Monday, September 22, 2008

Cold Turkey?


If I had my camera right now, I'd be showing you lovely pictures (as part of the TAT house tour) of the bathroom floor as it is pretty close to Godliness right now.

The chief reason for that being the number of times I have Cloroxed it today. Potty training is such good exercise - I don't think I've done that many squats or been that close to the ground since...well, a very long time.

When Ellie woke up today she was dry, as she has been for the last two weeks. I decided that today was the day. I put princess undies on her and told her to be careful to keep them dry. She was so careful! She really didn't want to pee at all, but finally at 11:30 she did it. Three more times she met with success with one or two not quite successes (she at least made it to the bathroom). But then while she was washing her hands after "trying," I heard her little voice from the bathroom. "Mom, I peeing!"

"Oh good!" I replied, "did you go in the potty?"

"No mom, I peeing on my potty." She had pulled the itty, bitty potty over to wash her hands and all that running water had inspired her - it had inspired her all over that itty, bitty potty like Lake Michigan.

Later, she hopped out of the tub to do her #2 business in the proper place so all was not lost. All three times she peed in the wrong place she asked me if I was mad. I wasn't, but the third time was such an incredibly unbelievable amount, I sort of lost my cool. In fact, I'm pretty sure I lost it all the way to the neighbors' house.

I did find it again, hugged her, and talked to her about how she was learning what it feels like when her body needs to pee. She told me, "I don't wanta wern. I all done." I hugged her again and reassured her that even though it was hard she would get it and it would be okay.

I totally identified with that statement of hers. I've felt that same sentiment many times over the past three years and even expressed it to God. But the truth is, we never get to stop "werning." Or at least, we never lack for learning opportunities. We are never "all done."

I'm just wondering if there's enough Clorox/Xanax/Chocolate (pick your poison) to get me through this.