'nuggles & fizers & potty OH MY!

Well my latest posts have been about Lana & so I thought I'd share some stories about Janae.  I don't really have a picture of these "events" so I thought I'd just share a cute one of Janae eating a surprise donut from Daddy.  Ain't she cute?

Janae doles out her affection on her own terms.  She would only give out hugs when she woke up first thing in the morning or from naps (she explained it to me once when I asked for a hug mid-morning) but she's always loved to snuggle in bed in the mornings with me.  Lately we've been having trouble getting Janae to nap in the afternoons or go to bed in the evenings.  Long after Lana has crashed, Janae is running around her room, reading books & playing with puzzles & her toys, sneaking out, etc.  At nap time yesterday, one of the times she came out of her room she asked, "Mommy?  You 'nuggle me?"  Who can resist a question like that?  So in I went & laid down next to her - I told her we had to close our eyes or I wouldn't stay & snuggle.  Five minutes later she was out.  Same thing happened in the evening - Kevin was going to bed at 10:30 & Janae opened her door & requested to "nuggle with Mommy".  Poor Kevin tried to snuggle with her but she wanted me.  When that sweet little voice asked me to "nuggle", I couldn't resist - except this time I wanted to go to sleep in my own bed (I took a 15 minute snooze with her for her nap) - plus I didn't want to make this a habit.  So after maybe 5 minutes I got up and started to leave.  Janae (who I swore was close to being asleep) woke up and asked me to stay & 'nuggle.  I told her I had to go snuggle with Daddy & she said, "I don't like that.  Stay & 'nuggle with me Mommy".  I leaned in to give her a hug & tell her I had to go & she put a death hug on me & again begged me to stay and 'nuggle.  We broke a deal & I told her if she closed her eyes, I would go have Lana go potty (we wake her up when we go to bed), brush my teeth & get in my pjs and come back & snuggle.  Thankfully my plan worked & she fell asleep by the time I was ready for bed - we'll see how the rest of the week plays out...

The second story is about Janae's pacifier - or "fizer" as Janae called it (she used to call it her "fire" & then it was "pacifizer" - shortened to "fizer").  "Pacifier?" you ask, "Hasn't she given that up?"  Yes, for several months now but I'm thinking Janae might be getting Lana's sleep talking/walking habit.  The last few nights we have been woken up between 1:00am & 5:00am from Janae wandering into our room.  A few of the times she has been adament that we give her her "fizer".  She says she can't find it & needs our help.  The first few times we tried to reason with her but now we are using the "Lana approach" and just talking to her softly while we walk her back to her bed & tell her we will look for it & get it to her when we find it.  There has been no mention of her "fizer" during the day...

The last story is just an update on potty training.  Janae is doing great.  She still has an accident every once in awhile (like when we completely forgot to ask her during Lana's birthday party & she had an accident 15 minutes after everyone left - oops!).  She pretty much tells us when she needs to go (still can't get her to go without her having to tell us beforehand) & we will remind her before we leave the house & ask her when we are out.  So far no accidents except at our house (knock on wood).  The one "bad" thing is that I used to give her candy when she went potty & even made up a fun song to encourage her when she went.  The words were... "Janae went potty in the toilet. Janae went potty in the toilet. Janae went potty in the toilet.  And now she gets some can-dy."  I promise it has a catchy jingle to it.  Janae learned it.  Lana learned it.  Now when Janae goes potty, sometimes I'm not around & Lana will sing the song & then Janae thinks, "oh yeah, I get candy!"  Stupid Mommy - making up a song that reminds them about a reward that I want to phase out!  Normally we distract or I just say no candy this time - but still, the potty song reminds them that she used to get a reward & so I have a feeling I'll be asked for candy for a long time...