Last week was my son's sixth surgery. Granted, #5 was tubes in his ears, a procedure that was fast and very commonplace. But #6 was yet another bowel-related one, this time for a rectal prolapse--to repair a small amount of "mucosa" that stuck out his bottom. Looked a lot like a hemorrhoid, and it was constantly irritated. Poor kid had to wear a pantyliner in his big boys so that the bits of blood and mucous didn't bleed through onto his clothes. And though he actually has really good bowel control (amazing, given that he didn't actually have an anus at birth), the prolapse got in the way sometimes of him feeling when he needed to go or when he was finished.
Wednesday, he got to do a "bowel prep". If you've ever had a colonoscopy, then you can empathize. Instead of the "golightly", they had him drinking large quantities of Gatorade with Miralax. This approach is apparently as effective as the golightly but gentler and tastes better. We started around lunchtime, and he got to choose his flavor of drink for each successive glass (we had like 6 different colors on hand to pick from). We played video games. We watched TV. For a good long while, he sat on the toilet and played on a tablet or Leapster. I set up a small folding table in front of him so we didn't lose any electronics into the potty (something that has happened in the past..)
Thursday morning we arrived at the hospital at 7:15. He changed into hospital jammies, and tried (vehemently) to decline having his blood pressure taken. For some reason, those silly blood pressure cuffs terrify him (makes cardiologist visits load of fun). He told everyone who walked in the door that he didn't want any shots. They gave him a relaxer, most of which he spit out because it tasted bad. He got to choose the scent for the mask they would use for the gas that would put him to sleep. The IV went in when he was already out (and it was more of a soft tube rather than a stiff needle).
The surgery went well. He slept for quite a while He was awake and ordering lunch by about 2pm--pancakes and sausage. Unfortunately for us, he had a roommate for the hospital stay. The other little boy had had some sort of spinal surgery and had already been there for a few days (and would stay a few days longer). That kid was not comfortable, and frequently fussed, sometimes outright crying. It bothered my husband and I more than it did our son. The two boys were of similar age, and they did occasionally watch the same TV show and talk a bit through the curtains.
T-man could go on "adventures" as soon as he felt up to it, and the nurse found us a sort of car-type wagon complete with steering wheel. The IV pumps can run on battery for hours, so we'd just unplug and try not to run over tubes as we explored. St. Louis Children's Hospital has a gorgeous rooftop garden that overlooks Forest Park. They also have a patient playroom. The first floor has a big ball track machine where rubber balls travel through a maze of tracks and spirals, sometimes bouncing into baskets, sometimes ringing bells. We visited it a couple of times.
I spent the night in the hospital while my husband and my mom (who visited from Indy) drove home to sleep. There is a chair that pulled out into an approximation of a bed. It would have been better if our roommates had actually turned out the lights on their half of the room, or at least turned off the TV before midnight. My little guy fell asleep around 9:30 and stayed out all night. I woke up about every hour all night as something beeped, someone fussed, the lights were on, a nurse came into the room for one kid or the other.
Thankfully, we came home on Friday. T-man is doing great. He has some restrictions on activities, but nothing horrible. No tub baths. No climbing. Try to not sit straight on his bottom for too long. Be careful of the area (no itching!). For the moment he's wearing Pull-Ups, but even with his digestive system still off-balance from all the Miralax, he's continent. So we may be back in big-boy underwear pretty fast. Ideally with no liners, but only time will tell if the surgery completely fixes that problem, or if he will always need a little extra backup.
I'm off work with him for about two weeks while he heals enough to go to summer day camp. By the end of it, I will be out of sick days for quite a while, but that's fine. As a happy side effect, my daughter gets a 2-week break from summer camps. Neither of my kids have ever gotten a true summer vacation where they play outside and sit around the house feeling bored. That's a big downside to having a non-education career--I don't get summers off either. We can't go swimming or do big exercise-intensive activities. but it should still be a decent little break. And if the weather cooperates, we may get to watch our deck being built before we start back into the daily grind.
Showing posts with label Potty Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Potty Training. Show all posts
Monday, June 10, 2013
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
I think it's dead
In case you’ve been wondering, the answer is No, Leapster Explorer System
game systems are not waterproof.
game systems are not waterproof.Not even if you fish it out of the toilet within about 5 seconds of submersion and immediately yank the batteries, then drain it thoroughly for 24 hours before re-assembling.
As much as I like to tout my mantra of “If you break it, I won’t buy you another one”, I’m probably buying my son another one. With our little man’s potty training challenges (click on the label “VACTERL” over on the right if you want to know the whole, gory story), that Leapster has been wonderful. Trying to explain to an active 3-year old why he needs to spend an extended period of time on the potty every evening has been torture, but since he got the game system for Christmas, he has been taking himself. Voluntarily. Happily. Quietly. Productively.
I’m not sure I would recommend extended periods of video game time to parents under most circumstances, but it really has worked out well in our case, and his handwriting abilities have taken a giant leap forward too. He actually signed his own name on a birthday card the other day (we told him the letters, he drew them), with no dotted lines to trace. We had no idea he could do more than T and an O.
Anyway, maybe next time I should see if a store offers an extended service policy on the gaming system. A no-questions-asked free replacement should the next little console also have an unfortunate accident (no potty-training pun intended).
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Day 4: Epcot
Monday was also cold, though not nearly as bad as Sunday had been. With the afternoon sunshine, we were even able to take off our coats briefly. We got a slightly later start than we had the day before. The four of us were exhausted from having a couple of late nights and early mornings in a row. It was nice to let the kids sleep until they were ready to stir rather than throw clothes on their snoring bodies. And we knew that we could come back to Epcot for a second day if we wanted to.
One of our big concerns with the trip had been Trystan and potty training. Through some combination of physical issues and stubborn-three-year-old issues, he is about 80-98% potty trained. 98% when he is eating well and sticking to a schedule and not sick and not testing every boundary. 80% the rest of the time. We knew from our other family trip that travel is especially hard on the kid with so much time spent sitting still in the car, and eating restaurant food, and not being near to a restroom at exactly the right time every day. (If this is too much information, feel free to skim down past the poop paragraphs). My husband reports that most of the men's rooms in Disney had child-sized urinals, so Trystan enjoyed the opportunity to practice his standing techniques. Of course, standing is not sitting, and it's the sitting activities that trip Trystan up.I can probably sum the week's potty experience up as not great. We have dealt with worse, but his system got all out of whack and by the end of the week he was almost exclusively back in pull-ups because there are just so many changes of clothes we can carry around in a given day (and even if you double-bag it, poopy underwear smells really bad). Did I mention that our room had a washer/dryer? We used it. Nightly.
One of the funnier parts of the day had to do with Trystan and pottying but not with poopy underwear. After one of the rides, we asked the kids if they needed to take a potty break. I guess Trystan thought we meant *right here, right now*, because he pulled down his pants and peed on a bush. Bad parent that I am, instead of reprimanding the kid I laughed. And posted it to Facebook.
That night, we had an extremely cold dinner at one of the Japanese restaurants where Charlotte eagerly tried her first sushi. We actually ate on the patio because there was no room inside. It was a little surreal eating in 30 degree cold with our gloves on, surrounded by paper lanterns and Japanese style gardens, with Christmas choral music playing in the background. It turned out we were really close to the big Candelight Dinner Show.
After dinner, we wandered through some of the shops and then stopped at the big silver ball for one last ride. On the way out, you pass through an arcade-like area with video driving games. The game is pretty fixed, you pretty much win every time you play as there is almost no driver input. And yet, Trystan and my husband managed to break their game. Trystan found the one spot in the game where he could flip his car over, which left the game completely confused about what to do next.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Day 2: Christmas Day
Day 2 of our vacation was Christmas Day.
We started the morning in a hotel in Atlanta
My kids each got an age-appropriate camera. However, Santa screwed up. Just a tiny bit. When he visits our house, he typically leaves his gifts fully assembled and unwrapped. But in the hotel room, everything was delivered in its original packaging and wrapped. Problem number one was the packaging. I guess none of the adults in our family travel with a pocket knife, and those plastic bubble containers are a pain to open with car keys and teeth.
Problem number two was the assembly. I just happened to have a stash of batteries, and just happened to have a pair of extra memory cards that just happened to fit the kids’ cameras :). We popped a memory card into Charlotte
After breakfast in the hotel lobby, we asked Gretchen, aka our GPS Goddess, for directions to Walgreens. Thankfully, there was one nearby the hotel that was open. Inside we found rechargeable triple-A batteries and a screwdriver. Back in the car, we plugged the batteries into a charger for Charlotte Charlotte
I double-checked my shopping list from earlier in the week. 6 triple-A batteries. This elf might require corrective action to keep her job for next year.
Finally fully equipped and charging, Gretchen had us back on the road towards Orlando Florida
At this point I should mention one of my travel hang-ups. We all have them—some folks over-plan, some hate to drive, some avoid airplanes at all costs, some carry their own toilet seat covers for gas station bathrooms. I overpack. When we went to Destin a year ago, I packed an oven (a small countertop toaster oven...). I left the appliances at home this time, but in addition to overstuffed suitcases, we carried an electric cooler with a gallon of milk, an assortment of fruit and cheese, and a ham. I was positive that, driving on Christmas Day, we would find no open restaurants in rural Georgia and Florida
Luckily, I was mostly wrong about restaurants. Our options were very limited on the road, but we had a nice Christmas lunch at a Denny’s (the only restaurant of a dozen open in that stretch of road), and once we reached Orlando, there were lots of restaurants with their doors open wide for the tourist dollars.
I should also mention that Charlotte and Trystan had no idea where we were going until we reached Orlando Orlando
That made me happy. She’s an over-planner, so I was thrilled to have her calmly sit back and enjoy the trip instead of working herself up and setting unrealistic expectations (and then throwing a tantrum when reality did not live up to her dreams).
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Big Boy
My not-quite-3-year-old has been out of diapers for a little over a week. It's a small miracle. Honestly. For once, there's no sarcasm here. (who, me?) BTW, this is a poop post. If you don't care to read about potty training, well, see you next post (or the next, possibly...).
When he was taken across town to St. Louis Childrens at less than 24 hours old for an emergency colostomy, the first of 4 surgeries to repair an imperforate anus, we were told that there was a range of possible outcomes. A range that included losing him, permanent incontinence, all the way to having a mostly normal life. I was either told or read that 15% of kids with his specific bowel issue eventually gained continence. Still talking the poop kind here, as there was a separate statistic for the bladder control, which was also in jeopardy.
Luckily, the doctors forgot to explain that to Trystan.
I'm not bragging that my 35 month old boy is a perfect potty-er yet. But by golly, he's wearing underwear and staying dry as well as the average kid his age. And those italics are because boys are stereotypically harder to potty train than girls. He's had an assortment of accidents all week, and we're sending changes of clothes to daycare every day. One day he used them all up and came home in a pull-up. Friday he came home in his original, unsoiled clothes.
I don't think Charlotte did that well in her first week in underwear (or her first month, actually...she was a royal pain about pottying).
He's still getting used to pooping on the potty. He takes a long time and complains, loudly, about it (I may need to stash earplugs in the bathroom or will be getting hearing aids by the time we're through). But if you make sure he sits there and actually goes, then he gets the job done. Yes, potty training someone with bowel issues is serious training. And he's a 2-year old, with all of the tantrums and stubbornness that come with the age.
But still, I'm thrilled. He's so proud of his "big-boys". Wearing them was actually his idea (though he's tried to ask for his diapers back once or twice since then). I'm sure there will be setbacks. And we have to continually monitor his diet (and medicines) to make sure that he goes. But it's a big, big step.
When he was taken across town to St. Louis Childrens at less than 24 hours old for an emergency colostomy, the first of 4 surgeries to repair an imperforate anus, we were told that there was a range of possible outcomes. A range that included losing him, permanent incontinence, all the way to having a mostly normal life. I was either told or read that 15% of kids with his specific bowel issue eventually gained continence. Still talking the poop kind here, as there was a separate statistic for the bladder control, which was also in jeopardy.
Luckily, the doctors forgot to explain that to Trystan.
I'm not bragging that my 35 month old boy is a perfect potty-er yet. But by golly, he's wearing underwear and staying dry as well as the average kid his age. And those italics are because boys are stereotypically harder to potty train than girls. He's had an assortment of accidents all week, and we're sending changes of clothes to daycare every day. One day he used them all up and came home in a pull-up. Friday he came home in his original, unsoiled clothes.
I don't think Charlotte did that well in her first week in underwear (or her first month, actually...she was a royal pain about pottying).
He's still getting used to pooping on the potty. He takes a long time and complains, loudly, about it (I may need to stash earplugs in the bathroom or will be getting hearing aids by the time we're through). But if you make sure he sits there and actually goes, then he gets the job done. Yes, potty training someone with bowel issues is serious training. And he's a 2-year old, with all of the tantrums and stubbornness that come with the age.
But still, I'm thrilled. He's so proud of his "big-boys". Wearing them was actually his idea (though he's tried to ask for his diapers back once or twice since then). I'm sure there will be setbacks. And we have to continually monitor his diet (and medicines) to make sure that he goes. But it's a big, big step.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
3 posts in 1, because I don't feel like splitting it up
Sunday, our grocery store hit a new low (or maybe it’s a new high) in food-sampling. They were handing out samples of Coffee and Cream flavored Kahlua. Mmmm. Lucky for me 1) the samples were very small (maybe a tablespoon of liquor plus crushed ice) and 2) I passed the table on the way in, not the way out. Yes, I bought some (it was quite effective marketing). And its too bad I was shopping by myself or I could have stopped back through for another sample or 3 and let my husband steer the cart…
Trystan has been asking to use the potty more and more. It’s a good thing, except for a few small snafus. 1) He likes to stand up. That’s great, for a boy, except our toilet seats (that have a built-in toddler-sized seat) won’t stay up and he doesn’t care to hold it up while he pees. Nor does he aim. 2) He thinks tinkling all over the seat and/or floor is funny. He’s a boy. And he’s 2.
He also likes to change clothes. Some of it is his newfound expertise with dressing himself. He can do many shirts and pull-on pants all by himself. And shoes (but not yet socks). And he knows how to strip.
Last night, after he had already been dressed in his first pair of jammies (a tad early as a result of peeing all over his jeans, and laughing about it), I found him buck naked at the top of the stairs, holding a pair of Elmo underwear. “No yuckies on Elmo”, he told me. I went ahead and helped him into them (underwear are harder to pull up than sweatpants), and he then donned a different set of jammies (fleece this time, with feet. He did the big zipper all by himself). We made sure he went potty before bed, and verified that he had a waterproof mattress pad on his bed. He made it about 3.5 hours before wetting himself (and getting sent back to clean sheets wearing a third set of jammies plus a pull-up). Still, it’s a start, and he’s the one driving it. If he wants to start wearing “big boys”, I’ll happily send several extra outfits to daycare every day and save myself the cost of buying more pull-ups (though the money’s probably a “wash” compared to the extra water and detergent for the laundry).
Last night’s dinner: Panini with bacon, swiss, and sautéed mushrooms (and salad). Want a lighter version? Don’t butter the bread, and hit the gym first. Works for me. The great part about that dinner was the bacon grease. I turned around and sautéed the onions and mushrooms for today’s crockpot dinner in it. (I never claimed to be cooking low-cholesterol, btw). If I’d had an un-cut pork roast to brown, I would have done that in the drippings also, but I used chops, and figured that if I pre-browned them, they’d be total mush by the time we get home tonight (they might be anyway after 9 hours of slow cooking). Besides, the longer I waited to make those Panini, the less bacon was going to be inside each one…
Trystan has been asking to use the potty more and more. It’s a good thing, except for a few small snafus. 1) He likes to stand up. That’s great, for a boy, except our toilet seats (that have a built-in toddler-sized seat) won’t stay up and he doesn’t care to hold it up while he pees. Nor does he aim. 2) He thinks tinkling all over the seat and/or floor is funny. He’s a boy. And he’s 2.
He also likes to change clothes. Some of it is his newfound expertise with dressing himself. He can do many shirts and pull-on pants all by himself. And shoes (but not yet socks). And he knows how to strip.
Last night, after he had already been dressed in his first pair of jammies (a tad early as a result of peeing all over his jeans, and laughing about it), I found him buck naked at the top of the stairs, holding a pair of Elmo underwear. “No yuckies on Elmo”, he told me. I went ahead and helped him into them (underwear are harder to pull up than sweatpants), and he then donned a different set of jammies (fleece this time, with feet. He did the big zipper all by himself). We made sure he went potty before bed, and verified that he had a waterproof mattress pad on his bed. He made it about 3.5 hours before wetting himself (and getting sent back to clean sheets wearing a third set of jammies plus a pull-up). Still, it’s a start, and he’s the one driving it. If he wants to start wearing “big boys”, I’ll happily send several extra outfits to daycare every day and save myself the cost of buying more pull-ups (though the money’s probably a “wash” compared to the extra water and detergent for the laundry).
Last night’s dinner: Panini with bacon, swiss, and sautéed mushrooms (and salad). Want a lighter version? Don’t butter the bread, and hit the gym first. Works for me. The great part about that dinner was the bacon grease. I turned around and sautéed the onions and mushrooms for today’s crockpot dinner in it. (I never claimed to be cooking low-cholesterol, btw). If I’d had an un-cut pork roast to brown, I would have done that in the drippings also, but I used chops, and figured that if I pre-browned them, they’d be total mush by the time we get home tonight (they might be anyway after 9 hours of slow cooking). Besides, the longer I waited to make those Panini, the less bacon was going to be inside each one…
Monday, August 03, 2009
New Thing: On the highway
I don't think I've ever peed along the side of a highway. I do remember at least one family roadrip when I was growing up where we got stuck in standstill traffic, and my mom took one of my little sisters out to go along the side of the road.
Saturday, it was my turn to take a little girl to pee along the side of the road. Except that there was no traffic, and she didn't make it out of her car seat first.
Yep, totally embarassing Charlotte. One day, she'll discover my blog and be totally mortified. I'm cool with that.
We spent the weekend in southern Indiana at my husband's family reunion. In the middle of Illinois, along highway 64, you can go for a really long time without a rest area. Charlotte didn't believe me when I warned her, and insisted she didn't need one more potty break before we left town. When she decided she had to go, we were in the middle of nowhere. And she couldn't wait. When she started hopping up and down in her carseat (about two minutes after she first mentioned the need), we pulled over. About 30 seconds too late.
We had exactly one plastic bag in the car, which she had to sit on (to keep all the pee from her booster seat from soaking the fresh pair of shorts she was then wearing). We stopped at the next rest stop--nearly twenty minutes away, and got a plastic bag that we could put her wet clothes in. And made her pee again. She protested. And she had more. Grrr.
Then, several hours later, she made a mad dash off the church playground, and failed to make it a second time. Yep. A two-fer. This was an overnight trip, and we had packed two changes of clothes per kid plus a bathing suit. She left the reunion wearing her dress for Sunday. Double Grrr.
Lucky for us, there's a Walmart in town that sells cheap kids clothes and laundry detergent. And booster seats (I was tempted, but I did not).
Saturday, it was my turn to take a little girl to pee along the side of the road. Except that there was no traffic, and she didn't make it out of her car seat first.
Yep, totally embarassing Charlotte. One day, she'll discover my blog and be totally mortified. I'm cool with that.
We spent the weekend in southern Indiana at my husband's family reunion. In the middle of Illinois, along highway 64, you can go for a really long time without a rest area. Charlotte didn't believe me when I warned her, and insisted she didn't need one more potty break before we left town. When she decided she had to go, we were in the middle of nowhere. And she couldn't wait. When she started hopping up and down in her carseat (about two minutes after she first mentioned the need), we pulled over. About 30 seconds too late.
We had exactly one plastic bag in the car, which she had to sit on (to keep all the pee from her booster seat from soaking the fresh pair of shorts she was then wearing). We stopped at the next rest stop--nearly twenty minutes away, and got a plastic bag that we could put her wet clothes in. And made her pee again. She protested. And she had more. Grrr.
Then, several hours later, she made a mad dash off the church playground, and failed to make it a second time. Yep. A two-fer. This was an overnight trip, and we had packed two changes of clothes per kid plus a bathing suit. She left the reunion wearing her dress for Sunday. Double Grrr.
Lucky for us, there's a Walmart in town that sells cheap kids clothes and laundry detergent. And booster seats (I was tempted, but I did not).
Monday, June 08, 2009
Going slow
Some days, nothing seems to move very fast.
The kids were up late last night, enjoying dinner and playtime with friends. Charlotte was so tired when we got home, that she fell asleep in the bathroom. Sitting on the stepstool, toothbrush in hand.
She was dragging this morning, too. We all were.
I'm in a training class for the next three days that doesn't start until 9am. Since I normally aim to be at my desk by 8ish, I should have had bonus time today. Um, no. I walked in at about 10 after. I didn't get the kids to daycare until almost 8:30, and I don't think I passed 10 mph for the last 20 minutes of my drive. Traffic. Rain. Stoplights that were just plain out.
On the up side, Trystan woke up this morning 1) in a good mood, and 2) with no poop in his diaper.
Yep, its a poop post. Poor kiddo was on anitbiotics a couple of weeks back, which gave him the runs. On the back side of those, his system slowed way down. That's never a good thing for him. We'd been off of his daily Miralax for a couple of months, but we're now back on it for a week or two at least.
Oddly enough, when he gets constipated, he poops all the time. Just small smears though, never really emptying things out. After a weekend of miralax and prunes (and avoidance of pizza, mac & chz, and bananas--his favorite foods are his worst enemies), he's getting back to normal. So, no overnight poop. (thus, no rashy bottom). Hooray!
I was changing his diaper this morning and as soon as I got the soggy one off, he asked for "yuckies in the potty". And he put some yuckies in the potty. Just the tiniest bit, but we cheered for him anyway. I still have high hopes for him in the potty training department. I don't know that he'll ever be "normal" and be able to go completely without laxatives and careful diet control. But he's only 27 months, capable (though not always willing) of staying dry and tinkling in a potty for hours on end, and to control a small amount of poop in the potty. So far, he's actually ahead of the curve in potty training for his age. Gosh I hope he at least keeps up with that curve!
The kids were up late last night, enjoying dinner and playtime with friends. Charlotte was so tired when we got home, that she fell asleep in the bathroom. Sitting on the stepstool, toothbrush in hand.
She was dragging this morning, too. We all were.
I'm in a training class for the next three days that doesn't start until 9am. Since I normally aim to be at my desk by 8ish, I should have had bonus time today. Um, no. I walked in at about 10 after. I didn't get the kids to daycare until almost 8:30, and I don't think I passed 10 mph for the last 20 minutes of my drive. Traffic. Rain. Stoplights that were just plain out.
On the up side, Trystan woke up this morning 1) in a good mood, and 2) with no poop in his diaper.
Yep, its a poop post. Poor kiddo was on anitbiotics a couple of weeks back, which gave him the runs. On the back side of those, his system slowed way down. That's never a good thing for him. We'd been off of his daily Miralax for a couple of months, but we're now back on it for a week or two at least.
Oddly enough, when he gets constipated, he poops all the time. Just small smears though, never really emptying things out. After a weekend of miralax and prunes (and avoidance of pizza, mac & chz, and bananas--his favorite foods are his worst enemies), he's getting back to normal. So, no overnight poop. (thus, no rashy bottom). Hooray!
I was changing his diaper this morning and as soon as I got the soggy one off, he asked for "yuckies in the potty". And he put some yuckies in the potty. Just the tiniest bit, but we cheered for him anyway. I still have high hopes for him in the potty training department. I don't know that he'll ever be "normal" and be able to go completely without laxatives and careful diet control. But he's only 27 months, capable (though not always willing) of staying dry and tinkling in a potty for hours on end, and to control a small amount of poop in the potty. So far, he's actually ahead of the curve in potty training for his age. Gosh I hope he at least keeps up with that curve!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Dining In?
When you're the parent of a 4.5 year old and a potty-training 2-year
old, you don't eat out at restaurants. You eat at restrooms. I see the
ladies room of every establishment that we visit, often several times in
the course of one dinner. My husband spends an equal amount of time in
the mens room.
old, you don't eat out at restaurants. You eat at restrooms. I see the
ladies room of every establishment that we visit, often several times in
the course of one dinner. My husband spends an equal amount of time in
the mens room.
Trystan is, despite the odds associated with his bowel issues, potty
training. And doing a bang-up job of it. Wait, he's a boy...he does a
bang-up job of everything. Bang up, throw down, crash smash roar. The
joys of the Y-chromosome. But back to the subject of the potty.
My son could be tinkle-trained. I say "could" be because he doesn't
really like going potty at home. Just out in public. Maybe I should
install auto-flushers on our toilets at home. But out and about, he will
stay dry and ask to use the potty for hours at a time--usually right up
until he takes a nap or is strapped into his carseat for too long. He
even occasionally poops on the potty, though he frequently stops mid-way
and finishes later in his diaper. It remains to be seen whether that
behavior is normal toddlerism or if there are any secondary issues for
the doctors to ponder. He's not even 25 months yet, so he's way ahead
of the potty training curve, and it could be a year or more before we
have a good handle on whether he's got full control or is just stubborn.
Like his sister was.
In the mean time, I hope he can figure out the tinkle-thing. Seriously,
he should not need to pee every 15 minutes, should he? I suspect at
least half of the potty requests are caused by boredom, because when
you're 2 you really don't care to linger over drinks and discuss
politics. But he squeezes at least a few drops out every time (often
much more), so its hard to fault him for asking.
Maybe I should start a new restaurant rating service--based on the
comfort, cleanliness, and attractiveness of their restrooms. Goodness
knows I spend enough time there to notice those sorts of things.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Big Kids. Er, sortof
Our kids are both bigger this weekend. Not compared to everyone else's. They both still barely hit the 5th percentile mark on the growth charts. But still...
Trystan's crib converts to a toddler bed with a half rail (to keep them from falling out, but that doesn't keep them from climbing out). Yesterday after his nap, my husband pulled out the conversion kit and off came the crib side. Trystan had no trouble last night staying in bed--I think he was asleep almost before he hit the pillow. Same for this afternoon's nap.
Tonight is a different story. I think he's trying to break his big sister's record for the most times hopping out of bed. We're at 5 so far. The last time was cute. He poked his head into the office (where I'm trying to catch up on a week's worth of email and blogs), saying "air mah-yee? aire-yar. 'o ock ock", taking my finger, and leading me back to rocking chair in his bedroom. (Translation: "Where's mommy? There you are. Lets go rock rock.") Very cute. I'm sure I will miss this when he's 16 and slamming the door in my face :)
He's also gotten to wear pull-ups for the first time, and is loving them. And using the potty, some of the time. Mostly when we're not home (he really likes public restrooms). It is funny how he requests the pull-up over the diaper. By shouting "PAAAANNNNTSSS!" (as in, big boy pants) as you're trying to lay him down for a diaper change. Its less funny when he's yanking the regular diaper out of your hands and throwing it across the room.
I'm happy he's excited. And that he's going. As far as we know, he shouldn't have any more trouble tinkle-training than any other boy (and with his current level of interest and control, might actually be pretty fast about that). For a kid with less than a (according to the exact type of bowel defect he had) 25% chance of gaining "fecal continence" (poop control), he's already telling us when he needs to go (especially at restaurants..I mentioned the public restroom fetish already), and actually pushes poop out on the potty. Did I mention that he was 2 a week ago? Many kids with the factory-default anatomy "down there" can't be bothered to do that till closer to 3. Somehow, I think there's better than a 25% chance that he'll get full control of that with very little medical/medicinal intervetion.
Come on, you don't discuss tinkling and bowel movements that much at your house? Your dinner table conversations must be boooring...
Charlotte is finally big enough for a booster seat. For those of you who aren't familiar with the assortment of child protective devices, I shall explain. Up until a baby is both 12 months and 20 pounds, they must ride facing backwards. Children must ride facing forwards in a car seat that has its own buckles until they are 3 years and 30 pounds. Then they may transition to a high-backed booster seat that positions the car's lap and shoulder belts. By 4 years and 40 pounds, they can use just the bottom booster seat.
At about 18 months, we figured that as long as Charlotte had a jacket and shoes on to weigh her down, she was close enough to turn forwards. On her third birthday, she was pushing 25 pounds. By shortly after Trystan's first birthday (Charlotte was 3.5), he was ready for a forward-facing carseat: ideally, Charlotte's. Trouble was, Charlotte was still in them. And nowhere near the 30 pounds required for the next step up. Those things are expensive, especially when you need two (no, I won't spend 15 minutes uninstalling and 20 minutes re-installing those every day to save $90. And my fingers would be permanently bruised). I'd hoped that Char would move up to a booster and pass her carseats down to her brother, but no. So we bought her a pair of seats that convert from forward-only to high-backed booster.
Now, at 4.5, she's finally registering over 30 pounds and 38 inches every time we check her (32 pounds and 38.5 inches, most often). And she is a pain to un/buckle in my car in the garage because I can't open the car door on her side (without smashing the lawn mower), so I have to either climb over Trystan's chair or climb back from the front seat. And with kindergarten looming (one with no school busses) and the potential for carpools, I wanted a seat that didn't require a contortionist to use. So, she got a high-backed booster, and Trystan has inherited her forward-to-booster chairs (his existing ones are getting a little worn from years of abuse. And they're really really heavy if I ever have to move them or fly with them).
Maybe by the time Charlotte's in driver's ed, she'll be big enough to convert to that bottom-only booster seat.
Trystan's crib converts to a toddler bed with a half rail (to keep them from falling out, but that doesn't keep them from climbing out). Yesterday after his nap, my husband pulled out the conversion kit and off came the crib side. Trystan had no trouble last night staying in bed--I think he was asleep almost before he hit the pillow. Same for this afternoon's nap.
Tonight is a different story. I think he's trying to break his big sister's record for the most times hopping out of bed. We're at 5 so far. The last time was cute. He poked his head into the office (where I'm trying to catch up on a week's worth of email and blogs), saying "air mah-yee? aire-yar. 'o ock ock", taking my finger, and leading me back to rocking chair in his bedroom. (Translation: "Where's mommy? There you are. Lets go rock rock.") Very cute. I'm sure I will miss this when he's 16 and slamming the door in my face :)
He's also gotten to wear pull-ups for the first time, and is loving them. And using the potty, some of the time. Mostly when we're not home (he really likes public restrooms). It is funny how he requests the pull-up over the diaper. By shouting "PAAAANNNNTSSS!" (as in, big boy pants) as you're trying to lay him down for a diaper change. Its less funny when he's yanking the regular diaper out of your hands and throwing it across the room.
I'm happy he's excited. And that he's going. As far as we know, he shouldn't have any more trouble tinkle-training than any other boy (and with his current level of interest and control, might actually be pretty fast about that). For a kid with less than a (according to the exact type of bowel defect he had) 25% chance of gaining "fecal continence" (poop control), he's already telling us when he needs to go (especially at restaurants..I mentioned the public restroom fetish already), and actually pushes poop out on the potty. Did I mention that he was 2 a week ago? Many kids with the factory-default anatomy "down there" can't be bothered to do that till closer to 3. Somehow, I think there's better than a 25% chance that he'll get full control of that with very little medical/medicinal intervetion.
Come on, you don't discuss tinkling and bowel movements that much at your house? Your dinner table conversations must be boooring...
Charlotte is finally big enough for a booster seat. For those of you who aren't familiar with the assortment of child protective devices, I shall explain. Up until a baby is both 12 months and 20 pounds, they must ride facing backwards. Children must ride facing forwards in a car seat that has its own buckles until they are 3 years and 30 pounds. Then they may transition to a high-backed booster seat that positions the car's lap and shoulder belts. By 4 years and 40 pounds, they can use just the bottom booster seat.
At about 18 months, we figured that as long as Charlotte had a jacket and shoes on to weigh her down, she was close enough to turn forwards. On her third birthday, she was pushing 25 pounds. By shortly after Trystan's first birthday (Charlotte was 3.5), he was ready for a forward-facing carseat: ideally, Charlotte's. Trouble was, Charlotte was still in them. And nowhere near the 30 pounds required for the next step up. Those things are expensive, especially when you need two (no, I won't spend 15 minutes uninstalling and 20 minutes re-installing those every day to save $90. And my fingers would be permanently bruised). I'd hoped that Char would move up to a booster and pass her carseats down to her brother, but no. So we bought her a pair of seats that convert from forward-only to high-backed booster.
Now, at 4.5, she's finally registering over 30 pounds and 38 inches every time we check her (32 pounds and 38.5 inches, most often). And she is a pain to un/buckle in my car in the garage because I can't open the car door on her side (without smashing the lawn mower), so I have to either climb over Trystan's chair or climb back from the front seat. And with kindergarten looming (one with no school busses) and the potential for carpools, I wanted a seat that didn't require a contortionist to use. So, she got a high-backed booster, and Trystan has inherited her forward-to-booster chairs (his existing ones are getting a little worn from years of abuse. And they're really really heavy if I ever have to move them or fly with them).
Maybe by the time Charlotte's in driver's ed, she'll be big enough to convert to that bottom-only booster seat.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
A week in the life...
Subtitle: Why I'm not posting much this week
Saturday
9AM Kindergarten screening for Charlotte for prospective school #1. Grandparents watch Trystan
11AM Charlotte misses swimming lessons
Eat lunch with grandparents before they go home
Kids nap
Go to Lowes to attempt to buy a new patio door. Get sent home to measure by annoying sales guy. Even though we know it’s a completely standard 72” door.
Sunday
Make two breakfasts. Trystan eats two. The rest of us eat one.
Go to church at 11
Go to lunch after church with husbands's family
After lunch, while kids nap, I go to Sam’s and Walmart for Diapers and other essentials (and score a winter coat for Trystan for next year for $13 on clearance)
After naps while I make dinner and turn on the SuperBowl for the kids, husband goes back to Lowes. Gets the same salesguy. Now finds out that the actual installer will come and measure as part of the installation process. Pays the $35 fee to get the install process started. Meanwhile, Trystan shouts “football” everytime the Superbowl trophy is shown on TV.
Monday
I take both kids to preschool, and arrive at work close to 9.
Husband gets call from installer midday and drives home to allow him to measure for the door. Surprise, surprise, its’ a standard 72” wide door.
After work, I drive straight to an evening class.
Husband picks up kids, makes a pizza. Babysitter comes over. Husband goes to weekly gaming with friends.
I get done with class early and am home shortly after 8, early enough to put both kids to bed myself.
Husband arrives home around 9:30
Tuesday
Trystan wakes up really early and totally messes up my morning routine.
Husband takes kids to daycare. I still arrive two minutes late for an 8AM meeting.
Late in the day husband gets call from Lowes saying they received the details from the installer, and that we can come officially buy the 72” door now.
Late in the day I get a a call from daycare saying that Trystan is having loose stools, and they’re concerned about stomach virus. I’m skeptical, as he regularly takes a stool softener, whose dose we sometimes have to tweak based on his diet.
I pick up kids, get dirty diaper details from preschool.
Husband has 5:30 wallyball game
I make a quick dinner for kids. And Trystan poops on the potty. A lot, and its loose (aren’t you glad to be reading this?). But it was on the potty. Did I mention he’s not even 2 yet? And that he has serious bowel complications that could potentially prevent continence? On the potty.
Husband arrives home from Wallyball at 6:45, scarfs down the few scraps of dinner that the kids left him
We all go to Lowes to pay for the 72” door. And pick out handles. And be tempted by a 50% off sale on electric fireplaces (no mantles, though, just the “firebox” part). We decide against it (though a space heater in the basement could be kind of useful)…
The kids run in circles through the door and widnow displays and are completely tuckered by the time we get home.
Wednesday
Husband takes both kids to school
I’m 4 minutes late for my 8am meeting
After work, I have another 5:30-8:30 class. And a writers group meeting from 6:30-9 with dinner afterwards.
I left my cell phone at home, so I will have to stop through between work and class.
Husband must pick up children.
And feed them.
And wait for Grandparents to arrive to watch Trystan.
And Husband and Charlotte will go to "meet the teacher night" for potential kindergarten #2.
I will hopefully get home by 10:30. Everyone will probably be asleep.
Thursday
Another 8am meeting.
Normally I have a 5:30 step class after work. It’s still debatable whether I’ll make it or not. Yes if husband is willing to drop off and pick up the kids. No if I have to pick them up.
I think that’s it.
Friday
Husband, Charlotte, and I have 10am meeting with principal of school #1. Trystan goes to daycare.
Husband goes to work afterwards.
Char and I have shopping to do for a birthday gift.
And a pie to make for the next day
Saturday
11am swim lessons. We typically all go so Trystan gets some pool time too
1pm Trystan at a minimum should be napping
3:30 Charlotte has a birthday party to attend
3:00 All 4 of us have an adult’s birthday potluck to attend.
Saturday
9AM Kindergarten screening for Charlotte for prospective school #1. Grandparents watch Trystan
11AM Charlotte misses swimming lessons
Eat lunch with grandparents before they go home
Kids nap
Go to Lowes to attempt to buy a new patio door. Get sent home to measure by annoying sales guy. Even though we know it’s a completely standard 72” door.
Sunday
Make two breakfasts. Trystan eats two. The rest of us eat one.
Go to church at 11
Go to lunch after church with husbands's family
After lunch, while kids nap, I go to Sam’s and Walmart for Diapers and other essentials (and score a winter coat for Trystan for next year for $13 on clearance)
After naps while I make dinner and turn on the SuperBowl for the kids, husband goes back to Lowes. Gets the same salesguy. Now finds out that the actual installer will come and measure as part of the installation process. Pays the $35 fee to get the install process started. Meanwhile, Trystan shouts “football” everytime the Superbowl trophy is shown on TV.
Monday
I take both kids to preschool, and arrive at work close to 9.
Husband gets call from installer midday and drives home to allow him to measure for the door. Surprise, surprise, its’ a standard 72” wide door.
After work, I drive straight to an evening class.
Husband picks up kids, makes a pizza. Babysitter comes over. Husband goes to weekly gaming with friends.
I get done with class early and am home shortly after 8, early enough to put both kids to bed myself.
Husband arrives home around 9:30
Tuesday
Trystan wakes up really early and totally messes up my morning routine.
Husband takes kids to daycare. I still arrive two minutes late for an 8AM meeting.
Late in the day husband gets call from Lowes saying they received the details from the installer, and that we can come officially buy the 72” door now.
Late in the day I get a a call from daycare saying that Trystan is having loose stools, and they’re concerned about stomach virus. I’m skeptical, as he regularly takes a stool softener, whose dose we sometimes have to tweak based on his diet.
I pick up kids, get dirty diaper details from preschool.
Husband has 5:30 wallyball game
I make a quick dinner for kids. And Trystan poops on the potty. A lot, and its loose (aren’t you glad to be reading this?). But it was on the potty. Did I mention he’s not even 2 yet? And that he has serious bowel complications that could potentially prevent continence? On the potty.
Husband arrives home from Wallyball at 6:45, scarfs down the few scraps of dinner that the kids left him
We all go to Lowes to pay for the 72” door. And pick out handles. And be tempted by a 50% off sale on electric fireplaces (no mantles, though, just the “firebox” part). We decide against it (though a space heater in the basement could be kind of useful)…
The kids run in circles through the door and widnow displays and are completely tuckered by the time we get home.
Wednesday
Husband takes both kids to school
I’m 4 minutes late for my 8am meeting
After work, I have another 5:30-8:30 class. And a writers group meeting from 6:30-9 with dinner afterwards.
I left my cell phone at home, so I will have to stop through between work and class.
Husband must pick up children.
And feed them.
And wait for Grandparents to arrive to watch Trystan.
And Husband and Charlotte will go to "meet the teacher night" for potential kindergarten #2.
I will hopefully get home by 10:30. Everyone will probably be asleep.
Thursday
Another 8am meeting.
Normally I have a 5:30 step class after work. It’s still debatable whether I’ll make it or not. Yes if husband is willing to drop off and pick up the kids. No if I have to pick them up.
I think that’s it.
Friday
Husband, Charlotte, and I have 10am meeting with principal of school #1. Trystan goes to daycare.
Husband goes to work afterwards.
Char and I have shopping to do for a birthday gift.
And a pie to make for the next day
Saturday
11am swim lessons. We typically all go so Trystan gets some pool time too
1pm Trystan at a minimum should be napping
3:30 Charlotte has a birthday party to attend
3:00 All 4 of us have an adult’s birthday potluck to attend.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
He KNOWS
Trystan is 16 months old, has one kidney, a colon that was initially attached to his bladder (instead of say, an anus), and irregular vertebrae that might signal spinal cord (read: nerve) issues. And on Sunday, twice he requested to pee in the potty and actually did it.
Before that, he had wandered in once while I was assisting his 3.9-year old sister (who is normally independently in charge of her own waste management) with an extra wipe-job, involving an actual baby wipe. Trystan sat down on the stepstool to watch and was exceedingly indignant when he was bodily removed from the room (he's rather destructive in bathrooms). About 5 minutes later, I noticed a certain scent emanating from his rear. He wasn't in the bathroom to watch, to heckle, or to cause trouble. He was IN LINE. Doh! I apologized profusely to him as he lay on his changing table giving me a cold shoulder. Dude, learn some more words, ok?
Impressive what the kid understands. I just hope that this is a good portent for the future of potty training. Maybe he'll be one of the lucky small % with the high imperforate anus defect who can toilet train normally. Or maybe he just had a very good day!
Before that, he had wandered in once while I was assisting his 3.9-year old sister (who is normally independently in charge of her own waste management) with an extra wipe-job, involving an actual baby wipe. Trystan sat down on the stepstool to watch and was exceedingly indignant when he was bodily removed from the room (he's rather destructive in bathrooms). About 5 minutes later, I noticed a certain scent emanating from his rear. He wasn't in the bathroom to watch, to heckle, or to cause trouble. He was IN LINE. Doh! I apologized profusely to him as he lay on his changing table giving me a cold shoulder. Dude, learn some more words, ok?
Impressive what the kid understands. I just hope that this is a good portent for the future of potty training. Maybe he'll be one of the lucky small % with the high imperforate anus defect who can toilet train normally. Or maybe he just had a very good day!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Potty-pourri
I've been a little slow at posting lately. There's not really a lot
happening, but there will be more in the next couple of weeks.
happening, but there will be more in the next couple of weeks.
Tomorrow we have a consultation with Trystan's surgeon, and will
hopefully have a date for his next surgery shortly after. Trystan seems
to have bounced back fine from his bowel obstruction a month ago, and I
think he's re-gained all of his weight. We thought he was over 14
pounds before he got sick, but then weighed in at 12lbs 14oz a week
after his surgery. Our not-very-exact bathroom scale has weighed him in
at 15 pounds on two separate occaisions over the weekend, so he's at
least in the ballpark. I am hoping that the surgery will be scheduled
soon-we have at least 6 weeks to wait after this one before the "last"
one to repair the imperforate anus. I'm starting to really look forward
to poopy diapers!
Speaking of poopy diapers, Charlotte's potty training took a giant leap
forward over the last month. It seemed to really help her when I went
back to work, and she and Trystan were both going to daycare together.
We're now counting accidents by the week instead of by the day. She
hasn't had a true poopy accident in several weeks now (there have been a
couple of close calls that involved a change of pants, but that's it).
Well, not exactly true-she had one at the pool a week and a half ago.
Luckily, she was wearing a swim diaper at the time, so we didn't cause
any major disturbance to the other swimmers (yucky, though). She has
rarely wet the bed for the last 6 months or so-maybe 1-2 times a month.
I still have a disposable pull-up in the diaper bag for an emergency,
but we also travel with a clean pair of undies, and haven't needed it.
Now that she's essentially potty trained, she will be able to move up to
the 3-year old room after her birthday this week. She turns 3 on
Friday! Our baby girl is looking and acting more and more like a kid
and less and less like a baby every day.
Friday, June 08, 2007
"Not Quite"
I hate potty training. Things initially seemed to go really well--before she was even 2, Charlotte would frequently ask to use the potty. But since, oh, December or so, she's decided to vehemently oppose any suggestion that she use the potty, and when you ask her if she needs to go, you get one of the following: "No.", "NOOOOO! NO Potty!", "Not Quite", "Not Yet", or my favorite "I already did" (which means neither that she's used the restroom nor that she's necessarily wet her pants yet).
Lots of people have been telling me that having a new baby in the house will make kids rebel and/or revert to having accidents. Ok, so it's been 3 months now. She needs to get over it already. She actually has some really good days--over Memorial Day weekend, she went several days with minimal accidents (like 2-3 in a 4-day period). But as soon as she went back to daycare the next week, she was having 2-3 accidents a day. The problem is not just school--last Saturday she had like 5 separate accidents. When she was home with me on Wednesday, she was accident free all day. The next day, 3 accidents just at school. Today (another home day), she had 2 before 8:30 AM. For both of them, she claimed that she didn't have to go, and then wandered in to the bathroom while I was going, and wet her pants in front of me.
Bribes don't work with this child. Rewards don't work (I've tried candy, tv privileges, and brand new Disney Princess panties that she really likes). Threats really don't work--I think my husband's frustration (and subsequent volume level) helped contribute to last weekend's 5x a day wetting problem. Positive re-inforcement only goes so far--she seems to enjoy the praise, but it doesn't mean she won't pee on the carpet an hour later. Following some advice in one of our books, I'm trying to really downplay the accidents so she doesn't try to use them as an attention getter--it hasn't made a difference. There is no discernable difference in her behavior when she's wearing pull-ups vs underwear (though she tries to request "diaper changes" when in the pullups). About the only time where she's pretty consistent about requesting to potty and not having accidents is when she's out of the house with us--she's also generally agreeable when *we* suggest that she use the potty out of the house (she usually kicks and screams at home).
This is driving me nuts. Between the laundry (eew!), the carpet cleaning (double eew!), and the tantrums we have to endure, it's a good thing she's cute some of the time or I'd have strangled her by now (no, I'm not going to hurt her. But boy do I wish we could fastforward a couple of months...). I'm trying to forget that boys are harder in general than girls, and that with Trystan's birth defects, he could be harder than normal to potty train. Then again, we'll be pros by that time.
Lots of people have been telling me that having a new baby in the house will make kids rebel and/or revert to having accidents. Ok, so it's been 3 months now. She needs to get over it already. She actually has some really good days--over Memorial Day weekend, she went several days with minimal accidents (like 2-3 in a 4-day period). But as soon as she went back to daycare the next week, she was having 2-3 accidents a day. The problem is not just school--last Saturday she had like 5 separate accidents. When she was home with me on Wednesday, she was accident free all day. The next day, 3 accidents just at school. Today (another home day), she had 2 before 8:30 AM. For both of them, she claimed that she didn't have to go, and then wandered in to the bathroom while I was going, and wet her pants in front of me.
Bribes don't work with this child. Rewards don't work (I've tried candy, tv privileges, and brand new Disney Princess panties that she really likes). Threats really don't work--I think my husband's frustration (and subsequent volume level) helped contribute to last weekend's 5x a day wetting problem. Positive re-inforcement only goes so far--she seems to enjoy the praise, but it doesn't mean she won't pee on the carpet an hour later. Following some advice in one of our books, I'm trying to really downplay the accidents so she doesn't try to use them as an attention getter--it hasn't made a difference. There is no discernable difference in her behavior when she's wearing pull-ups vs underwear (though she tries to request "diaper changes" when in the pullups). About the only time where she's pretty consistent about requesting to potty and not having accidents is when she's out of the house with us--she's also generally agreeable when *we* suggest that she use the potty out of the house (she usually kicks and screams at home).
This is driving me nuts. Between the laundry (eew!), the carpet cleaning (double eew!), and the tantrums we have to endure, it's a good thing she's cute some of the time or I'd have strangled her by now (no, I'm not going to hurt her. But boy do I wish we could fastforward a couple of months...). I'm trying to forget that boys are harder in general than girls, and that with Trystan's birth defects, he could be harder than normal to potty train. Then again, we'll be pros by that time.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Big Girl Pants
We sent Charlotte to daycare today in underwear, instead of a diaper or pull-up. This is a big step (for us as well as her), and we have our fingers crossed that it helps the potty training move forward and not reverse. Unfortunately, we didn't do it because Charlotte has been so great at using the potty lately...rather because she has started insisting on having "diaper changes" (her words, accompanied by laying down and putting her feet up).
She did wonderfully for about 2 months when she first turned 2--we could almost have switched her to underwear then (maybe we should have). But then, things came to an abrupt halt shortly before the holidays, and we've been stalled ever since. She started refusing to use the toilet at home, and then at school, though she's actually quite good when we're away from home (must be the novelty of a public restroom, or the sense of control she gets by having us stop whatever we're doing to take her to the bathroom).
I bought her some training pants a couple of months ago, and we've tried them sporadically since then when we're at home. We also got plastic pants that cover them, to save our upholstery in the mean time. Some days she's really good at wearing them and doesn't wet, and some days she refuses to admit when she did wet them (despite the wet spot we see on the side of her pants). If nothing else, when she does go, it's immediately apparent because she starts walking bow-legged to avoid the wetness (unlike the super-absorbant pull-ups that keep her feeling dry).
So, we decided that for consistency that we would try keeping her in underwear all day and evening. I'm expecting extra laundry (I sent two extra pairs of pants to school along with 3 extra pairs of underwear and plastic pants today). The daycare workers seem supportive so far...I'll find out this afternoon how the first day went. Hopefully they're not tempted to throw her back in diapers unless she runs out of clean underwear, or we'll be back to square one. I also hope that the impending arrival of her new baby brother doesn't interrupt things too badly either (it may be bad timing to start the underwear within a week or two of my due date, but we have to do this at some point).
Wish us luck. Or feel free to reprimand us for approaching things wrong (come on, fellow parents--you *know* that your way was better...go ahead and say it...I don't mind). Either way, I'll probably report on the progress (or lack thereof) in a couple of weeks.
She did wonderfully for about 2 months when she first turned 2--we could almost have switched her to underwear then (maybe we should have). But then, things came to an abrupt halt shortly before the holidays, and we've been stalled ever since. She started refusing to use the toilet at home, and then at school, though she's actually quite good when we're away from home (must be the novelty of a public restroom, or the sense of control she gets by having us stop whatever we're doing to take her to the bathroom).
I bought her some training pants a couple of months ago, and we've tried them sporadically since then when we're at home. We also got plastic pants that cover them, to save our upholstery in the mean time. Some days she's really good at wearing them and doesn't wet, and some days she refuses to admit when she did wet them (despite the wet spot we see on the side of her pants). If nothing else, when she does go, it's immediately apparent because she starts walking bow-legged to avoid the wetness (unlike the super-absorbant pull-ups that keep her feeling dry).
So, we decided that for consistency that we would try keeping her in underwear all day and evening. I'm expecting extra laundry (I sent two extra pairs of pants to school along with 3 extra pairs of underwear and plastic pants today). The daycare workers seem supportive so far...I'll find out this afternoon how the first day went. Hopefully they're not tempted to throw her back in diapers unless she runs out of clean underwear, or we'll be back to square one. I also hope that the impending arrival of her new baby brother doesn't interrupt things too badly either (it may be bad timing to start the underwear within a week or two of my due date, but we have to do this at some point).
Wish us luck. Or feel free to reprimand us for approaching things wrong (come on, fellow parents--you *know* that your way was better...go ahead and say it...I don't mind). Either way, I'll probably report on the progress (or lack thereof) in a couple of weeks.
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