Updates

Well, here are a couple of updates for you! First, it looks like Ben is really going to Turkey this summer! He will leave in early July and return beginning of September (8 weeks). He is working hard to get ready, getting in shape and trying to conquer his health problems. Please pray for us this summer, for physical safety and health and financially!
Second, we have made progress in potty training! It may sound small to you but in our books, it's a victory!! My sweet Samuel is more sensitive (like mommy!) and has a hard time with change so he has been building up a fear of the potty lately and stubbornly has refused to even look at it! Finally yesterday I decided that we needed to battle it out and help him just sit on the potty and see that it wasn't scary! As soon as I took his pj's off, he started howling and screaming and was in a genuine terrified state. I wasn't sure what to do for a few minutes, just remained calm and kept telling him what we were going to do, step by step. It took awhile but I finally got him relaxed and brought the potty chair to his room. I still couldn't get him to sit on it so I had the brilliant idea to have giraffees sit on the potty with him! MAGIC!! He even sat there with his diaper off for at least 20 minutes ( no action though) and got a sticker on his chart, lots of praise and hugs and a conquered fear of the evil potty! Today he sat on it again before naptime with no fusses at all...Hopefully we can keep progressing so that he will be wearing the Thomas Train underwear instead of his stuffed animals:)
Zakkai is doing funny (and scary) things these days like...dancing to music, throwing things, trying to feed himself with a spoon (Zakkai +yogurt+spoon=messy!), throwing tantrums (at 13 1/2 mos!! Yikes!!), closing himself into rooms (he's obsessed with opening and closing doors), and trying to climb a little bit! He is such a fireball at home but an angel in public! I can take him anywhere and he rarely makes a peep, just looking at everything and sucking his finger or something and everyone comments on how good he is. I didn't think having two kids close together was very hard until recently when Zakkai started turning todder (although we still consider him our baby:) but I'm afraid for when he starts walking!!
Zakkai is getting dedicated this weekend! Ben's mom will be coming up for it. We'll take pictures and post them!