Potty Training Question

Hey Y'all!  I'm checking in here to ask a question.  Background:  We started the actual, no holds barred potty training on Dec. 21st, 2012.  That day she went #1 11 times and 8 were on the toilet (success in my book!).  The following day she had no #1 accidents and a #2 accident (but daddy was watching her, so again, success!  Just kidding).  Since then, she has had only one potty accident (weird, it was just last weekend, and she was totally unfazed that she had wet herself).  But overall, things are going SWIMMINGLY! 
Here is the question.  For her naps, she is waking up dry, and has been for a few weeks.  So yesterday I bought a mattress pad (and then promptly got home and realized i already had one...blurg) and she took a nap with no diaper.  Success!  No accident.  So at night, she has been generally waking up with a dry diaper.  When do we move to night time no diaper?  Is this not for a couple years?  When did you start going all night with no diaper?
I'd love some input here.

And since we're way overdue for pictures, this is from a few months ago at Costco.  Did I already post this?  I'm at work on break and I'm limited to what pictures I have on hand.  But little cuties they are!

Where To Begin?!

Honestly, I've had one of the busiest holiday seasons of my life, and not all for the better.  I'll just start by sharing that my father passed away on New Years Day.  We've had a difficult relationship for many, many years now, and I'm still very sad to see him go.  I've got lots to write about that, but I'll have to save it for a complete post.  That isn't the main reason that I haven't been blogging, it's just because I've been SO, SO busy (not unlike most of you), and I haven't had time to put on makeup, let alone, blog.
Let me just give some highlights (from before my fathers death) and that will hopefully entice you to check back when I finally have a chance to write everything down. 
First, Macie is *almost* potty trained!  I say almost because we still do night time and nap time diapers.  It has been amazing not to clean up toddler poop!  Today marks 2 weeks and we haven't had any accidents since day 2!
Second, my church put on a huge Christmas Eve service (actually, we had 5 services) and I directed it.  It was hugely rewarding, and I wish I could do that for a living instead of teach history (although i certainly enjoy teaching history...and above all, I wish I could just stay at home full time with the girls...if I'm dreaming).
Third, Christmas!  With a 2 year old!  It was fantastic to see her excitement Christmas morning.  The only problem this year on Christmas was that we learned of my dad's deteriorating health condition that night and that sort of soiled the end of the celebration.
Fourth, Home Improvement!  We had our ceilings scraped of the lovely 80's popcorn ceilings while we were in northern California*.  But this meant taking down all Christmas decorations on Christmas night, and then putting away all knick knacks of any kind all day on the 26th before ...
Fifth*, driving 7 hours to Northern California with a 2 1/2 year old and 9 month old to see my grandparents.  We had fun..ish.  There were 12 people in a 3 bedroom house that is only 1400 square feet.  We aren't hugely demanding, but I felt bad for my Aunt, as we took over her room completely.
Sixth, Dh and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.  While in Nor Cal, we left the girls with my mom for the night and drove to San Fransisco.  We had a nice dinner and saw a 49ers game.  It was very, very cold for this Southern California girl.
Seveneth, Penny started getting a cold the day we got back to my grandparents house.
Eight, Macie got sick the next day
Ninth, we were informed right before our long drive home that my dad was being transferred to hospice care and would probably die in the next week or so.
Tenth, we were told that he would probably die that very day or the next.  So on our way home, sick babies and all, we went to the hospice and were there right before he died.  It was on one hand nice, on the other hand, very uncomfortable**.
Eleventh, the girls continued to be sick and on Tuesday night, Macie's fever reached 104.3.  Penny's wasn't that high, but she had the bad cough.
Twelfth, Both girls to the doctor the next day (wednesday now).  Both girls Bronchiolitis.  (Penny just had this two weeks before Christmas, Macie's never had it).
Thirteenth, Dinner with the stepmom who was in the middle of divorcing my father, but as he was in the ICU, they "exchanged rings and said I love you".  So she's back in the picture even though he is gone.  Very unsure how I feel about that.
Fourteenth, Macie is better, Penny is on 4th day of fever.  Is throwing up almost everything she eats or drinks.  Little urine output.  Back to doctor.  Breathing treatment and chest xray.  Guess who has mild Pnemonia?  Peneleope Dorothy!
Fifthteenth, did I mention I'm throwing a bridal shower tomorrow?  So I've got no free time here and when I do, I'm searching how to do a trivia game for TV families instead of cuddling my little ones, because I still want to celebrate my friends' baby, but I'm just a little strapped.  At least it's tomorrow and it'll be fun.
Sixteenth, My husband was supposed to go out of town tomorrow night and with everything and without me asking, he decided to stay home and be a huge support to me, especially with Penny being sick.

This has been, the most non-vacation of my life.  I can't wait for life to go back to normal.  Whenever that will be.
AND, God is still good, all the time.  I still see His hand on my life in the middle of this earthly insantity.


This was supposed to be the short post.  Can you believe there are details here I didn't write?!  I may not write them down, I'll lose all my 'followers'.  Ha.

** my dad died of liver failure brought on my alcoholism.  It was a very sad way for someone who once had so many friends to die, but at least his family was surrounding him in the very plush hospice room.  It was uncomfortable because there was no privacy to say anything to him.  But then again, I'd already said what I needed to say in our conversations early in life, but still, you know...he was my dad and I really have great memories from my childhood.  just not my adulthood where he was mostly concerned. 

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6 months!

 I don't know how these girls got so big, but here they are!

This is us on our way to costco.  Without Daddy (football season), and both girls in the front for the first time.  They did suprisingly well (there were snacks involved for Macie).

 Glam Penny above.  Love this look dah-ling.

 You may ask what size clothes she's wearing.  I wish I knew.  This bathing suit in the picture above?  18 months.  Doesn't it look like it fits her?!  I think it does!  And this morning, she was wearing size 3 months pants.  Each outfit is so relative.  So she's mostly in 9-12 month clothing, depending on the lenght.

At here 6th month appt she was 27 1/2 inches (95%) and 16.13 oz (50th somthing %).  They were a little concerned she's fallin' off her growth curve a little bit, but seriously, have you seen those cheeks?  Adorable.

She is not a great milk drinker, so I wonder if that has something to do with it, but now that we've added so many solids, I think she's going to be gaining weight fine.  But she is seriously a long, tall girl.

 Champion sitter-upper.

And right now, I'd say her big sister is her biggest fan.  Macie loves to make Penelope laugh, and it seems to be recipricated.  I hope these girls end up being fantastic friends.  I pray they know Jesus from a young age, and that they love each other (and mom and dad too!).



pictures!

Here is Penny last month...she was almost sitting up.

And below, here she is this month.  Sitting up like a champ!

Macie has started loving the photo shoots because she gets to get in Penny's bed (which was her bed, she just doesn't remember it!)

 

And no, Macie is not biting Penny's head here, she's just giving her an open mouth kiss.  Nana has done a good job of buying lots of matching outfits, but it's been so hot I haven't had a chance to wear some of the outfits.  I loved this cupcake dress on Macie last winter, and while it still fits, you'll notice the tights are a must have accessory.  She is a tall girl!  Penny isn't so small either, we'll find out her 6 month stats on Friday's dr. appt.

And below is my little cutie feeding her doll 'Coco'.  I spared you the picture of her nursing the doll, but think the boppy and bottles are pretty cute.  What fun it is to have a 'little mommy' around the house.

Having two is wonderful, if not crazy.  Last Friday I thought, 'I could totally have another one!'  The very next day I thought, 'I would be crazy to have another one!'.  So only the Lord knows what will be in store for my family, but I am 'trying' not to take a single day for granted.  These girls are such gifts, and the responsibility of training up children in the ways of the Lord is sometimes harder than I could imagine, but overall, it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything (not even a luxurious bath or a trip to the bathroom all by myself!).

Lisa Whelchel

When I heard the news that former 'Facts of Life' star Lisa Whelchel was divorced, my heart was really heavy.  She came and spoke at our church just about 2 years ago.  I read one of her books, 'The Facts of Life and Other Lessons my Father Taught Me'.  It was such a great little read about some of the high and low points of her life.  By no means did I think that she was perfect.  By no means did I think that she doesn't sin.  But knowing that public figures are just as fallable as the rest of our makes me scared. 
Ladies, this thing called marriage is tough.  And most of the blogs I read (not all, just most) are women that had a hard time becoming pregnant.  And then most of us have gotten what we wanted, a beautiful child (or more often than not, children).  And there is something SO WONDERFUL about being a mother.
But I'm convicted to exhort all of us not to forget our husbands. 
I have no idea why they divorced.  I don't know who incited the paper work, I don't know the details.  Despite the title, this post is not about Lisa.  This post is about us.  It's about our marriages.  When we think that divorce only happens to other people, we might be missing the log in our own eye in order to point out the spec in someone else's.  It's SO easy to get caught up in the business of being mommy's, that we forget, we were wives first.  We used to stay up late in order to talk (and make out!) with our fiances and boyfriends.  Now, if your marriage is anything like mine, I am the first to go to bed and we (er, I) have a strict 'no funny business' after 10pm rule, because I'm just.so.tired. (please, someone give me an Amen on this one).  I need to remember my husband.  My boyfriend.  Even though we're married, it doesn't mean I can't still think of him as my boyfriend.  I think men get that lecture a lot, treating us like a girlfriend, not a wife.  I'm going to take a few extra minutes and opportunities this week to make sure my dear husband knows that I chose him first and I will continue to choose him!