Baby Steps

We practically did a victory dance this morning - we are a long ways from our goal, but the girls and I were pretty thrilled with the small steps taken in the right direction today. For one thing putting the kids on the potty does not necessarily mean they will erupt into screaming and crying and such anymore. It might, but not every time and it wasn't the case this morning.

Brianna has been evaluating every move with an critical eye and made this one huge observation: When the kiddos start to need to use the toilet they start tugging at the seat of their pants, over and over. I've never noticed this, but this morning Vanessa noticed Little Guy doing it 5 minutes after he got off the toilet for his scheduled sit time and she took him back and he was a little soiled and proceeded to "go" in the potty.

I read somewhere that blowing up balloons, holding the breath, etc... might help to teach them to bear down and this morning both caused major explosions in the right place for Little Missy. She couldn't blow up a balloon to save her life, especially with her cleft lip, but it was in the trying that we were able to do a job - which means about 150 pairs of fewer dirty underwear for today. That's always something to celebrate.

We are pretty much dealing with everything very matter of fact and they are starting to deal with themselves more matter of fact. Cleaning up the messes is not necessarily cause for a major tantrum. We still have them. He had two yesterday and when he does he is entirely unreasonable, but it doesn't last as long as it used to.

People are saying they are seeing a difference. I hope they aren't imagining it.

Drinking water is getting to be easier and easier. Brianna has been a real blessing in this department. She can get the most miserable child to drink for the fun of it against their will :-)

Honestly, when people tell me that it is going to take a year or more to train these kids to go potty it is very discouraging because it's very intense right now. We cannot go places, we can hardly go for a family hike, we dirty every pair of underwear in the house every single day, the smell in this place is horrible, the tantrums are exhausting, the schedule is regimented, and the hours sitting on the edge of the tub encouraging a little poop is wearying, BUT I am finally realizing when people say that it is going to take a year or more they mean that we will still have some accidents here and there - not every ten minutes all day long every day of the week. We'll see, but that's what I am clinging to right now.

We are learning to pray like never before. Yesterday, Missy was yelling "I done, I done" over and over while I was out getting clean undies, etc... and suddenly she said, "I pray. Dear Jesus, gibberish, gibberish, not pee in the pants, not poop in the pants, Amen. Mommy I done, I done, I done!!!!" It's a start : - )