Training the Potty

Well, it was bound to happen sometime, what with the pesky habit children have of growing up.

Yes, we've entered the potty training stage with The Manimal.

He's doing surprisingly well, going on the potty both in the morning and at night before bed. We haven't ventured to pull ups or training pants yet, but we're working on it, and he won't be three until January.

Unfortunately, he fails to see the need to "go pee-pee on the potty" at the sitter's house. We've tried bribery, we've tried threats, but he simply refuses. One conversation ended up with him sharing his logic thusly:

Me: "Manimal, why won't you go potty at Miss G's house?"
Manimal: "I NO go potty dere."
Me: "But why? You'll get 5 M & M's" (our bribe for peeing in the potty)
Manimal: "She no have M & M's"
Me: "Yes, she does. I gave them to her."
Manimal: "I no go potty dere. I no need to. I go potty dis morning at my potty."

Clearly he thinks that once or twice in the toilet is sufficient, and in the diaper the rest of the time is wonderful.

Yesterday, however, our conversation went a bit differently. He actually SAT on the potty at Miss G's house.

Me: "Did you go potty at Miss G's today?"
Manimal: "I sit on da potty, Mommy!"
Me: "Good job, buddy. But did you make pee-pee in the potty?"
Manimal: "No. It was stuck."
Me: "The potty was stuck?"
Manimal: "No. Da pee. Was stuck in my penis. It no come out."

Sigh.

Out of the Loop

Wow, going away for six days really wreaks havoc on one's routine! I was doing so well posting every day, and now we've been home for five days and I've posted one measley little update. I have got to do better.

No pics yet, because I've been working every day since we got home. MouseLand was fabulous.
Of course, now we're all laid low with the mother of all head colds, but I guess that's the penalty we pay for enjoying the MOST GORGEOUS weather while our fellow Chicagoans dug themselves out of one of the worst winters ever.

We stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort in Animal Kingdom. Nice place, if not a little bizarrely decorated. My mom wondered if they were in the process of redecorating the bathrooms or if the decorator was just drunk. Picture, if you will, an orange, red and blue striped shower curtain, weird geometric Aztec-print border in same colors, and a wallpaper in a black and white stairstep geometric pattern. I, however, thought it was the most beautiful place in the world, since the Manimal chose that very toilet to pee in FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! Don't get too excited, though. He's really not ready for the full potty training yet, but he does sit on the toilet, flush, wash his hands and get really excited. Peeing in the pot was a fluke, but boy did we go crazy!

As previously mentioned, the weather was spectacular. Every day, the temperature hovered right around 85 degrees, with sunshine and beautiful blue skies. We were in Heaven! Sweet Son #1 decided that he'd like to move to Florida, especially if it meant we'd not have to deal with snow. I reminded him that Central Florida was prone to some nasty rainstorms and had to deal with the occasional hurricane residue, but that didn't seem to sway his seven-year-old mind. Of course, he might've been under the influence of a mouse and his friends.

More to come, I promise. I'll regale you with tales such as The Manimal and His Twin, Meltdown of a Five-Year-Old, Meal-Sharing With Donald, VIP Tours: The Only Way to Meet the Mouse, Why Not to Eat at the Rainforest Cafe, Attack of the Chicken Nuggets, The Fastest Three Seconds EVER, and more!

Queen, Doorknobs and Other Child-Related Topics

So one of Sweet Son #1's favorite songs as of late is the Queen standard "We Will Rock You". While I'm not completely sure where my sweet 7 year old first heard this oldie, I do know that he's heard it at baseball games and a recent excursion to a hockey game. He sings it EVERYWHERE.

What he doesn't realize (and I don't think I fully did until recently) is that The Manimal's language skills are developing at the speed of light. He repeats EVERYTHING.

Yesterday, M was playing with Play-Doh and chattering to himself (takes after Mom). I was only half-listening, but suddenly I heard "turn around and drop you" clear as a bell. As I tuned in, I realized he was singing the song, as sung by SS#1.

As I write this, he's marching around the house, diaper-less, carrying his potty chair flush against his little bottom chanting "hup! two, free, four!"

Now if he would only do the deed in the potty chair.

He has managed to breach the bathroom, and every other room in the house. Yes, dear readers, The Manimal has mastered the doorknob. Today's post-church shopping excursion was to purchase doorknob covers.

I didn't feel so bad though. After sharing his latest milestone with my pastor in church this morning, he shared a story about a friend who had to buy a refrigerator lock because her DOG figured out how to open the fridge. She discovered this when she came downstairs one morning and found food all over the kitchen floor. At least I don't have to dog-proof my house for the Princess! That might push me over the edge.

Hopefully Monty, Boston, Paris and Devil Dog aren't forcing their humans to pet-proof their homes. I think Marilyn's human is probably safe from such dangers. Although she may may have to be careful if Boston and Paris ever visit.

Cheers!