Still practicing with my poor, overphotographed children. Well, at least the big boys got to go someplace cool looking, and Timmy got to go to the park. So it isn’t all torture, just partly. And I love how Jack is starting to really pose and look hardcore (he SO is not hardcore). A few favorites from the last 2 days. And Timmy will NOT look at the camera- so please forgive the photos-it’s the best I can get right now.

ninty-nine hats. If one of those hats should happen to fall….

Oops, wrong song. But craziness on the evergrowing hat collection. I spent a good half-hour cleaning out the "hat drawer" the other day because it’s getting so out of control that the boys can’t find the hat they want to wear. We had to divide it up into sections: Mets hats, American League, National League, Minor League, and non-baseball hats. I don’t forsee it staying this organized for long though. Oh, and the 99 hats were AFTER we cleaned out a few old ones that either no longer fit or that they never wear. Do not fear though, they were put up in the attic just in case they need to reappear.

Later today the big boys and I are cleaning out their clothes closet. Gotta try stuff on from last year to see what they need for this year. I have a feeling we will be doing some jeans and sweatpants shopping pretty soon. They seem significantly taller recently. I both loathe and love the back-to-school cleaning. There is just so much to be done and I am finding it very difficult shaking off the summer laziness.

And on the potty training front…staying dry- YES!, staying clean- NOT SO MUCH! At least we have half down!

Well, here it is. My most hated part of motherhood to date. And I’m doing it again. (well, it’s not like I have a choice- I’m gonna have to do it with Timmy eventually). So, it’s time. I think he’s ready. Today is day two of full on underwear and we have only had one poopy accident and no pee accidents at all!Fortunately for me, I was out running some errands yesterday when the poop happened, so John caught that one. It’s not like I haven’t caught my fair share of that over the years though, so don’t feel too badly for John.  I am putting him on the toilet once every hour and he goes. We even got brave yesterday and ventured out to Target in underwear- of course, I brought a full change of clothers- but we didn’t need it. He is really doing awesome. Timmy is really so proud of himself in his underwear and loves wearing them. We sing the "pee-pees on the potty" song everytime he goes, and he gets a big smile and yells "I did it". Too cute. I can only hope that it is going to continue as well and that this is really it. We are doing pullups for naps (which for two days since we started have been totally dry when he wakes up) and diapers for bed still. I’m not worried about that yet. One step at a time.

I just love that little tushy in those cute character underwear. Good thing too, cause I just bought underwear in Shrek, Cars, Spiderman, Toy Story, Diego, and Disney stars. That’s a lot of underwear. Go Timmy!!

So sad around here on Saturday afternoon. Graeme left us and flew back home to England. We had such a great time while he was here with us. So great. Some of the highlights from the trip: I took Graeme into NYC on Wednesday and brought him to his first Broadway show- he chose Phantom of the Opera. Thankfully, he (said at least) really liked it. Well, he didn’t fall asleep, so that’s something. Went out to dinner after the show, did some walking around Times Square and headed home. Luckily for Graeme, his friends were in town with NOGA while he was here so he had some people to pal around with (read: go out drinking with) at night.

My favorite…we went to the mall during the week and of course stopped in at Abercrombie and Fitch, and not surprisingly, they asked Graeme if he wanted a job there…again. Even though he has a great job he is starting really soon at Microsoft in England, I still think he should just blow it off, move here, and work at the mall. Don’t think that’s happening though.

On the way to the beach on Saturday, we stopped in front of Trainland to get a picture of Graeme in front of the store and also in front of the Bobby Bacala sign they have in the window. For those of you unfamiliar, Trainland is the store in which Bobby Bacala from the Sopranos was whacked in the last few episodes. Graeme is a big Sopranos fan and was so excited about seeing the store. He also made me play the Journey song "Don’t Stop Believing" from the season finale a bunch of times in the car.

I also asked Graeme if he would record our outgoing answering machine message with his awesome accent, which he did. So if you call my house and get a voice you don’t recognize, now you know who it is! I also MADE Graeme let me take a few pictures of him. They came out super- but what can you expect from a subject like that. I couldn’t really do a bad job.

We will really miss him a lot. The big boys were hysterically crying at the beach when they had to say goodbye. Thankfully, John had tickets to the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets minor league baseball team) on Saturday night, so they went straight from the beach to the game which helped them keep their minds off Graeme leaving (I know Graeme…sell outs!) and they didn’t have to do the traumatic airport run with me. Even I got a little teary at the airport. And then Timmy started in with "see coach graeme again?" and I had to drive away fast before I really lost it. I hate goodbyes. But the good news is that for work Graeme might be travelling to the USA for work a few times a year so there is a little hope that we might see him again.

Yeah, you’d be sad too. Admit it.