Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Potty Training: Blessing or Curse?

In the Kelly household we are currently going through round two of potty training. In theory it seems like moving a kid out of diapers should be the best thing ever, these days I'm not so sure.

In keeping with my mindset, if I don't laugh I might cry,  I would like to share with you one of our more recent adventures.

To begin with Abbie was more than ready to start this process she was to the point of telling me "Mommy I'm pooping, you need to change my diaper" sometimes followed by (less than 10 min later) "Mommy, I did it again, change please"- OK kid you are ready.

From day one she had no issue going what we call "peeps" on the potty, literally a few hours in she could stop playing and let me know she had to go. 

The comedy, if we can call it that comes from first, her fear of using a public restroom and  second Sydney.

On a recent trip to the library Abbie declared in a rather panicked voice that she had to go potty. I had to round up all three girls and take them all into 1 stall that was the size of a postage stamp. After much shimmying the 4 of us crammed into the stall. Abbie was gripping onto me for dear life, convinced she was going to fall in because she didn't have her trusty Elmo potty seat.  As I'm trying to convince Abbie, she doesn't need Elmo, Elizabeth screams at the top of her lungs "MOOOOM Sydney is trying to escape". Sure enough I turn around and Sydney is trying to make a break for it under the stall door.  I yelled "Sydney" loud enough to get her attention and make her turn around. She looks me right in the eye, cocks her head, gives me her best impish grin and says "No".  I now have to let go of Abbie to grab for Sydney before she is completely off and running. This does not go well. Abbie begins shrieking at the top of her lungs. "I'm falling in, I'm falling in, I'm falling in". After securing Syd, I made Elizabeth the stalls official bouncer. We pinned Syd in the corner and E blocked her in. I am now completely drenched in sweat and trying not to cry at the insanity that has become my life.  I turn back to Abbie and try to convince her she is such a big girl and can go on this potty. After the 4 of us sing multiple renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star we have success.

While I am so proud that my baby is becoming a big girl, I couldn't help but think for a millisecond, changing the diaper would have been ten thousand times easier.  I had to smile to myself thinking about all the recent diaper changes I had done for Abbie and wishing she would start going on the potty. Be careful what you wish for because it might just come true!