Benny Boy

Small enough to still be wrapping up in his favorite {baby} blanket but big enough to wear a cavernous smile. I think he is doing a bang up job at being seven, don't you? 

Kind of a Big Deal

One

My Darling Grace Girl,

How to believe that that just a little over a year ago, life for us whirled with three little boys and just the possibility of a daughter.

"Do you think the baby is a girl?" I would ask night after night, as your daddy and I would pull back sheets.

He would just grin his grin and shake his head murmuring something about how his opinion wouldn't change one little thing about what the Lord had in store and how I should just wait and see and after all, isn't this what we wanted? To wait and see?

Wait and see, we did. You were our fifth baby and our fourth born and yet we waited to know you until your birth day just like the rest. And on that eighteenth of April when push gave way to life, I saw and I knew and heart song gave birth to lip praise to the Giver.

And now here we are, celebrating you and your first year, both gracious gifts from our Lord. And while they're may not be a big party or presents, there is much thanksgiving and love for you. You are an every day reminder of God's faithfulness, tender care, and mercy in our lives and you are a so very, very precious part of our family.

You are our Gracie Girl, and you're one year old. 

Happy Birthday to you, little one. 

Cousin Time

A.B. is in Chama with Grandpa for the week and Ben is feeling the pinch. He's even been sleeping with his brother's blanket! So what happens when part 1 of 2 is feeling a little down about his playmate situation? Why a cousin sleepover at Mimi's, of course!

The Big Boy Room

While Jer and I were away, my mom and aunt were faithful in their promise to paint The Deuce's room {MY HEROES!}. This was no small feat, by the way, because they did it in the evenings AFTER they took care of all.three.boys.during.the.day. And did my laundry. And watered my garden. And, and, and...can you say, Advil?! And since they handled all of the dirty work, we thought it only fair that they get to paint it the way they wanted to and let them surprise us with it. Our only requests were no red on the walls {think angry bulls} and that they take it from a nursery to a big boy room. I'd say they hit a homerun, don't you think?

BEFORE {as in before they were born}

AFTER

They also hung the star that we picked up from Hobby Lobby a while back. I love how it lines up with the break in the colors on the wall.

Their creative juices extended beyond just paint, though. Fabric swatches from the boys quilts now cover the switch plates and outlets, as well as their dresser knobs. A star lamp that I picked up at Target, also adds a sweet touch and a flip easy switch for tiny fingers to turn on.

A slight impulse buy was this shotgun thing{?! }from the 66% off isle at Hobby lobby. I have no idea what it was meant for but I hot glue gunned the wooden "No Cowgirls Allowed" sign to where it was missing a part and hung the boys coats on it. It's the perfect size for independent boys who like to do things for themselves.

Another room favorite is this little wooden horse I snagged up for a few bucks. He sits amidst our books and the boys think he's awfully silly because as they put it, "Horses don't sit!"  

Also worth mentioning are these toddler sheet sets that include a fitted top sheet! How great of an idea is that?! The elastic keeps them on the bed no matter how many double barrel rolls your tot turns in the night. I seriously wish they made them in a King.

My absolute favorite part of their room, though, are the rain gutter books shelves that Jer put up this weekend. The idea came as a suggestion from a friend and I cannot get over them! They are the perfect height and add such a fun display of their current favorites in the book department. We even put their horse pillows below them in hope of encouraging a quiet reading nook for the mornings they wake up too early. Which is pretty much every morning but who's keeping track?! 

As for those of you who might be wondering where the skull wound up, well, he's on the wall giving the evil eye to anyone who threatens to get out of bed without permission. Abe seriously thinks he's a bank and wants to know why he can't put his "monies" in the eye holes.

Now to just carve out enough time to get their quilts finished and a few more finishing touches and we're in business! Thanks for all of your links and suggestions! And an extra big thank you to my mom and Aunt Ooby-Dooby! I'll never paint without you guys again ; )

Dressed

This morning, this boy of mine surprised me by getting himself ready. Although a bit backwards in the northern regions, he was mighty pleased that he got his shoes to "point in," as we call it. 

Clever boy.

This TWO Shall Pass

We here at Casa de Sloan are four days in to potty training. Four short {but looooooong} days. Under the recommendation of my sweet friend and fellow mom to four potty trained children, I am using Toliet Training In Less Than a Day by Nathan Azrin and  Richard Foxx. It's concise; it's no-nonsense; it's exhausting  {or maybe it's your kids peeing all over the place that about does that}; BUT it works.  After just two days of training, both of our boys have been accident free with the exception of the daily #2 from Abe {you're welcome for that little TMI gem!}. Anyway, we are just trying to ride that one out under the advise of lots of friends and family who assure us that it will happen and that it just takes some kids longer to figure it out.  Man is that a principal easier said than lived out, though!Right now as I type, two little ticking time bombs are running and frolicking about about, completely ignorant as to why I am unnerved. Neither boy has done his business this morning and I am on them like white on rice. These poor chaps cannot even scratch an itch without me practically walking them to the potty. Alas, just as a watched pot never boils, I'm sure the same will ring true with them. As soon as I turn my back to tend to the baby or answer a phone call, the inevitable will happen. It's Mom Law.

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As an added measure to help ensure our success, we  also enlisted some of our favorite friends around here. In fact, not one of them was excluded from the party! Our buddies candy, chips, juice and popular t.v. personalities all showed up and totally brought their A-Game. They did such a great job, however, we had to switch gears a little after one particularly smart boy cracked the code and started stopping the "flow" of things so he could get a treat and then go back and finish for another one. Told ya' he was smart!

Meet said boy, Benjamin "Whatastinker" Sloan. Seriously, this boy is so desperate for candy that I think he would sell one of his brothers to a band of gypsies all for the sake of an M&M.

MUHAAHAAHAA!

 And then we have our reserved boy. Our number two child who will not do a #2 on the toilet and who kindly says, "No Dan-Du, Mommy" when he's offered a treat for trying. He also prefers that I not sing a song or do our "Potty Party"  dance complete with obnoxious, "Ooooh-Ooooh" after he does go. He is just sooooo not motivated by  conventional  rewards. Thankfully, there is  one thing that will make this boy grin ear-to-ear. After he uses the potty he likes to ask me, "Are you happy, mommy?"  and then  he waits for the exuberant "Yes!" and a big kiss and hug! I'll tell you what, a little lovin' goes a long way with this boy! I guess the occasional fruit snack doesn't hurt either :)

So while still have quite the hill to climb {i.e. learning to undress while wearing clothes, actually leaving the house, accidents in public, pooping IN the potty, wearing underwear during naptime and nighttime, transitioning to standing, no longer being reminded to go} I  am CLINGING to the promise of those who have gone before us that these things will come and not just once they're six! 

I am also trying to remind myself that for every accident that we do have, it's just one less in the however many that are still to come. But it is hard, people! Especially when  that involves scrubbing a pair "Melmo" tighty-whities in the sink, all the while contemplating if they really can or should be saved.

Ah, sweet potty training! But if there's anything I have learned in my short time and experience of being a mother, it's that this TWO shall pass!