Decluttering.

With our renovation starting on Monday, Kei and I have been busy tring to get the house ready. Translation: purging everything possible to make room for the three of us downstairs. Here is part of my contribution to last night’s declutter – cleaning out the catalogues. This is about half of the final purge pile. And I cleaned them out just two months ago.

There are a few things that bother me about living in the States – one of them is the enormous amount of everyday waste. And a big contributer to that waste is the endless supply of catalogues that come through the mailbox. Oh, I admit I am partly to blame. I signed up for Pottery Barn (not sure why – I can never afford anything) and maybe a clothing catalogue or two. The problem is that these things are like rabbits and seem to multiply before your very eyes.

“Oh, seems you recently requested a birth certificate for your newborn – how about we send you this Fischer price catalogue to add to your growing pile of stuff?… Well, if you like Fischer Price you must LOVE this random catalogue of very expensive children’s clothes that are WAY beyond your income level… Come on… who wouldn’t pay $60 for a little girl’s swimsuit? (!!!!)… and whle you’re at it we should just add you to the mailing list for a catalogue of random crap… You can thank me later…”

So my contribution to reducing the impact? I wrote down the names and phone numbers of about 15 catalogues I no longer want to receive (not Pottery Barn. I LOVE Pottery Barn). Tomorrow I am going to dial those 15 numbers (Toll Free of course) and remove myself from the mailing list. And I am determined to continue this practice – slowly reducing the number of catalogues that come through the mail until I am down a few inspiring favourites.

May have to keep that kids clothing catalogue though. I was just waiting to spend $70 on the right pair of toddler size shoes for Thomas to grow out of in two months…

Warning – Contains Potty Talk

We had a big night in the Ishida house. For the VERY first time, Thomas pooped on the potty. Oh, he has dabbled before. He peed a couple of times after sitting there for twenty minutes. He even peed NEXT TO the potty last week. But last night was the real thing!

He told me he didn’t want to pee in his diaper and then that he didn’t want to use the potty. I then explained that those were really his only two options and he said “OK – Potty”. And then he Pooped – on the potty!

We have started a reward system where he gets a marble everytime he uses the potty. When his little jar is full, Thomas can trade the marbles for a toy of his choice. He has had the jar for about three months now and, as you can see, it hasn’t been a huge success yet. Two of the marbles mark this particular occassion. He has been showing renewed interst lately though. We have been reading potty training stories – most of them involving Sesame street characters.

I am way more excited about this than I should be. In fact it is right up there with my anticipation about the Wiggles concert next week. Yes – those Aussie men in colourful skivvies.

And to think I once used to get excited about silly things like going out to dinner and traveling. Oh how life has changed