P to the T

That would be P.otty T.rained. As in, Esme is. As in, totally, 100% good to go. As in, I now have only one child in diapers.

We used the 3-Day Potty Training method after Renee recommended it. Worked like a charm, though it did take slightly longer than three days to get #2 down pat. Of course, Esme is pushing three and-a-half, whereas Mrs. Potty Training suggests that 24 months is the ideal age, but... whatever. It worked! Esme is soooooo proud and happy, and so are we!

Mommy and Daddy's favorite part of the process this time around? Esme never wet the bed even once. We're almost two weeks in, and I haven't changed any sheets. (And I'm sorry if that offends anyone's housekeeping sensibilities, but that's how it is around here.)

Just Clownin' Around

Best Wilcox Baby Video Ever

I took this video about a month ago, using software on my laptop that I later realized does not provide good audio-to-video synchronization. Nevertheless, this is probably my favorite Wilcox home video ever, and that's saying something, since it prominently features me, in my pajamas, first thing in the morning, with no make-up.

Sounds enticing, right? Out-of-synch, stars a paleface mama... I should have been in marketing! Dontcha just want to click that play button? Hm, dontcha, dontcha?

Let me assure you: Graham's performance in this brief clip is more than enough to make up for my unpolished appearance and the technical difficulties. Get ready to believe: this is the sweetest, silliest baby boy on the planet!

GrahamKisses (My Favorite Home Video Ever) from Cara Wilcox on Vimeo.

Bendaroos

Aunt, Dacia, I don't know if we've ever told you this, but... those Bendaroo things that you got Matthew for his birthday back in September? He LOVED them. With Daddy's help, I think he made every single project in the pamphlet that came with the set. And when the 500 Bendaroos in that set were all gone, he wanted more. So we got him another set for Christmas. And he has been rediscovering Benda-joy ever since.

The other day, Matthew came to me and asked for "one of those thingies that the toilet paper wraps around and around." I directed him to a recently denuded toilet paper roll, and the next thing I knew, Matthew had created this little guy:

Wholly his own invention. I love it!

Birthday Jello

Graham at his birthday dinner before we even got to dessert

I haven't yet blogged about our food journey over the last half-year or so, but I will! Some day! In the meantime, suffice it to say that, when it came to planning Graham's first birthday cake, I found myself needing to make something that was dairy, egg and wheat free. And while I'm certain that I could have found a "cake" recipe that met all those criteria, I just really didn't feel like doing the research. So... I opted for jello!

 

Graham's First Birthday Jello from Cara Wilcox on Vimeo.

Graham near the end of jello consumption

No Small Miracle

I would just like to record, as a note of thanksgiving to God Almighty and for my own future joy and encouragement, that I made something new for dinner earlier this week, and all three of my big kids ate it happily, despite their prior predictions that they probably wouldn't like it.

In our house, this is absolutely a blog-worthy occasion.

Four at One

Meg at one year old:

Matthew at one year old:

Esme at one year old:

Graham at one year old:

Compare and contrast!

And in other news this week...

We lost our first tooth!

At seven years, one month old, Meg finally gave up one of her baby teeth. A month or so ago, those two on the bottom center both started getting a little wiggly, and though Meg has steadfastly resisted tugging on them, the one on the left finally gave up the ghost, with just the slightest bit of encouragement from Mama's fingers.

(As you may be able to see from the picture, Meg's two bottom center adult teeth already grew in behind her baby teeth, temporarily giving her a nice sharky look. This charming mutation, I'm afraid, came straight from my genes. But at least she's avoiding having the baby teeth pulled by the dentist, like I had. It's much more fun to lose a tooth at home.)

Looks like our Meggie's smile will never be the same!

One Year Old! How Can It Be?

How can it be, asks my Mama heart?

Well, this is how. First he was tiny. But not really so very tiny, since he started at 9 lbs., 6 oz.

He got bigger and more alert...

and then he started smiling.

Then he really started smiling.

And crawling, and getting teeth...

And his eczema cleared up a LOT.

And he didn't wanna eat.

And then he wanted very much to eat.

And the whole time, he was adored by his entire family, who simply couldn't imagine what life would be if he wasn't in it.

Graham David, Mr. Peterson and Mr. Goodgame sing it well:

There once was a man who found him a treasure

Buried out under a tree

He sold all he had just to own it forever

The treasure was you, you see

You are a treasure of incalculable worth, little son. Every moment we have with you we cherish. Let's have a lot more moments, 'mkay?

Happy first birthday, boy.

Something New

So, I'm trying something new... not really sure how it's going to go, but come on over and let me know what you think!

Happy New Year!

There was no Wilcox Christmas card again this year, but here are our love and greetings to all of our blog-reading family and friends. We are so grateful for all of you, and we wish you a full, rich, joyful, God-glorifying 2013.