Bye-Bye Diaper Party

I just love this picture! The cute chubby legs - the trains by his knee, the firetruck shirt he is wearing (that is unfortunately not seen in this shot).  But most importantly, I love what it is really saying:  NO MORE DIAPERS for Nathan!!!

We've been taking a slow approach with Nathan and potty training - letting him go when he wanted to, but not putting pressure on him.  I was planning on waiting until spring when he turns three to really go full force on potty training, but he announced last week that he "was ready for his diaper party!"  No more diapers and only underwear.  So who am I to argue with a boy who knows what he wants?

So this weekend we hunkered down and stayed home for three days straight. As I did with Kate,  I geared up for the constant  potty reminders, the activities to keep him entertained, and the accidents.  But by Friday afternoon, he had it down pat.  I guess he really was ready.  It was so easy with him!!

As is the Gallagher Potty Training Tradition: the family came over Sunday night to celebrate with him.  We had pizza and chocolate chip cookies per Nathan's request.  There was a lot of praise and encouragement from cousins, aunts and uncles.  Gigi and Papa brought him a new police car.  And he earned a big firetruck at the end of the weekend.

The best part of the weekend was not packing up the diapers.  It was seeing how proud Nathan was of himself. How excited he was to tell the family of his accomplishments.  How genuinely happy he was each time he got to put on his underwear!  

Yes, I too am a very proud mama!  My baby is not so little anymore.  I think I am okay with that-- just don't grow up too fast little buddy!

 

Kate's First Day of Pre-school

About 11:00 a.m. this morning, in a small classroom filled with four year olds and their parents, I looked at Josh and said, "Wow!  This moment is a milestone for us."  Kate was sitting in her first classroom. And we had entered into a new stage of parenthood.  Can she really be in school already?

Kate was dressed and ready to go to meet her teacher, Mrs. Russo, within minutes of waking up this morning.   Her excitement was uncontainable - classic Kate.

She'll always be Daddy's Little Girl - no matter how old she gets!

We all thought it was pretty special that Kate was assigned to the Turtle classroom.  How appropriate for our turtle-loving family. 

Nathan's First Birthday

There were so many pictures to choose from as I tried to narrow down the celebration we had for Nathan's first birthday last weekend. I wish I could have added more, but I hope this provides a little feel for the evening.

We had a jungle animal theme. The kids all got face masks to wear, as did some of the adults too! Kate had the job of handing out the masks as the kids arrived; a job she took very seriously. Of course she scouted out the masks first and saved the bunny rabbit for herself!
In first birthday party tradition, I wanted to do a fun, special "cake" that I made myself. So I used 24 cupcakes to make this fun crocodile. It was a hit with everyone.

I wasn't sure if Nathan would really get into eating his cupcake; he is really picky about food textures, but as you can see below, he LOVED every minute of it!




And he knew exactly what to do when it came to the presents. His cousins and big sister were standing by ready to help, but he showed them he had it under control!

Of course, the piles and piles of wrapping paper were of the best gift of all.

We were very blessed by the family that came to celebrate as well as a few close friends. Nathan is a gift to so many. We love this little guy! Can't wait to see what this next year brings...

It's Official...we're getting old (Middle-aged anyway)!

Well, this week marked a significant milestone in our growth as a couple. We got a mini-van! I've always dreamed of the day I would have kids and a minivan to tote them around. (I know that is a little weird.) I don't think Josh was quite as excited about the minivan as I was, but he was equally thrilled to get ride of my old car. Our Buick was having mechanical problems - one after another. And it was just under 60K miles, so we felt it was a good time to trade it in. We do realize that Kate does not need an entire mini-van for herself but since we were trading in the lemon, we thought we'd look to the future and a car to grow with. The mini-van is a 2006 Honda Odyssey. It has some nice bells and whistles - like a DVD player, and automatic doors, and a lot of space. We weren't sure we were going to be able to afford a car this new and nice, but God really did provide for us. We got a great deal. I really love it. We can't wait to go on a road trip. But with the cost of gas these days, we'll just have to enjoy the short car rides back and forth to Target.

Kate's Latest News...

Kate has discovered her toes! Well truth be told, she found them awhile ago, but I'm just now getting the documentation. It's almost impossible to change her diaper these days...she just twists and turns and tries to eat those toes~even with her shoes on. :)

It's a Tooth!! Kate cut her first tooth over Easter Weekend. If you look closely you can see it here on the bottom row as she swings in the sunshine.

It's springtime - and that means baseball is back! Kate is ready...

And this is just a shot of Kate practicing her sitting up skills. She still needs a little bit of support, but she's getting really close to sitting solo. Here she is waiting for church to start. She was just chilling in the pew waiting for the music to begin.

Visit from Grandma Ann and Papa Dan

We just dropped Grandma Ann and Papa Dan off at the airport so they could fly back home to Tacoma, Washington. They have been visiting with us for 2 1/2 weeks, and we really enjoyed their company. Kate loved playing with Papa Dan; she also loved his scruffy beard. :)

Grandma Ann took really good care of Kate while Mommy and Daddy went away to Nashville for a few days. Grandma liked to take Kate on walks when the weather was warm enough. Thank you for helping us get away for a few days! We needed it!! :)

While they were visiting we had the honor of dedicating Kate to the Lord - thanking God for the incredible gift He has given to us in our daughter and testifying before family and friends that we will raise Kate in a home that honors God and trusts His grace to work in Kate's life as she grows. It was a special day. We were very blessed to have both set grandparents with us that day.

We are so grateful for the time Grandma Ann and Papa Dan spent with us. Kate will miss them now that they are back home. We are glad that they will be coming back in June for another visit.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin

Kate rolled over today all by herself! I knew it was just around the corner. Of course I missed seeing it; I found her flipped on her tummy quite stunned. We'll keep a watch for the next time. She's growing and changing and moving!!

What a Difference a Month Makes!

Little Miss Kate turned 4 months old on Sunday! She has changed so much in one month - every week she seems to change! Currently, she really wants to sit upright. Whenever she is reclined back she tries to pull herself upright. We prop her up as often as we can and she likes the new view of the world. Kate has also discovered that she can control her hands. She grabs hold of rattles and picks them up when they are near her. She reaches up and bats things on her floor gym. She's just discovered the joys of toys - and just in time for Christmas too!

Her latest "toy" is a rain forest jumpy seat that my Aunt Debbie and Aunt Dot gave Kate before she was even born. We are so excited to finally use it. Now you might notice the phonebooks under her feet; well, Kate isn't quite tall enough yet to reach the floor, but we want her to develop her leg muscles. It's a solution for now. There are so many more ways she has changed - she's holding up her own neck and very attached to mommy and daddy. We are really enjoying her. Shayla is too, or at least Shayla likes her toys. :)

Kate's been a bit under the weather the past few weeks. First she had a stomach bug that created A LOT of dirty diapers and a nasty diaper rash. We made it through that, and now she's battling a possible ear infection. We go back to the doctors on Wednesday for a re-check on her ears. She's been keeping her mommy and daddy on their toes. It's the winter months for sure.

Before we go, Kate has a special message to deliver:

Happy Birthday, Auntie Shawna!