I'm going to irritate you and make you jealous all at the same time!

First off, I like to have a cutesy image for my posts, it’s a quirky habit of mine.  So, to that end I searched for images of potty training, and this is was one of the first offerings:

I think that pretty much says it all for most parents.  It’s generally a battle of wills between parent and child, a major headache really.  Rarely is it easy and uncomplicated and everyone else has an opinion on when you should start, namely daycares and preschools.  It’s a challenge that is often put off because it is difficult and won’t happen until a child is ready, even if that means waiting longer than a parent might want.

Now, all those negatives being thrown out there, I am thrilled to reveal  that my 25 month hold is potty trained!  Yeah!  We are still working on night time, but I think that’s a long way off.  However, during the day he stays dry and hasn’t had an accident in quite a while.  For us it was pretty easy, he was excited to start learning, and we took it slow.  We started in late July, with a few steps backwards when he returned to daycare in September.  However, when we transitioned him to his new daycare everything seemed to be much easier for him there.  There have been stickers and treats and bribes, and it has all worked.

Please don’t hate :)

Back to School

Justin finally started school this week after two weeks of being on strike.  It was a stressful time in our house, but I full supported him in taking a stand.  There were members of the community who were angry with the Kent teachers for delaying the school year, however there was a great deal more support than anything else, for this I am grateful.  It is often hard to stick to your principles and fight for what you believe in, in this case, education.  The situation was made tolerable by the parents who understood that their children were the driving force behind the teachers' strike.

But enough about that!  With the start of the school year came the return of Tysen to Little Conks, the daycare at Kentwood, where Justin teaches.  Tysen loves his teachers and his friends at school, but that wasn't enough to make the transition back a smooth one.  His first day was a rough one; didn't want daddy to leave and refused to let anyone take him to the potty.  Tysen has been working on potty training for about two months now, and has almost mastered it.  I had anticipated that returning to school would mean a step backward, so his refusal to go on the potty wasn't a big surprise.  On his second day, today, Tysen let the teachers take him to the bathroom without any fuss; a big hurdle conquered!

I've got a relaxed night planned, lots of good TV viewing ahead.  Several of my favorite reality TV shows are on, I'm a reality TV junkie.  I'm not sure how to fit it all in, we've got Top Chef on Bravo, Toddlers and Tiaras on TLC, America's Got Talent (or so they say) on NBC, So You Think You Can Dance followed by Glee on Fox.  Thank goodness for DVR!!