Oh the joys of the season

No this is not a "holiday" post. And no I am not talking about Fall. This has nothing to do with the weather or time of year. I am talking about a season in our lives. It is short and long all in one. The thing that makes it seem short is the fact that once you have been in it for awhile you get used to it. It just becomes the new normal.

What season am I referring too? Here let me show you a few pics. This first one gives you an idea of the constant motion involved.

Put them on. Fight to keep them there. Wait. Encourage. Wait some more. Cheer. Wait.....


Watch every move. Listen to every "word". No she does not really speak so to say but a mom can understand that "pauy" means potty.

A mom also recognizes the look of shock and the glance down of a baby. Like they just don't understand why suddenly their legs are wet.


This season involves a lot of baking soda powdered carpets. Rags and panties, pants and socks washed in the laundry every day.

And you know you are in this season the second time around when you are asking the older sister to tell you any time the younger one farts. Yup, every move, every sound, you want to know about it all.

But in the end it only takes three days for them to know where it is supposed to go. Does it always get there? Absolutely not. In fact now that she knows where it belongs she trails it to the bathroom vs. standing in the puddle. So now instead of one spot to clean you have a whole piddle trail to follow. But it's a good sign you tell yourself, "she knows what is supposed to be happening, she knows where it belongs".

But there is good news in every victory and even in a lot of the "failings". The good news? We have started this and there is not going back. She gets it and so the end is now in sight. The true and final end may be a few months off and there may even be some trouble a year down the road but we're on that road and this is good.

We have had a few outings in the under pants. It makes me nervous but it becomes normal. So each time we leave the house is another chance for us to learn.

To learn that yes we do still need to bring a second set of clothes. No we do not have this completely beat
yet and don't trust her when she gives a negative to the question "do you need to go potty?" Oh yeah. That is a question that leaves my lips about 50 times a day. No, probably more.


(look at her in those skinny jeans. I am going to have to pull out the nine month old clothes again, no diaper means smaller waist)

Another outing...
This is how we get water.

The jug rides in the stroller and I carry Jade on my back




This beautiful girl is such a help. And she is so proud of her little sister. "Oh Jade you peed in the potty. Good job my sister!!"


Love her laugh. A few days back she had me laughing so hard I was leaning on the counter with tears rolling down my cheeks. When the moment had passed and she again tried the "joke" for the fourth time, it had lost it's charm. She wanted so badly to have me laughing again. "Mom, how do we go back there?"
"Oh dear girl, the joke is old, It is only funny a few times and then the moment passes"

"Why does it get old?"

"Well when you say the same joke to many times it becomes predictable"

"But I want to go back to there. I like laughing with you"

"Me too, Suzie Bonkers, me too"
Oh the things we have to learn as we grow up. The concept of something being over done is completely lost on my little girl. I do so wish I was still a child at times so that the same silly little joke would be funny forever.



We have now completed day five and are into the fifth night. The last two nights she has kept her diaper dry with one potty break in the night. This little lady is doing great at this new season of her life. My babies are growing up.

Thanks all for your encouragement over the last few days. It is so good to have friends to talk to that remind me that this is indeed only a season. That I have been here once before with the ups and downs and that in the end it will all pass and I will forget about the "gory" details faster than I can blink an eye.

May you have close friends who you can lean on in the moments you think will last forever. Those days when it seems that only messes surround you and there is no hope. And may you settle into the season you are in knowing that as you work through it this time will pass and we will move into the next season with anticipation and excitement. That each new/replayed challenge is actually a gift even if only in disguise. It will only make us stronger. Yes, even potty training a toddler will strengthen our spirits if we let it.