Morning Entertainment

Eating scones and watching the lawnmowers

Success is Counted Sweetest . . .

. . . By those who ne'er succeed. We seemed to be able to relate to these words of Emily Dickinson as we worked to potty train Aden. After nearly a year (off and on) of trying everything in the proverbial book of potty training methods, nothing seemed to bring success more than once or twice. We even tried new things - dancing for success with his favorite CD playing in the bathroom, the "Potty Train" (making train sound effects while sitting on the potty), and moving into big boy pants. Our last attempt, moving into big boy pants, was a once and for all effort. We read about the technique online and decided to give it a try. After all, it had reportedly been used for a hundred years with guaranteed success. The method is simple: throw away all diapers and move into big boy pants. The child becomes so uncomfortable sitting in a mess that they are motivated to use the potty. The parents have to deal with a few messes until the child gets the hang of it, but this really shouldn't last long. As with all potty training methods, parents are strongly urged to stay positive no matter what. Tell the child with each accident, "That's okay. I'm sure you'll remember next time."

Mommy was pretty excited about the new effort, although we had to make a few changes and adaptations along the way. First, we were too cheap to throw away the diapers. We kept the cloth ones in a closet in case Wiley grows into them (we're hoping he is trained before he needs the bigger size), and he is already wearing Aden's few leftover disposable diapers (even though they are a size too big). We also began to realize that the experts have not met Aden. He has an amazing tolerance for discomfort, and can sit in wet or dirty pants for hours if you let him. When we told him "It's okay. I'm sure you'll remember to use your potty next time," he heard, "It's okay if you don't use your potty. Mommy will just keep cleaning up the messes with no complaints." While we had much support from our station family (even gifts of a new potty book and a potty DVD from Olivia), it was not enough.

After 72 hours, when we had seen no progress at all - every time he sat on the potty involved much effort - we began to enforce some discipline. Aden would have to start cleaning up his own messes, and he would have to start using his potty if he wanted certain privileges, like visiting friends. Cleanup didn't seem too bad the first time when he was wet. He wiped it up quickly and proudly - two times - that first morning. Then Uncle Bill walked by outside and Aden asked if he could play. Mommy said it was okay, if Aden would stay outside. Then she added, "Why don't you come sit on your potty first?" To her surprise, Aden immediately complied and had success. He called Daddy at the office, and then called Uncle Bill and was able to go play - inside. He was so thrilled with his own success and the reward that he agreed to sit on the potty again after lunch. Again, he had success, and this time we even called Grandma Karen and Grandpa Dan. The rest of that day he kept his big boy pants dry. There were some pretty big rewards in sight - playing with Cilla in the afternoon, and the promise of Aunt Kathy's birthday party the next night. Aden only had one accident the next day and was able to go to the birthday party at Uncle Bill and Aunt Marsha's. We even took the potty chair with us in case he needed to use it while we were there. After he'd finished eating, he came back to the table and told Mommy he needed to use the potty . . . and he requested that Aunt Marsha go with him! When he had success, everyone cheered for him and he said, "Let's do it again!" Mommy was excited, but also hoped the new trend would not die with the party.

We are proud to announce that Aden has only had two accidents since he started his "dry run." And he is now letting us know when he needs to sit on the potty - even when there are no major rewards in sight. Ahh, sweet success!

Kids Say the 'Darndest' things....

Here are a few of the favorites from the past couple of weeks.

Being a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine has taught him new words like "Comdumptor" for the Conductor. It took Mommy and Daddy awhile to figure that one out.

In this age of gadgets, you shouldn't go anywhere without your "ipod." In Aden's case, his ipod is a three-legged stand that holds your camera when you want to take a picture of someone. "Say Cheese" he (and now Wiley too) will say when the "ipod" is set up and ready. Photo shoots are often done in Aden's room (in a designated chair) before Daddy goes to work.

There is the classic, "When I was a little boy, I used to _______."

He recently noticed a chimney on top of one of the houses. He asked, "What will they say if a dog comes near their house?" We didn't know, but he promptly told us, "not by the hair on my chimney, chimney, chimney!"

One day, Aden told Mommy that they need to have a "meeting." When Mommy asked him what the meeting was about, he responded "a meeting about making some cookies." His meetings usually have an agenda of what we will eat or what we will make to eat.

Daddy was recently playing with Wiley on the couch and making him laugh by kissing him on his tummy. Not to be left out, Aden ran to the couch and said, "Daddy, come make me funny too."

I am sure there are more, and we will try to write them down and do another blog entry. So watch for more 'darndest' things in the future. It won't be long before Wiley is contributing as well (although right now he just tries to say everything that Aden says). We leave you now with one of our favorite Aden sayings,

"See you wayter, after a cwocodile."

Whatever It Takes

We have been working with Aden to sit on the potty for quite some time. Each time we have faced a severe lack of motivation on his part. But, now that we are settled in again after returning from our home assignment, we've decided to tackle potty training again. And we'll do whatever it takes to get him to sit for a while.

Such as . . .

. . . motivation from his younger brother. Although Wiley is only 17 months old, he has quite an interest in the potty chair just his size in the bathroom. He seems to enjoy sitting on the potty, and for a few weeks all we had to do was mention the potty and he would take off for the bathroom. There are certain books he likes to read on the potty, and he has even had some success sitting on the potty at just the right time. Aden is usually there, not necessarily ready to use the potty himself, but certainly ready to clap and cheer on his younger brother. Once we started rewarding Wiley with an m&m each time he had success, Aden decided to sit on the potty, too.

. . . the foot bath. One morning while Wiley was sitting on the potty we thought it would help him if we put his feet in water. (We had realized that he often feels a need to "go" when his feet touch his bath water.) So we turned the bathroom step stool upside-down and put some warm water in it. Almost immediately, Wiley had success! And Aden had finally found new motivation to sit on the potty chair himself! We put fresh water in the stool and called it a foot bath. The foot bath was so inviting that Mommy also put her feet in and gave herself a brief pedicure.

. . . motivation from friends. Aden's good friend Olivia came to our house with her family to join us for dinner last week. While the adults visited around the table after dinner, Aden came running down the hall from where the children were playing. He excitedly announced with wide eyes, "Mommy! Olivia went pee-pee in the big potty!" Although she didn't necessarily want to encourage co-ed potty time, Mommy responded with enthusiasm, "Wow!! Maybe you can learn to do that, too!"

. . . the timer. When Aden is in the middle of play, it can be difficult to convince him that he needs to stop and sit on the potty. So Mommy introduced the timer. He only has to sit on the potty until the timer goes off, but at least it gets him in a bit of a routine.

. . . a party. After Aden's birthday, he wanted to know when he could have cake again, and when we could hang the birthday banners again. We told him we would on Daddy's birthday (which was yesterday), but then added that when he learned to keep his diaper dry, and could sit on the potty, and then could wear big boy pants, we would have a party for him and he could invite whoever he wanted to come celebrate with him.

We're not sure which of these has been the greatest motivator, but we have seen some progress. Aden sometimes talks about the party he will have, sometimes is willing to admit that he wants to keep his diaper dry, sometimes has success on the potty, and sometimes even sits for a LONG time until he has success. This evening we were ready to head out the door, when Aden told us he wanted to sit on the potty. We gave him just a few minutes - when Wiley was dressed and ready we would have to leave. But while we were getting Wiley ready, Aden proudly announced that he had used his potty! We aren't holding our breath yet, but perhaps he is becoming a "big boy", and perhaps soon we'll be blogging about a Potty Party.

Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor...

...and what about your cup of water that you leave on the nightstand overnight?
Aden is in the habit of needing a drink of water (once he has been in bed for 15 minutes already) each night at bedtime. Mommy and Daddy have been in the habit of then putting the cup of water on the bookshelf next to his bed.
Recently, Aden found his cup of water that was left from the night before and asked, "What is in my cup, Mommy? Someone is in my cup!"
And here is what we found....



Maybe it is time to roach bomb the house again.
Aden now makes sure that we put all cups in the kitchen, so that "someone doesn't get in my water again."