It's Potty Time

it's potty time at the chen household!
oh boy.

pumpkin-poos will turn 3 at the end of the month, and there is a big possibility that she will also start going to preschool, so i thought to myself, "maybe i should start potty training since this is the time i did it with the other 2 kiddos & i have her at home all the time now for the next 3 weeks."

needless to say, the first 4 days were a DISASTER! can you say laundry?

this came as a shock to me, since my favorite little mister trained in one day & sunshine girl basically decided to just do it herself. so, once again pumpkin poos threw me for a loop and i did not know what to do.

some things she has taught me:

1. you cannot make a toddler sit on the potty chair if they do not want to.

2. you cannot make them pee or poo when (or more importantly, where) you want them to: i mean, she would sit there for an hour if she allowed herself to & would then finally get up & pee right next to the potty chair (we're talking niagra falls)!

3. you cannot make a toddler drink if they do not want to.

4. in one day, she became a camel & i am learning that she actually holds it for 2.5-3 hours at a time (& then unloads).

5. we must persevere!

needless to say, day 5 brought a glimmer of hope:
NO ACCIDENTS!

she actually did it (with still much prompting & bribing by me)
and celebrated with the potty dance!

this may sound strange, but all of this potty training actually made me think of my artwork of the "serenity prayer". i know it is usually used in "spiritual settings" or for encouragement in alcoholics anonymous, but due to her own will vs. my will, i felt the need to dwell on this beautiful prayer.

especially the parts about "accepting the things i cannot change & enjoying one moment at a time" (HA!)

i think the serenity prayer is a great encouragement for us mommies, as we need to realize that we do need to accept things as they are, and even celebrate them, whether it is:

• our children's sleep schedules
• their personalities (even when TOTALLY opposite of us & we look at them like they are from another planet)
• their tastes in food or wardrobe
• their extreme energy level :)

grace & peace,
julie