Cakes, Mistakes, and Learning From Them

This first cake was my first attempt at basketweave, my second at drop flowers. Thankfully, there are so many drop flowers that by the end, I think I finally got them down! This cakes major error? I should have turned on the a/c and let it get nice and cold. The icing melted horribly and I had to put it in the fridge every few minutes so I could work with it. And the coffee in the mocha buttercream started to separate so the bottom rope has dark spots.




I made my first "novelty pan" cake this past weekend. Boy, do I have a lot to learn. I think it turned out great considering, but there's a few finishing touches that it could use. For example, how on earth can I get the sides smooth when it's a shaped cake??? Regardless, it was a delicious spring cake mix with lemon buttercream icing.

Diary of Early Potty Training

We have been debating how to potty train our daughter for some time now. As soon as she could sit unsupported (which was rather late...almost seven months) I started taking her into the bathroom with me when I had to go number one so she could get used to being in there. Even more, we were hoping this would help encourage the "Ooo...Look what Mommy's doing..." and she would want to as well. For some time now, she has been signing "poop" after she fills her diaper so between that and sitting up, we thought we'd give the ol' potty training a go.

The next step was to choose either a training seat or a potty chair. After much research and debate, we chose the Potette Plus - 20in-1 Portable Potty & Trainer. First off, 50 reviews and it still has 5 stars? One, please!!! And secondly, we decided potty training would be a lot easier if she had something she was comfortable using outside of our home. Our daughter is a little small to be completely comfortable on it, but it's a great seat and she's gotten rather used to it. All in all, I'd say it's a very good buy.

With the training methods research done and a training seat in hand, we set out to the bathroom. So far, so good. She's no pee pee prodigy, but give her a break...she started at nine months!

Week 1: Little V went potty twice on the first day of using the big people bowl. Go, girl, go! She has since developed a slight fear of being up there during the rest of the week and won't go even if I run the water in the tub or sink. Hmmmm.... Not sure what to do about that.

I've also noticed that if I give her 1/3 of a sippy cup of apple juice all at once, she's ready to go in twenty minutes. It does not work the same for a bottle.

Saturday and Sunday we left town and failed miserably at getting her to the toilet. I'm continuing to sign "bathroom" every time we go in, but she hasn't picked that one up yet.

Week 2: I am so under the weather, this just isn't going to happen...

More updates to come!