winter break

After our Christmas in Snowflake, we came home and spent the rest of our winter break outside in the beautiful weather that is winter in the desert!

The boys wanted to ride their new Christmas toys to our neighborhood park every single day!

I also decided now was good a time as any to potty train Beckett.

(gulp!)

I had been putting it off for way too long and thought I better do it while he's on a break from preschool and I have a solid 2 weeks at home with him.

The first week was hell.

(Isn't it always?)

But he finally got the hang of it and we all survived.

I should probably stop giving him a piece of chocolate every time he goes now, but I just can't say no when he says "you so proud of me mom??" or "yeah!  I'm a winna!"

Yes, son, people who pee in the potty are definitely winners.

Madden was so patient and understanding.

I'm usually the fun mom who tries to fill his school breaks with lots of fun activities and outings but we were house bound for a solid 2 weeks while I potty trained Beckett.

So Madden entertained himself with some new lego sets he got for Christmas...

And we spent the rest of our break sleeping in, staying in our pajamas all day, watching movies, making chocolate chip pancakes, and building forts.

One night, while in the midst of potty-training hell, I left the boys at home with Randy and escaped for a girls night.  When I got home later that night, the boys were already asleep.  But then in the middle of the night, Beck woke up scared and came running hysterically into our room and only wanted me to hold him and comfort him.  We laid in my bed together cuddling and just when I thought he was falling asleep, he said, "Mom, you go bye bye last night and I was in my bed and I weally weally needed you."  I kissed him and said, "I'm sorry sweetie, I'm home now."  And he put both his hands on my cheeks and said, "don't do dat eva again."

I do need a break from my kids sometimes.  Don't all moms?  But I secretly really do love this phase where my kids "weally weally need" me.  I know when they are grown and gone someday I will so miss that feeling of being needed and smothered in love.

We usually have a strict "no sleeping in mom and dads bed" rule but I let him stay in bed with us for the rest of the night and enjoyed every single snuggle and face smack and elbow jab.