Saturday, March 10, 2007

On the Poo Train Again

More toilet adventures today.


I decided on Thursday it was time to try big-girl underwear again with Addie.  As many of you know, I have a small, dark nugget of hatred in my soul for pull-ups, which get marketed to parents as the answer to potty training.  Teach your kid to pee without worrying about any of the accidents! they tell us.  Whatever.  WhatEVER.  If you had given me a couple of toothbrushes and a box of pull-ups, I could have single-handedly cleaned up the Exxon Valdez oil spill, those things are so absorbent.  In other words, Addie couldn't really tell when she was going pee in them, because they so effectively wicked moisture away from her bladder.


But Addie's nearing her third birthday, and we may also be moving soon.  Many preschools require your kid be potty trained before they accept her.  And, to be frank, I was just feeling like it was time to try again.  So we did.


She hit about 50% of the time Thursday, which I think was great.  I approached it this way:  even the accidents were good, because it helped her to figure out when she was peeing, at least.  The rest of the time, we were able to make it to the potty.  I also installed the little kid potties in the living room and in her room again, to give her the greatest chances for success.  Sometimes just changing things up can set the reset button enough to get things moving again.


Yesterday, Addie was in pull-ups again (I was at work and Eric had both kids at the zoo, and I don't blame him for not wanting to deal.  But it was a set-back.  She didn't go potty once).


Today, it was back to underwear only, and she has gone pee consistently on the potty, with only two little accidents.  More importantly, she pooped on the potty, which feels like a benediction from Christ himself.  "Here, my lamb," he says.  "I anoint you with a big, round turd in your kid-sized potty."  Sweet, sweet blessing.  A crapacle from heaven.


Anyway, I've been affirming and affirming that Addie is potty trained, and voila.  It's happening.  Oh, I know this is a sometimes rocky road--believe me, do I know.  But I feel like this time will stick.  I'm more relaxed, Eric's getting on board with the program, and most importantly, Addie is older and wiser.


It is going to mean Eric and I are going to have to be more on the ball, though.  I was sitting with Addie this morning while she was trying to poop on the potty when all of a sudden I had to go.  So I tag-teamed with Eric and ran to the downstairs bathroom, where I too late discovered we were out of toilet paper.  Addie's grunting and pushing upstairs, Nolie's screaming in the living room wanting to be picked up, and I'm stranded, yelling for Eric to bring me t.p. 


"I love living with three women," said Eric as he passed the t.p. through the door to me, at last.  Just wait till the girls get their periods, I was thinking, and you have to fetch them tampons.  You'll be yearning for these halcyon days where poops were a big deal.



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