September photo dump

Here are a few other things that happened in September - via my iphone 

 It was red, white & blue day at Kinley's school on Sept 11 and this girl represented.

   

Their teachers and principals tweet everyday and that day her the principal must have visited Kinley's class because he tweeted this picture. 

 

Kinley & Ty wanted to run in the sprinkler with their clothes on and it was still summer temps outside...so, why not!?

Dylan and I loved watching those crazies

Kinley & Ty still want to hold Dylan multiple times a day
I love mornings cuddling in bed with all my babies
or afternoon snacks on the couch with everybody

Kinley loves to just watch Dylan when I am busy.
 Here she is sining to him and rocking him.
 So sweet.
 
Ty loves being anywhere Kinley is.
 Here he just climbed next to her on the couch and got under the blanket she was using just to be close to her.
 
The Nordells came over for dinner one night after they got back from vacation and it was so fun hanging with them and getting some seashell loot they brought back for their friends For Ty's birthday Allison bought him a play shave kit and it has been a hit in the bathtub
Kinley went to a birthday party for her new bestie school friends in her class, Erika & Claire.
 They are twins and she talks about them everyday after school.
  
I picked Ty up from school one day and he was still napping and had to snap a pic.
 He looks giant now compared to Dylan.
 

Honey & Boss took Kinley & Ty to an SMU game and they looked super cute in their coordinating outfits and had a great time at the game 

September was a blur and I love looking back to see that we actually did other things besides just nurse and change baby Dylan.  I am also so excited for October because I love Fall and cooler weather and more football and pumpkin patches.  

Woohoo!

Potty training

Well, Ty is now officially full-on potty trained!

 I totally take ownership that it took until Ty was three years old to be fully potty trained and blame it all on my own laziness. 

 I just could not bring myself to put everything aside for multiple days and just focus on potty training.  Before Dylan was born we were in such a go-go-go rhythm and I knew it was going to come to an end and I just wanted to take full advantage.
 Ty has shown signs of being ready for several months. He has even gone to the bathroom on the potty lots of times before when he requested. But, I just never pulled the trigger.
 Some people might think I was crazy to wait until I had Dylan to potty train Ty when I had all summer to do it but I am so glad I did.
 Right now we are totally used to staying home all day so being home for a weekend was a breeze. I also had his teachers to help once he started school.
 We decided one Friday after he got home from school that we would put him right in big boy underwear from Friday afternoon and no more diapers again. We decided to stay home all weekend and Monday in hopes that by Tuesday when he went back to school again he would be fully potty trained.
 And I tell you the truth, that it took until noon on Saturday to potty train Ty and he never had an accident after that first day.
 My mom was a HUGE help in this.
 She went to the dollar store and filled up two huge bowls full of prizes for Ty to pick from after he had successful potty trips.
 There were pretend mice, spiders, matchbox cars, glow sticks, bouncy balls, frogs, lizards, ninja turtles, lollipops, silly string you name it.
 It was a kids dream.
 She even got gifts for Kinley too so she would help encourage Ty in potty training.

 We let him look through it all pretty detailed for a bit so he could get real excited about it and then put it on a shelf and told him that he could have them once he went potty. 
Then we pumped him full of fluid to get him used to the feeling of a full bladder.
 He could drinka anything he wanted...juice, water, milk, diet coke, lemonade.

 On friday, he was about 50% successful.
 Saturday morning, he had a couple of accidents and we were starting to feel a little defeated but by noon, something clicked and he just got it.
 He has been fully potty trained since then.
 We did pull-ups for naps for a few days and at night but everytime he wakes up, they are dry!
 It really was such a smooth and easy process and I really think being lazy and waiting so long worked out for me in the end this time!
A few pics from that weekend.
And please, feel free to take a look in the background of these pics.
This is real life people.
My house is a wreck, baby diapers, clothes and toys everywhere.
Someday when my house is empty of kids and the only people to mess up the house will be Ben and I, I will look back and be sad...right?

 Its cool to use your sisters old princess potty....
but, really he didnt like this little potty at all. He much prefers the little seat on the normal size toilet.
 
Showing off some of his prizes

Silly string battle!
 

 Now Ty is a full on big kid. No more crib, paci or diapers.
 Poor thing had to grow up quick once he was not the baby anymore.

We told Ty that after 7 days in big boy underwear he could pick anywhere he wanted to go. He went back and forth between chuck e cheese and the aquarium but in the end the aquarium won and we had our first family of 5 official outing to the sea life aquarium courtesy of Ty.
 

Turning 60 Like a Boss

We have lots of family birthdays in September. 

Another big one this year was my dad's. 

 He turned 60 on the 24th. 

 My mom has thrown my dad parties on his 30th, 40th, and 50th birthdays so we have known for months dad would have a party for his 60th. 

 We also knew his big birthday fell right in between mine and Olivia's due dates. Because of this, mom planned his party in early september so we could have it before both babies came. Well, our plans did not work out so well since Dylan made his arrival unexpectedly early. But, we partied anyway! 

 Even though Dylan was 3 days old and I had been in the hospital the whole week and mom had kept Kinley and Ty all week, the party was still on and we celebrated big. 

 It was fantastic and totally something my dad loved. 

 He is social and so fun and never meets a stranger and a more the merrier kind of guy. So, their party had an even 100 people at it, including Dylan. 

 Mom had a valet and catered La Hacienda and hired a bartender, it was so fun. 

 She had tables set up in the backyard with lights strung and all of his favorite family and friends. 

 It was a great party. 

 Oh, and I should mention she also "hired" our resident party photographer, Mendy. I am not sure what we would do without her picture taking time and skills. 

 Mom and I made dad a book of all his party pictures for him to open on his actual birthday, so there are only a few, mainly of family, posted here. 

Dad giving a little speech before dinner 

 

The party crowd 

Mom and I custom made these cups & koozies and I love how they turned out. 

 So fun that "like a Boss" is such a popular phrase right now and it's his grandpa name!

   

I thought I was crazy taking Dylan to a party with 100 people when he was 3 days old but, he's the third child.....

No, but seriously, 

we quarantined ourselves in mom & dad's room and barely saw anyone and left by 8:30.

 But, we did get to see all my grandparents in one place and that was so worth it to introduce Dylan to his all his great-grandparents at one time.

    More party pics

My brothers like to match... 

 

LOVE this pic of my family...Dylan and I had already left but, I just think everyone looks so cute and is posed perfectly and Bart even has his koozie turned the right way.

   

On Dad's real birthday Ben, Dylan and I rode with mom and dad and met up with Bart and Olivia and Matt and Sandy at Lawry's in Addison for a great family dinner. 

 When mom and dad came to pick us up I had cupcakes and candles ready for Boss so he could celebrate with Kinley and Ty also.

   

Happy 60th birthday Boss! 

 You are the best dad in the world, an amazing example of a husband, and a servant-leader to our family. 

 You give the best advice, even though you really mostly listen and guide us to make our own choices. 

 You are so consistent in everything you do, whether it be working out on the stepper every morning of your life, going to work everyday, or never wanting to be out of town on a Sunday so you don't miss church. But, in all of that consistency you are still the life of a party, love to try new things, meet new people, and travel new places. 

 You are solid source of praise and encouragement for all of your kids and grandkids. 

You have taught us all to have a work ethic that consists of always trying your best, being full of integrity, and letting go what you can't control. 

 Thank you that you have always been a standard for me in my life in how to be treated. 

Thank you for always seeing the best in people and never holding on to resentment. 

Thank you for always loving Ben like he was born your son and cheering him on just like you do me, Bart and Matt. 

 Thank you for always saying I love you and for ending every text or email with "love, Dad." 

Thank you for so many other things that I can't even put into words. 

 I love you so much and I hope you had the best 60th birthday!