Success...

So a few months ago, I had posted a blog about potty training. It has been an uphill battle with Hunter on potty training. After awhile the rewards and praise were not working and it was a constant battle with him. We had just about given up. About a month ago, my mom and I took the boys to my dad's new business ventures grand opening. On the way back we drove past Murrieta Elementary and told Hunter this could be the school he goes to next year from Kindergarten. He got ecited and wanted to check it out. Well the school was locked down for the day (it being around 530pm). So we looked through the bars and my mom pointed out to him the Kindergarten classrooms and the playground and lunch tables. We showed him all the different parts of the school that we could see. He was sooooo excited. He talked about nothing else the rest of the night and nearly driving me and Mark crazy with asking us constantly when does he get to go to school. This makes us excited (but sad too, especially for me) that he will have a good transition when it comes time for Kindergarten. But of course we told he doesn't get to go for another year and he would also need to go potty like a big boy before he went to school. Well that cause uproar with Hunter cause he didn't want to go potty in the toilet.
So Memorial Day weekend comes around. Mark and I were trying to push Hunter to try to go in the potty. It wasn't going so well. On Monday, Memorial Day, it turned into a big fight with Hunter who kept lashing out at us. We felt defeated. I tried to calm down Hunter (who had spent considerable time yelling, screaming, and crying at us and anyone else who got in his way, including Jaxon and my parents, which is such a big NO-NO! in our house). As I tried to calm down Hunter I told him he couldn't go to school with other kids until he went potty in the toilet. That started him screaming and crying all over again. So I asked him do you want to go to school, he tells me yes, so I ask him what does he need to do to go to school. He tells me he needs a backpack, and a lunch box (of course I started to laugh, cause it was so cute cause he immediately stopped crying, and said all this in a happy, sweet voice) and I interrupted and asked if he needed to do anything else and he tells me to go potty like a big boy. I got all excited and told him good job and that he was right. So he goes running off to Mark telling him he wants to go potty like a big boy. So he teaches Hunter to go pee standing up. Hunter got so excited and when he was done started to ask us if he could go to school now. We tell him very soon he can go. We put his new "diaper" on (training pants) and tell him just let us know next time he wants to go and we will help him. Ever since that day he has gone in the potty (with the exception of when hes asleep, but that has only happened about 5 times in the almost 3 weeks since the "first" time) both #1 and #2.
Last sunday his it almost marked Hunter 2weeks going in the potty we let him wear his big boy underwear, which is Transformers (we had bought them months ago in an attempt to bribe him to go in the potty, didn't work). We told him that he would only wear his training diaper during naps and at night. He was so excited running around showing me, Mark, Jaxon and my parents his new underwear. He enjoys it now and it isn't a headache for me and Mark with all the fighting we used to do with him. He even gets 2 M&M's when he's done and a sticker. I think we have made past the most difficult part. Now to just get him completely through the night with no "mistakes".
Now if only we can have an easy time with Jaxon. He shows interest when Hunter goes, but when we ask if he wants to try he tells us no and runs away. He's definitely not there yet, but since he loves doing everything his big brother does maybe he will want to do it too. Cross your fingers!

Last one for today!

For Memorial day we just relaxed at home. I decorated the boys' door in honor of today. I made us a delicious dinner of barbecued chicken, mashed and au gratin potatoes and corn. The boys also had cheese with their dinners. We all had Kool-aid fruit punch as our drinks. I thought the dinner was a very appropriate Memorial Day dinner. What's the day without some BBQ?

I will also say what I said yesterday in my Facebook status- Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all the service men and women who have given their lives for our country! A speical thank you to my heros- My Dad, Bruce Meyer (Navy seal, Vietnam); My Grandpa Paul J Meyer (Marine Corp, WWII) RIP and My Grandpa Cicero Allen Huddleston (Army, WWII and Korea) RIP- you are both much loved and missed and thought of everyday!

CPK pics

These are some of the pictures from CPK.


Hunter's birthday

Hunter loving the sundae

Jaxon's birthday

So yummy!

Jaxon's 2nd birthday

Jaxon is not a big sweets boy. HHe loves candy, but not so much cake. So made him brownies instead.

He got shy when we sang him happy birthday

Ate the whole piece of brownie

My baby is 2!

Dived into the presents

Proud of himself for blowing out the candle

So on Jaxon's birthday, May 23, we didn't really do much. We went to CPK for his birthday meal. We hung out at home and watch movies and played with their toys. That night, it was just my parents and the 4 of us. Jaxon blew out his candle and attacked his presents. He got more enjoyment out of the clothes than Hunter did with his. Jaxon also got a few Leap Frog videos that he was really excited about. After everything was unwrapped, brownies eaten, it was off to bed in his new jamas while watching one of his new videos. It was a very simple happy day. I can't believe my baby is 2. He is growing so fast and learning so much. He is doing so well with talking and it seems like everyday he can say something new. He counts to 10 and recognizes the numbers. knows his letters and is just becoming such a little man. I love both my boys so much!

Soccer

So Mother's Day weekend and the following weekend, we attended my cousin's soccer game. She is this amazing player who as a junior has a full-ride to University of North Carolina-Greensboro (I believe) to play soccer. SHe has also been scouted by the Mexican National Soccer team (they do the Olympics andWorld Cup) (she's half- Mexican, so she qualifies). Her soccer team is the 13th in the nation and has won the national title a few times. She's awesome. They play games all over SoCal and those 2 weekends they happened to be playing in town. So we attended her games. They were awesome. They won all their games. So proud of her.

The weekend following their last soccer games down here, we went to go visit my uncle up in Fontana and spent some time there with my cousins. The boys had so much fun. One of my cousins is following in my footsteps and is becoming a band nerd =) One of these times I will make it to a field show of hers. Can't wait!

Eagle Scout ceremony

My nephew (by marriage) became an Eagle Scout recently. We drove out to Mission Viejo for his coronation ceremony. It was a very nice time. We had lovely refreshments afterwards. My sis-in-law (different one, not the one's whose house we had the birthday party at) made this amazing cake with a wilderness theme. It was a marble cake and so delicious. Wish I had thought to take a picture of it.

M's birthday

Another day, another birthday. This time it was B's daughter M's 4th birthday. We went to Chuck E Cheese. It was a fun time. The boys love it there. We had cupcakes and the boys just loved the atmosphere. Too bad I had a headache at the end though! I am getting old! LOL

Mother's Day

We had a relaxing Mother's Day. Literally we didn't do anything which was nice. I received my Mother's Day present a few days earlier. I have been wanting to get into shape. I went with my friend A to her gym to see how i would like it. I am the type of person where I want someone there to work out with cause it makes the time pass and the whole event is more enjoyable. Mark and I would never be able to go together to his gym because there wouldn't be anyone to watch the kids and plus we can't afford the extra few at the gym for them to watch the kids (we don't want to depened on my parents or his family too much to watch the boys, it's just our thing. Every once in a while, for dinner or something like that, but not too much). So I enjoyed going to the gym with A. We had lost touch after high school and reconnected at the beginning of the year and have been hanging out ever since. We both came back into each other's lives at a time where we need a friend who we could count on. PLus it was great not having to do the "getting to know you" stage or as A called it dating =) So when I went to go get ready for another trial day at the gym with A, I saw this pass sitting on our bed. I asked Mark what it was for and he said Happy Mother's Day! I just love him so. So I have been to the gym several times this month (none in the last week cause mine and A's schedules haven't meshed too well to get into the gym, plus another old friend was in town, and trying to coordinate was a nightmare!). Tonight we are planning on going hopefully with no hiccups!

Bikini body here I come! Thanks babe I love you! You are so supportive!

B's birthday

So next up was B's birthday on May 4. She is a very good friend of mine and Mark's. She was going to go to Friday's for drinks and appetizers. Mark and I had to flip a coin to see who was going to go, since the other had to stay behind with the boys since it was later in the evening. I won, so I went and spent a few hours haning out and enjoying B's birthday.

Joint birthday

My shirt (same front as the boys)- Arcee

Jaxon's shirt- Bumblebee

Hunter's shirt- Optimus Prime

The boys had a joint birthday party on May 1st at my sis-in-laws house. It was very much a family and close friends affair. Our nearest and dearest were there. It was a Transformer's theme party. The boys love Transformers, especially Hunter. They chose the character they wanted for their shirt. Mark didn't choose a shirt, so he didn't get one =(. It was a great day. The boys had a blast and we had a great time visiting with our family and friends.

Hunter's 4th birthday/A first for the boys

After I found the cake upside down

The night before (so pretty!)

After his teeth were all cleaned

during the teeth cleaning

Eating his cheeseburger

My big 4 year old boy!

After I tried to repair the damage

Sorry the pictures are out of order! So Hunter's birthday was April 23. My little man turned 4! I still can't believe it. Time has certainly flown. So several things happened that day. The boys' had their first dentist appointments. I knew I needed to have the boys go see the dentist and it just so happened that the appointment was for Hunter's birthday. So we went. As soon as we walked in Jaxon started to become stuck to me. I literally couldn't pry him off. He is not a fan of the doctor's office. He didn't sit still enough for x-rays and we had to pin him down to clean his teeth (with me as the main restraint. But the good thing that came of it was Jaxon's teeth looked great and there were no problems. For the week leading up to the appointment I was telling the boys what was going to happen so there was no surprises. Jaxon obviousy didn't pay any attention. Hunter on the other hand understood and was telling me what they were going to do all the way to the dentist. He was soo good. He let them take x-rays, clean his teeth and let the doctor examine him. I was so proud of him. So thats the end of that until October for their next check-up.

Now for Hunter's birthday we let him choose what he wants to eat for the day and basically whatever he wants to do (with of course the exception of the dentist). So he chose blueberry muffins for breakfast, pizza for lunch and a McDonald's cheeseburger meal with blue Powerade and french fries for dinner (his favorite meal). I made him a cake for him to blow out the candles. I finished it the night before and was proud of it. Well the boys got into the kitchen before I noticed they were up (I know so bad!). They had dumped a box of Cheerios all over my parents foyer and first couple of stairs and then had flipped over the cake container trying to get into it. I was so upset! After everything was cleaned up, I attempted to salvage what was left of the cake. It didn't turn out bad, but still didn't look perfect to me. After dinner, Mark's dad and step-mom came over (since they were not going to be in town for the boys' joint party), my parents and my friend A came over for Hunter's cake and for him to open the presents from me and Mark. We didn't get him any toys cause we knew that's what everyone was going to get them at their party. So we got him clothes and some new shoes and a few Leap Frog videos which he was the most excited about. He watched a few of the videos while the adults chatted then put on some of his new jamas and went to bed. Long, fun, exhausting, frustrating day!

Also for Hunter's birthday, I had signed the boys up for the California Pizza Kitchen Kids' Club, where they get a free meal during the month of their birthday. So we went their about a week before Hunter's actual birthday and the boys shared a pizza (they couldn't eat a whole one by themselves, its too big for them), ate their yummy bread, and had a sundae with all the fixings!We went for Jaxon's birthday too, on the day of his birthday this time. I will post all the CPK pics in another post.

Busy Busy Bee

Ok so I know have time to sit down and relax and update what has been going on with our family. We have had birthday party, family gatherings, holidays and hanging out with friends and going to the gym (yes thats right I said the gym!). So without further ado......