and we met Sean's sister Erin and her two kids Sean Patrick & Kade. While Grandpa was in the hospital, the kids worked on getting logs split and piled in the garage up at the cabin.

Here is a video....more pictures to follow of our trip....

Potty Training Update....

Brennan is a real potty champ. He's really had remarkable success - particularily with peeing. Poop has been a little bit slower. We had our potty party on a Sunday. By Tuesday, Brennan still hadn'ed poo'd in the potty, so Sean asked him if he wanted a diaper....he said "yes, papa." Within 10 min of the diaper, he pooped.

After talking with him about it, and reading some stuff on the internet we figured out that he was literally afraid of letting the poop out. When Sean pushes B on the swing, he plays the "Get Out of Here" game. He says "Get Out of Here" and then pushes him as hard as he can. Brennan loves it. Sean explained to him that poop is the yuckies and that his body just wants to "Get It Out of Here." That really seemed to connect with B. On Friday morning, we had several "false starts." Sean went to go take the garbage out, and I went to go shower. When Sean came back inside, Brennan proclaimed that he had pooped in the potty. Sean was a little doubtful until he checked it out - and I came running when I heard him hoop & holler. Now we have a tradition of "running around" with each successful poop in the potty....with Sean and Brennan galloping around the dining room like Honey and Arnold (Grandpa Jack's horses).

We started to use bribes the day B actually used the potty. On Thursday, when Sean asked B what he wanted as a prize if he put poop in the potty, B said he wanted a lawn mower - a real one....so, Sean took him to the Home Depot to look at them. Luckily for us, I guess, he didn't poop in the potty until Friday - and that day he said the prize he wanted was a cake. That was much easier.....below is a picture of him with his "Poop Cake."

Practice with Babies...

Our neighbors recently had a baby and Brennan was very excited to try and hold him....until he started to cry....

Happy 4th of July!

Pouring rain at the Fireworks show - but we went and Brennan love it - although afterwards he said he didn't like the "boomers."
Of course, the flags handed out at the Issaquah Down Home Family 4th Parade were quickly dismantled for the sticks and their drum stick potential.

He absolutely LOVED collecting candy....of course most of it is candy I won't actually let him eat, but whatever.