So today is LEAP DAY! In case you didn't get the memo, we have an "extra 24-hours" to SEIZE THE DAY and MAKE IT COUNT! Leap day only comes every four years (or so), I guess to keep our seasons in check, so why not take advantage? Too bad it's on a Monday! Well anyway, Mr. President #1 used his extra day to wear his Ninja Turtle pajamas to school, and we already know Mr. President #2 spent most of his extra day catching up on some sleep. But we decided to take things to another level today, with a little help from Auntie F.

We've been doing this potty training thing since Mr. President #2 turned two a few months ago. We haven't quite mastered peeing on the potty, and pooping...well that's another story. Auntie F. called last week with a few tips to help us master the whole going pee pee and poo poo on the potty, and I thought she had such a brilliant idea!

First of all, you have to keep an eye out for the warning signs. When Mr. President #2 stands a little bent over in the corner of the room, I know it's time to go poo poo. When I see that stance, I snatch him up and put him on the potty -- no problem! But what about those instances when you don't get any warning signs? What do you do then? That's where your patience comes in. To get Mr. President #2 in the habit of going to the potty often, I have to take him several times an hour, and often times sit with him for what seems like an eternity!! I obviously want him to conquer the potty thing, but I'm always struggling with ideas to kill time. Well thanks to Auntie F., here's an idea for you...

Never mind patience being a virtue...let me introduce you to Potty Coloring Time! Thanks to Auntie F., we now have Mr. President #2 on the potty, distracted, engaged, and going pee pee or poo poo ever single time!! Woo hoo!! So how did I do it? I taped a piece of paper to the inside of the toilet lid, sat Mr. President #2 on the potty backwards, gave him a dry erase marker (in case he colored outside of the paper for easy clean-up), and let him scribble his little heart out! What a genius idea! Now the key is getting him OFF of the toilet, but that's where the bribing comes in! Oh...and don't forget you can't leave the little ones unattended. After all, they are sitting on the potty backwards!

Potty Coloring Time just made my life a whole lot easier! And what a great way to spend some of this extra day. Whether or not you're doing something creative like this during your potty training time, remember that patience is always a virtue. Your kid isn't going to graduate from high school in his pull-ups, so relax; mastering pee pee and poo poo on the potty will come eventually. Happy Leap Day! Here's to doing something extra special to help you SEIZE THE DAY! Carpe Diem!

On Monday evening I introduced the world to the scar from my cesarean, which I now refer to as my Badge of Honor. If you missed the story, here is a little background for you:

I continued to stare into the mirror, and it just hit me like a ton of bricks..."Why in the world am I ashamed of having this scar?" I pictured Mr. President #1 in my head, then I pictured Mr. President #2, and suddenly I said to myself, "You know what? I am no longer going to refer to this mark as a scar. This beautiful thing right here is going to become my BADGE OF HONOR!" Why did I decide to do this? Well, that's simple...even though it only took me two years!!
A badge of honor is a medal or token awarded to someone as a symbol of value and distinction. My scar may not be in the form of a medal or a token, but this is precisely the reason I decided to call it my Badge of Honor. Right then and there, staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, was the moment I had been waiting for for a long time; The moment I was going to decide to accept myself for who I am and be proud of it.
As a mother of two incredible little boys, I am absolutely HONORED to be granted the opportunity to love and care for them, and to be entrusted with the most important job on this earth: being their mother. This Badge of Honor is more than just a scar, it's happiness, new life, incredible joy, and an insurmountable responsibility. But at that moment, standing in front of the mirror, I made a commitment to cherish this mark and responsibility for the rest of my life.

As you have just learned, this Badge of Honor is much more than a scar; Joy, happiness, new life, trust, and responsibility are all part of its meaning for me. So let's talk about the number seven...
My Badge is Honor is surrounded by seven stretch marks, or what I like to call my Battle Wounds [more on that in the previous story]. I also counted seven seconds from the moment Mr. President #2 was delivered until I heard his very first cry. This is such a powerful realization for me because of the biblical significance of the number seven. Here are seven reasons the number seven is such a significant number:

1. Seven relates to creation:

God created and completed the heavens and the earth in seven days. Although God rested on the seventh day, creation week is made up of seven days. Mr. President #2 is my own creation: a new life.

2. Seven symbolizes completion:

Because the heavens and the earth were completed on the sixth day and God rested on the seventh day of creation week, we know that seven represents completion. Mr. President #2's birth was a completion of my pregnancy journey. He was delivered and a NEW journey began.

3. There are seven virtues:

Most of us were taught or introduced to the seven virtues as a child: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility. These are all very important attributes I hope both of my children will possess throughout life. I have already begun teaching these virtues.

4. There are also seven deadly sins:

This one is a little dark, but I am appreciative of the fact that I can associate this miracle with the seven deadly sins as a constant reminder of what NOT to succumb to and what NOT to do: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

5. Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, just like the seven virtues, are all qualities that will be instilled in my children: wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and wonder. After all, this new life was a gift in and of itself from the Holy Spirit.

6. Seven colors in the rainbow:

In Genesis, God completed his work with a rainbow as a covenant and symbol of his promise to us. Just as God made his covenant with us, I have done the same with my children, and what a perfect symbol of lifelong promise and commitment.

7. Seven represents PERFECTION:

When God saw what he created in Genesis, he knew that it was good. What he made during those seven days was perfect, just as the gifts he has given me. Both Presidents are perfect, as well as every child who is born. All children are blessings and gifts from God.

After reading his, I hope you can see the wonder and amazement with my Badge of Honor being associated with the number seven. There are so many spiritual implications in this mark I carry, that there is no doubt in my mind where, why or how my children came to be. I finally feel complete, and it is marvelous in my eyes.

When I stepped out of the shower this morning and looked into the bathroom mirror, the very first thing I noticed was the HUGE scar that lives just below my stomach. Two years ago when I was bringing Mr. President #2 into the world, I had a cesarian that left me with quite a few marks, one of them very large. I don't typically let this scar bother me too much, but I always make sure it is NEVER visible to anyone other than my husband.
As I was staring into the bathroom mirror, I began to recount some of the conversation I had with my obstetrician during my cesarian as he was "putting me back together:" "Don't worry about a thing," he said to me. "Your scar will remain below your bikini line, so you won't have to worry about it being visible when you're at the beach." I have always had mixed feelings about that conversation. I'm sure those are words most women would have wanted to hear at that moment, but I have always remained a little skeptical about it.
I continued to stare into the mirror, and it just hit me like a ton of bricks..."Why in the world am I ashamed of having this scar?" I pictured Mr. President #1 in my head, then I pictured Mr. President #2, and suddenly I said to myself, "You know what? I am no longer going to refer to this mark as a scar. This beautiful thing right here is going to become my BADGE OF HONOR!" Why did I decide to do this? Well, that's simple...even though it only took me two years!!
A badge of honor is a medal or token awarded to someone as a symbol of value and distinction. My scar may not be in the form of a medal or a token, but this is precisely the reason I decided to call it my Badge of Honor. Right then and there, staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, was the moment I had been waiting for for a long time; The moment I was going to decide to accept myself for who I am and be proud of it.
As a mother of two incredible little boys, I am absolutely HONORED to be granted the opportunity to love and care for them, and to be entrusted with the most important job on this earth: being their mother. This Badge of Honor is more than just a scar, it's happiness, new life, incredible joy, and an insurmountable responsibility. But at that moment, standing in front of the mirror, I made a commitment to cherish this mark and responsibility for the rest of my life.
My Badge of Honor is surrounded by stretch marks, or what I would prefer to call, Battle Wounds. When it was time to bring Mr. President #2 into the world, the cesarian I had was not planned, but was done in an emergency as the doctor and medical staff really did not think he was going to survive. Well...he's here, we fought the battle, we made it through the journey, and I have been left with these Battle Wounds as a reminder of the war we fought and won: seven marks for the seven seconds I counted before I heard Mr. President #2's very first cry immediately following his delivery. If you don't know the importance and significance of the number seven, stay tuned! I'll have to reserve that for another post at a later time.
Because I decided to make this life-changing decision, I am sharing this photo of my beautiful Badge of Honor and Battle Wounds with all of you. My hope is that my sharing of this story and photo will serve as an inspiration for other mothers who are having difficulty accepting THEIR scars and who THEY are. It's time to embrace your Badge of Honor, embrace your Battle Wounds, embrace your body, and accept the new you!
None of us are perfect, but these scars we bear are more than just marks on our bodies. These Badges of Honor are symbols of the importance of motherhood and the joy of these little blessings we have running around somewhere. For mothers who have lost their little blessings through the years, remember that you too are special, and all things happen for a reason.
My scar tells an amazing story, and I'm sure yours does too. Here's to all of the beautiful Badges of Honor and Battle Wounds! Let's rock them and embrace them with love!

I mean...come on!!! Every public library has great programs and resources for folks young and old. And furthermore...IT'S FREE!!!
Some parents need to do a better job of teaching their children that LEADERS ARE READERS! Yes, I said it. Research proves that libraries (and reading in general) instill a love for books in children. Not only that, but frequent reading contributes to a richer vocabulary, which ultimately equals...are you ready for it...ADVANTAGE!!! Do your kiddos a favor, and read to them and expose them to books NOW!!
But enough of that! Libraries provide more resources and programs than just reading, and I'm all for taking advantage of it all!!! Our local library offers Lego time on Fridays after school, so we decided to join in on the fun yesterday. We built cars, cars, cars, and MORE! I even jumped in and built my own little Lego car! We had a great time, made new friends, and learn a little about the wheel and axle.
In short, don't be a crazy person; take your kids to the library. I won't be judging anyone for the rest of Lent, so I'll just feel sorry for you instead. Remember that Leaders are Readers!