Even Mommas Get Sick

I've got it and I've got it bad. The sickness. Anything I put after this would be an extreme TMI. Just know I'm sick. SO SICK. I'll be back soon.

Instagram

Hey! Guess who Instagrams it up over here? Yeap this gal. If you wanna see the kiddles and me and what we do everyday you can check us out there! 

http://instagram.com/mommabrandrocks

Here is a sneak peek at what you'll find:

Miss P Learns a New Skill - Potty Training

This last weekend was a big deal for my little Miss P. She learned to use the potty! Now this wasn't some magically accepted process. Oh no. She did not wake up wanting to use the potty. Miss P is almost three (in April) and I've been trying to jump start this process since she turned two! Every time I would say "Oh hey guess who learned how to use the potty the other day! Do you think you'd like to give that a try?' she would shake her head emphatically and firmly say "No Momma". Sometimes forcefully and sometimes like I had asked her if she'd like to eat lunch on Mars. Crazy talk.

Now, I'm pregnant (16 weeks and counting) and the thought of having to wrangle Miss P for a diaper in my third trimester just exhausts me to even think about it. And the idea of  two kids in diapers... I could run screaming.  I knew I needed to take action now! (Okay, Okay and the idea of a few months of not having to buy diapers DID cross my mind! lol)

So I snagged a trick from Pinterest and on Saturday morning we got started. She woke up looking like this. This is our ritual for Saturday mornings when its just the two of us. Peanut butter waffles in bed. Her favorite part is showing me all the peanut butter she got on her face. That is her I'm doing something bad/silly to get attention face. Its the same face she makes when she passes gas at the dinner table. My little lady this one.

So after breakfast its time for clothes and new diapers. This is where Momma gets tricky. In the night I grabbed up all her size 5 diapers and put them away for the babe-to-be. Then I got out a new pack of diapers in size 1. Diaper time comes around and it goes something like this:

MOMMA: Why goodness child you must have grown a lot last night this diaper just isn't going to fit on your little rump!

MISS P: I grew big!?!

MOMMA: Yeap, You are too big for diapers now. We'll have to put you in panties from here on out and you'll need to use the potty. You are a big girl now!

MISS P: I think it fits...

MOMMA: I can't even wrap it around you. It certainly won't fit. Would you like to stand up and try?

She does and it prompty falls off

MISS P: I grew!! *she's jumping up and down like a naked minion at this point very excited like*

MOMMA: Well lets get that tush on the potty to try to go before we put panties on.

You'd think this was the end of the deal. But as soon as we reached the bathroom she threw herself on the floor crying. She knew this gig, She did NOT want to sit on the potty. And she certainly did NOT want to put her peepee in there!

She needed a little more positive encouragement (otherwise known as A BRIBE).

Her daddy came over for the day (we're divorced but are co-parenting champions) and she got to tell him all about how the diapers were too small and she was a big girl now. She didn't sound exactly thrilled about it at this point. She sat on the potty for a while and then as soon as we let her get up she wet herself. Bummer.

So out came her two favorite things stickers and candy (how candy got to be her fav. thing I have no idea. I next to NEVER give her candy but her ginormous smarty pants child brain knows exactly what candy is and knows how much better it is than diamonds, gold, or Google stock). But even with her two 'favorite' things you can see the start off was .... off to a slow start.

I tried offering her a trip to the toy store when she got a whole day of stickers with no accidents but it just wasn't instant gratification enough (she's my kid after all) so we upped the desperation level from 'she'll jump in soon right?' to 'do whatever we can to make this work, like NAOW'.

We moved the potty from the bathroom to the living room so no matter when the mood striked her she could drop trough and get her business done. Even while watching her favorite show. This was good. She was 'trying' a lot more often. And by 'trying' I mean she spent a lot of time sitting on the potty watching Octonaughts on the television set while nothing special happened down below.

She was obviously holding out on us. The kid hadn't gone since the morning and we even gave her a special treat of juice (mixed with water) which is something I hardly ever keep in the house and only purchased because I knew potty training was happening soon and the more fluids that go in the more come out right? She was defying my made up facts on this one. Dangit!

I told her she could have a special sleep over on the floor in the living room for her nap time. She thought it was awesome! I was just trying to save the bed/couch from the flood that was surely impending. I made a mat that consisted of a dry pad, a blanket, and her pillow, special blanket, and Weenie her best little stuffed animal friend. I hovered over her the whole time just waiting for her to wake up wet and crying. Never Happened. This kid has an iron bladder.

After nap she had one success and I thought we were making progress but it was followed by two accidents where she just waited too long to say anything. Ugh.

Here is the turning point. She got a chocolate coin for her after potty treat once and she thought that was the BEST THING EVER!

We've only had one half accident after that where she just didn't quite make it to the potty before she started going.

The first time she went poop on the potty she beamed like she had just climbed Mount Everest. She called her Nonnie and Poppie (Grandma and Grandpa), her Daddy, and told everyone she came across the next day just how awesome she was. She was self assured that she was the coolest kid on the block. I was proud too. Who knew your heart could soar for a load in the pot? I may have even taken a picture to send to her Daddy. I'm that mom. Totally not ashamed (much...). At least I'm not sharing THAT here!!!

Day one was a success in my book!

The next day we had two accidents and that was while we were out at a Super Bowl party and she was caught up playing. One was I'm sure all that juice finally catching up to her. Ew.

Two more days have gone by and NO Accidents after that! I'm sure we're not finished but....

Potty Trained for the WIN!

I will honestly say that around nap time on that first day I looked at her Daddy and asked if we did the right thing making the decision for her. I questioned whether we had pushed her too soon. If we were bad parents. If I was being selfish for wanting her potty trained so I didn't have two butts to wipe. I was worried.

Now I know I just needed to wait. And honestly I know my kid. She was comfortable in diapers and until she had a reason to switch she wasn't gonna do it. She just wasn't. Why would you give up someone else wiping your butt for you and making you laugh for something you are unfamiliar with? Not gonna happen. Not with this kid. She needed a valid reason to give it up so I went ahead and fabricated one. And the true pride she has when I pick her up from daycare and she tells me how well her potty training went that day.. Well that is worth its weight in diamonds, gold, and Google stock.

Meatball Sub Casserole That Defies the Odds

Right now you're thinking that the bread will get all soggy with marinara sauce right? WRONG! It doesn't! The cream cheese mixture makes a barrier that protects it from the Land of Sog! Instead you get warm crisp bread with a nice Italian spread that pairs so nicely the best meatball sandwich flavor ever. You've really got to try this!

*No picture yet. But it's coming soon!*

• 6 - 8 slices Francisco International Sourdough bread (or any other sliced sourdough)
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1-lb. pkg. fully cooked frozen meatballs, thawed
• 1 (28 oz.) jar marinara sauce
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

1. In a 9x13 baking dish arrange bread slices in an single layer along the bottom. Fill any major gaps with pieces of torn bread. 
2. In a bowl (or kitchen aid mixer) mix the softened cream cheese, mayo, Italian seasoning, and pepper.
3. Spread the cream cheese spread evenly across all the bread pieces in the baking dish. This is best done with a spatula I've found.
4. Spread the meatballs evenly across the baking dish.
5. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the top of the meatballs and bread. You want to try to coat everything in the pan at this point.
6. Sprinkle all the cheese over the whole delicious beast you've just created. 
7. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes