Hello fellow readers... I thought I would write a quick note to let you all know that I will be away for the next 1.5 weeks. I will continue to post updates via Instagram (you can find direct access to my Instagram account on the right hand side of my profile), however, I will not have access to write a blog post for the next two Sundays or Wednesdays.
What am I doing, you ask? Well, we are going to Disney and then visiting family that lives not too far from there.
Ecstatic, doesn't even cover the way my children are feeling.
So, our bags are packed, the car is stuffed, and all that is left is for us to hop in and take off mid morning.
Enjoy your days... As we will enjoy our Happy Days :)
I was at Toysrus, trying to shield the embarrassment on my face, as my children jumped from power wheel car to power wheel car. Then, to my right, I saw a preteen girl also shielding the embarrassment on her face, as her dad was riding a bike up and down the isles... Turns out, the embarrassing experiences eventually come full circle.
Potty training... Those two words will send shivers down any well seasoned mother's back. The hair on her arms will stand at attention, as the memories vividly flash through her mind.
Because every parent has at least one story.
I was completely blindsided by my daughter. She actually potty trained herself. I wasn't prepared for her to do it, but she took the lead and I followed. I wasn't one of those parents who pushed her children into training. I don't even like that terminology -"training"- I don't like it with sleep training, crying training, or the potty training. So, I never did it. All I did to have her use the potty was, continuously talked about the potty. How you're supposed to use it, what it is for, etc. I also started changing her diaper on the bathroom floor and would dump the solid contents into the toilet so she could connect the two. But I never forced her to sit on the potty once. She would sit on it fully clothed throughout the day and read stories to her toys, that was about as much potty use she would get. However, one day at 27 months, my daughter came up to me and said she wanted to use the potty. I took her, she used it. Then, she said she wanted to wear big girl undies, she did... And never had an accident since.
So, you would think I would be eager and confident to embark on "training" child number 2... Well, I still don't have the slightest clue on how to potty "train". Nor, would I attempt to go in that direction. In fact, my two children don't even have the same attitude about it, so even if I had a clue, it probably wouldn't work anyways.
My daughter was and is always eager to learn, to maximize as much information as possible, and then take that information and apply it so she could learn even more. My son appears to be ok where he is at and isn't too eager to move into another bracket.
He is 100% ok with using diapers... And he'll tell you that too.
My son, at 27 months, will take his pants and cloth diaper off (only urinated in once) and drop it into the bin, then attempt to place another diaper on himself. While watching this, I ask him what he is doing, he replies, "pee dipe." I say, "ok, where are you supposed to pee?" He says, "potty." I then ask, "where do you pee?" He replies, "dipe." I counter with, "would you like to use the potty to pee?" He concludes with, "no!"
I'm not sure you could argue with that logic. Especially since, he apparently has the system down to a science.
I have to laugh at this situation, because he knows what he is supposed to do, but apparently isn't ready to give up the security of having his diapers. I can't fault him for that, he's only 27 months. But, I think I could more understand his not wanting to use the potty, if he didn't have all the signs of readiness (and have a complete self changing system).
Thankfully, my laid-back personality/parenting style is keeping me at bay from attempting to push him into being fully "trained" by a specific time period. My type of parenting is to allow him to be ready, when he's ready. At least cloth diapers do not cost me a dime. Until then, I will laugh at his defiant nature, keep reassuring him that the potty is a good thing, continue to guide him, oh, and help him put a new diaper back on.
I'd like to apologize to my son's future wife, because at that time, he still may not be fully potty trained... Ugh, motherhood problems!
The days are growing longer and the cool crisp air is being succeeded by a more tepid breeze. Winter boots are being replaced with rain boots and winter coats are switched out for lighter coats...
Spring is officially in the air.
Confined indoor creative play has now transformed into outdoor wild adventures.
Paint brushes and puzzles are packed away for rainy days, no longer the sole provider of entertainment.
The sunnier days are left for outdoor exploration...
Trips to the farm...
And seeing beautiful, new life blooming...
You can't help but be incredibly grateful for these days -The long days... The warmer days... The sunny days... The happy days...
Especially, after the grueling, frigid winter we just emerged from.
The warm air forces every part of your soul to embrace the beauty. To stretch your arms out wide and soak in the vitamin D that is dripping from the sun, leaving you with a smile frozen on your face.
You can't help but search for beauty.
We will continue to eagerly await, as this warmer weather creeps through; knowing that brighter, merrier days are in our future. Days where my children and I can play barefoot outside in the soft grass, enjoying limitless childhood at it's finest.
Happy Easter everyone!
