More tales from the potty...

It finally happened. I don't think I've blogged about this before but today is the day.

Amelia is pooping on the potty.

Hallelujah!

Today is day 4 and there's no stopping her.

She's been peeing on the potty for a long time now, no problems there. But #2 was another story. She refused. She cried and whined when we encouraged her to try to go on the potty. And while we haven't had diapers in the house for months and months, there were still the trusty Pull-Ups on hand. Always conveniently there when she had to go.

When asked why she didn't want to poop on the potty she said it was just "too scary." Why, I still don't know, other than the first time she did poop while on her potty seat last winter, she freaked out at the sight of it...obviously not ready.

After giving it some time since that incident, we tried everything. Encouragement. A Poop Chart. Talking about her friends who pooped on the potty. Asking her friends to leave her messages on my voice-mail about pooping on the potty and how awesome and totally fun it is. Bribery with jellybeans (her favorite). But no matter what, it was always a no go.

Sometimes I pushed, and other times I just let it go holding onto the notion that it would just happen one day. Now I will admit, I did have some concern always in the back of my mind that I would have a 5 year old in kindergarten who refused to poop in the toilet and would ultimately end up holding it for the entire day until she got home. Thoughts of tummy aches and constipation. A poop saga.

As of late I've been in one of my "let it go" stages, I had even taken the poop chart down off of the bathroom wall...and then it happened. Just like that.

Ultimately, I think she just surprised herself. She got up to pee and it just happened. The look on her face was priceless and she laughed out loud! It was great. We cheered and clapped. She got to put stars on her poop chart and we proudly hung it back up on the wall.

So, like the suckie, the diapers, the sleep issues (well, most of them) these things just resolve, in time, with patience, and encouragement, and love. Even when you think there is no possible way it's ever going to happen...that your child will be married with a suckie in her mouth, snuggling a mommy shirt, and wearing adult diapers...it just happens.

And when those moments do finally happen, they are great, and prideful, and unforgettable. :)

I Was Going to Repaint That Anyway

Well, a first for us today. Amidst a busy morning, Ford told me he needed to tell me something but did not want to say whatever it was he had to say in front of Miss Amelia. After church and lunch and nap...he finally remembered to tell me as we finished our dinner dishes.

"Did you see Amelia's dresser?"

"No, what about it?"

"She wrote all over it. I didn't see it happen and I'm not sure when she did it but I thought we should talk about it first before confronting her."

A bit shocked but thinking 'how bad could it be?' I put down my dishes and walk into the bedroom. Ford and Amelia followed.

No, it's wasn't just a few scribbles. She wrote on every drawer.

With a pen.

Calmly, I said. "Amelia, could you come here for a minute?"

She walked right over. I said, "what's on your dresser?"

She looked on top of it and saw a card from her Great Grandma and said, "a card."

Obviously oblivious.

"No, what's this on the drawers?"

"I wrote on my dresser," she said happily.

I reply calmly, "Yes, I see that. I need to tell you that it's not okay to write on the furniture. We only write on paper. Do you understand what Mommy is telling you?"

"Well, I was just writing my name."

(Ford and I both had to hold back smiles...already making a case for herself).

Again I repeat, "It's never okay to write on any furniture. We only write on paper."

She pipes in, "not couches, not dressers..." (Was she thinking of moving onto the couch next)?

"Right, did you use a pencil or a pen?"

"I used a pen, the white one."

Can you tell me why you did that?

"I was just writing my name." She scrunches up her nose. "But it's okay...but...I'm sorry, Mom."

"I accept your apology, Amelia. Now you are going to help mommy try to wash it off."

Ford got some rags and she willingly ran to the bathroom, to get hers wet and get some soap.

She rubbed and rubbed to no avail. "It's not coming, off," she huffed. "I just have to scrub harder." Oh brother, somehow I'm feeling kind of bad for her at this point.

We all scrubbed but alas, the pen remains.

I had a 'what was she thinking' kind of moment on this one. It clearly was not a malicious act. Just looked like fun...to write your name...in pen...on your dresser drawers...all of them. Because maybe she just couldn't find any paper and felt like being creative, or maybe did she just wanted to see what would happen, how we would react, or maybe that's not it at all...maybe writing your "name" on your dresser in pen is just a good time.

I'm pretty sure I'll never know.