Potty Training. Round One.

I don't know how many rounds there will be.

I decided to take on the potty training challenge because Jackson was showing quite a bit of interest in using the bathroom.

I had the very best intentions, and planned a four-day weekend with no plans. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Do you KNOW how difficult that is by yourself? By day two, I'm searching for ways to get out of the house, by day three I AM out of the house, and by day four, I'm done.

 I digress. Let's back up.

They say you should plan a three day weekend, with no plans to go anywhere. Maybe a quick hour out of the house on day three, but otherwise stay put. We had toddler potty seats, tiny underwear, jelly beans, chocolate, stickers and juice. So much juice. I'll leave out the details.

I have to say, he gets it. He has the concept down, and is naked potty trained. When he's pant-less, we're golden. Trouble is, you can't go out in public that way.

Had I been more consistent and committed, I think we could have done it. But we are doing a ton of travelling in the next month, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I didn't want to deal with the whole potty thing along the way.

Until we return from our summer trips, I'm throwing in the towel. Except when he's naked, of course.

 

 

Because I know you are all desperate to know more about our adventures in potty training, I'll be sure to keep you updated along the way. 

The Clinton Farmer's Market

I've talked about Clinton before. It's the quintessential small upstate town, and in the summer it comes alive with its town center's farmer market, lined with adorable shops, churches, and restaurants with patios.

The farmers market kicks off in early June, and expands all summer-long, until the green is bursting at the seams with vendors in August. June is the perfect time to round up friends, grab blankets and picnic baskets, and claim some shaded grass for a lazy morning of browsing, eating, and chatting.

 

Penny-tossing was popular among the littles.

 

Homemade lemon-orange-lime-ade. Real sugar please.

 

Chowing down on the most amazing cheese-apple-chutney crepe.

 

Jackson's first best friend, Jake.

Other Things that Happened in Tampa

The rest of our time in Tampa was spent exploring and enjoying quality time together. Here's a round-up of some of my other favorite Tampa moments.

 

We ate delicious food. And by delicious, I mean a heart attack on a plate.

 

The thing about a real Air Force base: So much airplane-watching to be done.

 

Men in uniform. More specifically, THIS guy in a uniform.

 

A smoothie bar worth a million smiles.

 

It wouldn't be a Saturday morning without a few jams and homemade breakfast.

 

He loved the pool, too.

 

These kinds of goodbyes are simply heartbreaking. In this moment, my heart doesn't doubt for one moment that he wanted to never let go. Knowing that next time he sees Jackson, he'll be so very, very different. The days cannot pass fast enough.

Happily, Jackson made a wonderful travel buddy.

 

We've left a big piece of our hearts in Florida. Until next time, Tampa.

Dinosaur World

During our time in Tampa, we stayed in three, yes THREE different lodging situations. The first night, we stayed in a hotel, the second and third nights, we stayed in base lodging on MacDill AFB, and finally nights four and five were spent in Tyler's temporary apartment.

Because of all of the checking-out early, but check-in in the afternoon scenarios, we were left "homeless" without a home-base twice. The first time, we hit the beach, and the second time, we opted for Dinosaur World.

Dinosaur World is exactly what you'd expect. An "off-the-highway" stop for weary travelers looking to entertain children and stretch legs. But for people with tiny dinosaur-obsessed children, Dinosaur World is golden. Life-size dinosaur replicas spread out over acres of tropical land, and visitors feel like they've landed in a (much safer) version of Jurassic Park. Or should I say Jurassic World?
Jackson ate.this.up.

As always, we had a blast, thanks to Jackson's sheer amazement at the whole thing. (And it certainly didn't hurt that the place was empty.)

Thanks Tampa, for delivering such a gem.

 

Just a couple of skilled paleontologists.

 

Jackson, isn't this fun?!

 

"How would you feel about me feeding you to this T-Rex?"

 

He's all yours, Mr. Rex.

 



 

This is part of why I love this guy so much. He takes nothing seriously. And if he can fit into a dinosaur egg, you better believe he's getting in there.

Kind of amazing, right? 

ROAR.

The Beach

Sweet, sweet sand and water. I live for visits to the beach, and based on Jackson's very first beach experience, I'd venture to guess he's right there with me.

We spent several days soaking up the sun, playing in the water, and enjoying sandy picnics while we were in Tampa. Here's picture overload, because, beach.

Take me back. XO