Friday, December 9, 2016

3rd times the fail?

Potty trained Emma with the 3 day potty training method and she finished on the 3rd day. By day 4 she was good to go, even at night she didn't have any accidents. She was 20 months old when her training was complete.

Annabella's training using the 3 day method went ok, but on day 3 she refused to go at all in the bathroom. She was 21 months and she liked her undies, but didn't want to use the restroom at all. She later finished her training a week later by herself because she wanted to wear big girl undies like her sister.

Today, we tried number 3. Zach is almost 23 months and he fought me to put his undies on. We had 1 success and 4 failures within 30 minutes. I decided that I could do the training during the week without my wife's help this time, and I was mistaken.  Emma is being clingy, Bella has an ear infection, and she has also regressed and has had 4 accidents today, she turns 3 on the 14th of December. I chose a bad day to start, and I should have never tried alone.

This is definitely one of those moments I would ask someone else, "So, what have we learned?" It's been a, self-inflicted, rough day.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

A true loss

I often have a bad habit of thinking the worse when events don't go like they are supposed to. Not like, 'my wife is cheating on me,' or 'she doesn't love me anymore,' but more like, "is she still alive?' 'What'll it be like without her, and what will I tell the kids to end their crying.' It's a macabre image I conjure up, and regardless of the family combination - Mama and Emma, Emma, Bella, and Mama, or Bella and Mama - it is never pleasant.

I have a friend that has just lived my worse thoughts; she lost her 12 year old to a stroke, that followed a coma, then ended with her death, and I am at a loss of words. I can't conceive any word of comfort that'll help bring her mind to a simmer rather than a boil. What can be said?

I think rather than wasting my time with hollow words I'll just embrace her in her biggest hug I can give, and pray my actions convey the words my brain can't say. Then, offer a prayer to her.

What do y'all think? Is there something I can do or say to give her any comfort? Maybe a verse from the Bible, or a quote you know?