'what's up weekly.'

It's Friday again, party people.  Which obviously means it's time to party.  Which obviously means it's time for What's Up Weekly.

Last weekend was full of fun, in both the conventional sense, and the unconventional sense, of the word.  We spent time at the cemetery, which was fun in an unconventional way.  Then on Saturday afternoon, Todd wanted to take the kids to BaconFest, but they got over there right as everything was closing down, so he took them to the grocery store instead to get them free cookies.  No skin off their noses.

Todd preached on Sunday, and we also spent time celebrating Father's Day, which were both fun in a more traditional way.  The kids had all made or purchased gifts for Todd, and were chomping at the bit to give them to him.

Laurelai bought him socks and Sour Patch Kids.

Finneas gave him a board book that we'd gotten him for his birthday, an empty nail box full of chicken feathers he found at the Amish, and a paper puppet he made named Baldy.

Penelope gave him a jar full of ants, although she had caught the ants the previous Tuesday, so by the time they made it into Todd's hands, it was basically a mass grave in a jar.

Atticus made him a book about World War II.

'We all' bought him a Chemex and some nice coffee, and signed a greeting card about having cholera.

After giving gifts and taking naps, the kids were pretty strung out by Sunday evening.

On Monday, Atticus came down with a mystery bug and spent 48 hours with horrible migraine, trying to sleep off his headache and nausea/vomiting.  Penelope also came down with it later in the week.  I swear, I thought cold-and-flu season was in the winter, but apparently I'm wrong, because once Spring hits around here, it seems like we just can't catch a break.

Rocco also started potty training on Monday, and was a total champ.  He had one accident about fifteen minutes into the day, and another one in the evening.  Other than that, he has completely mastered the skill of using the toilet on his own.  He recognizes when he needs to use the bathroom, heads in there, takes his own shorts off, climbs onto the potty by himself, and does his thing, including going poop.

We even spent about three hours up at the Amish on Wednesday morning, and another two hours out running errands Wednesday afternoon, and he didn't have an accident.  He said he had to go pee while we were at Speech, but when he saw the public toilet, he thought twice about it and refused to go.  So I told him he'd have to hold it until we got home, and he did!  As soon as we walked in the door at home, he headed straight for the bathroom.  Color me thoroughly impressed.  I have never had a kid train this easily before.

When I put his first pair of undies on him, he went to find Finneas right away.  "You weerin' undies, and MINE weerin' undies!"

Other than that, the kids have spent a lot of time bonding this week, which has been adorable.

Callista is working on weaning.  (Orrrr, I'm working on weaning her, while trying not to get caught by her.  Sneaky antics.)  I'm ready to be done, and as she turns a year old in just a few days (WHAT?!??!), I figured I can move her to table foods in clean conscience.  So she's been eating most meals with us, and has even begun to tolerate cold cow's milk from a sippy cup.  (I tried goat milk, but she was having none of it.)

In other Callista Milestone news, she got a bath.  I rarely full-on bathe her because she's never all that dirty, and it's better for her skin to not give too many baths.  But it was time.  And she was not thrilled.

As you may have noticed in the picture above, some changes have been happening in Callista's room.  I still have a little ways to go (a few more plants, a painting hung above her crib, some new knobs for her dresser), it is so much cozier in there already.  It's so funny - the kids even feel the difference.  While I would almost never find anyone playing in her room before, now that I'm starting to decorate, I'm constantly finding them in there reading, playing or just hanging out.  Making a house prettier is good for everyone's souls.

And to wrap everything up, Todd joined me for a video this week over on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/3AzzWqwpVXU

***Yes, I know I was hopeful that I'd get the file for the Potty Training Your Toddler ebook ready for download by today, but it turns out that was kind of an overly ambitious goal to set.  It's as though I've never done this before.  But, hope springs eternal, and I'll see if I can get it finished over the weekend!

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!