“Why don’t we just mosey on upstairs, and you know, just sit down, maybe on the potty, and thumb through some college catalogues?”
We don’t have a potty chair around here, but we do have a potty attachment seat. I know what you’re thinking (wishing?). But, no, It’s not high-tech, Japanese, state-of-the-art, or digital (but it does have Elmo on it). And, no, nobody called me at work to inform me that Caelyn just said “poo-poo” and send me racing home to make sure my little girl won’t have to take rubber sheets to a major university that requires their students to be potty trained.
But!
Just yesterday, Caelyn did say “Bapa-Bapa,” pulled her step stool up to the pot, slapped on Elmo, ripped off her diaper, climbed up, and let ‘er rip all on her own accord. Since then she’s only let two no. 1’s go anywhere but in the potty, and she’s racked up quite a few “sparkles” on her impromptu reward board:
And!
She did frame her face with her little seat and shoot the biggest smile up to her daddy, which made him crack up and say, “Oh, Caelyn. That’s a joke Dave Coulier would make!” (I think he was just trying to disguise his Full House knowledge by attributing the potty hat joke to Joey instead of its rightful owner, Michelle, don’t you?)
Seems like potty training’s been on everyone’s mind but mine. Oh, I got her a few potty training books, the attachment seat, and the step stool a couple months ago when she started asking to have her diaper changed and showing enthusiasm about anyone else using the potty. But I just showed her how they work, stashed a pack of Pull-Ups in the closet, and then let it all lie.
Subconsciously, I’m sure my no-pressure approach has its roots in a childhood full of my mom constantly forcing me to use the potty even when I didn’t need to (I really didn’t! You know how many parents just wish their kids could hold it like I could?) and then assuring me that if I didn’t go often enough, my bladder would just stretch and stretch until I turned into a giant walking, talking bladder. (Good gravy! It’s no wonder I hate the word “bladder”!)
But, really, I just figured one of us would know when the time was right. So far, that’s worked well for all the signature infant-to-toddler trouble transitions, i.e. leaving the bassinet for the crib, putting herself to sleep, weaning, switching from bottle to cup, moving from baby foods to solids, etc. Turns out she knew first this time too.
The only glitch so far is her excessive love of toilet paper. She’ll take as much or as little of it as she can get. In fact, I almost entitled this post, “I’ll Take One Ply. One Ply. One Puny Little Ply. I’ll Take One Measly Ply!”
Besides a few more tp showdowns, I’m not sure what comes next, but (needless to say) I guess we’re doin’ this now! And I’m not worried. I’m sure she’ll clue me in on the next step when the time comes.
Isn’t that lil’ munchkin somethin’?
PS — I don’t know why she’s calling the business “bapa-bapa.” Maybe it’s a combination of “biper” (aka “diaper”) and “potty.”
Or maybe my mom’s been whispering, “Do you need to pa-pa?” in her ear. (By the way, that’s a longer “a” than the one in the affectionate grandfather name “Papa.”) It’s hard to say why Mom uses that term, but she’s been using it for years. First with her kids, then this slight variation with her dogs: “Wanna go outside pa-pa-poo?” (For the record, she asked me if I needed to pa-pa just last week.) She’s also been known to say, “Do you need to pop?” I can only assume this stems from the expression, “I’m about to pop!”
7 comments
congrats! i can’t wait for that day.
YAY! I’m sure this is very exciting, I can only try to imagine… though I honestly don’t want to try to imagine bc it kinda freaks me out! :) I’m always amazed by your parenting experiences…seriously… I really don’t think I could do it!
Also… that calling you at work reference at the beginning … are you working somewhere? did I miss something or am I not getting a reference to something else in all that?
Scott — Thanks! With another little guy on the way, I bet y’all are ready for that day!
Jules — Thank you! I actually was surprised by how exciting it was. I mean, pee, of all the things to make a person proud, right? I won’t say that parenting isn’t hard work, but I think some things must somehow, secretly get born into women when they become mothers.
Ha! No, I’m not working anywhere. As a matter of fact, I’ve been having a sick-vacation all week, lazing around watching movies and playing games with Caelyn that I can play while leaning against the couch. The title and the intro are allusions to the episode of Full House where Jesse & Joey try to write a jingle and DJ can’t keep Steph out of her stuff. They’re all fighting when Michelle performs the great feat of using the potty and reminds them what being a family is all about. At the beginning of the episode, Joey calls Danny at work and tells him that Michelle said “poo-poo.” He rushes home, thinking she’s brilliant, and within 30 mins, she’s potty trained!
I watch too much junk TV.
Good work, everyone!
Lex — Thanks! (I assume you’re referring, mainly, to the quality of my coloring.) I think we should have a tea party to celebrate. Don’t you think Stephanie would agree?
Kev thought I made up the term, “pa-pa” because I ask Zeke, “Do you need to pa-pa?” everynight before he goes to bed. In fact, Mom started that one, and Dad continues it. Sometime, use the term “weedle” and note that he corrects you with “pa-pa” after giving a look of disgust. After all, how could anyone say something as silly as “weedle”?
We are so proud of Caelyn!!! Claire picked out some very cute puppy and 101 Dalmation stickers to send for the reward board! Hopefully, we’ll get them in the mail soon before she finds them again and claims them for herself.
I do think you should use tp as part of the reward. Claire thinks it’s great fun to get it for you when you’re going pa-pa and loves to watch it swirl around during the flush. The only problem we’ve encountered is when she tries to reach in to retrieve it before it goes down! YUCK!
JSmo — Kevin! It’s true! I forgot about how much Dad dislikes weddle though. That’s hilarious!
Caelyn says thanks for the encouragement! She loves doggies and 101 Dalmatians is her new favorite movie, so the reward stickers will be perfect. Way to go, Claire! As for the tp, I’m trying to make it part of the reward by letting her have one square at the start and then promising more after she does her thing. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. The trouble is, when I put my foot down, it provokes a fit, and I don’t want to squash her excitement or make anything about the potty seem anything less than totally fun. So it’s a fine line. :)
Tell that Claire Bear to keep her hands out of the pot! She’s such an adventurer!
PS — I can’t wait to hear about your b-day. I hope it was great!
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