Spank yo bum

In our house we spank. Now let me be clear before someone calls the CPS on us. If the occasion warrants a serious need for such correction, we take a large wooden paddle and... oh stop, we would never do that. We have very rarely, gently but firmly open hand swatted our child's fairly padded bottom. There I said it.

Today was a very busy day for me. I had a lot of photography work to finish up, clients to attend to, hospital babies to photograph, and tonight there is a little gathering of ladies for a 31 products party at our house. As I began to clean up, the children began to tornado. For each room I completed on the cleaning list, they came behind me and undid all my hard work. So then I began to yell.Not exactly as pictured, but had the neighbors been passing at the right time, I am sure they heard Winter's name being called. I do not like to clean while the children watch me or worse make a mess as I am picking up the 10,000 messes they made yesterday. Something about the idea of 10,001 makes me a little crazy. Ok it makes me go insane. Anyway, long story short, I was yelling downstairs to Winter to come help me finish cleaning HER room (she got distracted by the TV.) Ledger comes over to me and says:
"no mommy, that dis bad"

"no yelling, I gonna spank yo bum" and spanked me.
I was laughing so hard. I guess he finally had enough of my cleaning and yelling.

Grown-up carrots

Winter: What happen to the other carrots?

Me: What other carrots? (I was peeling regular straight from the ground orange carrots.)

Winter: You know, the little ones.

Me: The baby carrots we use to get in the bags?

Winter: Yeah, where are all the baby carrots? Did they all grow up? Why do we get the grown-up carrots now?

Me: Dad likes the bigger carrots because they have more nutrients and flavor.

Winter: Oh.

What do you have at your house, grown-up carrots or baby carrots?

Day 3 of potty training

We had another dry clean night and woke up with great expectations for day 3 of potty training. Ledger had a great morning with no accidents and lots of success. We tempted fate and actually left the house to run two small errands. While we were out at Lowe's Ledger told me three times he needed to pee. Three times we went to the potty just so he could watch it flush automatically and then wash and dry our hands with the hot air dryer. The first two times he did nothing on the potty. The last time I was frustrated and made him sit awhile longer and he finally went pee. Yay! Public restroom visit accomplished!

All day was a success and included another #2 on the potty. Obviously this is a long road and three days does not completely train a toddler to always use the potty correctly and on time. I expect it will take a few more weeks at least to really have everything set in, but I haven't changed a diaper in 3 days, that to me is a terrific start.

We are looking forward to a wonderful potty trained 4th of July. The fireworks may be for celebrating our countries independence, but to me, they will be for Ledger and his wonderful accomplishment!

Day 2 of potty training

Day 2 was a little different. This is how things went...

I was pretty positive Ledger would wake up wet because he hadn't gone potty since 7:30pm, but to my surprise and delight when I woke him at 8:30am he was DRY!! Yay first night and no accidents.

This is how our day went...

• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!! Both #1 & #2
  
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!
• SUCCESS!!

Did I say how SUCCESSFUL our day was?! We didn't have an accident at all today. I even had to go to take photos for a couple of hours and Ledger was home with Cory. They did great together and actually had the successful #2 while I was away from the house. Ledger's proximity has been extended and he is allowed to be more than the 3 feet away. I only gave him that distance max on the first day. He had a fabulous day. Each time he peed on the potty he would get thing this huge smile on his face. He knew I was about to burst with praise and hug him and tell him how proud and happy I was that he'd done such a great job. He would fling himself off the potty and jump into my arms and wrap his arms around my neck.

I am pretty sure Ledger is beginning to ignore the constant question of 'are your underwear dry?' and tunes out 'tell mommy when you need to pee,' but doesn't matter, he runs and tells me every time he needs to go. 1 day to go!

Darlin don't you ever grow up... Day 1 of potty training

I am not sure if it is the crazy day I am just finishing or the fact that I just realized my baby is a big boy, but my tears are streaming tonight. They are growing up too fast, much too fast. Everyday I look at Winter and think my goodness, when did she get so grown up... (hysterical moment of crying, shut up Taylor Swift you aren't helping.) Ok, I'm better now.

The principles that make the 3 day program work are:

• Love
• Consistency
• Dedication
• Positive Reinforcement
• Patience
• Focus

I can say that if I had been doing all of these all day today I could have saved myself from at least two accidents.

This is how our day went:

• Accident
• Accident
• Accident
• Accident
• Right after an accident I thought I'd have at least 5 minutes to check my email, WRONG! Accident totally my fault
• Accident
• SUCCESS!! Ledger began to have an accident and realized he was peeing and told me. We rushed to the toilet where he finished on the toilet. We celebrated with LOTS of praise and a reward of bubble playtime outside. It was all new bubble toys from the dollar store.
• Accident
• Accident because I was folding laundry and he was playing with the fan on the other side of the room. Again my fault because he is supposed to be right beside me.
• SUCCESS!! He told me he had to 'pee potty mommy' and we rushed to the toilet. He was completely dry. Then he completed a full successful visit to the potty! YAY!! We celebrated with LOTS of praise, a new toy car from the dollar store, and M&Ms.
• Accident because he went upstairs and I was 15 seconds behind him. I knew I was supposed to stay close and still let him get away. He walked into his room and ran back out saying 'pee pee potty.' DANG IT! It was too late thought, I missed my chance to get him to the potty.
• SUCCESS!! He told me he had to 'pee potty mommy' and we rushed to the toilet. He was completely dry. Then he completed a full successful visit to the potty!

Depending on how you measure things, I think we had a great day. It is exhausting, and I am not going to lie, I was frustrated at times. I wasn't upset about the accidents, I was bonkers when he would tell me 'pee potty' and then we would go and he wouldn't do anything. He just wanted to flush the toilet...this happened at least a dozen times. It has also proven to be very hard on my body and especially my back to lug a 35lb child around. Running with one to the bathroom as pee goes down his leg is not very fun either. I did lose my patience once. After the 4th accident (and clean up) he spilled his juice box all over the kitchen floor. I just knew there were so many more accidents in our future it seemed unfair that I would have to clean up juice box accidents too. It has been a positive and tiring experience. Totally worth it to see my little guy in tighty whities.

I am thankful for hard wood floors, it being summer time, and vinegar which both sanitizes and deodorizes. We aren't done yet, but for today's small accomplishments, I am happy. Bring on the night without diapers!!