Potty Training 3.0

This is it folks!  Potty Training 3.0.  The last and final version, hopefully it's the best version out too.  I've always waited until my boys were at least 3 before "lovingly forcing" potty training. It has always been a breeze.  3 days and done with very minimal accidents.  C3 starts pre-school the day after his 3rd birthday and they want them to be potty trained, so we're pushing it a little with him.  We're prepared, I think.  We've been down this road before.  We're ready for the bumps, twists and cars in front that slam on their brakes.

I just sent Brad to the store to get disinfecting wipes, disinfecting wipes and more disinfecting wipes.  Well, some easy groceries too because I'm not loading this circus up and heading to the store anytime in the next 4 days.

C3 has been waking at 5:45, or before, for going on 3 weeks now.  The summer sun really messes with his sleep cycles and we just aren't successful at getting him to go back to sleep in the mornings.  So, if we're not sleeping, we might as well be potty-ing! 

Say some prayers for us this week.  Pray for the child that he doesn't get frustrated and discouraged or constipated for that matter.  Pray for the big brothers that they don't feel neglected.  Pray for patience and kindness for the mother.  And pray for the daddy who happens to be traveling during 90% of this mess, but will certainly hear about it 100% over the phone!

A Hippo Named Boo Boo. Period. End of story.

We recently had a sitter come over to the house and while she was there she read the book, "The Book with No Pictures", to the boys.  We run a pretty tight ship around here regarding potty-talk and naughty language.  There are some words that we just don't use.  Such as "Shut-Up", "Pee", "Butt", "Bucket Head" and "Boop".  (The later two which will be stories of their own at some point.)  In my opinion, these words are gate-way cursing and I know that they will quickly get abused in this house of boys (which is exactly what happened to "Bucket Head" and "Boop").  Well... In this book it uses a potty word.  It's not a problem because I always just skip right over it.  However, on this day, the sitter didn't know better and it was read, aloud, to the younger 2.  (Well, C3 really didn't care, but C2 was on Cloud 9.)  You would have thought that he just discovered the 8th Wonder of the World.  I didn't realize this discovery until I sat down a couple of hours later to read to them before nap.  C2 got THE biggest grin on his face when he handed me his choice of books.  I did find it a little odd that his grin was so big, but I'm no dummy and started to put the pieces together rather quickly.  So... I started reading the book.  The suspense grew.  He was getting antsier and antsier for me to get to "the page".  I finally got there and read it as I always have, "My best friend in the whole wide world is a hippo named Boo Boo.".  He looked at me eagerly and said, "What else??" I couldn't help but chuckle.  I said, "Oh... do you think there is another word?"
C2 shouted excitedly, "Yes!!! A POTTY word." Giggling contagiously.
I quickly responded, "Well, we don't say potty words in this house, so I don't read that word."
Total disappointment fell across C2's face.
Later that day it was time for books before bed.  This time I had all 3 boys in the room with me.  The suspense was building for C2 again.  His grin was soooo wide!  C2 could not wait to show his older brother his discovery from earlier in the day.  I overheard them whispering and flipping through the pages.  C1 is not a huge book reader, especially when he is the one that has to do the reading.  That night he was so motivated to read through the entire book until he found the treasure.  The coveted potty word!!!

The Phone Conversation

Me: (Answering the phone) Hello!
Brad: Hey!  I'm on my way home. It'll be about 2 hours.  I'm getting hungry, what are y'all doing for lunch?
ME: (Singing in my head) "It's hotter than a furnace fan out in Arizona". (Because I triple dog dare you to try to not sing that song when it's playing on Pandora.)  :)
C3: (Barging in from another room, tearing into the pantry) Me need snack!  Spicy Chips!  SPICY CHIPSSSSS!
Me: NOT TO BRAD - No, you can't have spicy chips as a snack.
C1: (Also Barging in from a different room)  Mmmmm!  What are you cooking?
Me: ALSO NOT TO BRAD - I'm cooking a breakfast casserole for tomorrow.
Me: STILL NOT TO BRAD - C3, get your hands off of C1.

Brad:  (Sounding very deflated) I'll talk with you later.

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P.S. - We REALLY do love you, Brad.  As one of our favorite artists says, "Can't love nobody on the telephone."  We're glad that we have you in our home more frequently than not so that we can actually love you.

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P.S.S. - BOOM!  2 Robert Earl Keen quotes in one blog, that's how you do it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l4558pFQGY