THE DAY HAS COME!!!

February 24, 2008 will be one of those great "memorable" days in our home simply because Quinny stepped over into official big-boy hood!!

Yes... drum roll please. The Kelly house is officially diaper free for the first time in 6 years, 8 months and a few weeks.

And here's the official shot. Yes, I'm positive that I will save this forever to show their wives one day!

Now for all who really care to know...

June 8, 2001 Ry and I became parents and thus entered the diaper filled life. Granted we received so many gifts that year, that I honestly didn't have to buy a pack of diapers or clothes for that matter, till about a week before his first birthday. I know... slap me. I really didn't get that those things impact a budget sooooooooo much till my first kid was one.

Well since that wonderful day in June we have been changing, wiping, running to the store, throwing them away and unfortunately finding misplaced ones EVERY DAY!! Not to mention all the wipes, creams, powders, and Vaseline that goes with the process.

Since we had our boys relatively close together, there really hasn't been a time we were absolutely diaper free. So that is why this day is soooooo great!!

Now for the official baby-book story...

Quinny has been potty training since he was two. Don't gasp... it was just his desire to do what the big boys were doing, so I went along with it. When he turned two he wanted to get on that pot and I let him. He would climb up there by himself and squat straddling the toilet seat. That is why we called him "little spider man". Well he wasn't that dedicated to actually going by himself... and to tell you the truth I wasn't that dedicated myself. However, when he turned 3 I discontinued the diaper and told him to get it together! :-) So Pull-Ups became our friend. Problem was they essentially became a pull on diaper, which I resented. They cost more than a diaper and yet we were throwing them away as frequently. Talk about irritating!!

Well one day in February he ran out of pull-ups and funds just weren't there. We just couldn't go to the store to buy him his pull-ups... I was irritated, but believed God would bring us something. Then it just hit me!! Put his little butt in underwear and "just do it!" I'm sure all the moms out there that did this is rolling their eyes at me right now. But I will tell you, I do work and when I'm home with them, everything else has to get done, so making time to run after a little boy peeing all over the house isn't something I wanted to add to my "to do list".

So officially on Tuesday the 19th he woke up, took off his last used pull-up and donned a pair of undies. He loved it of course. We had tried this a few times over the last year already. He liked the freedom. He had about 4 accidents that day, BUT he also made it about 4 times that day. Working with the babysitter was interesting, so he went through all his undies in his drawer in two days. Night time was fun too. I had to keep making myself get up to take him to the potty. I know... cry me a river... I was tired!!

Well he figured it out and woke up 3 nights in row without an accident and stayed dry for two days in a row without accidents too. So on Sunday morning (the 24th) as we were getting ready for church, I declared Quinny a big boy!! The other boys were excited too and felt they were deserving of all the attention too. So they were all declared big boys together!!

Now that its been a couple of weeks (he has had a few accidents here and there) he has taken complete ownership of his personal duty time. This week I've been particularly happy because I haven't had to make him go poop. He actually came and told me or jumped on there by himself!!! Then this morning he came to my room when he woke up to say he had to go poop. I wanted to cry! Yes, my beautiful little curly head angel is a big boy now.

And of course I had to tell someone about it... (big cheesy smile)

Till later... Nic