Bladder of Steel

So Grace has been sporting panties all day long. She has sat on the toilet about 20 times and she has gone to the bathroom in the potty 0 times. At about 12:40 she wet her pants after telling Neil,"help! potty!" Neil panicked and ran to the bathroom without her so our kitchen floor has been compromised. Other then that she hasn't gone to the bathroom at all. And she was completely dry when she got up from her nap.
UPDATE: She went poop-y in the potty after dinner! Hurray!

Ready set go

Tomorrow we are making our first attempt at potty training. Grace seems really excited about everything and since she will be 2 1/2 next month I thought we would give things a whirl. We went to Target and bought underpants, a potty book, supplies to make a potty chart, and lots of rewards. Wish us luck!

mystified and waffles

I was talking on the phone to my mom while facebook stalking, (I think I may have found a potential husband for my sister:) The phone started cutting out so I said I would call back and hung up. I thought I put my phone on the computer but it is no where to be found. Someone sent me a text because I heard it register from some hidden location in this room, mocking me. All this is very strange because I haven't at any point left the chair I am sitting in. I did, however on searching further, find the remote control that has been lost for a month.

I made my sister in law, Amy's recipe for waffles this morning and they were amazing, all kinds of light and crispy goodness. So here is the recipe.

Nancy's Waffles
2 1/4 c sifted flour
4 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
1 T sugar
2 1/2 c milk
3/4 c oil
2 eggs, separated

1. Separate the yolks and whites. Beat the whites until stiff and set aside; then, in a separate bowl, beat the yolks and add milk, sugar, salt and oil. Mix
2. Sift and measure flour into a large bowl, then add baking powder and stir. Make a well in your dry ingredients and barely stir wet and dry ingredients until just blended. Add egg whites and gently fold in. (Over mixing will make the waffles tough and reminiscent of jerky)
3. Make sure iron is hot hot hot and cook until crispy. Enjoy!

***Next time I think I will try adding a dash more salt

Cage Fighting at the Mall

It is hot in Texas. We are in week two of the heat advisory and the pools are now only open on Saturday except for one that is open from 1-6. Sadly that is smack dab in the middle of nap time so the pool is pretty much a no go at the moment. So in order to expend some energy and not fry I took the kids to the indoor mall playground this morning. Grace was loving it because there were a bunch of other kids there to play with. But then a dark cloud passed over the play land as a little four year old boy named Nicholas entered. About 4 or 5 kids had congregated by a tunnel and were happily playing, oblivious to what was headed towards them. Nicholas approached the tunnel and tried to push another little boy out of his way. The little boy resisted and Nicholas karate chopped him and when the little guy doubled over Nicholas launched onto his back and savagely bit him on the neck! I thought I was in a Twilight movie! I have never seen anything like it and I have seen many a play ground brawl. Usually little boys just kind of wrestle. Next Nicholas launched into the tunnel, hit an unsuspecting Grace and bit her foot. I ran over and pulled all the other kids out of the crazy kid's path and confronted Nicholas. "Where is your mother?" I demanded. He would not respond but by this time a bunch of other moms had circled and were surveying the bite marks. More minutes passed and Nicholas' mother finally appeared and started disciplining him. This is how we found out his name was Nicholas. She dragged him, screaming and crying to apologize to the victims and then put him in time out. I felt badly for her, she seemed mortified but her kid was so aggressive I thought it was strange she hadn't kept a better eye on him. A kid doesn't get those fighting skills from playing nice. Anyway we soon left the playground but all day Grace has been saying, "Nicholas hit me" and "Nicholas bit me. He is in time out." She just seems confused by the entire episode. Grace rarely hits anyone, she is crazy gentle but the momma bear in me secretly wished that she would have decked that kid. I suppose it is good my child instinctively takes the high road especially when dealing with an older trained ninja fighter. When I first started school I remember my dad telling me, "If someone hits you, you hit them back as hard as you can and you wont get in any trouble at home." Luckily I was never in that situation but I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! And another thing I know a lot of parents who get mad when their kids tattle, which I understand but if they aren't allowed to hit back what are they suppose to do? Just keep getting abused? Since Grace wont hit anyone I would want her to tattle so she wasn't some naughty kid's punching bag. I suppose I would feel differently if I had kids that constantly fought but good natured John is too little and Grace is a Quaker with the patience of a martyr. Maybe little Larson number #3 will have a more fiery temper, like his momma, and then I will eat my words.

food

I like being pregnant, over all. I even like...gasp... maternity clothes. However I hate becoming hungry which then is followed by creeping queasiness and then all food sounds disgusting but you know you have to eat something soon or completely perish. Did that even make sense? That is where I am at right now. And I have pretty much given up meal planning because by the time dinner rolls around whatever I thought sounded tasty earlier makes me gag. And for some reason this baby is crazy about cold crisp gala apples but I ran out yesterday and am stranded with the kids today. bummer. And then I get appetite confusion. I KNOW there is something that would be soooo delicious and fulfilling but I cannot quite put my finger on what it would be. In the words of a friend blastulah!

Sunday Afternoon and Books

Right now every member of my family is zonked out but me. It was a rather tough day at church for the kiddos. But now I am enjoying the quiet and a hershey's milk chocolate with Almonds candy bar. I was suppose to use said candy bar in a chocolate cream pie but the candy bar beckoned to me and I have limited will power when growing a baby. The other day I decided to reread Jane Erye. I read it for the first time when I was in 6th or 7th grade and thought it was over rated but now, a hundred years later, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I think I had too little real life experience to really connect with the story. And I think I did not like the fact that Jane was "plain". There you have it my ten year old self was totally superficial. I should also reread To Kill A Mockingbird because when the class read that in 4th grade I disliked Scout because she had short "boy hair". The start of Jane Eyre has been my favorite. It horrifies me when people starve and mistreat children, and yes I know it is only a book, but much much worse things happen all over the world to children. It just makes me feel helpless in a giant sea of suffering. But I have come to the conclusion to try to be as kind as I can and to really listen to the kids I come in contact with because I have no idea what their home life is like. I think that was part of my problem with connecting with Jane Eyre when I was younger- my life was all rainbows and butterfly kisses so I couldn't empathize with starving lonely orphans. What I liked so much about the orphanage years was that one of the abused orphans, who was also dying of consumption (very very Victorian), had a great deal to say about God and the Golden Rule. That we should see each other as God sees us. I have been reading some more modern authors lately and I think that is what I miss in their books, hope.

relief

I had to go in for an ultrasound yesterday and much to my relief the baby looks "completely normal" and had a nice strong heart beat. However the ultra sound tech said the baby was only measuring at 8 weeks old! Either I am carrying a runt or I just lost an entire month of pregnancy. bah! I go in for a routine check up on Friday so hopefully all questions will be answered there. They gave me a CD with little baby blob pictures on it but I can't get my computer to open it. All you can really see is a head and body, and barely. hmm well that is all I have to say.

A mouth washed out with soap

this morning I was looking in my wallet for a twenty dollar bill I had put in there. it was gone and I exclaimed, "What the heck?" Grace heard me and instantly kept repeating "what the heck! what the heck!" and then started making a song out of the phrase. So not only do I feel bad for saying "what the heck" (it is not the most ladylike term) but now my child is singing it with glee as a constant reminder of my verbal faux pas.

A vacation from my vacation

So after three weeks straight of being on the road, six flights with two kids, two four hour drives, and only one full night's sleep I came home and collapsed. And by collapsed I mean I haven't really gotten out of bed more then to feed the kids or clean up a mess that cannot wait for when daddy comes home. This is day five and I still don't feel better but we are running out of diapers and food so when John wakes up from his morning nap we are going to have to head out to the store. I must have pushed my pregnant body way past the point of exhaustion and now I am zombie mommy. Grace keeps running up and informing me, "no napping mom!" I will be relieved after my doctor's appointment next week, I hope everything is fine with the baby. I am a little bit of a wreck until I hear a strong heartbeat at the doctor's office. So anyways...

Has anyone been watching project runway? I missed the first episode but watched 2 and 3 last night. I just can't stand that blond with the top knot. She makes venomous comments directed towards Gretchen and it is just so obvious that she is super jealous. Granted Gretchen talks a lot but I think it is an outlet for her nerves. blaaahg i need to go find some crackers.

watch out world

Grace runs to the front door clad in pjs, a tiara, my high heel wedges and holding a bright green purse, and exclaims-
"Mom, open the door. I be right back."
Nice try kid.

Home again and News

We just got back from Mexico today. The trip was fabulous. If you ever want a perfect vacation go to Mexico Wilford Wagner style. (For those of you who aren't aware Wilford Wagner is my dad.)We stayed at this amazing hotel,Las Brisas, in Acapulco. JFK and Jackie O spent their honeymoon there. You have your own little bungalow that is up on the mountain and a private pool (each day they put fresh flowers in the pool, Gracies loved fishing out all the buds).

Plus there is a giant swimming resort complex down by the beach. Two large salt water pools, one of which opens up straight into the ocean, and just a normal swimming pool. My older sister, Jill, who is notoriously anti swimming went wild in the salt water pool. She was dashed against the rocks and almost pushed out into the open sea by the currents and loved every minute of it. She came back- still cackling- with mascara running all over her face.
Here is a picture of where Jill almost met her end.

After the ocean's brutal assault on Jill the workers came running up and said that everyone had to get out because the water was too violent.
One of my favorite things was a little box in each room where fresh fruit, pastries and hot chocolate were waiting every morning when we woke up. I will miss that. Oh yeah and Ty's reception was fun too :) Just kidding it really was a great time but we couldn't keep up with everyone else. There was a little civil ceremony right on the beach and then a crazy amount of pictures with a photographer. And then dinner kept getting pushed back from 9:30 pm (which was late for me) to 11 pm!!! Both of my kids were passed out in a crib on the side of the dance floor before the first course was served. The funniest thing was that all of the bride's friends were about 4 hours late, hence the pushing back of dinner, but apparently that is the Acapulco way. The city comes alive at midnight. There were also some customs we were unfamiliar with. With almost no warning we were forced into a family waltz as the DJ read our names over a loud speaker. I wish I had the entire number on tape. Ty spinned me twice and whacked me in the head both times, it was the essence of gracefulness. (keep in mind my new sister in law is a professional dancer) Then two chairs and what looked to be a blindfold were brought onto the floor and Ty and all the single ladies were asked to come to the dance floor. A look of horror registered on every member of my family's face simultaneously as we looked about in panicked confusion. What in the world was about to come to pass? Well Ty had to stand on one chair, supported by two guys and Maricruz on the other, supported by two more men, while all the single ladies smashed into them and tried to knock them off the chairs during a song. What better way to celebrate a wedding then to viciously attack the newlyweds? And next all the single men got a go at knocking them down. I'm embarrassed to say the huge pack of males successfully knocked Ty completely off his chair (Ty- get a little tougher). Oh and two of my siblings participated in the violence, Ashton and Troy. Troy actually said he kept ramming into whoever was in his path with careless abandon. At this point little John woke up again and Neil and I took a taxi back to our hotel. I was really disappointed because when we left at 1 AM they still hadn't cut the cake and I really wanted to try it. Silly children getting in the way of my wild nightlife. The next day we went to the beach, swam and went to dinner at the famous restaurant, The Pearl where you watch divers plunge off the cliffs and into the ocean. The restaurant used to be quite the place for jet setters back in the day. Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis,and tons of rat packers had their pictures and signatures up.
It is always a little sad to be home again after so much fun and excitement. BUT I have two more pieces of interesting news.
1. John crawled today for the first time EVER. It was really more of a whole body lunge towards the dvd player.
2. Yes Aunt Lori I am pregnant. After all that weight loss business I got pregnant just in time to look chubby for the ceremony in Nauvoo and then my belly totally popped out for the Mexico pictures. The night before we left for Mexico I was frantically going through my maternity clothes looking for something to wear to the reception. I did not get to sport my pretty ruffled party dress :( I wont be wearing that now for a year at least. Ah timing. You can actually see the evolution of my belly in one weeks time through all the pictures. I can't wait for February- three kids all under three years old! All joking aside, I am really excited for Little Baby Larson #3. I just can't wait to know if it is a boy or girl. Ok, Neil just called me to dinner so the crispy beehive do pictures will have to wait until later I need to go enjoy a steak.

Whoa!!

This last week my little brother got married!!! The weather was nice, the bride was beautiful, and my kids weren't too crazy. My sister Jill and I did fall victim to a rural hair salon and ended up sporting "crispy beehive dos" to the wedding but what can you do? All in all the wedding was a success. Sadly, since Grace destroyed the camera, I don't have any pictures to post but I'm going to have my sister email me some, I know you are all dying to see the crispy beehive front and center.