Category Archives: Hangin’ Out

Mischief & Merriment

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“Rebecca Dillingham, please come to Child Watch” were the words amplified throughout the Y last week — a page I hadn’t heard since I first started taking them to the Y well over a year ago. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Rather, the 3 Amigos’ naughtiness was in high gear, and the childcare folks were simply overwhelmed with the antics — conduct they sometimes have to deal with from one of the boys, but never all three.

And even after a major talking to and varied punishments, a bedtime Houston said, “I have a secret to tell you.” So, I lean down and hear, “You’re the coolest mommy ever.” What a satisfying way to conclude that trying evening.

Luckily, this trilateral meltdown is an aberration of the dudes’ generally good behavior these days. Of course, they have their moments of misdeeds and impropriety, but overall, things have been hunky dory around the zoo.

I think it’s safe to say that Houston enjoys shooting Kara.

Miss Jessie 

Okay, so our already-beloved nanny kicks major butt! Although she began just a short time ago on 8/22, she is already playing a major role in schooling the boys and helping me maintain my sanity — and doing so in just 12 hours a week!

From her first day of making Play-doh creations, playing with Legos, reading and doing phonics with Houston, to her subsequent days of finger painting, light-saber battles and gun fights, flashcards and puzzles, Miss Jessie is just what the doctor ordered. She is particularly creative – for example, Jessie cooked up a batch of homemade Play-doh and let the boys color their own individually bagged amounts of the compound – so we incorporate arts and crafts in to most days.

Jessie’s presence has helped me already accomplish a few things I’ve been wanting to do with the kids, but didn’t have the time. Things like working on “Hooked On Phonics” with Houston, teaching Gabe and Zeke how to use scissors and glue (their first time was on 8/29 and they were both amazingly patient at learning the task and adept at following through on the activity), and giving Houston the extra time he craves for mastering penmanship.

In the beginning, I had loose lesson plans for our Jessie days. And since then, the two of us decided to have themed weeks by implementing the academic, the artsy and the active around a central idea. This week is all about “autumn” and the changing of the seasons. So, after an outdoor scavenger hunt for fall materials, the boys made a gorgeous leaf-imprint painting.

Ice cream is one of Zeke’s favorites, as is Cousin Meredith.

And this will hopefully tie well into next week’s tackling of “the solar system.” And a few other themes we have on tap are “fire safety,” “music theory” and “speaking Spanish.” Of course, the latter will entail an all-Spanish presentation by Daddy (he’s already nervous) and cooking and eating lots of Mexican food.

Church

The entire family is simply loving our move to Westover Church.  Stephen and I are taking a three-week break from our FOG (Families on the Grow) Sunday-school group to attend the Newcomers Class. We have learned even more about Westover’s philosophy and doctrine — which is just about perfect for us and our beliefs and goals as Christians — as well as discovered even more intimate, smaller-group classes that our church has to offer.

Another move we’re happy about is the “promotion” of the boys in their Sunday-school classes. Houston’s class is about the same level of awesomeness — Bible lesson, crafts, singing, inside play, outdoor fun, etc. — but Gabe and Zeke have made the huge and quite necessary leap from a baby-ish class to a big-boy learning environment, which involves all of what is offered in Houston’s class, but at an age-appropriate level. The twins are far less bored, making for a lot more double and a lot less trouble.

To our surprise, Stephen and Houston made the cover of Westover’s Septembers newsletter. The adorable shot of Daddy swimming with an elated Houston was taken from the church’s father-son campout they attended last month.

Houston does a mean Cookie Monster @ the Children’s Museum.

MOPS 

I also joined Westover’s MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). It’s an international church-based organization that “equips moms to embrace their mothering instincts” and helps moms to develop “their own parenting styles, while navigating through the myriad of daily mom decisions.”

After just one meeting, I think MOPS will be fantastic. I clicked with all the gals at my table, which we’re assigned to for the duration of the club. And being that MOPS runs through May, all these moms and I should be pretty darn tight by the end of it all. Also, my group consists of moms who live in my neck of the woods, with the hope that this will promote tighter friendships and easier get-togethers.

My little social butterflies seem to enjoy the “Moppets” childcare, which is just a more casual version of their Sunday school lessons, but with some new friendly faces.

Big-boy accomplishments 

In an effort to get the twins accustomed to sleeping in a toddler bed, Jessie and I sometimes let the best-behaved boy nap in Houston’s bed, since big bro does his required “relaxation time” later in the day. Both Gabe and Zeke have pulled it off successfully a time or two, so the goal is that when we finally save up enough dough for bunk beds, the transition from the crib will be a smooth one.

We passed on some of Houston’s too-snug briefs to the twins as to get a handle on the potty training. I told myself I wasn’t going to stress about it till they turned 3, and now that we’re down to less than a month away from Gabe and Zeke’s birthday, Daddy, Jessie, the grandmas and I are in full get-er-done mode. Not only will sprained wrists and thumbs be a thing of the past, but not shelling out the the big bucks for diapers and wipes might even move us up an income bracket — although, in this economy, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

Gabriel feverishly shops for produce & grains @ the museum.

Dental hygiene 

The kids had to go in for their six-month dental exam on Monday. Sure, we had Jessie there to help out, but it was incredible how far the boys have come in overcoming their fear and apprehension of a good teeth cleaning. This is most notable in Houston, who used to be truly terrified of going to Dr. Mike. He even got x-rays this time around, and handled it with grace and bravery. The twins have never experienced quite the level of dentist-phobia as has big bro, but their courageous behavior was quite tenacious, as well.

Dr. Mike did give us a reminder that we’ve got to work on breaking Zeke of his thumb-sucking habit. I wrapped his thumb in an Ace bandage before a nap one day this week, but he quickly removed the attempted cloth repellent. Why would I expect anything less?

However, Zeke has finally mastered the art of spitting out his toothpaste in the sink. We’ve been working on it for six months now, so thank goodness that pea-sized amount of fluoride isn’t getting in to his system anymore. However, we still have a ways to go with Gabe, who still insists on swallowing before doing his humorous version of a hardy spit. We’ll get there.

And yesterday, I began flossing Gabe and Zeke’s teeth, which turned out to be an amazingly easy undertaking. Yay for small miracles!

The museum’s humongous chair is always a hit for the kids.

Mealtime & going potty

I stole a great idea from one of our new guilty-pleasure TV shows, “Nanny 911”: marbles in a jar. The twins earn a “diamond” (read: a colored glass stone) when they go potty when asked, or two diamonds when tell me they have to go before the act takes place in their diaper. Houston earns a stone when he completes a meal without spilling his drink. The boys each have a fancy jar, which they decorated with paint and glued-on embellishments. Once the jar is full, the reward is one-on-one time with Daddy doing an activity of their choosing.

The next was an idea that Jessie built off of mine. I had been telling the boys that kids who aren’t polite during mealtime don’t eat at Chuck E. Cheese. (Yep, a white lie, for sure, but whatever works, right?!) Jessie decided to make a “teamwork” reward poster, where the kids have to earn 30 marks before getting treated to the fun that Chuck has to offer. A mark can only be earned when all three use good manners and don’t potty talk, making this our only good-behavior motivator that isn’t based on the individual.

Also, we purchased sit disks, which a physical therapist suggested we try out, once she found out we were doing pre-K at home and planned on homeschooling, as well. The partially inflated rubber “wiggle seats” are supposed to help active children sit still, which they actually do. So the seats not only help calm academic and crafty activities, but they’ve also made a huge difference at mealtime. Awesome!

Halloween fever

  • “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is again in daily rotation. The twins laugh hysterically when Snoopy is a “shadow” (read: when he’s sneaking across the French countryside as the WWI flying ace and rising in Linus’ pumpkin patch).
  • The 3 Amigos are way into “Ghost-iz” (ghosts). They have some self-adhesive ones on their bedroom window that we named Scary Mary, Billy Boo and Rotten Boy (this one was Houston’s idea).

Zeke drives the fire truck w/ charisma & confidence.

  • There’s also Big J and Lil’ J: a plastic luminescent jack-o-lantern and his smaller, non-radiant counterpart.
  • And we already have the obligatory real pumpkin, Paulie, who guards the house from ghouls and monsters.
  • Costume update: Houston wanted to be a pirate, but now wants to be a Star Wars storm trooper. Zeke made the leap from wanting to be a cowboy to now wanting dress up like a pumpkin. And Gabe has never faltered: he will be Darth Vader.

Some other fun stuff

  • Stephen and Houston attended another Grasshoppers game on 8/30. Uncle Greg won a party package in a raffle, so they were treated to free admission, free food and box seats.
  • Houston’s t-ball has become a family affair. We have been attending his games and practices as a unit since it’s great fun for all. He is also doing superbly at picking up on the ins and outs of the sport.
  • Granny and Grumps visited Labor Day weekend. Happy belated birthday, Grumps!
  • And Gramsey and Papa stayed over one night last week. Thanks for the curtains!

Note: Please keep Zeke in your prayers because he in the throes of battling a nasty ear infection. Now that he’s medicated, we should get some decent sleep around here tonight.

Photos 

Finally, all the photos from Dina, Kara and Meredith’s June visit are available for your viewing pleasure. (Another “Thanks!” goes out to Cousin Merdy, who captured most of these early-summer memories.) Click the top pic to check out “Barber Park,” the ice-cream shot to see “McDonald’s” and the photo of Gabriel shopping for “Children’s Museum” fun.

“In a Continual State of Inelegance”

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That’s how Jane Austen said hot weather made her feel. Now throw in lugging around three huge boys and insane temperatures, and the English novelist couldn’t be more apropos in describing my summertime experience.

But if looking a little rough around the edges is what it takes to get the clan out and about for fun and adventure, this unfashionable mama is willing to make the sacrifice.

A proud Papa loves his 3 Amigos.

And perhaps soon I will have more time to deal with this “inelegance” because we just found a part-time Nanny, who will begin helping me out in late August. I’ve been searching for a while and finally found a perfect match for the fam and our needs. Her name is Jessie and she’s an education major who adores kids, has tons of experience, and seems smart, dependable and energetic.

Jessie will help with light housework, basic child care, taking the kids on outings or to appointments, pre-K and other academic-type stuff, arts and crafts, outdoor activities and even hopefully getting the kids excited about music (she plays the piano) … whatever it takes to assist me in giving my kids the best care possible, while also affording me some extra time. I can’t wait for her to start!

Another big change is that Stephen left his corporate job of 10+ years and now works for an IT start-up. After searching for months, he landed a job that will require he learn and use newer technologies, take more leadership roles, and be a more creative developer.

Stephen’s also telecommuting full-time (read: he works from home while the 3 Amigos and I are here), which has certainly taken some getting used to. Luckily, the boys and I are gone a lot. Sure, we’ve had some growing pains and had to iron out a few wrinkles, but after just three weeks, I’d say it’s going pretty well.

Gabriel attempts to grab a geyser @ the spray ground.

Houston’s 4th birthday was June 26. Aunt Dina, and cousins Kara and Meredith arrived for their three-day visit that day, which was an awesome gift unto itself. We had a pool/slip-and-slide party in the afternoon with a few close friends and neighbors. We didn’t want the get-together to be anything major, since Houston’s big present was out trip to Tweetsie. The remainder of the girls’ visit featured a trip to the spray ground, McDonald’s and the Children’s Museum.

Independence Day weekend entailed swimming at Miss Heather’s and then cooking s’mores and hotdogs by campfire at our house on Saturday. After hitting the early service at church on Sunday, we attended a neighborhood party, which also featured more pool fun.

It seems that with each outing — whether in a kiddy, inflatable or real pool — Houston’s swimming abilities improve by leaps and bounds. It’s an amazing thing to watch both his knowledge and confidence progress so quickly and, of course, little bros following suit by attempting to emulate all of Houston’s new skills.

On the actual holiday, I was wracking my brain as to what the kids and I would do. Stephen needed some free time to prepare for his first day on the job, which began on July 5, and none of my limited local options seemed like they would be worth the effort.

Zeke is thrilled by the aquatic awesomeness of the spray ground.

So, I took the kids on an impromptu three-day visit to Gramsey and Papa’s. The boys were in awe of the downpours, hail and lightning/thunder we witnessed on the drive up. While there, the kids picked veggies; took nature hikes with Grams “the naturalist;” gave Dina a run for her money; were thrilled to have Kara spend one night; had a great time hitting Auntie Lisa’s house; and were treated to some brief time with Uncle Albert, as well as a rare hang-out from Cousin Rick.

It was some time this week that Zeke not only earned his first reward sticker in a while, but also turned the corner on his near-constant contrarian behavior. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a short fuse or a fighting spirit, but I’m hopeful that Zeke is nearing the end of his terrible 2s. His misbehaviors have become short-lived, and he’s easier to calm and more willing to follow instruction. It’s wonderful to see more of our sweet Z-bird and less of the hooligan that has possessed his body for nearly a year. Praise the Lord!

The following weekend, Granny and Grumps visited. Grumps is looking and feeling great — what a blessing it is to have the boys’ beloved grandfather back in the swing of things. And then Granny and Grumps had the boys up last weekend to give Stephen and I time to get the house in working order. Even though they were asleep in the car when Granny took them to see a waterfall (one of their current obsessions), the boys had a blast in the mountains.

Some Moms-Club kids take a break from swimming.

Stephen and I have been attending LifeCommunity (a.k.a. Sunday school) at church since July 10. Ours is called Family On the Grow (FOG) and is for the parents of babies to preschoolers. It’s an intimate forum for learning, asking questions and discussing relevant topics. Stephen and I are excited to be a part of the thought-provoking class.

We kicked off the week of July 11 by tagging with Daddy to a lunch date with Uncle Greg and Mr. Max. Unfortunately, I was starved and had low blood sugar, and subsequently showed my butt by overreacting to some minor kid misbehavior. My rant was quick, but I hate that two good friends of the family had to be subjected to it.

Max, who has very well-behaved older kids of his own, wrote me a nice note, reassuring me that I’m doing a good job as a mom and our hard work will indeed pay off — “I see the discipline you have exerted in the lives of your children, and the godly influence you bestow will be rewarded” — and offering insight as to how he and his wife learned to handle such parental challenges. Thanks, Mr. Max!

After two weeks off, we returned to Miss Pat’s on July 12, and she was blown away by the twins’ use of questioning, sentence length and structure, use of descriptive words, and overall chit-chatty behavior. Both Pat and I agree that articulation is really the only area in which they could improve, so she gave them an assessment specific to this speech skill. Both boys scored within range for their age, but toward the lower end. Nothing to worry about, just something to work on.

Houston does a happy jig during his swim lessons.

In fact, Pat said, “I can tell that you and Stephen read to them a lot.” What a nice thing to hear. I mean, I oftentimes have to force myself to do books with the kids, since I’m usually exhausted by nap time and their bedtimes. So, it’s extremely rewarding to know that our diligence is having positive results.

Miss Pat gave them another round of tests this week. The gist is that they are scoring solidly in their age group in every category — everything from communicating about comparisons, colors and opposites, to relaying comprehension, logic and empathy — and well into the 3, 4 and near-5-year-old range. Great news and proof that Miss Pat has been a godsend.

On a related note, the boys had their first visit to “story time” at the library. The subject was “planes and trains,” which I figured was the perfect opportunity to give them a whirl at the notably quiet facility. Well, the 3 Amigos couldn’t have been better. They were attentive to the storyteller, loved the readings and took part in group participation. They were even well-behaved during a post-library oil change and inspection for the mini-van. Way to go, boys!

It’s not just books they love. The 3 Amigos adore music and aren’t ashamed to show it. It was long overdue, but we finally got some new VeggieTales CDs and other kids albums, and the boys have already memorized lots of Sunday school ditties and silly songs.

Houston patiently awaits a ride in the canoe.

Thankfully, their repertoire has grown beyond “Kumbaya,” although I believe that is still the twins’ favorite (since they unexpectedly break into it at the most random of moments). Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them.” I don’t think my kids will ever have that problem.

Some other recent fun includes a Moms Club outing to Faucette Farms; Jack and Lettie’s 5th birthday party at a waterpark in Charlotte; a trek to Matthew and Jonathan’s for a never-dull playdate; and trying to “catch it” when Mommy creates rainbows with the garden hose.

Health updates: the dudes are at the tail end of a nasty summer cold; Zeke had a check-up with his allergist, who tweaked his medicines; and Houston had his annual pediatric check-up. Not only is he age 4, but he got four vaccines (yikes!), weighs 44 pounds and 44 inches tall.

Lastly, R.I.P Yoda-fish II.

Click the top photo to see a few pics in the June gallery; the above photo for shots of Houston’s swim lessons (many are crappy, but sports photography is not my forte); and the pic of Zeke to check out our first trip to the spray ground.

Free Comic Book Day

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We attended this fabulous event at Daddy’s local comic book store the first weekend of May. And considering that the annual giveaway entails waiting in line on a sidewalk in a strip-mall parking lot for hours on end, amazingly, the jaunt was a smashing success!

We were particularly impressed with Zeke, who was the trouble-maker on the previous family outing. Sure, we understand he’s going through the throes of the terrible twos, and that his strong-willed spirit has served him well in life — certainly helping him survive TTTS, the NICU and CCAM surgery, and deal with an umbilical hernia, acid reflux and now asthma — but tantrums suck and have to be dealt with in productive ways. So, I pick and choose my battles with the contrarian, and always have to plan ahead for outings, notably those with the whole clan.

First crush: Zeke & Wonder Woman bond @ Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 7.

Having brought two cars to the event helped to take some pressure off. And then the presence of an attractive Wonder Woman, who seemed to be immediately fond of the 3 Amigos, didn’t hurt in setting the day’s mood either. In fact, “Woman,” as Zeke lovingly refers to her, had a special thing for Z-Bird.

There was even this humorous moment toward the end of the boys’ three-hour stint when WW checked in on the boys, and an exhausted Zeke gave an eye-level stare at her thigh while standing and then a fatigued gaze at her breast as she held him. Obviously, this interplay provided much comedy for the nearby comic geeks.

As far as the other 2 Amigos go, Houston was shy at first and a bit overwhelmed by the super-hero aura. Gabriel was awestruck, as well, but was also a tad whiney and needy. The fact that we stood in line with the Hydes and that the boys were able to play with Matthew and Jonathan helped to pass the time and keep the kids’ unruly behavior at bay. Thank goodness for friends and super-heroes.

Not only did we have happy children that day, we had a happy Daddy. I took the boys home in our “escape car,” so Daddy could stay to score some cool sketches and autographs, as well as spend some time with Auntie Merdy and Uncle Greg.

The nicest Captain America ever shares his shield w/ the 3 Amigos.

Unfortunately, the day following our comic-book merriment, sickness again infested our home. By the evening, the kids had slightly red, goopy eyes. But because the symptoms weren’t that acute, I chocked it up to seasonal allergies and not something serious. We did our normal routine the first part of the week. But by Wednesday, the kids’ eyes had worsened, and both Gabriel and Zeke had intermittent fevers throughout the day, so it was apparent we should institute a self-quarantine.

That night, the boys awoke to the frightening realization that they were unable to open their eyelids because of encrusted sappy secretions. Poor Gabe, both of his eyes were sealed. To top it off, Zeke had a temperature more than 104°. Tylenol brought it down, but it was obvious this ailment was getting worse, not better.

The next morning, Stephen called our inept pediatrician and explained the fevers and eye conditions, to which he queried, “And what would you like me to do about it?” Yeah, we’ll be finding a new pediatrician really soon. Luckily, not all the docs in our area are that lame, and we were able to go see a great physician at our frequented trusty-worthy family medicine practice.

Turns out, that the kids indeed had pinkeye, and Gabriel and Zeke have ear infections in both ears to boot. Dr. Sharon prescribed eye drops, which almost immediately cleared up the nasty and annoying symptoms of the pinkeye. She also put Gabe and Zeke on strong antibiotics, which took a few days to start working, but have now (along with a regimen of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen) done away with their ear pain and high fevers. Thank God for modern medicine and docs who actually give a hoot about their patients.

“Super-Mom-Super-Wife-Super Tired” Girl & Green Lantern brandish their awesome power rings.

Since the twins have been fever-free since Saturday and the pinkeye will no longer be communicable after five days, we are set to get back to our fun-filled schedule as of tomorrow, and just keep on trying our best to get and stay healthy. Even though it seems as if there’s always some malady lurking around the corner, the doc encouraged us by saying that these viruses and infections aren’t for naught: each time the kids get sick, they build antibodies that will in turn prevent future illnesses. One can only hope.

So yeah, the bad news for the kids is that they missed out on strawberry picking with Moms Club, a free bluegrass festival, church, and playdate at Matthew and Jonathan’s house. But the good news is that Grumps is feeling good these days, so Granny came to visit last weekend — first time since January! She helped me sanitize the toys and wash a ton of possibly infected laundry, since instances of pinkeye reinfection are fairly common.

Granny also gave us a break on the parenting front. I finally dyed my hair and went for a haircut, and then got my 90-minute massage. Very nice. Stephen caught up on sleep, since his sinus infection has worsened as of late. Thanks a million, Granny!

“Hot Guy” Spidey thrills the kids w/ his appearance. (Check out the sketch this stoner got artist Ryan Dunlavey to draw for him.)

Miscellaneous happenings, random thoughts:

  • As if my hectic life weren’t enough, I received a summons for jury duty. I’m going to request an excusal, but if I don’t get it, I’ll just wear my Fair Tax button on my Ron Paul t-shirt while carrying my messenger bag that features a “Don’t Tread on Me” patch to the jury assembly room. That should get me recused, for sure.
  • We had “Christmas In May” today. I gave into Houston’s occasional pleading for holiday entertainment. We watched “Rudolph” and “The Grinch,” and read “Frosty the Snowman.”
  • Zeke’s obstinate behavior has even shone through for Miss Pat our last couple times at speech therapy, but Gabriel has totally made up for it. He recently mastered Who, What, When and Where questions with much depth and detail. Pat said that this was not only a milestone for Gabe, but that it’s also pretty advanced for his age.
  • Miss Lorrie and I have taken the boys swimming at the Y twice now. All have improved in just two aquatic outings, exhibiting greater skill, comfort and bravery by the second lesson. I also made the mistake first time around of getting them all cleaned up in the family locker post-swim. Way too crazy. Now I just dry ’em off and load ’em up. Much smarter.
  • In late April, I went to another doc to try to tackle my sinus infection, which is still lingering a bit. In addition to some helpful meds, I also got a physical and some blood work done to rule out that anything major might be wrong. After all, I’ve been extremely ill four times this year. But I’m fine, thankfully, other than some slightly elevated lipids.
  • All the boys love to chant and sing, and even make up their own songs. Zeke’s recent creation is a lilting “Going up, going down, going up, going down.” Quite a lovely ditty.
  • Driving around with the boys is a chatter-infused adventure. These are some recent musings of the twins: “Look, Mommy, McDonald’s … Taco Bell … Wendy’s … Happy Easter, church … Mom’s Club church (where we have our monthly socials) … pretty house … hiking trail … firemen … apple store (Lowe’s Foods) … lion store (Food Lion) … lake … flags.”

Houston proudly poses w/ one of his favorite Marvel anti-heroes, Deadpool. (Click this pic to see all the photos.)

  • Houston, on the other hand, is a total backseat driver. He already knows about right turn on red, yield to pedestrians at crosswalks, speed limits, passing in the lefthand lane and a variety of other driving-related rules. I bet he knows more motor vehicle laws than your average driver.
  • Speaking of driving, getting stuck behind a Prius, especially when motoring uphill, totally sucks. What doesn’t suck is the Foo Fighters’ new CD, Wasting Light. Absolutely awesome.

Early May milestones

  • Both Gabriel and Zeke finally figured out how to climb out of their cribs. Needless to say, the bedtime shenanigans (especially considering that Houston is also sleeping in the twins’ room now) are at an all-time high. It is not uncommon to put them down in their own beds and find them all piled on top of one another in a single crib later. Wake-up time has become a new adventure, as well.
  • Houston put on his socks and shoes for the first time all by himself. He is surely no master at the task as of yet, but he loves to try.
  • Houston experienced his first real fight. Two boys at a playdate allegedly ganged up on him and one bit his finger. They said he started it and he said they did, further justifying himself by adding, “But Mommy, I was defending myself.” All is well amongst the dudes now, but it was definitely a teachable moment.
  • Big bro has also taken to heading up the twins’ potty training. He is always encouraging them, showing them the ropes and just being such a positive force. I even woke up one morning to find that Houston had gotten Gabe on the little potty, while he went on the big potty. Now why Gabe was totally nude is still unclear. Zany boys.