Paying out of pocket for potty training

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Assorted_United_States_coins.jpg 

This is what we have decided to do about potty training. Pay her in coins. Its bribery, clear and simple. I mean that's what parents do at this age, bribe them with something that they want. Usually a Skittles or M&M's, small candies that get kids to do their business for cheep and small sugar highs. 

Me and my husband don't let my daughter eat that many sugary treats, we are realists and know that she will have a sweet tooth and buy what she wants some day, but I didn't want her first thrills be revolving around candy. I know it works for most kids, however its different for us. 

We decided to pay her the loose change around the house for a potty reward. After all its a good start to get excited about money. This is the break down of what we are giving her:

$.05 for telling us she needs to use the potty

$.10 for just sitting on the potty

$.25 for going pee pee

$.50 for poo poo

A total of $.65 if she does all the above

Once she has completed this we wash hands and then hand her the amount she's earned and she places it in her piggy bank for the future.

The thing we need to do is tell every one in the family what we are doing this so we can be consistent with this instead of wavering from one reward system or to another. 

Are there any other tricks of potty training that I am not doing for my daughter? Please let me know!

3 months young

Baby Grace is three months old!

Sleeping

I learned that in three months my heart could grow another size larger, my want of another life is growing like the little one in my arms. However it seems that I am faced with the life of a working out side the home mom. As much as I try it seems that the goal of at least being a SAHM (stay at home mom) is very out of reach. 

My Mother in Law, the one that stated that she may not be able to watch Grace, is now rushing me to get Grace on the bottle, reminding me that in two weeks I become the night and weekend care giver, like Bella when she was her age. I didn't want that status then I don't want it now. 

Stunning absolute.

Confession - I want to stay at home.

Like most work outside the home moms, the elusive quest to stay at home is like the quest for the Holy Grail, especially living in the Bay Area. In 2009 I wanted desperately to quit my day job and stay home with my first daughter to see all of her firsts. At 3 months and some change of her life I went back to work with a pump and a heavy heart.

2.5 years later I was gearing myself up to do the same thing with now my second daughter until my husband brought home some news. My MIL might not be able to watch this one as she did with the first.

With my mind racing, I thought of the possibility that I will be going from Work Out Side the Home to Stay At Home Mom in less than 3 weeks before I would have to return to work was overwhelming. I would also have to take care of my first who would be pulled out of daycare because with just one income my husband couldn't afford the $1200 extra a month on his salary.

I figured I would need to make an income too. I figured an amount no less than $1000 per month to pay the phone bills, some of the other small bills and incidentals like gas and clothing for the kids. I don't have any super bills like a car payment under my name so that's a blessing. And I would need to also pay off the credit cards I have (which are two) and one has reoccurring debit on it.

I am working on a pet project that might give me some flexibility but it's still in the planing stages. More on that later.

Any SAHM advice would be welcomed.

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- Posted using My own words... Well most of them

Happy 2 months of life Baby Grace

Two months and a day ago, I thought I would not be able to love two girls.

Grace a few hours old

You proved me wrong.

I love you and your sister, (though trying as both of you maybe) with a love that can not be expressed in words.

You have survived the kissing and hugging and patting from Bella.

You have survived mommy's melt downs with and with out medication. Mommy is the one that's in need of medication.

You have survived another milestone in your small short life. 

Grace at 1 month

You are teaching me another lesson in slowing down and taking one step at a time and to remember to breath.

You are letting me experience the joy of motherhood a second time and seeing life through your brand new eyes.

This time I am a bit more relaxed.

This time I don't feel the pressure of trying to have the perfect anything and everything.

This time I know when you look into my eyes, I know what you are thinking... well some of the time.

This time I can do what's right for me and not feel like I am going to hurt you. 

All I want to do is love and hold you.

Thank you baby Grace.

Grace at 2 months old

Traveling with family this weekend

Friday I go on a thousand mile adventure to the great Northwest and back. I am looking forward to the time away from my residence, however I am not looking forward to the mode of transportation that my husband suggested we take. In either the RAV4 or the Cube. Yup traveling by CAR. 

We get to have a two month old, a two and a half year old in back, while my husband and I rotate the driving towards our destination up north for 11 hrs. 6 hours to the hotel where we spend the night and another 4.5-5 hrs to the final destination. Portland OR.

I would prefer a 2 hr flight, rather than listening to my two month old cry for a half an hour on the freeway because we get stuck in traffic. The TSA agent pat down to my toddler ask "what that?" or "we going that way?" six times too many and can't take a pill to lessen the stress because it makes me drowsy and can't drive. The feeling that I am on vacation using some rental car rather than my own knowing the mileage will count against me when the car insurance renews.  Maybe I am hyping this up in my head. Then again maybe not. We will see come Friday.

Review of Sew Curly Creations - A Pink Blankey for Grace

I love to follow Mom-businesses on twitter. I don't remember when I started to follow Sew Curly Creations on twitter (@SewCurlyK) but I think it was due to something she said about her three little girls that made me want to follow her. Also being a entrepreneur of hand crafted items I could learn from her as well.

One day she posted that she needed some test babies for her new blanket idea she had in December. Since I was due in a week I thought maybe I could help her out. Even if my new born didn't get the chance to test drive the item I would still know I tried and maybe the next time.

There were several people that wanted to test the blanket out and Grace and I were chosen. She asked me what the baby's name would be and I stated I didn't know until the birth. She said when the baby was born just let her know and she would work on the blanket. A week later Grace came in this world and I told her when I was able. And started the look out for the blanket.

Snug in the blanket.

When the blanket got to my house it was nicely wrapped in tissue paper and had a few business cards of hers tucked inside. I inspected the embroidery and it was nicely done. It didn't have the huge sheet of backing that I find in other embroidered items and I really dislike because I have to throw the excess away because it falls off in the wash and gets other clothes dirty.

The blanket edging is nicely done. Instead of the pointed edging, its squared and is a little heavier than the blanket, which is nice because it gives it a little weight so it won't blow away. There are a few rough spots, however it shows that it was hand made and not done in a factory.

The material for the blanket is a soft pile that is cushy, the only draw back to it is that it does cover the nice work of the embroidered name. If it was done on the shorter side of the fabric, I think the name would stand out more. However the name is still visible and in very nice script.

When my Mother-in-law saw it she said it was very beautiful asked me where I got it, and at the same time my daughter who is two and a half asked where her blanket was and proceeded to get a possessive of the blanket until I explained that this was Grace's special blanket and she had her own.

In the weeks following the arrival, it has been washed several times because of the regular happenings of the baby and has been dropped on the ground by accident as well. My major fear in the beginning was washing it and the color of the blanket bleed into the white of the words. As one wash led to two, not only did the letters stay white, the rest of the wash (I don't separate my whites from my brights) stayed their same color as well.

I am very happy with the quality and how it keeps my daughter warm. I wish this would have been a colder winter as she does run a little warm during the days, however it does help at night when we are coming back in the cold and the few blankets we have are a bit too warm for her right now. And just recently I took it to Grace's first Yoga class and used the blanket and a couple of moms said that they liked the blanket and wanted to know where it came from.

My rating would be 3.5 out of 4 stars - As I stated there are a few things that are small like the one end of the blanket and the nice embroidery covered by the material. As this is a test run to see how things are in the real world for her design and it keeps my daughter warm, I can honestly say I think this blanket is going to be with us for a very long time as Grace's comfort blanket.

My cat kneading the blanket. 

He stayed and slept on it next to Grace.

Please note: I was not paid for this review nor the rating I gave. I did get the blanket for free and was not told to write a review in exchange.