Introducing...

Introducing Eli Andrew Dougherty:

Born on his due date, December 28, weighing 7 lbs. 5 oz.

I've been a little busy with newborn things, so I will post details later. We are so thrilled to have this little angel come into our family that I at least had to tell you that he's here!

Who does that??

Joseph has been working in the oral surgery clinic at the dental school over the Christmas break. He called me at about 3:00 this afternoon and I got all excited thinking that he would be coming home early. No, that wasn't the case. He was calling to inform me that he had just had his wisdom teeth pulled. Excuse me? Say what?? Apparently, things had been really slow that afternoon, and the faculty on hand just casually asked if there were any students that needed to have any teeth pulled. One of Joseph's fellow classmates spoke up and said, "Well, yeah, Joe here has two wisdom teeth that need to come out." The oral surgeon looked at Joseph's x-rays, and right then it was decided that he would be the next patient.

Needless to say, I was pretty shocked when he called to tell me the news, and then he was confused as to why I wasn't thrilled about it. The only thing I could think was, Who in their right mind volunteers to have their wisdom teeth pulled out on a whim? He kept saying, "But Angela, it was free!" Yeah, I realize it was free, but I could go into labor any second here! The last thing I need is to have my water break while he's changing the gauze in his mouth from oral surgery!

He insists he's fine. I'm not so sure. It took me a while to recover from my own wisdom teeth extractions, but since he didn't have an IV or anything, just a few shots, he says it'll heal quickly. I guess I should trust him since he deals with this kind of stuff all the time. Let's hope!! If I wasn't so worried about going into labor right now, I'd think this whole thing was absolutely hilarious!

Here is my husband eating ice cream and putting ice on his cheeks. I almost feel sorry for him...

I can't like it

Jake is a funny kid. He thinks don't, won't, and can't all mean the same thing, so he simply says can't for everything. Lately, he's been telling us everything that he likes and doesn't (or can't) like. Unfortunately, one of those things that he "can't" like is going to the bathroom on the potty! I know I told you that I'd spare the potty talk, but I just can't (haha) anymore. We might as well all just admit that my life revolves around talking, thinking, and, yes, even dreaming about these bodily functions, and how to get my son to stop telling me that he "can't" like it.


Here's the deal: Jake is going to be three in March. And he has literally zero interest in going to the bathroom. We've tried the rewards system, treats, two different potties (including the one above that makes awesome car noises) pull-ups, and even threatening. There was one point where he went pretty consistently on the potty, and we would always give him a treat and lots of praise, but then he decided he was over it. He stopped wanting to go, and now every time I ask him if he wants to sit on the potty he says, in his sweet little innocent voice, "I can't go potty, mommy, I can't like it." No, Jake, you WON'T go potty. I know perfecty well that you can, you've done it plenty of times before.

So, mothers (or fathers, or grandmothers, or nanny, or whoever the heck did the potty training in the house), how did you do it?? What were the signs he/she was ready? Am I just making things worse by talking to him about it all the time? I need some help, because right now I just can't like this.