Poo Poo in the Potay!!

Yesterday I noticed that Anela went off by herself to poo, so I hurried and ran her to the bathroom before she did it. She sat on the potty for a couple of minutes and then said she was done. She hadn't done anything so I asked her to stay on the potty for a bit, but she didn't want to. I took her to the family room with her little potty and told her to sit on it. She did, and a few minutes later she had pooped in it! So we made a big deal about it and I let her take the bowl out and dump the poop in the potty and flush it.
This morning I took her clothes off and put her potty out so that she could use it if she needed to. She sat on it several times, but didn't do anything. Later, I decided that we would go to the store with Kirah, so I told Anela that if she wanted to see Kirah and Kimberly she had to go pee pee before we left. A couple of minutes later she said that she had gone. She brought the bowl to me and asked if she could dump it. I looked and she had peed in it, but only a few drops. We made a big deal anyway, and I let her dump and flush again. Then I had to put a diaper on her to go out.
After the store and picking up the kids, I left the diaper on while we had dinner, and then the kids played outside for a while. When they came in, I just took her pants and diaper off again. After a while she looked like she was going to go to the other room, and I thought that she was probably going to find a private place to poop, so I told her that she had to poo in the potty. A few minutes later she had done it again!
I am so glad that she is finally moving forward with the potty training. I hope that she will be fully potty trained by her birthday in May. Once she is completely out of diapers, I will be done with them for good. I am so ready for that!

Anela-isms

I love the things that kids say when they are learning to talk. Anela has been talking for quite a while already, but is still learning how to pronounce things.

This morning she asked me "Mommy, can we go to the store and get some shubbles? Pleeeeeaaaassssee?" I asked her what was it that she wanted and she made a digging motion with her hand and said "Shubbles."

When I was getting her dressed, I said "You have to wear green today 'cus it's Saint Patrick's Day." She asked "What's Plastics Day Mommy? What's Plastics Day?"

Another thing that she did that made me laugh, wasn't that she said a word wrong, she was just being silly. I went to check on her the other night after I put her to bed and she was sitting on the bed naked. I asked her why she was naked and she threw her arms in the air and yelled "Surprise!"

She's at such a fun age right now, she makes me laugh so much. Sometimes I get a little sad that she's not a baby anymore, and I know I wont have anymore, but I love watching her grow and learn every day!

Our Month in a Nutshell- February 2011

Feb 5- Worked all day as usual. Afa had to go out to Nevada to work one day, so his sister Fa’atonu watched the kids. They were not happy with her, and some things happened that made me realize that I have to find a new babysitter before I start my new shift on the 25th working all day Friday’s instead of Saturdays. I hate looking for a babysitter!

Feb 6- Afa left for AZ early in the morning, he will be coming home Friday. The kids and I had a nice lazy day watching LOTR with the cast commentary! J

Feb 7- Kids are back on track. It’s nice for me to have a few hours during the day with one child instead of three, but a pain in the butt to have to go back and forth to the school three times a day!

Feb 8- Fa’atonu’s birthday. I made lasagna for dinner, (which she loves) and a cake, and got her a little present. She didn’t show up (no big surprise there, although disappointing since she called the day before to make sure that we were still doing it!) so the kids and I got to eat the lasagna and cake which was all very yummy.

Feb 11- Afa got home from working in AZ, around 1pm. He spent the day running errands, and at about 6pm he left with his friend Tua (who also just got home from the same job in AZ) to go to the Sevens World Series Rugby tournament in Las Vegas. He loves rugby and has always wanted to go to this tournament, but has never gone, so this was his Valentines Day/ Anniversary gift from me.

Feb 11-I took the kids over to our friends Jerry and Kuini Souifua’s house. Then spent the night there so that they could stay there while I worked all day Saturday. The kids have been upset with Fa’atonu, and get really upset if I even mention having her watch them, when I asked them if they wanted to go to Aunty Kuini’s they all got sooo excited! It makes me feel a lot better knowing that the kids are happy and with someone that I know I can trust! It’s pretty sad that we can’t really trust Fa’atonu since she’s family, but I have tried so hard for too long, and I am done!

Feb 13- Kuini had called me while I was at work on Saturday and said that she was worried about me driving so far, so late at night, (they live in Sandy, we live in Magna, I work at the airport) so that if I wanted to, I could leave the kids over night again and get them on Sunday morning. So on Sunday I went to get them, and spent some time visiting with Jerry Kuini and their 2 boys for a bit. It’s nice to see them, because I don’t get to see them that much. And it was so nice to see how happy the kids were after spending the weekend with them. They were all so happy and said they had a really good time, though Anela said she was ready to go home.

Feb 14- <3> Afa and Tua drove through the night to be home for Valentines day, which is also our 7th anniversary. We have never been big on Holidays though, so we don’t really have plans for the day. He wanted to go out, but I didn’t want to have to ask someone to baby sit for us on Valentines day! So I went and ran some errands in the morning after I took Ariana to school, and when it was time for Gerry to go to school, Afa took him, and then he ran some errands! Other than that we just spent time together at home. Not what a lot of people would call the best Valentines Day/Anniversary, but it’s good for us!

Feb 16- I went to Costco with Kirah and I stocked up big time on some everyday items. A few of the things I got will last over a year! But I got enough of everything to last at least a few months each. I figured I would sock up while things were on the coupon sale, and while I had money from my tax return.

Feb 19- Mom flew into SLC to spend a few days while she was off work. She had an interview at Primary Children’s while she was here. It was really good to see her, and spend time with her, even if it wasn’t a lot of time.

Feb 21- Monday, President’s day, kids have no school. Spent a little time with mom before she has to go to the airport. Hoped she would get on a flight, they are all busy because of the Holliday. Luckily she gets on the 3:20 flight home with no problems.

Feb 21- Spend as much time with Afa as we can too, cus he is going out of town again. He will probably be out of town most of the time, at least during the week, for the next few months. Luckily this job, that will last about 2 months, is just in the little town of Delta Utah. It’s too far for them to commute every day, but it’s nice to know that he’s not too far away.

Feb23- Went out to Kaysville to help my dad move some of his stuff from his house into a storage unit under his new apartment in Bountiful. They have to wait til the 16 of March to get the apartment, but want to be ready to be in the apartment that day. We got to walk through the model apartment while we were there, and they are soooo nice!

Feb24- Went out with sisters Jessica and Genasee. I haven’t seen Jessica for about 6 years! She has 4 kids, who I had only met 2 of before now. We met at Valley Fair Mall and had dinner and went to the movie Mega Mind. It was so fun to see her and her kids. My kids were so glad to meet their cousins and find out that they have cousins who live close by. Hopefully now we will be able to keep in touch better and spend time together on a regular basis.
February was a good month.

We have a lot planned for March, hopefully it all goes good too!

Our Month in a Nutshell- on hold

OK, just found out that my stupid computer wont let me copy and past from office works to blogger! I thought that would be a better way to do the "month in a nutshell" posts so that I would work on it all month instead of trying to remember everything and do it all at once, or when I save it on here and post it later, the post date is the day I start it, not the day that I actually post it. That messes it up if there were posts in between. Anyway, just so that anyone who cares knows, I will post the February post when I have a little more time since I will have to re-write the whole thing!

Proud Momma!

First just a few random pictures.

Anela doing what she calls "Baulelei" meaning that she, Aulelei, is doing Ballet.

Anela asking Gerry to come do "Baulelei" with her.

Taking a bow after their dance.

Afa reading from his Samoan Book of Mormon to the kids during FHE.

Gerry reading Dick and Jane. The book that he is currently reading, and his favorite book to read by himself, because he is so proud that he can read all the words.

I have been working with Gerry on his reading after school. Sometimes I can see him getting frustrated when he gets to a word that he doesn't know, and I get worried that he is going to get so upset that he will want to quit. I am so proud of him because he works out the word, most of the time with little or no help from me, and then just continues on with the story. I love seeing the look on his face, when I tell him good job for doing it on his own! He is doing so well, and feeling so proud of himself, that he always wants to read now!

Ariana is also doing really well on her reading. Yesterday when I picked them up from school, she had a new book "Goldilicious". The top three readers in her class (she's number 2) each got a new book to keep for doing so well. Sometimes I am so surprised by the things that Ariana is able to read! I am glad that they are doing so well, and they are both developing a love for reading.

Our Month in a Nutshell January 2011

• Jan 1- I worked ALL day, which was good cus it was all holiday pay. Yay!




• Jan 3- Kids went back to school after their holiday break.




• Jan 4- First day of the vlcd (very low calorie diet) phase of my HCG diet.




• Jan 1-12- Afa and Anela sick with a nasty cold that's going around.




• January 10- My mom and Bill came up 'cus Bill is starting a new job at Kenecott. Yay! This means that they will move here someday soon! Monday I got to spend the day with Mom and Genasee before mom had to go home to SGU.




• Jan 11- Take Anela to the Dr. about her cough, that morning she says her ear hurts too! Turns out she has an ear infection on top of the cold! Yuck! 2 prescriptions for her. Also take Gerry to the Dr. for a follow up on his ADHD. The medicine is working, but he needs something with extended release when he starts full day school next year.




• Jan 13- First day that Anela seems better. She's smiling and playing, not coughing. Yay!




• Jan 13-First day of flts at the new SGU airport. CRJ's Yay!!




• Jan 14- Today is the first day of the month/ year that Afa works. Not good, but at least it didn't go on longer.




• Jan 14- Kids last day of school. Off track for 3 weeks.



• Jan 15- Mom and Bill drive up with things to fill their apartment that Bill is staying in while training at Kenecott. As soon as mom gets a transfer up here she will join him, and they will buy a farm. I am excited to have my mom close!



• Jan 17- While I am looking a flts for mom to fly home to St. George she says that I should just go with her. What a fun idea! Since I don't work till Saturday and the kids are out of school, we go ahead and go with her. We fly down with her, and have a nice little mini vacation, then fly home on Thursday night.


• Jan24- Last week I found Jessica and Jason Bailey on Facebook. They are my step sister and brother from mom's second husband. I was very glad to be able to see what they are up to, and see pictures of them and their families. I sent a message to Jessica that I would love to see her, and that we should go out and have a "sisters day out" with Genasee. She replied that she would like to go out with us. I am very excited to see her, it's been years! Now we just have to get a day coordinated that we can all get together.

• Jan 26- Kirah watched the kids for me, and Genasee and I went to Jordan Landing and had a long day of shopping! It was really nice to spend the day with my sister, and not have to drag the kids around to all the different stores. We were able to take as much time as we wanted and go to several different stores just to look around and have fun. We also went to Wendy's out there for lunch. Later we picked up the kids and put them to bed and I helped Gen make a lasagna (I was surprised that she had never made one) Then while that was in the oven Gen stayed at my house while I went and picked up Bill from the airport (I took him there in the morning and he flew to SGU to see his son come home from his mission in Mexico) When I got back we visited for a little longer and then Gen took the lasagna home to Rich (who was sleeping by then) It was a fun day!

• Jan 30- finally got Ariana and Anela's room cleaned up, thanks to Kirah. I have a hard time starting something that is going to be a big project, but Kirah got it started with us, and we were able to finish on Monday. We still need to put the bed together, then I can see how high it will be and get some bins that will fit under it for even better organization, but it is a lot better. It's hard to have 2 girls sharing a 10x10 room!!!

• Jan 31- Monday was my mom's birthday, and I didn't even say "happy birthday" to her til the next day! I was thinking about her birthday a lot over the month, and Genasee and I got her a sweater that she really liked and gave it to her early. But once the day came, I totally forgot! I even called and talked to her that day. Sorry mom! I feel bad. :(
• I went into work Monday to bid for the short bid that starts on Feb 25th. I was very surprised that I got my first choice! The shift is Wednesday-Friday 7-11:30am. I really cannot work that shift, but I bid it cus my friend is going to do trades with me so that I will only work 7am-10:30pm on Friday and have the rest of the week off! I have already only been working one long day a week, but it is Saturday which is not fun, cus that is a day that a lot goes on and I hate missing it. So now I am very excited to work only one day and have weekends off! :) I know that I am very spoiled!! :)

• Off to a new month...................

Christmas (eve) Day

We had a great Christmas, which we celebrated on the 24th since I work all day on Saturdays. First thing in the morning we did the presents at home with just us. Really it was just the kids having a ball, and Afa and I watching them have fun, because Afa and I don't do gifts for each other. It was a lot of fun watching their reactions to all the presents. I got some really good pictures of Ariana's facial expressions, but Gerry was just going "Oh! Awesome! Cool!" you can't really get that in a picture. Anela was just kind of in a daze most of the time. LOL!
This year I decided to save some money and have less waste and less mess by skipping the wrapping paper. It's kind of dumb to spend money on paper and 5 times as long wrapping as it takes to unwrap it all, and then you just throw it all away. So I just set up all their presents and put things together that required assembly. That way they just got to look over all their stuff and start playing with it right away. And they each had their HUGE stockings to empty out too. (We got the really nice huge stockings with all our names on them a couple of years ago from my mom)
After a couple of hours admiring their loot, we left for my dad's house. We had a fun time with Dad and Debbie and Genasee and Rich. My dad made some really good ham and funeral potatoes, and of course Genasee brought dessert, cookies, cupcakes and pie!! I didn't get many pictures there, but we had a great time. The kids got to open presents, but Anela only wanted to open 1. She liked the Cat in the Hat matching game so much, she refused to open any more! LOL! So we opened her other presents for her.
Gen and Rich made everyone Santa sleds out of wrapped candy and raisin boxes, way cute!

Gerry with his little "pet hamster" from gma and gpa. It makes noises and runs around on the ground.

Ariana with her "pet bunny"

Anela just wanted to relax and eat some chocolate, and watch the other kids have fun with their gifts. She's not a morning person, even when there are new toys!

What's gong on!?

Sharing her sucker with her new Dora doll from gma Bailey.

That's a good Christmas morning face!

Happy with her loot!

Happy boy

Showing Ariana his dinosaur book.

So excited about her box full of princesses. I was lucky to get the last one on the black friday sale at Target. 7 disney princess dolls.