A Banner Day

My 3 year-old son, Henry, has had this fear of pooping for a very long time now. It's not that he was constipated or anything... he just didn't want to poop. He actually would hold it in for a week at a time. We called it the Stinker Shuffle because of the dance he did while trying to hold it in with all his might. During these times he was extremely loud with crying and moaning and sometimes outright screaming. We all hate the Stinker Shuffle around here.

When it happened in public, people would really wonder what in the world those crazy people with all the kids are doing.

A few weeks ago, Henry decided (all at once pretty much) that he was going to pee on the potty and wear big boy underwear. That's how he put it. I gotta say, when the boy decides something, he does it. I honestly don't believe we've had one accident, even at night, since the very first day. Dry underwear every day and morning and after naps. We don't even ask if he has to go... he just does when he needs to. It's been the greatest potty training experience ever because he trained himself. He just decided to do it on his own without us pushing. Maybe that's the key.

BUT... we still have the Stinker Shuffle problem. He might be going on the potty, but the stinkers are still an issue as he still didn't want them to come out. THAT IS UNTIL NOW. Tonight, I was getting him ready for bed and he said he needed to go potty. That is totally normal and part of the schedule. We went in and he asked me not to peek, again his words. I said OK and turned my back and looked at the fishtank and my desk and whatever else was going on around me. After a minute or so I asked if he was done and he said, "Yup." Then he looked up at me and said, "I made my stinkers." I was stunned. I had no response but, "You did?" Well, God bless us all, he did. Not even a peep. I am thinking maybe the switch on his brain flipped tonight and the Stinker Shuffle is like the twist, or the mash potato... a thing of the past.

I can say that I felt very blessed and my wife was expressing the exact same sentiment. In fact, her exact words were, "It's a good day at the Beard's." Amen, Becca, Amen.

Proverbs 16:25 (New King James Version)

There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

Rededication

I know, I know... I am maybe not the world's worst blogger as far as getting posts out here, but I am up there the slakerest of them. I am officially going to try to do a post a week. Why you ask? Why take the time out of the insanely busy schedule to post on your blog that maybe three people read and two are my wife and mother (who I am not even sure she reads it, but I guess she'll let me know if she reads this post)? Well, my original thought with this whole thing was that I would write about the struggles and successes and failures of my mission as a father. In doing this I was hoping to maybe understand it and get a clearer picture of my mission and my path within that. It would make me think about what I am doing and hold me accountable for what I say here, in a way. Also, maybe my struggles and triumphs could be inspiration for others on this same path. That's why I am purposing myself to get here and write it down. I even spent a little time and gave this thing a new look. I kind of like it. Anyway, I will see you soon, constant reader. No, really, I will.

Proverbs 16:33 (New King James Version)

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD.

Pregnant

My wife is pregnant with #6. At the same time I have a friend at work whose wife is pregnant with their first. We found out at the same time and he (jokingly) said I stole his thunder with my announcement of #6. I told him that #1 carried much more weight in the announcement category than #6 to most people. People just stare at me and I can hear them saying in their heads, "What's wrong with these people?" Then they say out loud, "Don't you know what causes that?" or "How many is that, twenty?" Yeah, I have heard them all. It's funny how most people can't comprehend more than two or three kids in a family. Heh, I used to be one of those who couldn't comprehend it. Remember, I am the guy who would've just gone on without any kids or would've just stopped after one or maybe two when they did come. But I would've missed out on the blessings that I have received from all of my kids. As my wife says the more kids we have, the holier we get. Sanctification through parenting... who knew? :)

Change

My wife said something to me the other day... Valentines day to be exact. We were just turning off the light and getting settled in to go to sleep and a discussion broke out. I won't go into details but something she said has been on mind ever since. She said that I should not try to live my life to please her or do what she wants from me... But I should live my life to please God and do what He wants from me. It may sound like an obvious thing, but it most definitely feels like a revelation to me. It makes sense, really. Pleasing her will trickle down from pleasing God. It sounds so much like a no-brainer saying it here, but it has really affected me since that night.

Valentines Day

I have a little tradition on Valentines day that started a couple of years ago. I take pictures of characters in movies or whatever that my kids like and I take their faces and do a little Photoshop magic and make the characters have their faces. This year my three oldest are very much into The Lord of The Rings (they all have the audiobooks on their iPods and listen to them constantly) and my oldest has watched the movies just this year and loves them. So I asked who their favorite characters were and that's who I made them this year. My two year old son prefers Toy Story and Buzz Lightyear, so that was his fun. They tend to look a little strange but they can see themselves in them and it's good fun every year.

Aragorn (Ben)


Legolas (Lydia)


Gandalf (Jack)

Buzz Lightyear (Henry)