Monumental Moments

Never, not in a million billion years, did I expect to celebrate waste, but here I am writing about how proud I am of Waverly for doing her biz in the big girl potty. It is definitely a cause for celebration when I hear that tinkle and plop. Waverly, on the other hand, simply acts like she's done it since her first breath twenty months ago. She just wants that toilet paper. Yes, you read correctly; her motivator is toilet paper. And she doesn't get that toilet paper anywhere near where she needs to, but by golly, she is a big girl. She doesn't even get hyped about flushing the toilet, just the toilet paper. I rewarded her with 3 M&Ms the first time she pooped in the potty, but when she pooped just a few minutes ago, she didn't even ask for candy. She wanted that darn toilet paper.

I feel like I should get candy for getting through this new stage in her life. Ask me on any day and I will tell you my three greatest child-rearing fears: discipline, potty training, and raising my children in the way of the Lord.

This is Waverly praying before breakfast one morning, practically prostrate. So I think we're headed in the right direction spiritually. :) Chandler and I have discussed in length how we want to approach discipline and have adopted a method that we believe works best for our family. That does not mean in any way that I am not still terrified of discipline. No mom wants to screw up their kids. That brings us to potty training in which I take comfort in the fact that at some point she will be out of diapers. If you know Waverly, she's a go-getter. Tons of energy and spunk. Oh, and stubborn potential to beat the band. I think this has played to our advantage with this new endeavor. When she gets her mind set to sit on the potty, she will sit there until everyone else is beyond disinterested, but she will sit and make it happen. For that, I am grateful. 

At home it is easy to let her run around pantless with her potty in plain view (well, she wants it behind her house for a little privacy, you know), but I am not entirely sure how all of this will work when she goes to MDO during the week and church on Sunday mornings. She's not quite to the point where she can consistently tell you when she has to use the potty, but if you ask her, she's generally pretty honest about it. Guess I'll be having conversations with her teachers this week. I hate to make their lives any more complicated with six other 2-year-olds to wrangle, but we have to take advantage of her willingness to potty train. Argh. Surely they've had this situation before, right? 

Anyway, I guess this a new phase in my life too and I will celebrate waste until my last child is successfully potty trained. Such is the life of a mom. And I love it.