Wednesday, April 22, 2009

It’s Potty Time—Starring Annika!


Little Annika. She’s just the sweetest little thing, and to me is still just a baby. Sadly my baby will be two in a mater of a few short weeks, and already has expressed and interest in the potty. Now I am not sure I ever did share the trials and tribulations about trying to potty train Alexandra. I will have to search back to determine if it’s been written. If not, I most certainly can write a book about this experience! In a sum of one word—difficult. But with Annika, it seems that she wants to be like the big kids and going on the potty is a task that is desired, not dismal. So we’ve allowed her to sit on the potty on a few occasions just for fun, certainly not expecting any real results. I mean, my last potty training experience took me up to the moment we cancelled preschool for fear Alexandra would get kicked out for not being potty trained.

This past Sunday, Annika gladly strips herself of her diaper and straddles the squishy Sesame Street potty ring. Then it’s off to the bath we go. This little squirt started with her normal routine and peed! YIPPEE! She then repeated the act, after nearly having an “accident” by stopping herself, addressing her act with an Ut-oh, and ran to the potty, starting and stopping her steam of urine and she went. Alexandra and I were her best cheerleaders, as you can imagine! We were overjoyed. Then today, the kicker. She tells me she’s got to poop and says potty. So we mosey on to the bathroom. I grab a chair for my prior experiences with this situation have been stop and go and lead to hours on end where I am hanging my head in the toilet, and not for the repercussions for having one to many the night before! Annika has an actual bowl movement! Holy cow, I never thought that would happen without fear. You hear stories and read so much about how kids fear pooping in the potty but this little kid was elated! YIPPEE! She was so proud of herself as were all of us. Way to go, Anni!

So I am not getting to excited about this (no, really) for I know I am sure to have my work cut out for me but am just so overjoyed to share this excitement with others. This is the first step, I know, but a huge one. I wont be tossing away the old wipes and diapers just yet. As a matter of fact I just ordered two more jumbo boxes today. But the prospects make me pretty happy—and on the same hand, sad. For my baby isn’t really a baby anymore.

The Daze of Our Lives...


Wow. I am shamed. Has it really been this long since I’ve last posted anything about the girls and their life? So much has happened. Each day is like a new turn of events. Some are new, exciting and adventurous and some -- not so much. But at the end of the day, no matter what has transpired, no matter how many times I have been defied, begged, threatened or bartered -- after the lights are out, and the kisses and prayers are recited I look at their little faces and feel an overwhelming joy and sheer gratitude for them and the most special place they have hold on my heart.

Well here is a rundown on life as the Wright Ladies:
For starters, February held a crazy turn of events for us. Andy decided to take advantage of a bum economy and start his own business where there is fueling potential in the residential and commercial markets but in piece parts. In other words, as people are downsizing and reducing their overhead, there is still work to be done but no one to do it—unless you are a consultant and for those guys, business has the potential to boom, big-time. So, he’s following his dream, and we all applaud that and know it will be great! Wright Consulting Partners is in full bloom and the seeds are being planted. We are excited for this new opportunity! While there are lulls here and there while things are getting started, Andy’s been able to spend a lot more time with the girls. He’s seeing so much of their personalities and enjoying seeing them grow and change daily—a rarity for many dads, including Andy, whose hectic work schedule kept him away too many nights. We know that’s short lives and that travel is imminent but for now, he and the girls are enjoying each other’s company.

This business decision was made jus before and during our annual trip to Grammy and Granddad’s in Florida, where the girls enjoyed themselves immensely in the warm weather. We didn’t do Disney this year—maybe again when Annika is old enough to enjoy it—but Alexandra got to swim everyday, twice a day and I got tons of sun therapy. Andy got a ton of great advice from big business leaders, as well as a great number of strong leads. Too bad he had to work during his “vacation” but it will all be worth it in the end. Trips to the beach were an added bonus. Walking along the shores of the Gulf in the dead of winter is unmatched.

The girls have sprouted in personality. Annika is now talking, which was on the horizon for many months. Each day now as she approaches her second birthday she’s saying more and more. Something we’d seen much earlier on with Alexandra but then again, Alexandra was not nearly as agile, I think, with respect to keeping up with the older kids and having good balance. Likely a drawback from not walking early.

Alexandra has shown that she’s a big girl now. She’s four going on 14—seriously. She’s shared with us that her classmate Nicholas is “handsome like a prince”! She’s demonstrated a real zest for science, which we applaud and encourage every step of the way. For Easter she asked the Easter Bunny for a butterfly house in lieu of candy. When we shopped around for the right gift, she keenly pointed out to me the many science kits that appealed to her—everything from tasting and baking kits, to bug collection, early paleontology kits and how to astronomy. This is of great interest to us particularly since neither Andy nor I were very good with science as a kid! Thankfully we have great researchers and scientists from my work in pharma who we can call on every step of the way!

Annika is using the potty! She’s gone three times now and had her first bowl movement today! I will post a separate entry about this MILESTONE!

And Alexandra is getting more inquisitive each day as well. Just last week she asked me why a man on TV had a brown neck, and head and hands. He’s black, if you didn’t get this already. I have to say I have been waiting this question and was relieved that it came when we were home—alone. I was able to explain to her that God made so many people, and each of us is different. How boring the world would be if we all looked a like. She accepted my answer and has moved on to the next pressing question. Maybe next will be, where do baby’s come from? Oh, correction. We’ve been there already. I did mention she’s only four, right?

Well, that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. I am certain I am missing so much but will be sure to keep mindful of daily jots going forward. As they say in the media, stay tuned!