One celebrates and one is sick....

There is BIG news in the Nelson household today....news that I thought wouldn't come until Evan was in Kindergarten, but it happened...on a random Sunday....it happened....EVAN PEE-PEE'D in the POTTY!!!! And he did it four times, which made it seem less like an accident and more like our first steps toward mastery of potty training!! WOOOO-HOOOOO!!! Tanner's potty training seemed like such a chore to this first time around mom, but man was he a walk in the park compared to little Evan. All it took for Tanner was some Jelly-Belly jellybeans and he was on the road to diaper freedom. Evan has been through M&Ms, jellybeans, chocolate covered raisins, and most recently, gumballs of various colors. NOTHING would make him even slightly interested in going potty...until today. They had been playing outside with Dad when Evan's nose began to run (he is recovering from that nasty virus I was telling you about yesterday) and Hugh told him to go inside to get a Kleenex. He was gone way too long for a simple Kleenex, so Hugh went inside to check it out. There was Evan...no pull-up on, standing on a little stool in front of the potty and just very nonchalantly told Hugh that he had gone pee-pee. Hugh looked in the potty and seeing no signs of it, asked Evan if he was sure, and Evan simply said, "yes, Dad, but I flushed it!!" Oh, and he even remembered to flush. Hugh gave him the brightly colored gumball and proceeded to text me this info (I was on the way home from church) very much skeptical of the whole pee-pee thing actually happening. And who can blame him?? I mean up to this point, Evan CRIED when you mentioned the word "potty". So, I proceeded to the grocery store and about halfway through the cereal aisle my phone rings and it is Evan....and he screams, "Mama!! I pee-pee'd in the potty four times!!!" He was so proud of himself. And like any proud mama would, I just started doing the pee-pee dance right there in the cereal aisle. I didn't even look to see who might be watching or listening, I just woo-hoo'd and gave our famous "Nelson shout out" to Evan right there in the store!! I asked him what he wanted for such an accomplishment, and he said "a cookie", which cracks me up because he gets a free cookie every single time we are at Publix, which is at least four times a week for me!! So, I got him and Tanner the biggest cookie they had and then picked up a little Thomas the Train bubble blower that Evan has been eyeing all summer. He was beside himself. I actually got to see the triumphant event after I got home, but not before Evan told me and Hugh as we were looking in the bathroom door that he "needed some privacy". Whatever you need, baby!! I am just so glad we are taking a step in the right direction.....we might not pee-pee at all tomorrow, but we are rejoicing today!!

And, my poor little Tanner. As Evan nears the conclusion of his battle with the "cooties", Tanner has a temp of 101.4 and has vomited three times this afternoon. He is so pathetic....I just want to make it all go away. He wanted to be so excited for his brother's accomplishment, but he just couldn't even lift his little head off the couch without feeling nauseated. He managed to keep a little rice and mac-n-cheese down for dinner and managed to keep a little Tylenol suppository in, so he was feeling "ok" by bedtime. Hugh and I tucked them in (they share a room now) and reminded Evan to be very quiet tonight and no talking because brother was not feeling well. He assured us he would oblige. I no sooner got downstairs and I could hear him yacking it up on the monitor. (Yes, I still have a monitor in their room...I know everyone thinks that is nuts, but it makes me feel better in case they need me and can't/wont' get out of bed....or as in the case of this next little story.......)
I hear Evan talking about a certain Thomas episode he watched today and just chatting incessantly as he does. Tanner, polite little guy that he is, would say "yeah, Evan" or some small response probably just hoping each little detail would be the last. And, I thought that it was, 'cause the room had grown quiet. Then I hear little Evan say, "Tannah (that's how it sounds when Evan says it...tann-aah), I sure hope you feel better soon." And Tanner sleepily says, "Thanks Evan." Quiet for about 10 seconds...then Evan, "Tannah, are you proud of me?" and Tanner says, "Yes, Evan. Brother is so proud of you for going pee pee."
Wow....brotherhood. In it's truest sense. I was near tears. They love each other so much and I got to hear a little bit of it.
Now see, just think if I didn't still have a monitor in their room....I would've missed it all!! (: