Potty Training Benny Boy

Our week was mostly defined by this:

So I'm just keeping this short. Michael had his first weekend at home in four weeks, and I've been waiting for the chance to potty train Bennett. So Michael took Westin to a trampoline park on Saturday morning, out to lunch, then to a hike about 90 minutes southwest of here. The hike was in Coalinga, which is a random little town we once drove through on our way to the coast and it has for some reason REALLY stuck with Westin. I think he saw a firetruck there? He even tells people that we are going to move to Coalinga. We are not going to move to Coalinga.  Then they brought us home Cafe Rio for dinner and then I had lined up a babysitter to get out of the house to see a movie. I knew from experience that the first day of potty training is simultaneously the most boring slash mentally tiring day. We saw On the Basis of Sex and it was so, so good. I loved it. Pictures for the rest:

Missed this from last week: My sample buddy even though we both know it's going to be Carmel Cone in the end.
Favorite ice cream ever.

New play area at River Park. These squares make music when you jump on them.
Bennett in his wild things jacket is the best.

Big boys walking home from the park.

We're officially in a van! Pam and Gary were so kind to let us use their van when they got a bigger car for their sweet baby coming soon (any day!) and we have officially moved the car seats over and transitioned this transition.
The boys think it's the coolest thing ever. "We are so high!" "I've always wanted a van!" "What if someone else drives our van away from this parking lot? I don't want someone to take our van." I'm getting used to being a bigger presence on the road and feeling officially in this mom stage. The two kiddos and pregnant belly probably make that more official than a van, but, you know.

Someone is figuring out that rear-facing isn't exactly what everyone else is doing.
This is how I found him the first time I came to do their buckles haha.
But he's still backwards... they face backwards so long now! Guilty for his backward time, guilt if I turn him around.

Instruments at school

Sunbeam preschool at our house.
Do we now need to call that CTR 4 preschool?? Doesn't have the same ring, but these kids are growing up!
We've made it through the alphabet and have started back at A.

A for Alligators!

Potty training..... oh it's work. Bennett is getting it. But getting it is still work and the process is long.

We made it through the first day without any screens,
but once Westin was back in the picture on Sunday we need to pull out all the stops.

That's all for us! Just wishing someone (me I guess) had prepared our house with delicious Super Bowl junk food but, no energy for such things this weekend. Cafe Rio leftovers and the halftime show will be just fine :)