Potty training success. I did it!

If you have followed us for a while you know that both girls are daytime potty trained.  By that I mean they go when they need to, I do not prompt them to go potty unless we are getting ready to leave or go to bed.

Alayna mastered daytime potty training a couple months after she was 2 and Dariya when she was 4, about a year post orphanage.  To see some other potty training posts click here or here

As I have always said, slow and steady wins the race. I have never been in a big hurry to potty train them during the day or at night.  I knew nighttime would come later, just wasn't sure how much later.

For the past two weeks this sweet girl has been dry AT NIGHT!

Are you kidding me?

The same girl that we had to buy nighttime diapers for just a couple months ago because she was wetting her diaper SO much that her PJ's would be wet.

We are celebrating (but not going to bed without diapers just yet).  

Dariya is Miss Independent with toileting.  We are super proud of your big girl status.

Next up...panties to sleep in!

Highly guessing this will motivate Alayna to do it as well, she is dry some nights but it is random.

Wish us luck.

Birthday party fun...Inclusion works

Saturday afternoon both girls were invited to a birthday party.

The guest of honor was a sweet, typical peer from their preschool class, "A".  They have both bonded with "A",she is an outstanding peer role model for the girls.

The girls were super excited about this swimming party and had been talking about it for the last couple weeks since we received the invitation.  I was a little worried that Alayna would miss as she had a cold that turned into a sinus infection late in the week (Thank you for antibiotics for both she and I as she shared her germs with me!)

When we arrived one of the little boys from their class (another typical peer) greeted us at the door with a huge hello and hugs for the girls.

Then it was on to greet "A" and give her the gifts the girls brought.


Cupcakes and apple juice sure make a party fun.  Dariya was even patient enough to wait until they sang Happy Birthday before eating.

Once they were finished with the food it was onto swimming.  Oh my did all the kids have a blast.

Here are the girls swimming with their boy buddy from class.  I think the teenage years might be crazy for us.

Here Aidan is swimming with Alayna and Dariya is swimming with Daddy.

Aidan brought a friend along so he could enjoy the afternoon also.

As a "retired" special ed teacher and principal and mom of girls with special needs, I highly stand behind the notion that inclusion works!

"A's" family is super sweet, was interested in our girls and Dariya's adoption story and wants to have play dates with the girls.  The mom couldn't imagine our girls not being with her daughter because of their down syndrome.  

If you don't think inclusion works, just look at how far Dariya has come since joining our family 2 1/2 years ago.  Sure I work with her but, she learns a ton of great skills from the peers in her class that I can't teach her at home alone.

My prayer is that we meet a LOT more families like this as the girls begin kindergarten in our home school (that will be a new school for them) next year.

Can't fault a girl for trying, can you?

A sweet neighbor gave the girls the DVD version of Hulabaloo a year or so ago.  At that point they weren't very interested in it.  If you have never heard of it go here.

However, as of the past few months both girls have become quite addicted to this fun and educational game.

So it wasn't surprising in the least when we couldn't find or hear Dariya for about 5 minutes yesterday morning.

Jason went to check on her and found the basement light on.  All he heard when he walked down the stairs was a little voice saying, "Mommy, mommy..."  When he rounded the corner he found this...

Notice what is on the shelf above her head?  Yep, Hullabaloo.

Although she couldn't reach it and was stuck in the shelving unit we gave her an A+ for effort and for giving us a giggle!

Silly Dariya!