I truly appreciate all the potty training advice. I do. I know it isn’t a contest. The trusty husband reminds me of that frequently. It is just frustrating to battle this child on so many different things. I’ve battled over food, sleeping, rocking, fake coughing, jumping on the furniture, throwing things, hitting, running into the street… And trust me when I tell you that I pick my battles. I have my reasons for wanting the boy potty trained. But, when I say that please don’t think I am pushing him into this. I most certainly am not. It’s just that, come September, the boy is enrolled in preschool. This particular preschool does not allow children still in diapers to attend. They do not have the facilities for diaper changing so there is no rule bending here. My only leeway is that if he isn’t potty trained when school starts they will hold his spot for him. He doesn’t turn 3 until late October, but school starts early September. I so badly want him to go to school. This is a great opportunity for him to work on those much needed socialization skills. I could say that it is also an opportunity for me to get a bigger break in the day, but that is not the reason I want him to go. It is simply socialization. I will continue to work at the boy’s speed, because frankly that is all I can do. Like I said, I appreciate your advice, but at this point my bitching about potty training is just a way for me to get the frustrateds out.
Not only do I have potty training worries fun at my house, the trusty husband broke our coffee pot Saturday morning. Do you know what that does to a person like me? I think I walked around the house like a zombie for 2 days. As soon as he did it I ordered him to Starbucks to get coffee. Tea just wasn’t going to cut it in this situation. How can he break the coffee pot? How could he do this to me? Doesn’t he know? As punishment for breaking my coffee pot we had to visit Starbucks twice Saturday. Then…then! We ran out of time Saturday afternoon to go buy a new one. This meant I was forced to drink tea Sunday morning. As if to make matters worse, when we got to church the church was out of regular coffee. How in the hell does a Lutheran church not have coffee. I think it is written into our Apostle’s Creed somewhere. “I believe in the Father, Son and holy cup o’ Maxwell House.” And if my my caffeine withdrawal wasn’t enough, we went to mega Bullseye store and tried to buy a replacement carafe. But of course Mr. Coffee changed carafes in the 6 years since I bought our last coffee maker and the one we bought was too big. I sent the trusty somewhat mediocre husband out to purchase a whole new coffee maker. He told me he would stop by Starbucks to see how much one of theirs was, then he’d check Fred Meyer. I told him Starbucks was too expensive (although he would have been granted many favors had he brought me home a Barista machine) and that FM’s selection was crap. 30 minutes later he arrives sans-coffee maker. “Where’d you go?” “Starbucks and Fred Meyer.” I think I may have killed him. I blacked out there for a moment. I blame it on the lack of coffee. I see his car is still in the driveway so I don’t know.
OH. MY. GOOD. NESS.
you’re family is still alive JUST by Grace alone.
I don’t know what to say about the coffee issue. Though, I believe we have an extra maker around here some place.
Man, that stinks. I don’t drink coffee, but if I did, I’d be pretty upset! N has a cool coffee maker – it is Cuisinart that grinds whole beans for you, just before brewing. It also has a timer, so that he can get up to a fresh, nicely brewed, pot of coffee. Even better (so I’ve heard), is that the carafe is thermal, so you never get the burned coffee taste.
I got it for him a couple years ago, for Christmas, and it has been a most excellent appliance! It was more expensive than other coffee pots, but not astronomical. I would say it’s probably worth its weight in gold…and that is coming from someone who (again) does not drink coffee.
Good luck! I hope the trusty husband comes through on a coffee pot…for your sake and his!! 😉
Oh you are going to love preschool. I am a better mommy because of it. And Bonnie is a different kid because of it. The social skills, the listening, everything is BETTER. Plus, the teachers often have wonderful ideas on how to handle behaviors that I hadn’t thought of. Good luck!!
Oh and Clyde fake coughs too, when he’s upset. What’s up with that?
🙁
Oh if you ever are able, a Barista is such a present. My trusty sister works for the big green logo and each year tries to get us family to buy a new machine during their brewing sale. Well we finally bit the bullet and got ourselves one this year. Love it!
I agree though the cuisinart one is pretty cool, my MIL has one and seems to love the thing to death!
“I believe in the Father, Son and holy cup o? Maxwell House.”
hee!
Holy crap, that coffee situation is just wrong. I wish you a neverending source of caffeine in your kitchen…oh I feel for you.
Your “battles” sound like every other parent out there. Just take a big, deep breath and hang in there. Remember how it was when I went through those same potty issues with your neice? This too shall pass, don’t make him grow up in too much of a hurry.
As for the coffee situation, I don’t even know what to say! How could my “trusty” brother fall down on such an important job?!? Must…have…coffee….I too love the Cuisanart machine. By the by, isn’t your birthday coming…..? (great gift giving opportunity, family members out there)
Love, your SIL
We have the trusty Braun $40-ish 10-cup machine that won’t break!!! I’ve been wanting to get a nicer set-up for my coffee-lovin’ husband for three years. Even our two moves (including one across country) and the thing is still in perfect condition.
You totally crack me up. I don’t do coffee but I feel your pain anyway. I heart Starbucks just for my grande non-fat hot chocolate no-whip. 🙂
Bummer….but you can’t make him potty train…its a battle you can’t win. I hear you on the venting. My thing was eating/feeding.
About the preschool….socialization smocialization at his age. My daughter isn’t starting until 4 for that very reason. Now she is so much more ready in every way for the social thing. She WANTS to go to preschool. At 3, she was too afraid talk to other kids. She’d have been crushed. I have a sensitve kid.
In case it comes to it, there are preschools that don’t require kids to be potty trained. We go to a co-op in Redmond. There are classes for 3-year-olds and for 4-year-olds. If they are in diapers or pull-ups so be it. We don’t have a “diaper changing area” either, just a bathroom with two stalls, two sinks, and lots of parents who are willing to help. Two parents are always involved in any bathroom or diaper activity as a safety check. We also have a ton of donated extra clothes for accidents. There must be some preschool that is diaper friendly in your area. My son wasn’t potty trained until he was almost 4. My daughter was trained at 3. Whenever I tried too hard it backfired. We all survived and there are no diapers in my house now. Good luck!
I can totally understand your need/ desire to get him into preschool. I am planning the same thing as soon as we get to Korea, but they don’t require potty training. The potty issue is hard. I wish you luck in it.