the Paladinos

Busy Days

Thursday, August 27, 2009 by Leslie Paladino

Last week we decided to try potty training with Gabby.  We started on Monday by taking her to sit on her potty chair every 30 minutes to an hour.  She was rewarded for sitting with a gummy bear and a small sticker on her potty chart.  If she went to the bathroom she would get M & M's and a big sticker on her potty chart.  By Tuesday evening we had our first exciting success with a few more to follow in the days to come.  But sadly by Saturday the newness had worn off and she refused and still refuses to sit on the potty.  So we're back to diapers.  It really wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be though and we'll give it a try in a couple of months.  She was a little confused about how to make the potty come out so I don't think she was really ready anyway.  So I guess we'll have to figure out another way to get rid of those M&M's.  :) 

Gabby also started MDO last Thursday at her new school.  She has done so well!  She just walks right in ready to play and learn and hasn't cried a bit.  Whew!  That's quite a change from our experiences last year so I'm very relieved.  We have been going to church at Pinnacle Hills and she does just as well in her class there.  She's such a big girl!  We really like Pinnacle Hills and will probably make that our church home.  We have even put Peter Michael in the nursery the last two Sunday's and he does great.  He sleeps most of the time I think.  That's quite a change from how we felt with Gabby who we didn't leave until she was at least 4 months.  But he's pretty laid back so we felt he could handle it.  Not to mention that he's probably as big as a 4 month old so he's just not as fragile.

This info is a little old but I'll put it down anyway so we can look back and remember.  At his 9 week appointment he weighed 14.8 lbs and was in the 95th percentile for weight and height.  He's just started wearing 3-6 month clothing and is in a #3 diaper.  Gabby is in a #6 diaper if that puts his size into perspective for you.  Apparently there's some weird big gene that we have passed on to both of our kids.  Don't get me wrong though, we are very blessed to have big, healthy children.

Peter Michael is still doing about one feeding a night usually around 3 or 3:30 and then up again by 6 or 6:30.  It varies still though so sometimes it's up twice a night or earlier than 6.  I would still love a solid night of sleep but it could definitely be much worse. 

Michael's job is going well.  He has started a new position at Rockfish Labs which is a new division that his company just started.  It will be him and one other developer who's job is to think up and implement new products and ideas.  That's right up Michael's alley so he's very excited.

We had a little dirty diaper situation a few weeks ago when we were eating out with friends at Copelands.  This is what Gabby ended up wearing during dinner with a blanket wrapped around her waist which doesn't stay on well for a 2.5 year old.   How cool are we?!
DSC_0003        

Our version of being "green" by saving paper.
DSC_0006

DSC_0009 

Our little Dino.
DSC_0022

Just trying it out.
DSC_0035 

We're headed to the ballpark to watch a Natural's game.
DSC_0040

Visiting with Papa Dino who he found very entertaining.
DSC_0044

DSC_0046

DSC_0047

DSC_0050

Yea!  Our first successful big girl potty.
DSC_0052

We found out this week that Gabby is not only allergic to peanuts but cashews as well.  Her face swelled up (below) and she broke out in hives.  So no nuts for Gabby!
DSC_0058

DSC_0059 

Peter Michael is trying to talk here but has the hiccups and gets very frustrated that he can't talk around them. 

Gabby can now ride her tricycle all the way to the end of the street and back.

He seems to be chewing something here.

In the last few days Peter Michael has really stepped up the talking.