All sorts of little tidbits!

Thanks to Annie's independent nature we are fully entrenched in potty training. I had decided after a few discussions with karla that we would wait for any real potty training until this summer when Katie would need to be potty trained and we would be at the beach alot. Annie had other plans - she has suddenly decided that she is tired of diapers and wants to potty train full time. We spent Friday without diapers or pants most of the day and Ann did a great job. A few weeks ago Auntie Karla brought over some potty treats and big girl underpants - Dora - and so Annie is putting them to good use. Yesterday we had company all day so it was difficult to let Annie run around naked but she did a good job of letting us know when she had to go. On Wednesday Kk was babysitting for a while and found Annie at one point in the babies room going potty all by herself! Yeah, Annie!

So far we are letting Annie do the potty thing at her pace - she tells us when she has to go but we don't make her do it all the time. I figure when we are all home for the summer we can make the real push unless she makes it herself before then. No pressure!I've only done the potty training thing twice and once it was torture and once it was a snap of my fingers - I'll let you guess which of the older kids was a snap! Either way - I forgot all of the techniques!

Yesterday Auntie Randi and Uncle Chris came over with the twins. We had so much fun and it was so relaxing just enjoying each other's company and catching up. Randi and I sent the Dad's outside with the seven kids after lunch so that we could catch up on all the baby/pregnancy news that I have missed thus far. I didn't get a belly picture but Randi looks amazing - so healthy and, yes, glowing! She has a teeny little belly at 22 weeks but I think I felt the little guy move! We can't wait to meet our new little nephew,

Timothy David Booth! He will be blessed to have such loving and kind parents and I hope he comes out ready to play because Nate and Tony never stop playing! We had so much fun!

Tony giving Ellie a high five!

Uncle Bob and Molly loving on Natey before they left. I didn't get the camera out until the kids were leaving and Nate did NOT want to leave so he was not interested in having his picture taken!

Our little urchin!

Uncle Bob and Natey! tony was less excited to get in pictures!

The day before Easter KK came and got Annie and Molly and took them a farm. Annie has been dying to see horses and Kk found a great place in West Hartford to take the girls. Before Kk got to our house Annie refused to do anything - when we asked her to eat breakfast she said "I can't, I'm waiting ofr Kk to go to the farm!" That was her response to everything. This is actually a picture of her getting cleaned off after the farm! Daddy thought that her hair was adorable so he took this pictures! I love when Bob takes pictures!

My girls with the chickens!

Annie looks so cute with her hands in her pocket!

My little beauty!

When Annie looked at this one she said "My friend!"

Annie came home so excited to finally see the horses up close!

I don't know which animal this one is but I do know that Annie came home imitating lots of animal sounds - my favoite was the rooster because she says it differently every time. Molly was, according to KK, a big help and so good with Annie!

The girls having fun with KK.

I love this picture - Molly loves her hat and wanted to look stylin for the farm! Too cute!

The girls had a blast at the farm with Kk and it gave Mommy and Daddy a chance to get some things done before Easter. We are hoping to know what is going to happen with Peter on Monday - the surgeons are consulting on how to remove the mass from his mouth and when to do it. It is a relief to know that it is most likely not malignant but it is still hard not to know what the surgery will entail and when it will happen. I will be really happy when this is behind us and we can all relax. Peter has been amazing - he knows that he has been to many doctor's appointments and that I have been a bit on edge but other than that he just plays and reads and goes to school like nothing is wrong! He is such a good kid and the BEST patient. I know plenty of kids who would not have withstood all the tests and the biopsy without major meltdowns - Pete let them do whatever they wanted, listened and did what they told him to do and never cried or even whimpered when it got painful! He is an absolutely amazing kid! Thanks for all of the prayers - keep them coming!

GNM - ILY!