As I sit here at 7:20am on a summer morning, I am reminded why it is that I haven’t been very prolific lately. Those boys are the loudest, most energetic pair you’ve ever met post sunrise. They are just bursting forth with the joy of living [cue choirs of angels singing] … and I’m supplementing my meager existence this morning with a strong cup of the Good Stuff. Yesterday, I tried to read … I barely made it through 3 pages. I just gave up after Jonny interrupted me for the 256th time. But how can I complain? (Well, I’ll tell you how … I simply open my mouth up and it all comes pouring out.) My little boy is talking, and he’s getting better and better every day. Even Mia notices when he can say a word more clearly than he used to.
OK. I’m warning you now. I will be rambling a bit here. If I have to think about what I’m going to say and organize it so that it comes out beautifully I won’t write at all.
So potty training is moving along very well. Basically it goes like this: if they have “Daddy Underwear” on, they potty in the potty bowl 95% of the time. If they have diapers or pullups on, they potty in the potty bowl about 10% of the time. That adds up to more than a 100% right? I’m fine with those statistics, because they are improving all the time, and our schedule simply doesn’t make cold turkey possible. Owen is farther along than Jonny, because he has so much more opportunity to go due to his small bladder. But Jonny is really working hard! Now if we could just make the jump to No. 2 on the potty before I completely lose it over No. 2 in the Daddy Underwear. Worst. Part. Of. Motherhood. Ever. But we’ll keep plugging along. We stay home most of today, so hopefully we’ll make some progress there.
As for other updates … the house situation is going at a snail’s pace. We ordered carpet, and Matt wants to wait to have that done before we put it on the market. Until that happens, I should just stop looking at houses because it’s torture. Either I’m doing contortions trying to make a bad house on good property work, or there’s a BEAUTIFUL foreclosure – super good deal – on land that’s too far away and possibly not great for horses. Whatever. It feels like if I stop looking for a while then it will be all new again when I come back to it. Trouble is … I’m addicted. J
So today was Day 2 in the Potty Training Saga. Now I didn't say that the days were consecutive. I just said it was the second day. My schedule, life, and obligations lately are making it tough to do my usual Cold Turkey routine, but nevertheless we have been very successful.
Picture the scene. One cute little blonde boy with a Swim Trunks Tan (but minus the trunks) -- 2 feet tall and the roundest buns you’ve ever seen --walking around my back patio and deck. Also with him is the bigger boy, totally simple and naive in his own lovable way, also walking around naked out back. Lettin' it all hang out! (If you're scandalized by this, see the note below.) We gave them bubbles, water guns, WHATEVER it takes to keep them busy, and we gave them anything at all that they might want to drink no matter how much sugar it might have in it. We want them to DRINK! Each time we did it, there was quite a bit of waiting involved, but once the floodgates opened, there was pee from Owen every 10 minutes! When it came out, I caught it in the Potty Bowl and viola! – there’s no such thing as an accident!
On Day One, Owen had 6 successes, and Jonny two. Today they each had five!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jonny had a harder time with both the concept and the adjustment, but little Owen’s success surely has helped. Jonny seems to be having a harder time physically making it, but (bless his heart) he grunts and pushes until he gets some in that bowl. Today they each also had a success on the actual potty. Step 2 is to get Jonny relaxed enough to just empty his bladder, but for now I’m just thrilled with our little success. This is way beyond anything we’ve ever gotten out of him! J
Only a parent would understand what I’m about to say, but here it is. (If you don’t have kids, you’ll just have to wait till you do to understand.) There is nothing cuter than a little pudgy two-year-old standing there making pee come out of its little body. NOTHING. And the pride on his little face is undescribable.
Now for the naked issue … Because Jonny is so child-like, and because he’s in diapers/Pull-ups still, it’s very common for the girls to see him naked. They don’t bat an eye at it, just as they don’t when they see their two-year-old brother. It’s just a matter-of-fact way of life around here, and the whole clan is VERY involved and supportive of this potty-training endeavor. So lest you think we’ve horrified our girls or Jonny, for that matter, let me assure you that it’s nothing out of the ordinary and has followed from having Jonny’s special needs in our family. I like to think that because they see boy parts all the time in such an innocent, healthy way they will not be so curious later! J
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