It's potty time!

My kids know that I have this little song that I made up way back when Jon potty trained, it goes: Potty, potty, potty, It's potty time, whoop, whoop, (pause) whoop, whoop. Okay, so you need the ghetto attitude, head bop and rhythm, but I swear, my kids love it - okay maybe they don't, but I do and it makes me laugh. So when I had just Jon, I was ready to go at 18 months, because as a new mom you hear and read stories, "My child was potty trained by 18 months!" Hell my own grandmother swears her kids were trained at 18 months because she usually had another one just about to pop out. Imagine my chagrin, when Jon wasn't as ready as I was - oh the theatrics! At the time the Kandoo potty frog from Pampers had JUST come out - so my mom, in her infinite wisdom (I mean that sincerely) took Jon to Build-a-Bear and made a frog - called the potty frog. We had stickers, the potty frog (aka yia yia) would call everyday after work to check on our progress and cheer our successes. Sometimes we had to call the potty frog - and tell him our good news. After months of trying - remarkably when Jon was ready - he potty trained, in a short time and through the night.

Fast forward to Drew - who is, unbelievably more stubborn than Jon. So at the time I was juggling both Jon and Drew, I was pregnant, Ryan working out of town, a new house and dog and of course helping my mom up north during her chemo treatments. Potty training was the LAST thing on my agenda. One day in the spring I believe, he was almost 2 1/2, after a particularly disgusting diaper, I finally said, "thats it Drew, I'm not changing another poopy diaper - you're going on the potty!" With that he did - I really don't remember much about potty training with Drew because it was so quick and easy. He stayed dry through naps and through the night right off the bat. I was, in the midst of chaos, very, very blessed.

Here we are again my familar friend, potty training. Miss Penny, if it is possible is more stubborn than the two boys combined. If she doesn't want to do something then it isn't happening, period. Now as a seasoned mother, there are things that I realize are ACTUALLY important, versus what I WANT to be important. Wearing seatbelts, important; wearing matching clothes and wearing shoes on the wrong feet, not important. So while I don't cave on the important things, I certainly don't sweat the ones that don't matter. Potty training falls into the things that don't matter to me category. I hate constantly asking, "do you want to go sit on the potty?" Who the hell are we training here, me or her? So I took the approach, when she's ready we'll try. I have always been confident that my children would be potty trained by kindergarden. (see if you keep your standards low, you are very seldom disappointed!)

Lately Penny would come to us and say, "I poopied!" This could go either way, but the bottom line is it was bothering her - so much so we stopped retrieving diapers and wipes and told her if she wanted to be changed go and get the diaper and wipes for us. Well I know my daughter is capable of following directions because she would not only go and get the supplies, but would lay down, pull off her pants, undo the diaper and be ready for the change. Hmmm - maybe I should capitalize on this and the fact that it is summer. So Saturday marked the beginning for us. We put her in panties and we ran errands - she went to the bathroom in not one, but two public bathrooms and made it accident free. We only had one accident the whole day and it was right when we got home (go figure). Yesterday we made it the whole day with only one accident in the morning, #2 - I remember some of my friends of girls saying this part would be a bit tricky - so we told her no, showed her where it goes and she didn't have any more issues. She even made it through her nap without a drop!

Last night we wore a light cloth diaper and it was minimally soiled, we got up and she went to the potty - so far, so good. Not to jinx myself, but I think we're on the right track. Now I just need to stock up on panties - four pairs aren't cutting it. So my baby girl is getting to "big girl" status in our house and we are reaching the end of an era. I can't say that I mind - after having Penny all those baby urges died away and I feel so complete with my three chickens. I didn't think I'd be melancholy, and truthfully I'm not. This weekend of course we are going away to Chicago to visit family, we'll see how it all goes. We also have another big trip planned in September, so hopefully by then we're done.

So I mentioned not sweating the unimportant things - when we're home (during this training period - she sounds like an olympian, no?) Penny is mostly naked or barely dressed. Couple that with Penny's undeniable flair and you have the ensemble she presented us with yesterday. Add poor Cyd on a leash being walked around the house and backyard and you have something that has to be preserved for a few reasons, 1. it's adorable, 2. when she's a teen I will look at them and remember my sweet angel, 3. it will mortify her for a time until she's a parent and then she will cherish them (we're all about mortification in this house - as I tell my kids, it is retribution for all the public temper-tantrums that embarrassed me over the years (and years to come)).

Enjoy!

Winter hat, check; Handmade scarf from Jill, check; butterfly tanktop, check; dora panties, check; dog on a leash, check and check. Yep, we're ready to start our day, now where are my red cowboy boots?

bitter after Drew splashed us in the face and ruined our ensemble

miss pickles

happy after a change of clothes, er or something like that

Thanks!