Potty Training

I feel like potty training is probably harder for the parent than it is for the child. Seriously. As the parent you're the one who has to constantly be on the watch for the potty dance, a quick grab, a tiny drip, or for the clock to tell you it's been long enough that they should be losing it any minute. Sometimes you get them to go, and sometimes you don't. As the parent you are constantly changing wet underwear, doing laundry to keep clean underwear coming, and cleaning up any accidents that happen along the way.

I feel like this has been my life for the last week. We've been trying for a while now to get this kid to go potty, and he has not been interested. Not only has he not been interested, he screamed like he was being tortured every time we sat him on the potty. So I borrowed my neighbors little potty, and let him sit in the family room, and play the ipad while watching a movie just hoping something would accidentally come out and it would all click for him. It didn't. He sat on it for hours, and nothing would happen.

So we decided to bribe him. I took him to Toys R Us and let him pick out a toy. Chris told Boston he could pick out ANY Lightening McQueen he wanted, no matter what it cost. Well we walked through Toys R Us and found the coolest Lightening McQueen. When Chris said no matter what the cost, I doubt he knew this lightening existed. Notice the price tag. For a kids toy. Apparently he talks to you...but does my three year old son care about that? Nope. He grabbed this Lightening and threw him in the cart. I don't know about you, but I was pretty sure we could find a cheaper lightening Mcqueen. It took me 30 minutes and two tantrums to convince him that we should run over to the Disney store and see if we could find a "Better Lightening".

So we headed over to the Disney store where we found A huge plane with Finn McMissile, the same one our neighbor friend has that Boston LOVES. As soon as Boston saw this plane, Lightening went out the window. Thank Heavens. Sidalee the plane was only $30, still expensive, but way better than $65. Boston grabbed the plane and walked it right up to the register and set it on the counter. The workers there were laughing so hard. I let Boston pay for it, and Carry the monster bag back out to the car. When we got home I sat the plane on the counter where he could see it everyday and we talked about how he would have to go potty on the toilet for 3 days before he could open it.


Have you ever seen anybody so happy? So we tried and tried, and nothing happened. This kid was determined though and literally sat on the potty for a full day and nothing came out. We both were a little sad about that. For four days we tried to "get the water to come out" but couldn't. For four days I pumped him full of Chocolate milk and he held it. No accidents. He would seriously hold it until I put a diaper on him for nap time or bed time, then let it lose. One day he woke up from his nap completely soaked. That's how much he was holding. So we took a break. We went on vacation for a week and a half to Lake Powell and Colorado (posts on that to come) and tried it again when we got back. Same thing. I could not get him to go in the toilet. So I decided to go get his very own potty. I brought it home and quickly discovered that it was almost too small for him. Right as I was packing parts of it back up, Boston ran up, pulled down his pants, and went right there. So much for taking it back...except as he sat there he yelled "THE WATER'S COMING MOM!!!!" And sure enough, it had. He was so excited. Chris and I were probably more excited. Then we started the next few days of him going, he did awesome when we were at home, and he even went at Walmart! Then we weren't home for one day and he struggled. But yesterday he not only went number one, he went number 2 in the potty. Granted, he missed because it was too small, but we still celebrated and let him open his plane. He kept running around yelling "Mom, I'm so pwoud of you for opening my plane!" It was awesome. The rest of the day he made it to the potty each time, but forgot to point down, a concept I never thought of, so he would miss the bowl and spray everything. So I spent yesterday cleaning up bodily functions. The life of a mom. But Still so proud of my little guy.

I love that he's so happy. We still have a lot to work on, but he's getting it. 

Better for you Man Pleasin' Sandwich

It's a poor picture I know. Trust me, it's good. And because it's broiled you can just pick it up and eat it without it falling apart. :)

I love this recipe from Mels Kitchen Cafe (LOVE) http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/01/man-pleasin-sandwich.html, but since her version's not fatty friendly ;D I changed it up so I could still have this yumminess while trying to lose weight. Whoever said you can't enjoy eating while losing weight is crazy. Yes, it may be true that if I didn't eat things like this sandwich I'd probably lose faster, but I'm having to lose weight because I LOVE FOOD. That's not going to change, so I have to learn to eat the things I love, and create them so they're better for me. 

WWP+: 9ish points  depending on the meat you use. 

INGREDIENTS:
2 to 3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra-tenderized) or you can substitue flank steak that you've tenderized since it's leaner)
1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, thinly sliced
whole wheat pitas (2 points)
Beef Broth (I didn't measure, I just eyeballed, and put in what I felt like would be good)

Butter (you can cut this completely and probably won't miss it. You could sub Olive oil to get your healthy oils in for the day)
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (for steak, if you have it)
Worcestershire Sauce
Mozarella/provolone cheese, sliced (2 points)

DIRECTIONS:
Slice onions, green and red pepper and cook in 2-3 TBS of beef broth and tsp butter until soft and onions are light brown. Remove and set aside. Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s. Heat 2 TBSP beef broth and 1 tsp butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown (don’t stir, just let the heat carmelize the meat and do it’s magic!), then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce and 2 TBSP beef broth. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine. Butter halved French rolls and brown on skillet. To assemble,slice pitas in half and open up. Stuff meat mixture into pita halves and set on a tray. Lay half a slice of cheese over each pita half. Broil on low until cheese is golden brown.

Try it.  You and your man will love it! :)