This is Our New Life.....

Graham thought that Patrick would not appreciate me putting a picture on my blog of him sitting on the potty, so I googled this image.  This is the same potty we have and if his hair was a little darker, this little guy would resemble Patrick, so here is what we have been doing this week.

Fun, right?

Oh.my.goodness.  When it comes to parenting, I HATE nothing more than potty training.  Well, except maybe driving and sending your oldest off to college, but as far as toddler parenting goes, potty training definitely takes the cake.  It is messy, annoying, and just throws a kink in everything.  Our day basically revolves around the whims of a two year old's out of control bowels.  Yay.

I did not ask for this the first week of December.  No, Patrick is ready.  He has been for a while and I have been putting him off.  He takes his diaper off every time he poops in it and most every time he pees.  He cries about being wet and begs to use the potty.  I would say he is ready, but I am not sure I am.  He has the desire, but he just doesn't quite have the hang of when "it" is coming.

He has actually done pretty well though, but we have stayed at home the past two days.  I do not want to think about leaving the house, but this is my 5th time around, not my 1st and I know that once you bite the bullet, going back to diapers is not a good idea.  So, look out AWANAS - I guess tomorrow night will be our "maiden voyage."

I do have a funny story I have to share.  I give Patrick Juice Plus gummies as his "reward" for using the potty (you didn't really think I could use Skittles or M&Ms did you? - you don't want to know what is in those things).  However, his Advent wreath has chocolate on it (healthy, fair trade chocolate).  I told him last night that for his first pee pee in the morning he could eat his chocolate.  He woke up this morning with chocolate on the brain and immediately went to his wreath.  I told him he needed to use the potty first, but he wet his diaper overnight, so he didn't have to go.  I explained that he just needed to drink something and soon he would need to go.  Suddenly, with quite an outburst of drama, he doubled over, grabbed his "private parts" and squealed, "Buuut Mom, I have NO pee pee in my wee wee!"

Oh, little boys and the joys of potty training.  Pray that this is over soon.