Tuesday, March 23, 2010

To pee or not to pee

Pardon the expression but I had to use it and laughing at my genuineness for a blog title is what got me thru this day. Let me just start by saying that potty training is HARD work. And doing two at once is even harder. But my motto from the get go with these two has been "Do or die. Eat or get eaten!" By the end of the day I was wishing some one would kill me!

I have had a few people to ask over the last few months when the kids were going to start using the potty and my reply was always "Oh, when the weather warms up." (Actually it was my excuse but whatever.) Well, the last two days they both have been asking me to use the potty and I kept putting them off telling them we didn't have time or not today or whatever else popped in my head. But as I was wandering thru Walmart last night, a little voice in my head went "heeelllooo, your kids are ASKING to use the potty." Sooooooo, I bought a pack of Minnie Mouse panties and a pack of Buz Light year boxer briefs. Then, this morning, after reading up a little on potty training, I took them to Wally world and let them each pick out a potty and some more underwear.

After about 2 hours of day one of potty training, I was really wishing I had stuffed those panties that I bought into the mouth of that little voice in my head! Again I assure you that just doing one kid would have been bad enough, throwing that second pee'er and pooper into the mix will make your head spin. Right after we got home and got everything set up, they were all excited about the prospect of tinkling in the potty like a big kid like Hannah, Isabella and Matthew (sorry Harrison!) and Audrey actually squeezed a minuscule amount into her Princess potty. I got all excited thinking she was going to be a breeze but uh, I was wrong. For the next 8 hours (minus the nap) she tinkled every where in the play room except that dern potty. After about my 6th wipe up, I wondered how come no one ever mentions how nasty potty training can be! They talk about how hard it is but not how nasty. She even got to where she would cry when I'd rush her to the pot to try and get a little bit in there and the two times she pooped she cried until I showed her her little turd in the pot. Then she started laughing! (I had to dump it in there, she didn't actually poop in the pot). Nice, I know.
I have read and heard how much harder boys are to train than girls and that may be true (may be) but boys sure are easier to clean up after than girls. James only wet his underwear 4 times to Audrey's 8 by the time I had to wash some undies (which was about 3 0'clock) and he was so much easier to clean up after. He only made a puddle once! But he never tinkled in the potty.
Audrey finally went in the pot right before supper and let me tell you, she was beside herself with excitement. I was in the kitchen and she rushed in jumping up and down screaming "I tee-teed in the potty mommy!! Come see!!" I didn't know what to expect because they had been saying that all afternoon trying to get a special treat out of their tough old mom but she actually had a lot in there. So I secretly gave her some M&M's as her reward for finally going in the pot!! After what seems like a million underwear changes, 2 poops not really in the pot, one runny poop compliments of the bubster, half a roll of paper towels, more wet wipes than when they were infants and several false alarms, we got one successful tinkle in the toilet. Whew, this is gonna be a long process. Hope I am as tough as I think I am.

9 comments:

Becky said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Becky said...

ok this might be the award winner for funniest blog EVER...I laughed so hard I almost...well, good thing I'm potty trained...

Amber said...

I hear ya, girl. I have often mentioned that potty training is the bane of my existence because it is the first time I realize that I can not control the little boogers. I can NOT predict when they will poop or pee.

And this will probably not do much justice, but the more kids you have, the more laid back you get about potty training. :-) Nate is so easy about it...I take him about every 2 hours and he pees in the potty. He has about 1 wet pull-up/undies a day and at least one poopy pull-up/undie. The awesome thing about him being my 3rd is that I know that with time, he will be fully trained and the accidents won't happen as often. That is something that literally took me 3 kids to realize, and it is so much easier potty-training someone when you aren't as stressed. HA!

So, I guess I'm telling you that potty training stinks completely...until you don't care anymore. LOL! :)

Melanie said...

I am sorry, but I, too, laughed! Josiah is three and we are still working on this! I have tried everything from a baby that pees, to rewards, to stickers and timers. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel! If I had two going at the same time, and one of each at that, I would ask to have my toes severed first, I think! Josiah came up to me a few days again and hugged me and told me how much he loved me, then proceeded to pee all over me. He got a spanking for that one! Happy training!!!

Sydney Sanders said...

How funny! I was just there last week and I feel like they've grown a year just by seeing those panties and boxers! Good luck with that...

Sam and Nelda said...

OK...here's one I bet you haven't heard but it totally worked for a friend in AR... You need to potty train by the Farmer's Almanac...when the sign is in the groin or leg and our friend had it done in one day...when all else had failed!

I have total confidence in your efforts! You Go MOM!!!

As always...great post..Someone needs to discover you and do a show on the "The Life and Times of the Papoopsies"...

Dianne said...

'manda, it's like Christmas when a "deposit" actually makes it into the potty. I remember. And, it's fun for the WHOLE family. lol I agree with Amber. I had four children (three boys & one girl). The boys were cleaner. By the 3rd and 4th child, I was so NON-strict about their mishaps and they trained so much easier. So, you got the show on the road. I'd be interested in the Farmer's Almanac' tip...folks used to do EVERYthing by that "book". Enjoyed the laughs!

the ladner family said...

i feel your pain!!!! i don't LIKE that stage!

His Mercy Endureth Forever said...

I do believe every gray hair on my head came from potty training...and more of them were from my GIRL not my boy! I feel your pain! I'm not looking forward to potty training Baby #3!