Toilet Training - a novel (sorry Ken and Suzanne)

I guess what it boils down to is that right now in this moment I feel like Kate will never be toilet trained.  Of course this is not a logical conclusion, but when are things connected to emotions logical?!  Now that Kate is 3 part of me feels like I'm a failure as a mother because she isn't toilet trained.  I think this coupled with the fact that we haven't really tried, makes me feel like a lazy failure.  Hmmm. 

I have bought Kate a froggy potty, potty books, an elmo potty video, cute underwear, a cars potty seat and a reward - a toy microwave, all in the name of toilet training.  In the year that we have owned the froggy potty Kate has sat on it many, many times.  The problem is that she won't sit on it without being fully clothed, which makes peeing in it um impossible?!  She has pooped once and peed twice in the potty.  Sadly these three successful toilet times weren't really successful because she was sobbing and crying for a diaper.  Can you say, not ready?!

Today was supposed to be the day.  On Tuesday I went to IKEA with a friend.  Her little girl is six months older than Kate and is toilet trained.  She went to play in the children's play area while we were shopping and Kate could not because one of the requirements is that children be toilet trained.  I explained this to Kate and she suggested we take off her diaper in the store, so cute.  So we came home and chatted about going pee in the potty.  She actually asked right then and there to go pee in the potty and I said "I'll go get the potty and bring it down here" because Alice was crawling around and I didn't want to leave her alone.  Kate said "no, I go upstairs" and instead of acting I engaged further in debate and at some point Kate got a funny look on her face and I said "are you peeing?" and she said "yes".  AH!  Mommy fail!

Back to today, we talked it up all week.  We had no plans for today and we talked about staying home and using the potty, about wearing underwear and it seemed like she was totally on board.  This morning I tried to convince Kate to sit on the potty.  She took off her pants and she took of her diaper all the while asking for a new diaper.  I tried to get her to sit on the potty, I asked and asked.  I promised lots of things.  No dice.  I finally took her upstairs to diaper her naked bum and she peed in the diaper on the change table.  The little stinker had to go, she knew she had to go and she held it in and peed in a diaper. 

Knowing Kate I feel like I will never be able to force her to toilet train, it just won't happen.  She will toilet train when she's ready.  That being said, I need to do a better job acting on her requests.   I wish I could go back in time to Tuesday afternoon and take her to the potty.  Now I need to be patient and wait for the next time. 

Until then the froggy potty will be lonely and sparkly clean!

**In proof reading this I remembered about the cars potty seat... She has sat on that many times in her nudders without crying.  Hmmm, perhaps that should be the thing to try next?!

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Last year I gave this sweat-shirt to Dad for Christmas.

I gave him the sweatshirt when he was in the ICU with a breathing tube down his throat and he could only talk with his eyes and hands.  I basically showed him the sweatshirt, he couldn't wear it.  I know he liked it though because his heart rate spiked - the nurse came in and I apologized for getting him too excited. 

What a difference a year makes...

I'm so glad that my Dad is here to play with his grand-kids and wear the silly shirts I get him. 

Kate Day

The day began with the opening of one present.  I was pretty sure that Kate would like him...

... and I was right, she loves her Barney!

After breakfast we went to church.  I took Alice into nursery to drop off Kate and take a few pictures.  Kate absolutely loves going to nursery.  And she absolutely adores Bro. and Sis. Gosling.  They are such amazing nursery leaders.  They love the kids.  I am so thankful for them.

After church we drove to Grandma and Grandpa's home to open more presents, then play with the presents, then have birthday dinner and cake!  She received a Sesame Street building from Grandma and Grandpa, a doctor bag from Mom and Dad, and Dora, Swiper and Boots little people toys from Alice.  For dinner we had breakfast because it is Kate's favourite meal.  Specifically, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and strawberries, YUM!

Kate had a fun day.  She loved her presents and her Dora cake... not so much the cake, just that it had Dora, Diego and Boots on it.  The cake was an icecream cake, a Bacon Family tradition.  Kate's favourite part of a cake is the icing, which isn't really like normal icing on an ice-cream cake.  She did eat a few bites though. I thought the cake was so good - world class chocolate, yum!
Two funny things from the day, the first being that she can't say three.  It sounds kind of like flea.  The second, having just had Christmas and New Years, the custom is that when someone says Merry Christmas or Happy New Year, you say it back.  So every time someone said Happy Birthday to Kate today, she wished them a Happy Birthday right back.  And in the same vein, she tried to give one of her presents to Grandma and one to Alice.
So my darling girl, Happy Birthday!  We just love you so much!

Pre-Kate Day

Today was for Kate. (Not that many days around here aren't for Kate... and Alice!)  Kate loves to go to the mall.  There are two malls that she loves, Upper Canada Mall and Vaughan Mills.  Today she asked to go to the mall with animals in it which is Vaughan Mills.  If you've never gone to Bass Pro Shops think of an airport hanger and then fill it with LOTS of taxidermy animals, hunting stuff, camping stuff, clothes, ugly furniture that hunters would like, weird hunting/fishing knick-knacks, a huge fish tank with live fish, a water fall, boats and well I suppose you get the idea.  Kate walked around the entire store pointing out all of the animals.

After bass-pro we set off for the rides.  You know those little cars that go back and forth, or up and down, the ones that cost a dollar?  She loves those.  Today she went on the mini-carousel four times.  Usually she goes twice. 

Next was the toy store - toysrus.  She loves looking at the toys.  She and Alice had fun checking out all of the light up, musical toys.  We read a few books and then we rode bikes and trikes and cars. 

This was followed up with lunch in the food court - complete with an acrobat performing on a rope suspended from the ceiling of the food court.  Watching Kate eat pizza is amusing. 

The trip was finished off back where we started, bass pro.  I took a picture of my cute little cow girl trying on a hat.  We didn't buy the hat, but now part of me wishes we had.  I'm excited for Kate day tomorrow.

Where Did My Baby Go?

I can and can't believe that Kate is turning three.  Perhaps it is just that I know she's turning 3 on Sunday, but wow, does my little girl look so grown-up tonight.

Two Girls and a Window

A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double.  ~Toni Morrison

I hope they know how blessed they are to be sisters.

First Playdate of the New Year!

Watching children play is delightful.  Watching children play well is heavenly.  Ciaran is a little angel, or at the very least he was today.  He was so sweet to Kate and Alice.  Kate and Alice had so much fun; someone else's toys are always the best.

Thank you to Zorana for being such a wonderful host.  I would like to slightly modify this Erma Bombeck quote (All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them).  Zorana is courageous for inviting me and my two crazy girls to her beautiful home, complete with an off-white area rug.  

Happy New Year!

There are no pictures, nothing exciting has happened, but I'm blogging anyway!  Since the calendar changed on Sunday I've felt antsy and wanted to blog.  I was going to make some resolutions and then vaguely talk about them, but I still haven't done that.  I didn't make any resolutions last year, and well, I'm sad I didn't.

Here goes...

family - have family home evening every week
health - continue what I'm doing
personal - be more patient
spiritual - make sure the most important things are done first

Next year when I look back at 2012 I want to feel like I've grown, like I'm a little better, a little nicer, a little smarter, more patient, like I'm a little closer to being the person I really want to be.