I was not expecting THAT over the weekend.

Big news in the Powell household... Mary has been using the potty!  Saturday morning she announced that she had to go potty and went, several times.  Earlier last week we finally caught the after bath potty that usually ends up an accident on the floor.  She was up on the bed getting pj's on and she got real still and told me "potty!".  We ran.  We got it.  And we tried to make as big a deal of it as we could, dancing, shouting, hip-hooraying. 

I think she is finally realizing when she has to go.  I haven't been brave enough to really go all out for it and put her in underwear but she did tell me she had to go one time today with a diaper on.  (funny how with Corrie it was all exciting and we couldn't wait to start the whole process and now with Mary I just think of the amount of work and effort it takes and... it makes me tired :)  "I hav go potty!".  And "der it goes" she says on the potty with a huge grin... 

Which brings me to the next point... I love watching them grow up and grow together.  Mary is living up to her middle name.  She is so much fun. (Her middle name is not Fun but you know what I mean :)  She loves coloring (mostly just the crayons), drawing (ask her to draw a snowman with eyes and nose and a mouth), singing and being with her big sis these days.  And Corrie is such a helper, loves to help, wants to help, is so happy to help...  This morning she wanted to 'help' me brush my teeth.  And she's really into cute little animals like kittens or puppies or    snails?  This was a conversation I had with her in the tub recently that I tried to write down before I forgot.

(corrie) "I bet if you hadn't fallen in love with dad, lots of people would fall in love with him. 

Except giants. 

He's so pretty... even more than kittens!"

(me) "He's handsome, isn't he?" 
(corrie) "Yes, very handsome."


I was struck today (a good reminder) how my girls are truly gifts by God.  The way they came, who they are, what they are teaching me and how they are changing us... is truly amazing and it makes me stop and savor moments like tonight- laughing with Corrie, marveling at the way she thinks, celebrating with Mary each time she goes potty, reading to her before bed... and the thought of a fresh new day waiting for us tomorrow.  What will we do tomorrow?  :)  

These silky pj's were a special gift from Grandma Peterson.  Thank you Grandma!

Hooters

In case you missed them, there are some recent photos of the girls over on my photo blog: http://brianpowell.info/?p=3807

We went to O'Charley's for dinner one night, and when we left we noticed a fake owl sitting on the roof.   Driving away, we passed Hooters next door and Corrie said, "Maybe the owl came from the Hooters store!"

Another day this week, Carrie leaned over to help her with her jacket or something, and Corrie said, "Whoops!  I can see the things you put the covers on.."

:o

Corrie quotes

"Mom, can you get the underwear out of the crack in my bottom!?"

"I'm like Ariel 'cause I fell in love with a sheep."

('rescuing' something that fell off the clothesline)
"There!  I saved it from an untimely death!"

What We've Been Up To...

UPDATE- check out amber's post about our zoo trip... also check out the rest of their blog.  their boys are pretty amazing!

http://magnews1.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/zoo-trip/

Sharks!  Last week we headed to the Indianapolis zoo to meet up with some dear friends recently moved.  The girls loved petting the dog sharks.  Actually, Mary's little arms never quite got down far enough to pet one but she enjoyed the big "bath tub" of water.  Corrie made a friend with a big momma shark.  It would swim back and forth in front of her, letting her pet it.  Pretty neat!

From our yard...  enjoying the outdoors.

Corrie and the cousins

Some pics are over here

Catching Up

Our spring weather did not last long :)  So we are back to this...

The girls favorite thing to do now... reading in front of the fire.  Johnnie soaks up some warmth from the fire as well.  Corrie's favorites include Little House on the Prairie and a big book called, "What Makes It Work?" (everything from toilets to record players).  Mary loves Clifford, Thomas, Berenstein Bears, The Little Mermaid and Snow White.

I found an old video, pre-Christmas, of Mary.
 
Having an older sister, Mary has picked up a few interesting phrases.  "Hi, I'm Maury."  "dewy-goose" (silly goose) plus a lot of "Mine!" and "No!" :)

and finally a Corrie quote: 
(driving in the car)
bp- Boy, we haven't seen the sun in a long time.
corrie- yea, I hope it remembers us!   

Yes, It's warm!

Enjoying the sunshine, worms and dirty puddles.