Adventures in Toilet Training!!!

You would think that as a seasoned (that's code for middle-aged) mother of four, that by the time the last child came around, there would be very few tricks to get excited about. Well, when it comes to teaching the fine art of potty training, I still manage to experience small doses of euphoria when that training child FINALLY manages to get SOMETHING into the toilet. Today was no exception. For months, we have been "oohing" and "aaahing" over big boy underpants, the whole family has been demonstrating and even marketing the benefits of using those fancy porcelain bowls conveniently located throughout the house, and even to Parker's credit, the little man has mastered the art of sitting for painfully LONG periods of time on the porcelain throne, even doing what some would consider to be almost acrobat-like moves as he stands up on one leg while trying to flush the toilet while sitting, and I can't even BEGIN to tell you how much toilet paper Parker has unnecessarily flushed as he has practiced wiping--just in case he someday chose to really pull the whole thing off. Well, today folks, we saw SUCCESS!!! Yessireee, I was patiently reading with my best Spanish accent the moving literary masterpiece of "SkippyjonJones" (for those of you less cultured folk, it is a touching story about a Siamese Cat who is utterly convinced that he really is a Chihuahua), when all of a sudden I felt a spray fly right across my pants, up my shirt, and slightly on to my face. Now, most of you might respond differently, but when you have been trying to promote how much "fun" it is to pee in a toilet, the only natural response I could give was sheer joy!!! We both hooted and hollered and squealed with delight. Before you knew it, the whole family was joining in on the fun in our 4x4 foot bathroom. Everyone was screaming and dancing and giving "high fives" all around. As you can see, our little man was not too disappointed with his efforts either.

Let's just say that this stream of urine trailing up my leg (and all over the floor)....


Well, it is ALL worth it!!!

Believe me, these are the gems in motherhood that make it all worthwhile!

Kristin