The Potty Problem

I've felt like my blog posts are much to serious most of the time.  In fact , if you don't know me, you might think me quiet and contemplative, when most of the time I am neither of those.  I love to have fun.  I love to laugh.  I wouldn't be characterized as "quiet" by anyone...so why is my blog so...I don't know - serious?

I think it might be because I often use my blog time to work through the things that I muse on throughout my otherwise mundane days.  When I sit to write and think, I'm not that keen on dwelling on, what is to me, ordinary.  I want to feel like I am engaged in worthwhile thought and often stories of the lunch conversation, while funny, don't seem life-changing.

Today however, my blog is my venting spot for something much less earth-shattering than some former topics. Today I lament the adventure I find myself on for a fourth time. One I wish was over. The burden of potty training.

I have successfully trained three kids - almost effortlessly.  That fact itself might be enough for some of you to believe I deserve what I am getting - which is an approaching one year anniversary of trying to toilet train my youngest.  Yes, reread that. One YEAR.

My other three were pretty much getting the hang of things by 2 1/2.  T4 wasn't showing much interest and everyone always said,  "He'll let you know when he's ready."   I thought, "I'm not really in that much of a hurry. I've changed diapers for 6 years, what's a little longer?"  and "The longer I wait the easier it'll be." Boy was I wrong.

My precious littlest is not being defiant or ornery.  He just isn't getting the hang of it.  He's filled up sticker charts, he's moved marble 'potty points', he's picked a toy and earned it off the top of the fridge. He even spent a glorious 2 weeks last summer naked.  (Much to my elderly neighbor's chagrin.) Still, no dice...or deuce, I guess is more like it.

I thought perhaps in my 'busy mom of 4' I was just not being consistent enough - too busy with chores to take him or not watching for his cues close enough. If I would just buckle down, he would get it.  Then,  a few months ago he spent a week with my mom, and unfortunately she notice he doesn't give any cues.  No matter how long he sits on the toilet - the duty always appears in the pants and not the potty.

SIGH...big sigh.

So, now we've got preschool, and art center, and the pool on the horizon.  Not to mention my severe disdain for changing a teenager's diaper (I know I am overreacting). So after 8 years of parenting, I bought cloth diapers. We're trying a cloth diaper liner in undies with plastic pants (to save our 4 month old carpet from the demise of it's predecessor.) And the reward for a turd is a family trip to the local ice cream shop.

I could really use some ice cream.