I never thought I would be a person obsessed with bathroom habits, but motherhood does strange things to a person. In fact, two of the biggest lessons I have learned during motherhood is to never utter anything containing the phrase "I would never. . ." because you will eat your words at some point in your mothering career, and to not loose your cool over potty training.
The latter proves more difficult than one would imagine as most honest mothers would tell you that potty training is topic number one in Whose-a-Better-Mommy competition. (If you totally understand what I am getting at then read Ayelet Waldman- I loved her when she wrote her controversial husband essay, and I love her new book even better.)
I beat my anal retentive self up over the difficulty both my boys had becoming fully potty trained. Let's just say that we had no problem with the #1 department, but my kids had major hoarding issues in the other potty training deposit. I have blamed it all on genetics; Trey is phobic of all germs and perhaps would go around the world wearing a hazmat suit if it was socially acceptable, and I HATE public restrooms. (I hate the word "hate", so this is big!)
In college, I would time my bathroom visits to the wee hours of the morning. I would enter the stall with a cleaning product in hand and only proceed to use the facilities if I was completely sure that I would be 100% alone. I ate nothing but JELLO for two days before I delivered Cole to make sure there was no "code browns" during my labor. In fact, I am pretty sure that Trey still doesn't think I poop. At least this is what I tell myself. Therein lies the issues with my own children's potty issues.
So, today is a momentous day! A turning point in our lives! Freedom! It means Jack can head to school in the fall, that he can go to the Oceanears Club during our Disney Cruise allowing Daddy and Mommy some alone time, and I can completely take the cost of diapers out of the family budget. AND, I can cross one of the 50 some odd goals I had written out to accomplish during deployment. . .only 49 more to go. I always seem to add to that list with little done in the crossing out department. Another topic for another day.
. . .It also means that my single friends can come visit and no longer be horrified to see Jack in a corner with his pants down "creating" wherever he sees fit.
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Congratulations!!!! A very big deal. On our most recent trip I remember being struck by how wonderful it was to be traveling without diapers (take up so much space!) and dealing with nasty changing tables.
And I love Ayelet Waldman...currently reading/enjoying her newest book and was going to recommend it to you. Have you read her Mommy Track Mysteries...perfect beach/deployment reading.
Thanks for the steam cleaning recommendation and for your thoughtful note. We are going to try to make it to this weekend's space shuttle launch (why not add a little more on our plates, right?) and it reminded me of our launch/beach outing. Hugs to you and your guys.
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