2 weeks later

B is doing much better and we have decided he is definitely going to go to go to preschool.  Tomorrow is his first day.

kindergarten parents and preschool slacker parents

Not really.  This afternoon was busy.  We took Bear to meet her kindergarten teacher today, and I have to say, I was pretty impressed.  She seemed friendly, organized, and experienced.  She listened when Bear asked her questions.  The classroom is welcoming, from the "tool boxes" where she'll keep her school supplies, to the assortment of posters, learning centers, and even a "think about it/time out" chair with a cute poem on it.  We met a mom and daughter who just moved here from out of state a week ago along with a few other parents and kids.  My only reservation is that as of now, there will be 24 students in her class, without a teacher's aid.  No wonder she said she'll take all the parental involvement she can get!!!

After meet the teacher at school, it was time for gymnastics.  Daddy was with us, and Bear showed off.  Daddy also monitored Buddy, who has a habit of trying to play on whatever equipment the girls are not using.
 Her gymnastics school is very small and non-competitive, and the instructor puts her heart and soul into these kids.  I am amazed at how Bear's flexibility and skills have begun to grow. 

So, about the slacking.  Buddy's "meet the teacher/open house" was scheduled for tonight.  But his teacher sent a postcard that noted that she would not actually be at open house, and I confirmed that when I called the school's director.  Daddy drove back into town from out of state, I had a meeting at the same time as the open house, so we decided to skip.  The kids and I toured the facility last spring when we registered him, and we will not get lost when school starts on Tuesday. 

frustrations in potty training

Mommy is frustrated.  Buddy doesn't seem to care, except he says he wants to go to preschool, and he must be mostly potty trained before 8/15.  In my mind, that means he must tell me when he needs to go 75% of the time or more.... not wait til he leaks to head to the toilet.

If I tell him when to go, he stays dry, but if I wait for him to tell me, he has an accident.  At least it's pee,  I guess.  He seems to dislike poop in his pants enough to put THAT where it belongs.

If this doesn't come together quickly, my boy may just be staying home with me without a break a bit longer.

potty talk

Potty training is going.  I figured I would update on here instead of FB because some day I will forget how potty training really went. (Not to mention the fact that I am not sure I would want to see all the potty talk in my news feed, especially if I was not a parent of young children.)

B actually started showing some interest and awareness a year or so ago.  It's been up and down, I have not pushed the issue... with moving, etc., and the fact that he would go from wanting to use the toilet to not caring, I took the lazy route.  Encouraged and praised when he pursued it, otherwise stepped back.

He has been waking up dry most mornings for at least a month... unless I give him a cup of milk in the middle of the night when he wakes up.  He has been sitting on the potty a couple of times a day, and pooping in the toilet instead of his pants most of the time.  So last week, the decision was made.  Mom and Dad are tired of buying diapers.  Little Man knows pull ups/disposable training pants are fancy diapers and treats them as such, in spite of the admonition that Buzz, Lightning, Woody, or the Firefighters do not like to get peed on... it was time to transition to big boy pants.

Last Friday went well.  We even went out to eat and home and he stayed dry.  Saturday was a bit of a challenge... two big puddles in the playroom, plus drippings down the hall as he yelled, "Mommy, I need to go potty."  At least we have hardwood floors that clean up easily, right?  Yesterday he did fine as long as we took him every 30 minutes or so, we put a pull up over his underwear just in case when we went out and it was only slightly damp by the time we got home 2 hours later.  He had one small accident where he started but then stopped until he got to the potty.  We played hooky from church so that was a non-issue......

So here we are, Day 4 of potty boot camp, Buddy addition.  He's been in his big boy pants and kept them dry since about 9 am.  I'm still making him go every 30 minutes or so and not waiting for him to tell me.  It's just safer that way.  But he clearly understands the expectation, and I have not changed a stinky diaper in almost a week, so progress is good.

Now if I could just get him to aim his "firehose" down... he's quite forgetful about that.  He does aim better if I set him on the regular toilet seat facing the tank instead of on the padded insert facing forward.

Ah, the joys of parenting a little one.