{Guest Post: Potty Training}

I am so excited to have Chelsey from http://www.cheekydinheels.blogspot.com/ guest posting today for Imperfectly Perfect.  Her blog is full of great tips and DIY on a budget.  Make sure you go and check out her blog.  Take it away Chelsey: 

I hate changing diapers.

It's not the day to day diapers that bother me,
but those in public that make me the most crazy.

You're out visiting friends when you smell a walk by stink bomb.
Everyone in the room looks at you,
as if you were the one who filled your pants.

You grab your Lil' muffin and excuse yourself to a private place.
It's not that I don't love the alone time with my girl,
but seriously.....
she always picked the most interesting part of the conversation to do her business.

No one likes the smelly kid.
I decided when The Boss turned one that I would start toilet training.
We would put her on the potty periodically and see how it went.
Some days we would sit forever.
We would wait and wait.
We sang songs, and read books.
When she went we would celebrate with praise and a treat
(crackers...she called them cookies and we didn't correct her).

She made progress, but we were travelling a lot,
and she had two ear infections so we didn't push her.
Then in October (she was 17 months) I we got serious.
I set December 25 as our goal.
Every night after dinner she went straight to the potty.
At first we sat for a long time,
but eventually she was asking to go as soon as we finished eating.

Once she caught on I added after lunch the days I was home.
I bought a travel seat and put her on no matter where we were.
Consistency is key!

When I felt confident in our progress I got our daycare involved.
They would put her on after lunch to get started,
and more often she got comfortable and would go for them.
At the beginning of December we hit a road block.
She would go when put on the potty,
but wouldn't tell us when she needed to go.
Those easy-ups are just to comfy,
so we moved to underwear.
She needed to feel uncomfortable, and that she did.
The first accident was one of the last.

I remember clearly the look on her face,
and the way she waddled over to me.
Eventually, with permission from our daycare provider,
we sent her to daycare in underwear.


We visited Florida over Christmas and I worried she would have accidents.
but she was a champ.
Even though she wore underwear at home I had her in easy ups.
An accident is much worse than a walk by stink bomb when visiting friends.
I was worried that with all the excitement and change she might forget.
Not the case at all.
This Girl was on it.
Asking constantly for the potty and telling anyone who would listen that she had gone.

I knew we were fully trained on the plane ride home,
I had her in an easy-ups again just in case!
She insisted on the plane she needed the "potty".
I started with "No, I think your okay."
Again she tried "Potty Mommy, Potty."
I said "Just go in your easy up".
I know, terrible parenting...have you seen an air plane bathroom?
She started crying and said "No, potty, potty."
She won, and we went to the potty.

Success!

Even in the smallest,
grossest bathroom,
amongst turbulence,
The Girl went!

Now she goes anywhere no matter what,
and yes I take pictures of her doing so.

Do you blame me?
How hilarious is she on the potty wearing her faux fur?
So 2012 will be diaper free for our family!
I'm so proud of the girl!


Thank you Chelsey so much for guest posting today on Imperfectly Perfect.  And no I don't blame you.  She is absolutely perfect in her faux fur!  I love her already!

Here are some other favorite things on http://www.cheekydinheels.blogspot.com/

This tutorial on this waiting bench is perfect.

Her adorable birthday party for "The Boss" is perfectly chic!

Thanks again Chelsey

XOXO

{All at Sea}

 We spent most of the day at sea visiting characters and just hanging out. 

 We saw Belle everyday and every time she wanted Presley to wear her yellow dress like her.  So when we found out where she was going to be we had to put on her dress again so she could take a picture with Belle.

 Presley was so excited.

 Paisley loved Belle too.

 Giving Belle a kiss

 Belle giving Pres a kiss.

 This is how Cole felt while we visited all the princesses.  He was not impressed.

 Meeting her Cinderella

 We changed from the dresses to get ready for dinner and on our way down we found our other favorite princess, Snow White.  She was absolutely darling and LOVED the twins.  Every time she saw the girls she stopped and talked to them.  This was amazing for my girls.

 Funny story was, Paisley loved Snow White I think more than even Cinderella because of how sweet Snow was, as she was leaving Pais wanted to give her a kiss and insisted on kissing her on the lips.  Snow kissed her back on the lips and looked and me and said,"She is the most sweetest thing I have ever met."  I was a little concerned but Snow told me she doesn't kiss anyone on the lips but loved Paisley so much and thought she was just the cutest.

 Princess Tiana, I don't think my girls knew who she was, but she was wearing a pretty dress so they didn't care.

 After dinner by the pool

 Presley loves her sister

Paisley had to get a picture by her favorite thing after dinner, the CHOCOLATES.  She looked forward to the animal and the chocolates every night!

{Day 3 Puerto Vallarta}

We spent the day at the beach in Puerto Vallarta.  Dave and I have been to Puerto Vallarta and knew that we wanted to go to the beach that was just about a 5 min walk from the ship.  We got off the ship and walked straight to the beach, which is right at some of the resorts.  Our kids loved the beach, which we were shocked about, but were done about 1.5 hours after we got there.  It was such a fun day to enjoy together as a family. 

{Disney Day 2 At Sea}

 Day 2 started bright and early with our kids.  We went upstairs and ate breakfast and right away they wanted to swim.  It was chilly outside but the nice thing about the pools on board Disney is that they are all heated.  I would have guessed the pool was always in between 80-85 degrees.  It was heavenly and made it enjoyable for the kids to swim.

 I do have to mention though, if you are planning to take a cruise on Disney, they do not allow any swim diapers in ANY pools.  They are really strict and kick the kids out of the pool. So if you do have kids in swim diapers I would suggest not going until they are out of diapers.  They do have a little splish, splash  pad area for the babies in swim diapers. 

 

The slide is also meant for kids 4-14, we found this odd because it is a smaller slide, and felt that maybe they would let us go down with our kids but they did not.  We ended up just telling the guy up at the top that Cole had already been on it and they let him go. {fib}  But Cole loved it and still tells me that was his favorite part of the cruise. 

 This Mickey Pool was only 1 foot deep which was perfect for the twins.

 That night was our first formal night and the girls were beyond excited to wear their princess dresses.

 Because dinner does take so long, we had brought things for the kids to do at dinner so they would not be so board.  The girls had princess polly pockets and Cole brought some Cars to play with.  This turned out to be a big hit for everyone.

 Outside our dinner at Tritons, just cheesing it up.

 Cole playing with his cars on the banister

 The entertainment on the ship was fabulous and there was always something going on.  Here is Presley with her polly pocket bag and dancing to the music in the lobby.

 Another area they had a route 66 theme going on.  Of course Cole had to go down here with Lightening.

 The twins learned fast that they had to pick up their dresses like the princesses.

You can see most of our room in this picture.  It was a balcony room, (the only way I would do a cruise).  It is much more spacious and also I think reduces the fact of getting sea sick.  I never once have been sea sick on a cruise or neither has anyone in my family.  I do think it has a lot to do with a balcony.  The rooms were nice and clean, and the toilet was in a separate room then the shower/bath.  The shower/bath was also great because you could bathe your kids instead of showering in a little tiny shower with yourself. 

{What I Wore Wednesday On the Cruise}

 Dress: Forever 21 Leggings: Forever 21 Belt: BP Shoes: Target  Twins Dresses disneystore.com

 Pants: QB Striped Shirt: Downeast Outfitters Sweater: Forever 21 Bracelet: Forever 21

Pirate night Dress: F21 Belt: F21 Shirt: Old Navy Leggings: BP Gold Bangles: BP & F21.  Twinners Baby Legs: Sassy Babies Skirt: Target Shirt: Children's Place Bandanas: Michael s, and borrowed

I can't believe I don't have more pictures of me on the cruise.  But I am always the one that is behind the camera and I MUCH rather be taking the pictures then being in them :).  I can't wait to get caught up on blogging but there is a good reason why I have not: 

this is just some of the darks.  (see it could be worse).  And my sweet husband in in La Jolla at "work".  So when he gets back and I am caught up with this disaster I can get back to blogging! XOXO

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