Nude Painting.

Hello from the Harper's!

While painting for his handprint Micah also painted his fingernails. Mick will be so proud.

When I told SadieJane we were going to paint she immediately thought I meant her nails.

Yogurt...

...it does a booty, I mean, body good!

Ok, so it wasn't what you were thinking. I just stripped Micahbird and SayJ down to paint today so it was technically naked painting:) Although we are working on potty training SadieJane so it is just about nude everything, nude eating, nude tv watching and nude playing...until she goes on the floor. Nana mentioned today that my posts have been lacking and she is right. I just don't have alot of fun posts swirling around and I think I've done my share of pity posts for the year so I have instead remained silent. Ick. Silence, not a gift of mine. But something that the Lord is definitely teaching me about. There is alot of change coming our way and it takes me a loooong time to transition into things. I'll post once I have gained all the appropriate perspective that I can stand. Back to the two nakey's above. They are really growing up. Ugh. More ch-ch-change. I can't take it. Oh yeah, no pity post. So anyways, I mentioned potty training and usually I wait til the standard two week mark before I mention anything on here but I've got nothing else to post about that as exciting as pee and poopy. Nice. Seriously though, before our trip to Florida SadieJane was begging to go on the potty. I would allow it but refused to start training so that we could get to Florida without nineteen stops for SayJ's fun potty trips. Micah on the other hand has and has always had the bladder of steel so we usually have to stop for Mick waaay before we have to stop for the bird. I promised her the week we got back we'd start. So I kept my word and went about it thinking that I'd try for a week and after that failure we would get serious after her second birthday. Positive Polly is here to stay:) Well, after a trip to the zoo in panties and peeing where every animal in the park had teeteed I bought the beautiful pullups and we are having a great time being potty trained. I say we, because with a girl I feel like I am being trained too. With Micah having external plumbing some things just "flowed" better and he seemed to get the tee tee issue faster. We all remember that he did NOT get the #2 issue at all and I worried we'd be in pullups in high school. But I was wrong, thank the Lord. Again with my positivity. We have alternated between panties, nakedness and pullups and they seem to all be helpful for different occasions. I know there are lots of schools of thought that say no to the pullups but so far they seem to our advantage not our detriment, and I'll be the first to tell you when they aren't:) Today, SadieJane has had victory all. day. long. even at nap. Now, I am sure as I am typing they'll be something wet on my couch but until then I'm excited! So, if we don't regress too much for any reason I will affirm that girls are indeed easier...except that they can't teetee on the wheel of our car, or on the ball field or through the fence. I also thought a child couldn't be trained til they could fully communicate with you their need...and while that would make things much easier, SadieJane has some major communication issues but somehow we are making the potty thing work. Who knew! It's been about a week and a half and we are averaging about one accident per day...usually provoked by me taking a shower and forgetting to take her before I get in or from the garage...something about that place makes people under four have to GO. I kid you not. Thank goodness for wipeable floor!
Poor second child hasn't had many milestone posts so I will update on a few things about her for my records and your amusement since I've already started with all the potty talk(or lackthereof). SayJ loves to shout! She can say just about anything (that I can then translate to those who aren't fluent in SJese) but she refuses to put two words together. It is the strangest thing. We still have our signature "getit" and "doit" but those are more like contractions than two separate words. She loves her Bubba and spends alot of time annoying the snot out of him. Bubba definitely reciprocates on both accounts. She has started saying that her name is either "Jane" or "SayJ", but it comes out sounding like "JJ". I actually came into the chicken house playground a few days ago and some older boys were calling her JJ. I couldn't figure it out at first but then realized she had told them her name!! This really tickles me because if you know her alot of her talking sounds alot like grunting and the fact the boys even got JJ out of her talk was exciting to me! She is so cuddley and lovable and I can't get enough of her hugs. She is becoming quite the stinker with discipline though and I seriously thought two strongwilled weren't allowed in one family, apparently they come in twos. While she is very strong willed she does respond well to discipline...or maybe I am a little better at it than I was with the bird? Either way we are getting to that place that I got with Micah that no matter what the discipline things were barely bearable with all the correction that needed to take place on a day to day basis. Not fun, but at least I know with this one there is light at the end of the tunnel. Otherwise SadieJane makes me laugh and makes life more fun. Can't believe she will be two in September. At least I updated on her before then...