Surreal Week

Well, it's been a very interesting week around the L. household this week. Monday, in particular, was one of those nights that I think could only happen to me. Let me explain.

We've been working on potty training J because he's going to be 3 in a few months and, quite frankly, it's time he got with the program. So on Saturday morning, I announced that he was going to wear big boy training pants (those thick underwear that were all we had as training pants in the dark ages before pull ups) and he was going to use the potty. He seemed willing but after making him sit at the potty every 10 minutes for hours, we were getting nowhere, unless you count the pee I cleaned up from the floor of the playroom. So, I gave up, fed him lunch, put a diaper on him for his nap.

When he woke up from his nap, I hustled him straight to the potty where he managed to produce the desired results. Yay!! So we did the pee pee dance (needs no explanation for those of you who are moms. Those who aren't moms yet, you'll see the lengths you'll go to to get rid of diapers), waved goodbye to the pee pee when we flushed, gave high fives all around, and gave him skittles. He seemed pretty happy and excited and we were hopeful. But alas, the joy was short lived and after several more floor cleanings, I gave up, for now. Sunday, we didn't even mention the potty.

Monday evening, at dinner, J brought up the potty. We dismissed him it and thought we would just try over the long Labor Day weekend. In the bath that night, he again said he had to go potty. We told him not to do it in the tub, but otherwise ignored him.

When he was done brushing his teeth and we were trying to get him into pajamas, he again said he had to go potty. So, we figured he was going to sit there for 1.7 seconds and announce "it won't come out" like he usually does and then we could move on with bedtime. But we were wrong! He actually peed in the potty. All by himself. With no encouragement from us. Halleluiah!!!!!

So we were very excited, repeated all the same celebrations from Saturday afternoon, patted each other on the back that we were on our way to diaper free living and moved on with the bedtime ritual. N fell asleep pretty quickly. J didn't (note to self: skittles at 9pm, not such a good idea), but he was laying in bed quietly so I hoped he would fall asleep soon.

I was folding laundry in my bedroom and D was on the computer in the office at 9:45pm when J ran into the room, naked as the day he was born and announced, "I-did-pee-pee-in-the-potty-'gain-come-see" in that run on, don't take a breath way that only toddlers can, and ran back out of the room towards the bathroom with us in hot pursuit. Sure enough, he peed again, ALL BY HIMSELF. So we celebrated with him yet again, got him dressed again for bed and put him back in bed.

Repeat above scenario again four more times between 9:55pm and 10:30pm, culminating at 10:30pm with a very excited phone call from A announcing that he "received-a-bid-from-a-fraternity-tonight-and-I-really-like-this-one-its-the-one-I-was-hoping-to-join-and-they-like-me-and-I-think-I'm-going-to-join-it-I'm-so-excited" Did I say toddlers where the only ones that could talk in that run on, don't take a breath kind of way?? Maybe not.

Anyway, so that sums up my surreal Monday night. My youngest got the hang of potty training and my oldest joined a fraternity. Only me!!!

By the way, other than one not-so-small poopy accident at school Tuesday afternoon, J has been doing all his business in the potty with no accidents and announced to his teacher today, when he did poop in the potty at school, "I'm going to Disney World!!!". Seems a certain parent who was really desperate to get him out of diapers might have told him that if he wasn't wearing diapers anymore, we could go to Disney World. Wonder who that could have been? Oh well, wish me luck breaking it to D that we're going to Disney next weekend.

The Book Quiz

I've heard of this book but never read it. Might have to check it out.

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd
be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Potatoes Au Gratin

I was doing just fine until I saw the box of Potatoes Au Gratin.

We dropped A off at college this past weekend. We drove up on Friday night so he could check in to his dorm room early on Saturday morning. He and I got up at 7:30 am and drove over to the college to get in line. We left D and the kids back at the hotel to make things easier. They opened the doors early, at 8:30 am instead of 9am, and by 10am, we had everything except the refrigerator up in his room. (A 5th floor walk up!!). D got there about 10:30am with the kids and carried A's refrigerator up to the room (it's a small cube one, not too big). By 11:15am, A was basically telling us it was time for us to go. So, the kids each gave him a hug and kiss goodbye, even though they really didn't get that he was actually going to live here and not at home anymore. D shook his hand and wished him luck. I gave him a quick hug and kiss and told him to call me and walked out.

I'll admit that I blinked back a few tears as I walked down the hall and stairs, but by the time I got to the car, I was doing alright. A few other times over the weekend, my eyes welled up a bit like when D mentioned that we didn't really need the 3rd row of seats in the van any more or when the kids said they missed A, but all-in-all I was doing alright with him going away to school.

Until this morning, when I saw one lonely box of Potatoes Au Gratin sitting in the back of the bottom shelf of the pantry. You see, Potatoes Au Gratin are pretty much A's favorite food, and for some reason, he likes the box kind better than made from scratch. Everyone else in the house prefers my made from scratch ones. So, for whatever reason, seeing that box really made it sink in that he's really gone and quite possibly may never live at home again. And that made the tears I've been fighting back since Saturday finally flow.

I don't know if it ever gets easier to let your children grow up and go off on their own to make a life for themselves, I just know that it's hard for me to let A, in particular, go. It wasn't so bad when he was gone last summer since I knew it was only for a couple of months and he'd be coming home again. This time, I don't really know that he'll ever live at home again, particularly if/when we move to New Mexico. So this time, I'm really having to let go. And it's hard. And it hurts. In some ways I almost feel like A and I grew up together. I was in my very early 20's when I had him and I was a single parent to him for 13 years. (Ironically enough, my 5th wedding anniversary with D was the day we dropped A off at school). So, A and I are probably a bit closer than we might have been if it hadn't been just the 2 of us for so many years.

Anyway, I'm doing alright and I'm very proud and happy for him. I just wish I hadn't seen that damn box of potatoes au gratin!!