3 steps forward, 2 steps back.

I think that we have finally turned the corner on the potty learning.  I’m blogging this somewhat reluctantly, in case I jinx myself,  but I decided to write about it just in case somebody finds my blog and has a kid like mine.   It always makes me feel better to read that someone else didn’t have the potty prodigy who trained early and easily. 

I did not think this would be as much of a challenge as it has been… which goes to show you that I have much to learn about being a parent.  You would think after 2.75 years I would know better.   No one warned me how potty learning can be a long process, although after I started to complain a bit then I began hearing other parents say that they had a child who monkeyed around as well. 

Kids always seem to be out to prove they are one of a kind.  The dutchkid is no exception.  She was pooping on the potty shortly after she turned a year old and I thought we were well on our way to getting rid of diapers early.  Everyone I talked to said that peeing in the potty was the easy part.  Not my kid.  Only in the past few months has she had the awareness of her body during play and other distractions to say, “I need to go”.  Otherwise we would fall into a routine of me trying to cajole her into using the potty at regular intervals, which she immediately picked up on as something I could not make her do.  Try as you might, you can’t make somebody urinate on cue.  Even when you try bribery. 

I know I am fortunate that I haven’t changed very many poopy diapers in the past year, but wet pants, wet panties, wet car seat, and random wet furniture get OLD after a while.  I’ve been thankful that we have wood floors in this house (and laminate in our last one).  More importantly, I hated the power struggle that it had become.  So after we moved here I really laid off.  I figured that the transition of moving would throw her for a loop anyway (which it did). 

And finally, finally she started staying dry.  And going willingly when I asked without pressuring.  And then her teachers at preschool said they thought she was ready to wear panties to school (yay!).  I’m sure we will have several more accidents before she is super reliable, but I feel like the worst is over. 

So take heart, parents of reluctant pee-ers.  I am here to remind you that everybody uses the potty like a big girl (or boy) eventually.

Just shoot me now.

I had to go to the commissary today. I had to. Anyone want to take a guess as to what today is? That’s right, everybody, it’s not just Tax day, it’s payday!

For my non-military readers, payday in the military happens twice a month (unless you elect to get paid only once a month), the 1st and the 15th. One of the first things you learn as a spouse is that unless you absolutely have to, you DO NOT go to the commissary on payday. Long lines, grumpy retirees, aisles so crowded you can barely fit through… I was missing the old system back when dh was first in the Army where they had arrows directing you on the floor of the commissary.

But I had to go today because we have guests coming tomorrow and I even had a good attitude. I got there early, I smiled at people and I was polite. I resisted the temptation to play bumper cars with my cart. The dutchkid wore her big girl panties for the first time out in public and used the potty in the commissary! I managed to get done in under an hour. I gave the dutchkid an apple juice box to keep her happy in the checkout line (I swear, it might as well be a minefield with the candy within reach) and unloaded the cart.

I knew it was too good to be true. I waited there for 20 minutes. The cashier had made some sort of unsolvable error with the customer in front of me. By the time they called the third manager over to help, my good attitude had melted away with all my frozen stuff. The dutchkid was having her own little meltdown. I ended up reloading my cart to get back into line.

We made it home, the end in sight, good attitude returning… right up until the dutchkid wet her pants while I was unloading the car.