My Children Never Fail to Surprise Me

There are so many amazing things that my children do. I am constantly being surprised by the new things that they can do. For instance, Joseph is always reading things. I can't believe how many words he knows how to read. Both of my children are fantastic artists, and I am always so proud of the drawings that they bring home from school. Andrew just has the sweetest, bubbliest little personality and I love to hear the funny things he says. My children bring so much happiness to my life.

Most of the time...

Then, there's an experience like last night, that surprised me in a very different sort of way. We were at Sam's Club, shopping for our lifetime supply of various food items (or so you would think, except that Joseph is a bottomless pit; what seems like a lifetime supply of cereal actually lasts a week). All was happy in our shopping cart, and then out comes a very loud scream from Andrew. We looked over at Joseph and he had a mouthful of hair - that's right! He bit a huge chunk out Andrew's hair! What the heck?!

I am also surprised by the fact that Andrew is over the age of three and refuses to go to the potty. I stole an idea from Megan O'Neill using marbles and a jar as an incentive for using the toilet, and Andrew seems excited about the idea of putting the marbles in the jar, but we still are unsuccessful at getting him to go in the toilet.

When we first started trying, he kept screaming that he was "too wittle" to use the potty, and insisted that he liked his diaper. So, we got a Lightning McQueen potty seat, which has encouraged him to sit on the potty. I take him frequently, but to no avail. He just sits there, and tells me "the pee-pee won't come down." Grrrr....

Isn't it supposed to be easier to potty train the second child? I have tried to take him to the bathroom and let him watch Joseph, but he is just not interested at all, and for some reason he LOVES wearing his diaper. Why, oh why? Joseph was really difficult to potty train as well, but I actually think that we are having a MORE difficult time with Andrew.

So anyway, surprises, surprises. What else can I say?