discouraged

let's just be honest here. why did it take us so long to potty-train caleb? well i've composed a list of excuses, such as:

• slow physical development, making it hard to teach him how to sit down & stand up from the potty
• living in the group home last year, knowing our schedule was so crazy that we wouldn't be able to dedicate the time needed to him
• his total disinterest in potty-training, exhibiting none of the signs that all of the potty-training books say toddlers will exhibit when they are "ready"
• traveling plans, schedules where we didn't have 3 consecutive days of staying home all day

there is truth at the heart of all of these justifications. but if we want to call the pawn, pawn & the vino, vino (as our friend pdge puts it), the real truth is this:

i know my child.

and i knew that at 18 months, 2 years, 2 1/2 years, 3 years & now 3 1/2 years, this was going to be difficult. but i kept hoping that as he got older, he would catch the vision.

you see, aside from inheriting his mother's dimples, he also inherited his mother's stubborn streak.

remember this day? (from the private blog)

for those new here, this was a year ago when caleb opted for like a 45 minute time out in order to avoid getting a hair cut. i tried to bribe him with treats, shows, toys, you name it.

and i finally caved because i just couldn't do it anymore.

so back to the task at hand...

we are on day 2 of potty-training. i have tried the steps from "potty training in 3 days" and all he will do is go sit down on the potty, cry about how scared he is, then afterward, get up & 10 minutes later, have an accident. and because we are doing our best not to shame him, we say, "oh that's okay." so he thinks it's just fine.

then i have adapted to dr. phil's "potty train in 1 day" where we just sit on the potty....for a good hour or so...read books, watch shows, etc. until he finally goes. this method has seemed more effective because he actually goes and then we can throw a party to motivate him to do it again.

which makes him feel fantastic.

until the next time he has to go sit on the potty again.

for those parents who get to post on their blogs things that say, in a nutshell:
"wow, he/she just sat down voluntarily & just potty-trained himself/herself! we didn't have to do anything!"

i am sincerely happy for you. sincerely.

but today i am not necessarily in a place where i can hear those stories of amazing success & all of the un-difficulty it took to potty-train your child.

i am tired, due in 5 weeks, and just want the un-fun that potty training is, to be over.

advice, words of encouragement, perhaps a volunteer to come over & be a miracle worker?

any of those are welcome.

right about...

now.