A Royal Post

The Princess and her royal subjects

Well, progress sure is moving in fits and stops around here. We totally gave up the potty for awhile, then I promised her a camera and this worked real well for a few days until she got a stomach virus. I will spare you the details but let's just say we could never make it there fast enough. So.... we were back to square one. Feel bad that she ended up with this after having stomach issues for so long! But hey, at least she doesn't seem to feel too bad and thank God it isn't giardia.  I didn't buy the camera for her yet but I will. It's going to be the big reward for when she is pretty much dry during the day consistently. For now, I've got another gimmic:

Her Rubiness on the Royal Throne. Yesterday I found this adorable Princess Potty book at Barnes & Noble and she really really liked it. Comes with a paper crown you wear only when on the potty and has princess reward stickers that you decorate the potty with. A brilliant idea! Potty training is back on!

        

Hmmm...very interesting! As you can see, she finds it to be QUITE the good read!

In other BIG GIRL news... my "baby" has a big girl bed! Jeff converted the crib into a toddler bed. I have to say I teared up that night seeing her in it. So proud of her and yet it's another sign of her growing up so fast! The bed looks real cute and Ruby loves it. My Mom gave us this pretty pink mosquito net canopy and it really princessed-up the bed. Jeff put it all together Sunday eve and then lined up all her princess dolls and favorite stuffed animals. We made a big fuss and "reveal" and she was very excited to climb in her "Princess Big Girl Bed"- as we call it. First night, she went in there, but I had to crawl in with her and lay there until she was out. She rolled off once in the night. Thankfully, the big pillows I stuck on the floor caught her and I heard it as soon as it happened. I ran over and she was so solidly out that I could just scoop her up and put her right back in bed! Didn't wake up or even move! Now that is deep sleeping!

Morning after she slept in her bed for the first time

We woke her up with a surprise: a baby Snow White Doll I've been saving in the closet. We made a big fuss about how proud we were that she slept in her Princess Big Girl Bed and how beautiful it is and what a big, big princess girl she is.

Happy with her new baby "Snow".

Then yesterday we went to Target together to pick out new bedding. She wanted the Disney Princesses, of COURSE, and also the CUTEST owl pillow. So we got 1 princess pillow, 1 owl pillow, 1 princess sheet and blanket set, and 2 adorable nighties I could not refuse. One with Princesses on it and one with Dora. She went in happily for her nap, but it took a little more work to get her in there last night for bed.

Yesterday's nap was a royal breeze. Ah, if all days were so easy!

Loving her nightly book time with Daddy. (No, we don't read Wine Spectator to Ruby, LOL. That one is Daddy's evening read).

Love how she grabbed his face for this shot. She was having so much fun snuggling up with Daddy last night she didn't want to go to bed! We finally got her down (late) by me laying with her again till she was out. I don't know how we will ever be able to leave her room as this has been a SLOW process. She had some royal nightmares last night and was up crying a few times. Was it the new bed or The Little Mermaid she begged to watch? I thought that was one of the less scary ones but then, there is that awful sea witch. Guess that's off the list now, too. She finally fell back into a deep sleep around 4, but then at 8:30 this is what we found:

Uh-oh! Somehow she managed to roll herself, Elmo, Penguin, her owl pillow, her Princess pillow, and 2 blankets off the bed, onto the big pillows, over the sleeping bag and then onto the floor without waking us or herself up. Oh my! I was about to go buy safety rails today when a parent at Little Gym told me to get pool noodles and tuck them under her fitted sheet. Said she read about them in Parent's Magazine and it really works. Teaches them to stay in the middle by creating a "border" that keeps them safely in. Great idea and only cost me $2 at the Dollar Store! I'm trying them out today so I'll let you know how it goes. She is napping with them in now, but the true test will be if it will keep her from rolling out at night!

Royal challenges around here...but royal fun, too!