Joy of Homeownership

We've been preparing for the baby. We moved Ben downstairs a few weeks ago, to join his brother Will in the basement. We had a bathroom down there that we never finished and decided to get going on it. With 2 kids downstairs and a leaky shower in our master (that needs to be completely gutted), we need that bathroom! So, for the past month we've been finishing that lovely room. Seriously, I don't know how people build homes on their own (ANGIE). It has been the biggest pain getting bids and figuring out who I like best and if we've made the right decision in our contractors.

Mark isn't handy. He'd much rather hire everything out. When we finished our basement a few years ago, he actually framed and wired the entire place. So, he is handy, he'd just rather pay someone else to do it! Well, last weekend, we installed our shower head. We should have know then that something was wrong. Google was and is our friend. You can figure anything out online. The hot and cold was switched, so I googled it, and figure out how to switch it.

Yesterday, they installed our cabinets/counter and sink. So, last night we tried installing our toilet. The kids were so excited to be able to relieve themselves there this morning. After installing the toilet, we found that the water was HOT in the toilet. Nice! You should have heard the jokes that were coming out of our mouths, and a few expletives from Mark. I wanted to cry. If it's not one thing, it's another! Well, it turns out that the plumber we hired, switched the hot and cold, so everything was switched.

Luckily, the plumber, when I called him this morning, was so nice and stands behind his work. He came this afternoon and is currently fixing the problem. (Notice the rather large hole in our freshly painted ceiling.)

Here are some pics of our semi-finished bathroom. Is the brown/white checkerboard too much? I love it!







We are almost ready to take a sledge hammer to the master bath! I can't wait for that!!!

A Little Bribery

I've resorted to bribery. I'll do whatever it takes to get Max potty trained before the baby comes. We took advantage of the cold weather this past week and really focused on training Max. He's done a great job with the concept, peeing is no problem for him. I just can't get him to poop in the potty. I basically sit on his lap all day, waiting for the poop to come. The second I let him out of my sight, he sneaks away and hides and POOPS in his underpants. We've gone through so many pair of underwear with weekly visits to Target to re-stock. I'm done. I've told him that I would buy him anything that he wanted at the toy store if he'd just poop in the potty. Watching cartoons he'd see a toy and mention that he wanted that toy. I would just say, "I'll buy it for you as soon as you poop in the potty"!

It wasn't working!

So, today Max and I ventured to the nearest Toys-R-Us. We spent nearly an hour deciding what to purchase. I ended up buying him one small toy as a reward for doing such a great job thus far, and saved the biggie for the first movement.

What do you think?

I'm thinking it just might work. HOPEFULLY!

**Yes, he is cuddling and crying into his Baby Bjorn potty insert. I know, Gross!**