adventures in potty training

Is there a person on the planet who enjoys the potty training process?  I don't think so.  It makes me wonder, how did we become a toilet-trained society?

This morning I felt sort of sado-masochistic.  The toddler had been giving me attitude about diapering her, so I decided to work on potty training (she turns two in a little over a month).  She sat on her potty seat, and yanked half of the toilet paper off the roll.  I gently explained to her that we don't take that much, and we don't take any at all unless we actually go.  I got the squishy face and an "All done" from her.  **nothing**

We went into the other room where her big girl and dress were waiting.   But we didn't make it.  She had an accident before we got that far.  Back to the bathroom with screams and kicking from the toddler.  I tried to have her sit there while I sang the alphabet.  She doesn't like the ABC's.  I started to wonder if I was really up to this today.  I hadn't even had coffee yet!  I remembered that I was wearing MY big girl panties, and sucked it up. 

She liked helping clean up her puddle.  I put her in a light dress and her very first pair of big girl panties.  We went into the kitchen and I started making a snack.  I was just turning to hand her the apple slices when I heard her gasp and saw her look down. I rushed her to the bathroom.  Her dress got soaked in the process.  You would think I was ripping her fingernails off one by one to hear her scream when I removed the wet clothes.  As I rinsed the dress and panties, I sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider."  She liked that more.  She also liked pulling the rest of the paper off the roll.  (re-read paragraph 1 for more details).

This time, I set the kitchen timer, explained that she needed to go sit and try to use the potty when it went off.  Then I let her press the button.  I put a panties #2 on her, we tried 3 more times, with no results, but at least she stayed dry until nap time, at which point we were both happy to have her back in a diaper to go to sleep.

Heat + me don't mix

I admit it, I'm pretty spoiled.  I'm used to central heat in the winter, and central A/C in the summer.  Window air units are about as close to roughing it as I ever want to get.  So in April, when the weather is as moody as me (50F and clear one day, 90F and rainy the next), when people want to have the windows open, I try to keep my mouth shut, but I'm melting on the inside.  I'm crankier than usual, I have a hard time thinking, sleeping, functioning in general.

So, if I seem a little off, or nasty, wait until it's hot enough to run the A/C.  Then I will be better.

Music and Kids

I'm sure my mom said the same thing about me when I was a kid, but I think I need to musically educate my kids.

On the way home from picking the kids up at school the other day, The Beatles - Let It Be was on the radio.   The girl asked me to change it to "her" music. Exasperated, I informed her that The Beatles were one of the BEST bands of all time. She said, very matter of factly, "No Mommy; Taylor Swift is the best musician ever!"

The battle...

Don't you hate it when you have that morning argument with yourself about whether to get up now or in five more minutes?  I mean, I really feel crazy sometimes, playing both the role of the whiney tired kids who stayed up too late AND that of the disciplinarian: "If you don't get up RIGHT NOW, you will not have time to do everything; that means you will be LATE!"  When that doesn't work, I threaten myself with no coffee.  THAT gets me moving.

Privacy in the bathroom?

I've had an issue with the boy about privacy.  He doesn't "get it."  I have repeatedly told him that I don't want to see his boy-parts and that he shouldn't look and my girl-parts.  So the other day, the kids were outside playing and I neglected to think of locking the door when I went to use the restroom.  No sooner did I sit down than he came barging in:  "Mommy!  I need you to tie my shoe!  Don't worry, I'm not looking at you; see?  My eyes are closed."  He pointed to his tightly closed eyes as he stumbled into the bathroom with one shoe untied.

At least he got the not looking part.

hiatus? what hiatus?

Shamefully, it's been almost 2 months since my last post.  I've been busy and lazy.  I've been keeping the house cleaner, and not sitting in front of my computer for nearly as many hours of the day.  And I made a friend!  We actually have play-dates and talk and stuff!  Plus, I've had a nasty, yucky cold.  Since I only have 3 followers, I'm sure no one has actually missed it.