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Potty training stinks. Literally sometimes.
There is that saying that no one ever goes to college in diapers, which may be true, but the cost of therapy for both you and your child after potty training could very well pay for a year or two of tuition. Geez.
My son is edging closer to 3 1/2 and up until a few weeks ago was still sporting pull ups and had zero interest in, umm,
We tried everything from buying him his own miniature plastic thrown, complete with sound effects and bright blue accents, to bribing him with new toys and ice cream. He currently uses the potty as a step stool to reach the sink. Nothing worked.
He peed in the potty like a champ. (Boy's got some good aim) For that I am thankful. He even cleans up after himself. So, yay, no stepping in warm pee for me! In parenting it's often the little things. SIGH. For a while we would have him wear real underwear around the house. Can I just say how adorable tiny skivvys are? OMG. I die. He's mostly good about telling us he needed to go potty, and we've had very few wet accidents.
But THE POOP. Ohmygosh the poop. Without fail he'd ask to go poppy and five minutes later he'd drop a duece in his drawers. Ugh. Thanks, kid. We'd sit on the potty for 20 minute stretches of time while trying desperately to keep him happy and distracted enough to go. But nope, never, not even a little fart. (giggle, sorry, I am, apparently, an eleven year old boy)
Several of his buddies were passing him with this milestone. Other parents assured us that while their kid was maturing at a scholarly pace, that our boy would catch up soon, on his own time. I have to admit how much it made me feel like a failure that my son wasn't potty trained yet. I don't consider myself to be a lazy person or a bad parent, but your self confidence sure can take a hit when the toddlers on Teen Mom are going on their own and your kid isn't. I have a fancy degree and I was on the mothereffing deans list in college but I felt like I let my kid down.
I love my son SO MUCH, and believe in him with every part of my being. I tell him everysingleday that I love him and that I'm proud of him. I am his biggest cheerleader and his first best friend, and I don't ever want him to feel like he's not good enough at something. I want more than anything to protect his heart from hurting and I pray that I am not the cause of his first pain. I ask the Lord every night to help me parent my children and help me guide them in all the right ways.
If there was a picture in the dictionary of an apple and of a tree, then you would see my son and me. He's inherited so many of my own characteristics that it's frightening and awesome at the same time. He's got one dimple when he smiles and he's empathetic and kind, but he's strongwilled and won't move an inch unless it's own his own terms. Last night I gave the kids a bath and Nolan played a little longer after I put Leah to bed. He played in the bubbles and pushed his boats in the ripples of the water and then suddenly it happened!!!!
He looked up at me and said that he needed to go poop! I quickly fastened the potty seat on the toilet and sat his dripping behind down. And then fireworks went off! Okay, not really, but metaphorial fireworks went off because my kid POOPED in the potty. BY HIMSELF. He did it!!!! Of course, when *HE* wanted to go.
We squeeled with excitement and sand an impromptu song, one of my best (I think), it went a little something like this, "Ain't no poop in your tuuuush-y... No, no, no, no thare aiiin't nooo poop in your tuush, Your tush ain't got no poop, your tush ain't got no poop, no, no, no." Funny how that seemed like the most appropriate thing to do at the time. We danced too, A LOT.
I'm so happy for my little guy. His face lit up when he saw what he had done. While, no, I don't think *this* memory will be one he shares with his future dates, I do hope that he'll remember how proud he felt accomplishing this. I hope he'll remember me cheering him on. I'm sure there will be lots more
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