I am Crazy. The end.

Ben and I were like little school kids yesterday, waking up and wanting to check his diploma to see the words "Doctor of Philosphy" in those big letters again! What a thrill. We are just so thankful for our family coming in town to celebrate with us. It wouldn't have been the same without them! They helped make it so very special for us.

Today when Ben checked his status at school, his degree was officially conferred on him in the computer system which was fun to see:) Hey, it's the little things in life!

This week is a fun week for the boys! They started VBS at our church. Both were a little nervous, not having been to VBS before but they came home so happy! They loved it so much and can't wait to go again tomorrow! They will go all week from 9-12pm. Eliana cried when we left them there:( She's loved having her brothers home!

They stayed at the hotel with Mugga and Grandma on Saturday night and she missed them then, too. I heard her call out from her room, "Bring da boys home!" before she collapsed in exhaustion and we never heard another peep til morning:)

And while big brothers are being occupied at vacation bible school, Eliana is being potty-trained! Oh, yes, you read that right. It should be alternately stated: Eliana's mommy is crazy! Everyone keeps telling me how easy it is to potty train girls and they can be trained so early and blah, blah. I have been putting it off because of the nightmare of potty training my sweet Z-man (sorry, buddy!) but she has shown so many signs of being ready lately, including not being able to keep a stitch of her clothing on when in bed (!!!) that I knew it was time.

We ran to the store to grab a little pack of M&Ms and stickers and headed home to begin. She whipped off her diaper so fast it wasn't even funny! Or it was:) We started out with some Minnie Mouse underwear and she plopped down on her little Ikea potty to watch some Sesame Street, in hopes of earning her 2 M&Ms.

Within a half an hour we had success! I made a big deal out of it and gave her the M&Ms, a sticker on a little chart (which she got to put on) and was SO excited! And then it went downhill. She sat on and off for awhile and then went and peed all over the floor. Then, by the time it was time to go pick up the boys, she was in melt-down mode and refusing to even look at the potty! I almost threw in the towel right then and there.

Now, I know you are not supposed to leave the house when potty training but I needed to get the boys and Ben talked me into making a quick stop to the store to get something. So, I loaded the car with a pad on her carseat, the potty chair, stickers, the M&Ms, the chart, etc. And Eliana, half-dressed. She sat on the potty before we left the parking lot, when we got to the church (didn't go both times), and right before we walking into the store.

And promptly peed all over the store floor literally 2 minutes later. So back to the car we went and got changed and sat some more and I felt so frustrated! She didn't nap because she kept stripping herself down to her birthday suit (which is awfully cute!) and threw her diaper across the room. The afternoon consisted of 2 accidents on the floor (including a poop that I didn't catch in time) and I was feeling SO done!

And then she went twice in a row in the potty. Go figure. We'll see if I can gear myself up to keep going tomorrow. I really wish there was a manual for this!!!!