Potty time - to sit or not to sit?

A few weeks ago Justice Fergie blogged about the incessant potty trips when you've got multiples. Today, I had a similar experience with potty time that was quite exhausting and a little concerning. I went on a field trip with my daughter and her class to the National Zoo. The zoo is basically across the street from her preschool, so we walked there and back and the kids were happy to be on an excursion. I was thrilled to be able to go with her and her class up until she needed to potty. We were smack in between the restroom areas, so we had a bit of a distance to walk so her teacher decided to just make it a potty break for everyone. Great idea - right??? Imagine 16 toddlers making their way to the ladies restroom at the National Zoo just about lunch time with 12,000 other people - it was interesting to say the least.

I took three (including my daughter) into one stall with me so that I could get the show on the road. DD was the only one out of the three girls that wanted to potty so I let her go first. We've got the routine down (don't touch ANYTHING, squat and pee, and don't touch ANYTHING). Next came girl #2. I try to put her on the potty as I did with my daughter and she seemed a little bit resistant but went along with it. She squatted and was peeing. I'm thinking, great...this is working out well, the kids will potty and everyone would be happy! DD then shouts to me look at what girl #2 did. I look up and instead of girl #2 going into the toilet, she was basically spraying me and the floor of the stall. I gather myself and tell her its okay - I didn't want to traumatize her. I grab girl #3 hoping that this will go better and praying that she knows the squat and pee position like DD. No luck - she didn't understand how to squat so I end up having to lift her entire body and hover her over the stall. She's almost in tears because she didn't understand what I was doing. I'm also pretty sure that there was additional spraying but because DD and girl# 2 had left to wash their hands, I was not told about it. Boy....I wish they had worn pull-ups!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After this experience, my question is - do people go bare and sit on public (really public) restroom seats? I was amazed and I still am amazed that these girls didn't know how to squat; so clearly the answer to my question is yes, they do! I remember as DD was getting potty trained I was really concerned about what to do in a public setting. To the rescue came Justice Fergie to inform me that there was no need to worry, and explained the squatting routine. Did no one tell their parents about this trick? Or do their parents sit? I just don't know and I'm afraid for the kids. Public restrooms are extremely disgusting (hello....see what happened above) and I can't imagine their delicate behinds being exposed to the filth of a public restroom.

Is this normal or am I a germaphobe?

Not the Most Appetizing Post, I Admit

Here's an underdiscussed baby bunching issue: WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE KIDS, TRIPS TO THE BATHROOM RUN YOUR LIFE. Seriously.

I've always been aware of it, but I'm definitely noticing it more now that we're on vacation. No matter where we are or where we're going, we have to stop at take kids to the restroom (or change a diaper) a zillion times a day. It's gotten to the point where we automatically ask "Anybody need to use the potty?" anytime we approach an establishment that looks like it will have remotely sanitary facilities. And to be honest, it's driving me crazy!

First somebody has to pee. So we take them. We try to convince the other that they should "try" too so as to avoid a second trip for the second one soon after. Inevitably, the second child insists that they don't have to go and refuses to make the trip. Fast forward 20 minutes and sure enough, that one has to go. OR we drag the second one to the bathroom at the same time as the first and force them to go. It doesn't matter. Thirty minutes (ok maybe an hour) will go by and one or both has to go again. Throw in the baby's diaper changes and it's a wonder I get anything else done. Factor in the public restroom scenario (grimy, toilet paper shortage, each kid insisting on using their own cycle of the hand dryer) and you can see my frustration.

I just can't wait for the day when I'm not intricately involved in the bladder and bowel happenings of anyone but me!

The potty blues

For the past few months (more like 6 months), DD and I have been talking about the potty and when and how we should use it - including demonstrations from mommy (tmi?). There was even a time that she was imitating daddy at the potty and at that point I realized that she was utterly confused, so I abandoned mission. Then I bought a little potty and also a dora potty seat, we switched to pull-ups, including the cool alert pull ups, we had stickers etc. All to no avail - and of course, included in this entire challenge is a little mommy guilt because I am clearly doing something wrong because all the other kids are potty-trained and it's got to be that I'm not doing something right - urgghhhh.

Well, she's getting promoted to preschool in September where all the kids are already 3 years old - and it goes without saying, already potty-trained. So, we've been re-focusing our attention on the task and over the past two weeks we've been back on track with the whole potty thing.

I tried talking to her about using it and her response was to inform me of all the kids in her class that do NOT use the potty;) So, finally her teachers recommended that when we are at home, don't use the pull-ups at all, just use underwear.

Voila!!!!....that seems to have done the job. She absolutely hates feeling wet and she's getting the hang of what she should do to avoid that feeling. So, it's been about 10 days now and we're doing well. She's not wearing pull-ups at school any more, nor at home.

It's amazing that something so simple and so common-sensical did the job. I wish I had known this trick a long time ago. It would have saved me lots and lots of money and I would have avoided what seems like hundreds of stinky diapers!!!

The Birthday

Pictures!!

After staying up late the night before slaving over 2,000 or so pieces, various nuts and bolts and a disturbing amount of faux backsplash tiles, Auntie Lisa and I finished putting together the kitchen for Chatterbox. Check out my fly gift-wrapping job. I'll be working weekends at your local mall come holiday season.

The birthday girl drinking her morning milk and not looking the least bit impressed at Mommy's wrapping skills.

Post-unveiling. Notice the authentic-looking pepper mill and spice rack. But ignore the "crown molding" accents on top of the kitchen. Fatigue got the best of us the night before, but we ended up putting them on later that day.



Party Time!! This year we partied at Pump It Up. It was big fun. And invloved absolutely no cleaning up by Mommy. Totally worth every penny.

Jumping for joy.

Giggles plotting her next move.

Climbing up the slide.

She is so proud of herself because it took awhile before she could stand up in here on her own. Yay Giggles!

Dad coaxing her to get out of the car to give the others a turn.
"Why? It's my party and I'll drive if I want to."

Chatterbox on her inflatable throne.

Enjoying the fine dining.

The pinata.

No, the huge piece of cake in my hand is absolutely not for me.

Candy! And plastic waterguns. Which I later found out appalled one of the moms.
Oh, lighten up.

Dad chowing down.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Overall a success. Not without a mishap or two of course. For example, as soon as we got there, we found out the Chatterbox's excitement had gotten the best of her in these early years of potty-ing. After a quick trip to Target, she was ready to bounce in a brand new (dry) outfit. It was sheer luck that the only matching summer outfit left on the rack was in a 4T.

Until next year...

Because Nothing Says "Vacation" Like Thunderstorms and Traffic Jams

But at least it's warm.

Mama in Training (Potty that is)

Okay, so it's week two of trying to potty train Daughter. This is much harder than I remember. So far, it's not clicking. We read the books, watched the video, have even practiced sitting and wiping for months. We even had a few successes. But now that we have Daugther in big girl panties, we are not having any luck. I have learned the following though:



1. A lot of liquid can come out of a 26 pound little girl. A LOT! Enough to totally cover the inside a travel size luggage perfect for Daughter to use as her "car." I won't tell you what else has been the victim of her accidents.

2. You have to teach Daddies how to put on panties. Yesterday, when I was stripping Daugther for her bath, I found that the crotch of her panty was on her hip. So I ask Daddy how this was possible since he was the last one to put on her 4th pair of fresh panties and he explained that the tag confused him. He even said that he put it on two different times before it "looked right." Somehow, the crotch on the hip looked right.

3. It's much more exciting to pee anywhere but the potty. I am beginning to think she actually thinks the purpose is not to go in the potty.

4. Daughter loves her Dora panties. They bring joy to her day, especially since she's into picking out her own clothes to wear (believe it or not). So now I get to wait for her to pick which pair to wear next. Lovely!

5. Now that we have discovered Dora panties, Daughter has no intentions of ever wearing a pullup again. Even though I have been the only person ever doing the pulling up, or down, it's a wrap now that Dora comes all pretty in pink, purple, and green.

6. This training business is a whole lot of work! Especially with two other kiddies around. This was a breeze when I had one. Actually, everything was a breeze when I had one.