Big Project Update (and a little potty training)

No pictures yet (okay....I couldn't hold out...this morning I added a few pictures), as I want to wait until the room is completed to give you the full effect.

The "stencil" took about 4 hours to install, so we decided to do the other tree on another weekend when my trusty installer is available.  I had no idea how much work would be going into these trees.  This is my favorite installer:

My mom really liked the "cartoony" look with these sponged edges. Don't worry, we didn't leave the white templates up forever.  Look, there is a glimpse of the bed.

I picked up the embroidered birds my grandmother made from the dry cleaners today and they look so bright and springy.  Just the tropical/vintage/familial touch Abi's room needed.

Her window treatment turned out better than I had imagined and only took me two hours to sew!

Yes, that is a tree branch we are using as her curtain rod.  My mom stained it the same as the bed and picture frames.

But my favorite change has got to be the bed.  I can't wait to stain Connor's.  What a difference a few coats of stain can do to a dated piece of furniture.

Now I am focusing my efforts on Potty Training Abi.  I have given up on the "potty train in a day" method and realizing that a regular mom's ordinary method will have to work.  So, instead of setting myself (and Abi) up for failure (like I have the last 9 times with Connor) I have chosen to realize the following:

1)  The first day, she will wet through every single pair of undies I put on her.  It's normal.  It's okay.  This is why I was born in a day and age with washing machines, affordable undies and trash cans (face it...there are times when it isn't worth cleaning the undies).

2)  By the end of the first week, she may have managed to make it to the toilet on time once.  If she does better than that...we both deserve some new lip gloss (she has a major fetish with lip gloss right now).

3)  I will need to set a timer to go off every ten minutes to remind myself to remind Abi to go potty.  Being a nag at this stage in her life, for this reason, will only make her a better person (really, who wants to date a girl still in a diaper...thanks mom, I will always owe you for potty training me).

4)  When someone tells of their perfect only child picking up on potty training quickly, offer to pay them to potty train your child (Todd was one of those one-day-wonder kind of kids).  Not only does it free my hands up of a child, but then, maybe, I could focus my attention on potty training the stubborn, perfectionist, independent little boy.

5)  Lots of lemonade needs to be on hand for Abi to stay well-hydrated and lots of Diet Pepsi needs to be on hand to help calm moms nerves.

But truly, the first day wasn't so bad.  Abi managed to make it to the toilet twice.  Yes, she wet through 8 pair of panties.  Thankfully, each time it was  while standing or sitting on a hard solid surface that was easy to clean.  But she also waited to go #2 until I had put her diaper on for bed.  That's my girl...make the clean-up easier for mommy.

She is a very happy and easy going little girl.  Each time I asked her if she needed to go potty, she would willingly come and sit on the toilet.  Each time she wet herself, she came running to me telling me cute things like "oh no, I'm so wet" or "mommy, I'm not doing it right" or "it isn't working."

I feel like a champion.  I didn't get frustrated even once with her today (HUGE accomplishment in the potty training realm for me).  And the bigger deal is that I am ready to face it all over again tomorrow....back to the trenches (stenches?)I go!