Potty Time

Several months ago, I was talking to a mom who had potty-trained her daughter at 16 months old.  Holy cannoli!!! SIXTEEN MONTHS.  She told me she did the 3 day method.  I guess it's like a Potty Boot Camp.  Gianna was probably 20 months then, so I got excited of the possibility and thought Gianna would be a perfect candidate to train before she was two.  And I thought of the money I'd be saving by not buying diapers. I was pumped.

And then I got home. And reality (and a tad bit of selfishness) set in.  Potty training is a big commitment of time, energy, patience and perseverance.  Plus, I'd have to kiss goodbye care-free errands, car-trips, shopping, and be on the constant look-out for clean, or at least decent, restrooms at a moments notice. Frankly, for me, the expense of the diapers is totally worth the convenience.  Changing diapers doesn't bother me....maybe because I only have one child.

Well, one day we were enjoying a sweet little play date with Gianna's friend Annie, and her mom asked me if  Gianna was potty-trained.  With a lowered head and apologetic tone, I shook my head no. "Not yet.  I know I should, but...."

And then, my wonderful friend looked at me and said, "Girl, I didn't potty train Annie til she was 3 1/2 and that's ONLY because she was starting school.  I just loved the convenience of diapers and wasn't ready to give it up."

I breathed a sigh of relief - completely relating to her philosophy.  Well, that was it for me.  I decided I wasn't going to push the issue at all.  I decided Gianna would train when she was good and ready.

And wouldn't you know? The flippin' next week she started asking if she could sit on the potty. So much for postponing for mom's convenience.  So a couple of times every day, she sat on the potty with her books.  TONS of books.  And she'd stay on the potty for a long time....with absolutely no action.

She's occasionally interrupt her sitting time, to scurry to her room to find even more books...

We even read books about numbers....

...focusing primarily on Number 1 and Number 2 (ha!).

Sitting. Reading. Singing. Talking. Sitting.

Still no action.

After about the fifth day, I said a little prayer,

"Lord, if we're going to spend this much time on the potty, could you please intervene and bless us with a tiny bit of success in order to motivate her."

Maybe it was the Lord's prompting that inspired me to 'fill her up' with lots of "special water" (spike with some juice) and vanilla-flavored milk.  I also had a little bit of Show and Tell including the presentation of cool panties that she will wear and the big Potty Prize of the special pony (a unicorn stick horse that I found for a buck at Dollar Tree.)  And then, of course, their was the promise of candy.

Well, not 15 minutes later....

Divine Intervention or just the perfect combination of motivation and luck.....

we hit the jackpot!

There was dancing, singing, jubilant yells, ponies, candy!

Good times!

That was a week ago....and we've yet to fill the potty again.

But we still have the memory....and the motivation.  Who could ask for more.  At least Mommy's a more willing participant in the process now.

* * * * * * * * * * *

I'm not quite sure how I got suckered into the next adventure, but the day following the potty party Gianna convinced me to haul her potty outside so she could be further motivated. What was I thinking?  Didd I really want to start that tradition?  Maybe because it was the day she was recovering from her little "eye incident" and I was bending over backward to appease her.

It didn't do a thing for the potty training effort....which is probably a good thing.

I'm happy to report that she's yet to request another outdoor "visit."

So it is that we are embarking on another adventure.  (But I'm not saying good-bye to diapers any time soon.)

2-2-2-2 (added videos)

Today Gianna is two years, two months, two weeks and two days old.

(Gotta love those little birthday tickers!) 

I remember reading one particular blogger's thoughts about her growing children.  She keeps closing her eyes and remembering exactly how each of her children were at two years old.  That was her magical age in her heart's memory.  I think of that often - especially during those LONG days of parenting a two year old - that this is the good stuff.  Many of these moments is what I'll sit in my rocker and remember when I'm old and gray older and grayer.

So here's my effort to record some of what Gianna is doing at TWO. This post is really for me, but read along if you'd like.  I'm just going to jot things as the come to me.....

"Good Mawning, Mommy!" is the first thing I hear when I enter her room each day.  "How you?"

Not such a shabby way to begin a day!

SLEEP

She still sleeps in her crib....and frankly, I'm in no rush to move her into a toddler or regular bed.  She seems to love being in there.  She's not yet tried to climb out (that I'm aware of.)  I'm sure somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 -- we'll be transitioning to a bigger bed. We still put her down at 7pm, but there is usually a 30-60 minute variety show that happens in the confines of her crib.  And it doesn't matter what time we put her down, there's still a show.  There are nights when we have special things going on when bedtime ends up being 8:30 or 9ish.  Still a show.   Some nights are hysterically funny.  She often recounts conversations and events of the day, but mostly it's song and dance (and a little jumping thrown in for good measure.)

No matter what time she actually goes to sleep she almost always wakes up within minutes of 7am. Every now and then she sleeps later....and that's usually on weekends when Iain's home to get up with her. Go figure.  We think it's because there's far less traffic that she hears on weekends.

Naps have gotten shorter --- and I'm not thrilled about that little change.  For a while is was down to 45 minutes which was wearing me out, but now we're between 60 and 90 minutes with an occasional two hour jackpot.  She typically wakes up singing, so I usually let her have karaoke time in her crib for a good 20 minutes after she wakes. I usually know just when to get her once I hear, "Oh, MOOOOOMMMMMMY, WHERE AAAAAAAAAAAAAARE YOOOOOOUUUUU?"

SONG and DANCE

She sings ALL the time.  Loves music. Loves instruments. Loves dancing. But there's rarely an hour that goes by that she's not singing.  She is one of those people that hears a song once or twice - and knows it - or most of it.  She, like her mommy, makes up the words that she doesn't remember.  And she just recently started making up songs on her own. So funny.  When we're at church and the choir stops singing, she shouts out requests, "Trading my Sorrows!"  "We are Dinosaurs!"  "I'm gonna Catch you!"  The people in the pews nearby get frequent chuckles from watching our  munchkin.

CHURCH
I wish I could say I look forward to church each week....but apparently this is just one of those seasons in parenting where is just a lot of work.  Honestly, anyone who goes to church with us would say that Gianna is an angel during Mass.  And she really is good for the most part...it's just that it takes effort every minute of the hour (plus) we're there in order to keep her quiet and pleasant.  We managed to give up the 'cry room' about a year ago.  We still get up occasionally with her, but is to stand up in the back of the church with her.  On a couple of occasions, we've had to remove her from the church completely.  One time, Iain took her to the car and they waited for me.  That was a bad day....but she remembers it and it hasn't happened again since. (Knock on wood.)

MEALS

She says grace by herself and has gotten into the habit of dragging it out very slowly....and it interrupting herself by saying, "Hi Mommy!"  "See Gianna's painting."  "Where'd Max go?"  Little turkey! 

As a baby, she had the best appetite and ate anything.  These days, she loves a food one day and is not at all interested the next. I'm just rolling with the punches.  I promised myself I wouldn't get into battles over food...and for the most part, I haven't.  I just get creative with food choices and meal times.  Some days her appetite is small and other days she's ravenous. Overall she has a really healthy diet.  She loves fruit and most vegetables...although every now and then she has 'texture issues.'

I'm kinda surprised we've made it this far avoiding fast food and drinking only water and milk (with the exception of occasionally spiking her water with a little bit of juice.)   It hasn't been easy, but I'm really glad we've made the effort.

What's is really interesting and surprising is that Gianna is not proficient at feeding herself.  It boggles me.  She still asks, "Mommy do it?"  I guess part of the reason might be that she recently decided she doesn't like being messy or dirty.  I'm not making a big deal about it.  She's gotten better over the last few weeks, and I'm fairly certainly that she'll have self-feeding master by the time she starts school. :)

Not potty trained yet....but they're have been big developments in that department.  Post coming soon!  She's in a size 5 diaper still and my goal is to end diaper-wearing with that size...without duct tape!  We'll see.  That's another area that I'm not pushing in. 

SIZE

Gianna weight almost 30 pounds and is almost 34 inches tall.  People think she's so big, but she's really more on the average size.  Her clothes are 2T, but can also wear some 24months and some 3T's.  Her waist is tiny and even her 24m jeans are too big.  She's come a long way from Princess Puff-a-lump!

MISCELLANEOUS

Since hitting two - she's definitely amped up the DRAMA.  Forced crying is her latest skill - and if I manage to ignore it (it drives me nuts) she'll stop mid-cry and say in the most matter-of-fact tone, "Mommy! I crying!"   AND, she works on her crying and her drama faces in the mirror! Heaven help us! Gotta love those girls.

Memory. Holy cow, this child's memory is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!  (I actually have a really good memory too.  I have very vivid memories at her age and before.)  She remembers who gave her things, she great with names, and never forgets a place.  She can even remember conversations that she had six months ago.  If floors us.

Within a couple of weeks of turning two, her verbal skills hit warp speed.  She's been really good at communicating from the early sign language days, but all of a sudden words, turned into sentences with turned into full on conversations. As wonderful as her ability to speak is, there are moments that we pray for silence.  Can't seem to find the "off" switch on this child.  I remember my mother telling me that she used to hide in her closet, because I wouldn't stop talking.  I guess this is what you call payback. 

Oh, and we deep in the throws of repeat a word, phrase or request ENDLESSLY!  The other day we were all in the car and she repeated a phrase 37 times.  THIRTY SEVEN times! I repeated, "Deliver me, O Lord." about 37 times after that.

As many times as I'm challenged, frustrated, and feeling completely overwhelmed in my parenting efforts - I am so grateful for this remarkable child who is really one of the most delightful, loving and precious kids I've ever known.  Really.  It's no secret I love this child "big, big like the moon" ---- but I have to say, I like her, too.  I really, really, really like her.

Happy 2-2-2-2 day, Gianna!

Five Minutes

Not even five minutes from my front door a terrible tragedy occurred this morning.  It happened at the little Catholic School of the Church I attend.  A young seventh grade boy took his life in front of his teacher and classmates. I know few details and I'm pretty sure I didn't know the boy.....but it has affected me profoundly and I cannot seem to get it out of my mind.

I can't stop thinking of his parents who dropped him off at school this morning for just another Thursday.  I look at my daughter and think how those parents loved their son at two years old with nothing but hope and promise ahead of them.

I think of that teacher. Oh my goodness.  How horrible to try to save your student - and to have to deal with your own terror and the terrorized faces of your other students.

And those poor students...who will have that haunting image in their minds and dreams for days, weeks, months and years to come.

I can't imagine having to explain what happened to the younger students in the school.  Some of those kids are only four. Heartbreaking.

I'm sure this isn't the only tragedy that took place today.  But this is the one for which I am called to pray. I hope you feel called to say a special prayer for them tonight.

It was only five minutes away.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Lord, blanket this grieving family, school and faith community with your love, mercy and peace and grace as they mourn the loss of this precious young man and try to make sense of this sad, sad occurrence.

Need to laugh?

If the area below is just blank, just click somewhere in the white...


You're welcome!

Okay ~ so I just found the most awesome interview with the couple in the above video. Here it is below... (click in the white area if it's not showing up.)

Wasn't that great. 

And here's your bonus....

Family Trip....

Not our family.

The Dollhouse Family

It seems Gianna thought they should get out and go on a little field trip.

The Aquarium is where they ended up "to see the fishies."

Apparently they brought along some of their belongings.

Well, all of their belongings.

Maybe they have plans to re-decorate.