Adventures in Bennionland

As (almost) every parent knows potty training is an interesting process. You have to wait until your child displays the *signs* that they are ready to train, you have to decide on a potty training method, and then you have to begin.

With Walker this has been a really trying process for me. Will was a little bit older and a little bit more verbal than Walker so, while it was expensive, it was quicker and easier. Walker is the kind of child who reacts so much to my energy and my moods that if I am the least bit rushed, he’ll slow right on down.

So the last few weeks have been filled with highs and lows. I really thought we got the hang of it last Wednesday when Walker came running down the hall to tell me he needed to go ‘poo-poo’. When we rushed into the bathroom I realized that he had already gone potty in his pants. I had to remind myself that he at least told me and that was a step…but my patience wasn’t all that thrilled.

What I realized the other day made me remember that in the moment of frustration with our kids we often miss the magic. For example, as I sit 15 – 20 minutes in the bathroom waiting for Walker to do his stuff I often read him stories, ask him about his life, and have great conversations! Given his busy nature these moments do not happen a lot in other circumstances.

I took full advantage of this time on Monday. We talked and talked. In fact he did not want to get off of the potty – I think he too realized the importance of the time with just Mom. 1/2 way through the ‘event’ I got the camera. I had been asking him about colors that he likes and it was too priceless.

Yes this is a video of my kid on the potty. Yes he does have a sucker (it was a last ditch attempt to get him to STAY on the potty). Enjoy:

Kids are funny. If only I had the time (and the memory!!) to get down everything that my boys do and say on an hourly basis.

Walker’s language is just developing at an awesome rate so not one day goes by that he hasn’t picked up some choice words or phrases. The word ‘no’ is a big, well no-no, for him right now and he can tell you who told him no, when and why.

Never one to be short of words Will has us trying not to laugh most days. Kind of hard to discipline when your three year-old is making a good point! Today he had a time-out at preschool and when I asked him why he said ‘Because Mrs. Jackson wasn’t listening to me.’ I said, well were you listening to her? He remarked, ‘No because she wasn’t listening to me and I was telling her I wasn’t ready to leave the playground yet.’

Here are some more funnies from this week:

Will: ‘You just do that KK!’ (In response to some idle threat she made while in the car)

Walker: ‘You are trouble Mom!’

(At Sea World)
Me: ‘Wow Will. Look at that walrus swimming.’
Will: ‘Shhh Mom. I’m looking for his penis.’

Walker: ‘You said no to me Mom. That’s not very good.’ (While fake crying)

Will singing only the chorus to Jingle Bells 33 times in a row.

Walker: ‘I’m not Shamu. You’re Shamu.’ (I’ll try not to take it personally)

Will: ‘Are you listening to me Mom? Are you? Are you? I’m not sure you are!”

Will & Walker asking, insistently, to have the Jimmy Buffett edition of Jingle Bells played. They especially love when he asks, ‘Hey Santa, what you got in that big burlap sack for me? A present?’. (Thank heaven for childhood naivete!)

Grandma KK: ‘Will, what was your favorite part of Sea World?’ (We went yesterday – pics to come!)
Will: ‘The fans.’

Patti (his great-aunt): ‘You and Walker need to come and visit. Get your cute buns over to my house this week.”
Will: ‘Pat, don’t you have your own buns? You need to buy your own hot dog buns for your house. We’re not going to bring ours over.’

And of course this episode with a Lego chair:

Walker and I had our nice Mommyschool time today. This included a quick trip to the grocery store.

I treated myself to my favorite lf/nw/iced mocha from Starbucks.
(This is a rarity, partly because I feel that spending 3+ dollars on a drink is crazy – but mostly because you all know how much I like to clean without caffeine…so with a little espresso I can be a wild cleaning machine!)

And Walker got his first taste of Starbucks!

(Ok, it’s not what you think! It’s water…but isn’t it cute!)