A Vacation from My Vacation

This past week Jason and I actually had a vacation together, consisting of us staying home!! We have not had more then two days off together in over two years and it was a nice change. Since the two older kids are still in school we didn't do much of anything as far as going places, but we did get a lot done around the house. I was quite surprised that after seven days together Jason and I didn't want to kill each other or feel like we had to get away from on another. It was a nice change to our very busy lives and very nice change to not have a schedule we had to stick to, packing, unpacking, going here and there, and entertaining four kids in a hotel room. I am really pleased with our little stay-cation and like I said a very welcome change from our busy lives.

This week Jason and I tackled one of the hardest things to do with a toddler, POTTY TRAINING!!! Donato is the last of our children and is a little over two years old, and might I add VERY ready to potty train. The first couple days we had a few accidents, but once he got the hang of the whole thing it was actually a breeze. He still won't poop poop in the potty, but that in itself is a HUGE undertaking and we are working on it one accident at a time. Since we had three days without any accident we took Donato to Target yesterday to pick out some "Big Boy" underpants. Of course the boy picked out MICKEY MOUSE and was very excited this morning to pick out a pair of his new underpants!! We are so proud of him and excited that we are now diaper free for good!!! We have to buy two packages of Pull-ups a months for Donato and Gabriele at night, but the rest of the day we are diaper and Pull-up free, even at nap time. This is a huge milestone not just for Donato, but us as a family because it is one less "baby" thing in our house. 

Another HUGE accomplishment this week was removing the crib out of our room. For almost seven years we have had a crib in our room and had either a toddler or a baby in with us. I was really excited at first to start taking the crib a part, but when Jason started hauling the pieces out of our room I started to break down. There was a huge space in our room were the crib once sat and it was just hard to let go of something that has been the norm for seven years. I love the fact that all the kids are now sleeping in there own room and in there beds, but it was hard to let go of the last MAJOR baby item that we had in our house. My three younger children are 2, 4, and 6, so needless to say for almost seven years we have had baby parafanla all over our house. It's also sad because even though I don't want another baby MY BABY is growing up and I feel at times I need him to slow down a bit and let me catch up!!! Since I had a huge space to fill in my room I decided to expand my little craft corner. I have more space and don't feel like everything is on top of me, and it is a bit more organized, which is a plus. The last few baby things in our house are small and will probable leave with in the next year or so. 

Our little family is growing up and we have some very exciting years a head of us. I love the fact that the kids are growing up, but I also feel sad that I am loosing my babies. Manni is twelve and in a few years will be driving and looking at colleges and the three little once are going to be back to back once they get into there teen years. Time really does fly by when they are young and I am just trying to stay a float right now and enjoy all the wonderful exciting changes that are happening. I do have to admit that at times I still want my little babies that I can hold and cuddle, but know that is never going to happen. The next baby I hold in my family is going to be a grand baby and I pray that's not for a long time. At least till they are out of college and established in a good Christian relationship with the opposite sex!!! It's funny how as children we want nothing more then to grow up, but when we are grown we want nothing more then to go back to those simplistic childhood years of no worries and not a care in the world. 

This is the last time I will have a crib in my room!!!

This is what I filled the space with, my little craft space!!

The turtles at the Park we took Donato and Gabriele to.

They would hear you walk across the bridge and swim over to you and wait for food!!

Gabriele taking a break from hoping from rock to rock!!

Deciding on what rock he wants to hop to next

Daddy had to help Donato hop from rock to rock

Gabriele watching the tadpoles swim around the rocks

Both Gabriele and Donato decided to get there feet wet and wade in the water

I don't know why but I LOVE this picture!!!

Jason, Donato, and Gabriele

Gabriele showing me how he can jump off the BIG rocks!!

Donato decided that he wanted to not just wade in the water but actually SIT in the water!!

I still have a few more craft blogs I am going to put up and I have some more picture of all the kids from this week. I hope to get one more blog post up this weekend, but we shall see!!!

Till Next Time!!!!!!