New Car, New Toilet, and the Beach

No, the new toilet is not part of the new car, though that would sure be convenient. It was definitely a full weekend. Since Lauren starts Kindergarten tomorrow we decided it was finally time to get a second car. Plus with a third baby on the way we were going to need more room anyway. Ben really likes Hondas so we started looking at the Odyssey. Ben did a search on Carmax and found one he liked, but it had to be shipped up from San Diego. While we waited for that van to arrive, Ben went the next night to a dealership across the street and found an awesome Odyssey for much less. He bought it and the next day, Saturday, we picked it up. It's the same age as our Accord, has less miles, leather interior for easy clean-up, dvd player for long road trips, and was much less than we had budgeted spending. Ben is pleased it was so cheap and matches our Accord so perfectly. I'm pleased I have my own car with so much extra space. Lauren and Spencer like the dvd player, all the hidden cup holders, and the extra leg room.

To welcome our car into the family we took it to the Beach right after driving it off the lot. Ben's office had a picnic at Crystal Cove for all the attorneys and staff. We got to tour some tidal pools and play in the sand. It was really overcast and a bit chilly, but that didn't bother the kids at all. We saw some barnacles, mussels, sea anemones, and a little crab in the pools. We all had hats, though most people did not. I did my civic duty and corrected people on their misconception that you can't get sunburned in cloudy weather. I think most of them thought I was crazy. Oh well, my skin will be smooth and young looking in 10 years. It was a really fun day and we all came back to the car sandy and wet. So much for the new, clean car. Before they got all sandy.
Ben didn't wear a hat. I did bring one for him, but it was cloudy and he felt silly wearing it. He got a bit of sun on his neck and forehead. One of these days he'll learn. . .I think.
The water was a bit nippy. The kids didn't mind one bit and stood in the surf squealing and splashing.

On Monday we got a new, low-flow toilet installed in our apartment. The Irvine Ranch Water District is making the toilets mandatory at least in apartments and businesses. The hidden blessing of this whole procedure is the motivational effect it has had on Spencer's potty training. Spencer was doing really good about going pee when I took him to the bathroom, but he wasn't at the point of telling me when he had to go. This new toilet has two buttons you push instead of a handle to flush. One button is for liquids and one is for solids. Spencer loves talking about the buttons and pushing them when he does his business. Yesterday he told me each time when he had to go pee. The first couple he had already started going in his pullup, but he stopped and finished in the potty. He hasn't done number 2 in the potty yet, but he is very excited to push the solids button. I really think it will be the motivation for him to do number 2 in the potty because up til now I always find him in the middle of a movement and whisk him off to the bathroom to finish up the last of it there. Now I think he's pretty excited to push that button so he may start telling me instead of just hiding from me. In conclusion, my advice for mothers potty training a little boy is to install a low-flow toilet with two buttons. It works wonders.

Quick baby update. I have not heard anything back from the ultrasound technichian which means they did not find any abnormalities in the pictures. So far our little girl is healthy and strong and we are blessed. She is a good kicker and I am already feeling my uterus tightening at least a few times each day. I don't remember feeling this with the other kids until I was 6 or 7 months along.