Backpack!

Grandma Hayes went to China for 10 days and brought Frank back some nice presents. She brought him back a backpack so he could be just like his idol... Dora the Explorer... I think he likes it...

Backpack! Backpack!

She also bought him this t-shirt form the 2008 Olympics. and those blue crocs on his feet! What a nice grandma!

Jammers

While visiting mimi and pop pop Frank got to hang out with some -big kids- down the street. Jack Bates gave him his old jammers from swim team... and they were so cute on our little man! Look out Michael Phelps...

Toy Story 3!

For father's day we decided to take Frank to his first movie... we have been waiting to take Frank to see this for a while now... we wanted to wait to take him to a movie when we thought he might sit through... so when we knew Toy Story 3 was coming out this summer... we thought it would be PERFECT!

I am not sure who was more excited... {actually I am quite sure... it was Frank4 and I}

He did such a great job sitting through the movie... when the opening credits rolled he shouted out "Woody!" it was so cute... the only other time he said anything was in the part of the movie Woody is walking across the toilet seat he shouted "potty!" haha. He did such a great job and I think we all enjoyed the experience very much! The movie was super cute and I am not ashamed to admit I cried at the end... what a great movie! If you haven't seen it yet... it is a must see!

Summer = Pool Time

During the summertime we can be found doing a lot of this:

And of course this...

and this

and dressing like this...

summertime means pool time for us! Luckily Frank is quite fond of the pool and loves being in the water! you can expect to see more pictures like these this summer :)

Happy 27th Birthday Daddy Frank!

Today is Daddy Frank's {Frank4} Birthday!! He is the Big 27 today... so for 4 short months he will be older than me :) Typically for birthdays I do 5 things you did not know about the person... however... my blog my rules... so I am going to do 5 things I love about Frank4 on his birthday!

1. I love how he is intensley loyal and honest... not just to me but to everyone... He never breaks the -rules- and always does the "right thing"... he is just a great guy...

2. Frank can fold towels better than anyone I have ever met... {he is also pretty fantastic at ironing}... not sure why this makes me so happy... but there is something about opening your linen closet and feeling like your towels are on display at Bed Bath and Beyond.

3. I love his sense of humor... it is very similar to mine... but where most people might just -chuckle- Frank will tent to have a full on belly laugh... it is infectious... he laughs at nearly everything... which in turn makes it that much funnier and more enjoyable

4. He colors within the lines... he is amazing at coloring.... a skill I only recently learned that he has... the lines... the shading... it is fabulous... I am always impressed... perhaps this has something to do with see 1 above... or I am just a weirdo...

5. Frank is an amazing friend, husband and father... He works incredibly hard not only for himself but for us. He makes sacrifices for his family... I know he would rather have his weekends off or hang out at the bar with friends... yet he can typically be found studying or sleeping for he can get to rounds by 4am.... we love you daddy Frank!!

Here are some of my favorite Frank4 pics

Potty Update

Update: one week ago I was at my breaking point... Frank was at his breaking point... I thought maybe we would be the only kid in kindergarten in diapers... then finally... this week something clicked! He started doing amazing! Sitting on the potty or asking for it when he needed to potty {not needing to be reminded every 15 minutes}... Keeping his underpants dry! Keeping his pull-up dry during naps or long car rides... He has pooped in the potty daily... We still have a LONG way to go before he can be stamped -OFFICIALLY- potty trained... but I am so amazed how far we have come... I mean WOW... He's a big boy now!

Love to see those underpants not diapers!

Mimi and pop pop were watching Frank Friday evening while we went on a date night... and I get this picture text :) Glad Frank was even good for his grandparents (and Gus)

Pool Boy

Friday... while it was raining everywhere else in Ohio... we had sunny skies in Dayton... well at my friend Melissa's pool in Dayton... What a great way to spend an afternoon with my teacher friends... since we have our summer off! Frank is NOT AFRAID of water at all... which is beginning to terrify me... he likes to jump off the side... loves to go under... gets excited at the sight of a pool... he will really just run over and jump in.... we are taking swim lessons this summer but I really have to keep my eye on this kid this summer!

Mallory, Frank and Marley

Frank is a ladies man! and TWINS Mallory and Marley

Water baby

Cheesing for the camera

All smiles at the pool

Big Winner!!

One rainy afternoon we went to Chuck E Cheese with Wyatt and Elliott... Frank enjoys the car rides... likes the playground... and oh yeah the pizza! Frank likes to insert the coins in the games... but does not like to play them... leaving me to throw balls and finish the games as he is running wild... finally i found those impossible games where you JUST insert a coin and knock something over to win big tickets/money... and would you believe it... Frank inserts one coin and hit the JACKPOT! 150 tickets! The sirens were blaring and the tickets kept pouring out! Suck a funny moment with Frank jumping in excitement and joy... that is one lucky kid! Next vacation we are taking him to Vegas!

Boys of Summer

Summer means hanging out with Mommy... and hanging out with Friends! We get to hang out a lot with our neighbor Katie and her boys Wyatt and Elliott. Here are the boys playing ever so nicely one morning

Still BLUE sand in the sand table...

Mr. Elliott coloring with chalk

Little Gym Class Spring Show Week!

This week was Show Week at The Little Gym... which marks the end of the semester of classes. Show week is always a fun time to see how much they have grown throughout the semester and since we started last year! He is becoming such a pro in his Super Beasts class {2-3 year olds}... the biggest skill Frank learned this semester {aside from actually listening, following directions and staying on the Big Red Mat} was to JUMP! He loves to jump now... off of things onto things and just jump around. Now if I can just get him to introduce himself to the group... {sigh} maybe next semester!

Frank running wild

Climbing on the bars and low beam

Watch me JUMP to the music!

Running in circles with mommy during warm up

JUMPing with Aunt Molly on the spring board

Walking on the balance beam

Flipping with Miss Cassandra his teacher

Getting his medal from Miss Cassandra!

What a big -special- guy!

So much fun!

Frank and a portion of his gym class! {not everyone was at the last class...}

Pool Time!

Having my summers off definitely has its perks... I LOVE the pool... grew up at the pool... my first job was at the pool teaching swim lessons when I was 13... I was a lifeguard for 7 summers! I even managed a pool for 4 summers in college... taught swimming/coached swim team... needless to say there is no place I would rather be in the summer than the pool... luckily for me... it seems my little man has taken to the pool... like.. well... a fish to water... I couldn't be happier! He is not afraid to go under the water, likes to "swim" on both his tummy and back... and would even jump to me from the side of the pool! This is going to be one great summer!

Checking out the pool for the first time this summer

He is not afraid at all... he kept dunking himself in the baby pool

Playing with his bucket

"swimming" around

watch out... he is quite the splasher!

Studying With Daddy...

Our lives are not all -potty time-... we do have fun too... or I guess our idea of fun is not the same as most people's... Daddy was reading a study guide for his STEP2 and Frank was very interested... funny enough they were reading about the bladder... maybe a little studying of physiology with help our little Frank...

He always loves "studying" with daddy...

Very interesting!

Who knew studying would be so interesting!

Potty Diaries: Day 3

Today was a much better day... guess third day is a charm! Frank woke up and wanted underwear not his diaper... he walked right over to his potty after breakfast and sat down... he went pee right away and knew exactly what to do... we have to flush the pee down the potty then he gets his M&M's and his sticker! He had a reward chart with magnets on it the past two days.. but he kept playing with the magnets... so today I started with stickers.. MUCH BETTER! He was very proud of his sticker chart... throughout the day he would walk over to it and count his stickers... {he loves to count more than anything...} Later he even went poop on the potty... YES POOP ON THE POTTY!!It was so exciting... he is getting a lot better with this potty training thing... we still have a long ways to go... but baby steps...

Here is frank and his reward chart! Excuse the cute naked booty... we have not graduated to underpants in the house yet...

Potty Diaries: Day 2

Ohhh day two... what can I say... Frank has been having this habit of "holding it" until nap time because he knows he can make it til 1:00 and then peeing in his underpants... so I talked to a friend of mine who is an ABA therapist and potty trains kids with Autism... she said this is a technique kids use to see if they can -outsmart you-... she said we have to push fluids really hard prior to nap time and he is not aloud to nap till he uses the potty... NO NAP!? I knew this could get hairy... and you can imagine... a tired baby who really has to pee but is being so stubborn because he thinks he can go pee as he can talk mommy into putting on his underpants {which believe me he tried...} we got this sad face

Then when he finally let go and -YES! SUCCESS!!!-

The rest of the day was much better... I hate to say it but i think we -broke him- haha

People keep asking me why am I pushing this potty training so hard... maybe he is not ready... but we feel he is ready {or at least I do and Frank really hates buying diapers}... He listens to commands... he stays dry for long lengths of time... he tells us when he is going pee or poo... he HATES to be "dirty" and throws a fit... problem is... he is a lot like me... he is really unsure of -NEW- things and is hesitant... so he hates to go in a diaper and is unsure of the potty... I feel like now is the perfect time... I am not working and I only have one little man so why not? I am hoping with the success of today he will continue to improve on day three :)

Potty Diaries: Day 1

Potty Training... what can I say... no fun... but necessary

Overall I have to declare today a successful day for potty training... he went pee in the potty 6 times and only had two accidents...{statistically i say that is a success} both accidents were in his underwear... and when we let him go completely naked... no accidents!

Some useful strategies that have worked for us...

1. Naked baby! He was confused by underwear and would have accidents in them... I think we will have to work up to underpants...

2. Capri Suns... juice boxes... snacks... we usually try limit his juice intake... but for potty training dropped all the rules... seriously push fluids...we are using the standard M&M reward... but he really has not figured that out completely yet...

3. Have plenty of fun things to do in the bathroom while sitting. He would get antsy sitting aimlessly waiting to get off...books, sing, cars, watch movies, etc. Just keep him happily occupied.

Hopefully tomorrow will be even more of a success... updates are sure to follow...

Summer 2010!

We are back! It has been a busy month of May... and we are so excited for June! Mommy is done with school and has 12 weeks of vacation! Daddy Frank has the week off and we are enjoying some much needed time off and spent with our little man. We are keeping ourselves very busy... but trying to enjoy the time off while we can!

Frank loves summer!

WE love this little man :)