Monday, August 31, 2009

Potty training

Gavin is pretty much potty trained. We started a little over a week ago and with in a day or two he was to the point where, if we remembered to put him on the potty, he was dry all day. Number two has taken a bit longer to conquer, but we are pretty much there as well. To this, I should be holding up my glass and toasting to success: saving money and space in my garbage can. I am going to admit, the success is not all I dreamed it would be.
I have spent the last two weeks taking my kiddo to the potty about every half hour to hour. Not only that, but usually I am trying to find a creative way to make it "fun" to stop whatever he is doing and go to the potty. (Sidenote: it isn't fun, so this is a hard task.) When he doesn't want to go, timer to let him know we'll be going soon. Now, every time the timer goes off for dinner, Gavin thinks we need to go to the toilet.
If we leave the house, we go potty. When we get somewhere, we go potty. When we are in a public place, we can take up to 10 minutes trying to go potty. It is a major production to try and make sure he goes potty without his pants getting dropped on the bathroom floor and his hands all over the public toilet seat.
Today he spent 15-20 minutes trying to get out all the "stinky poo-poos". I think potty training has made him hold it longer and he sat on that toilet forever!
"Are you all done, Gavin?"
"No...there's still more, Mom. Look I see it!" (What is it about boys? Their inherent nature to be proud of their poop is beyond my comprehension. I figure at this point, let him be proud if it gets the job done!)
During this 15-20 minutes, Brayden desperately wants to be part of the action and will make every effort to be in the bathroom finding any sort of mischief he can. Logan, the little boy I watch, follows Brayden into the bathroom, not to be left out. I spend the time trying to herd kids out of the bathroom, making sure Gavin doesn't fall in the toilet (after all, that's a long time to hold yourself up) and then running back and forth...because if I shut myself in the bathroom, Logan decides it's prime time to touch the untouchable wine glasses and if I go out of the bathroom, Gavin thinks he is all done, but of course changes his mind when I come back.
In the end, we have a completed stinky poo poo, two little boys angry that they weren't part of the potty party and one extremely tired mom who is considering locking herself in the bathroom without any of them for a minute alone.
I have a new appreciation for God and the patience he has when he tries to teach us lessons. He already knows I am not going to be an overnight success and yet He still takes on the challenge of trying to help me be a better person! I know I probably take a lot longer to grasp things than it will take for Gavin to get good at the potty thing. I am sure I exasperate Him. To this I say, "Thank you Lord for not giving up on me. And if you need a minute alone in the bathroom I totally understand!"

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