Potty Training: Thoughts on Day 1

-Ok, let's get this started!

-I'm too tired to do this.

-2 accidents already? We've only been at this an hour, but I thought for sure he'd get the hang of it pretty quickly.

-On the other hand, how much can I expect from a 2 year old who's only ever peed when the urge came? 2 accidents probably isn't that bad.

-When is nap time?

-I think I've said, "Blake, do you need to go to the potty?" almost 300 times today.

-Another accident. He caught himself and ran to the potty, so I guess that's progress.

-I'm never going to be able to leave my house again.

-I should've made Evan take work off so he could train Blake.

-If this bout of training doesn't take, it's Evan's turn to try next.

-It's a good thing I started this training now, because 8 months pregnant Whitney would've said, "Let him stay in diapers."

-I didn't realize how much of my day was being spent on the couch. I miss you, couch.

in training

When my mother-in-law asked me if I had any big plans for August, I thought for a second and realized this month is going to be pretty low-key. Well, let's be honest. Since I found out I was pregnant my life has been as low-key as it possibly can be with a 2 year old (which doesn't feel very low-key, but walking too and from the playground every day takes about as much energy as I can muster so that's pretty much all we do.)

So, a wide open August plus the fact that Blake has started to demand a clean diaper anytime he wets the one he is currently wearing have led me to the decision to begin potty training Blake.

Fears:
-I'm starting too early. I've heard if you start before your child is ready it can be a total nightmare to try to get them to learn how to use the potty.

-That's pretty much my only fear.

So that's my August. I will be potty training my almost 2 and a half year old. Prayers appreciated.

tourists

With Evan's parents and brother coming to town, we got to spend 6 days being tourists and showing his family the ins and outs of city life. It was incredibly fun and just as exhausting!

Natural History Museum

Looking for Blake

Found him!

Didn't want to be found.

Woody and Jessie at FAO Schwarz

Beau as an Astronaut

Mickey!

THE Big Piano

Grimaldi's

Jane's Carousel in DUMBO

Pretty good pizza!

Brooklyn Bridge

Flying through the air

"Yzma, put your hands in the air!"

Grandpa and Blake

Shore Promenade

9/11 Memorial

Not too sure about all these pictures

Blake thought Lady Liberty was Jesus' mom. Haha!

Secrets on Liberty Island

Playing "chase you"

Fun on Ellis Island

We had a lot of fun running around the city, taking it all in. We will also be taking the whole month of August to recuperate! 

(Did you notice how I stopped trying to arrange the pictures nicely towards the end? That's because blogger makes it impossible for you to do so. Extremely annoying.)

faux-tography

I think I'm going to have to teach Evan how to recognize when a picture of me is not going to be flattering. 

At all.

 

Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch better.

Dear Virginia,

I miss you.

Seeing New York- Yankee Stadium

Naturally with a husband as big a fan of Major League Baseball as mine is, one thing we had to do while living here was go to a Yankee game. So this past Saturday we hopped the D train to the Bronx to watch the Angels play the Yankees.

Luckily Blake's favorite train is the D train.

I have no idea who this is.

Blake lasted until about the 4th inning when he politely said, "All done baseball." As we suspected, he was more interested in playing with the seats and running up and down the stadium stairs than actually watching the game. But we enjoyed watching Blake immediately start clapping whenever everyone else did. Even though he was cheering for the wrong team, it was so cute we didn't mind.

new momma

Recently I've been reflecting on the days when I was a brand new mom with a brand new baby...and how much I thought I knew but didn't. I thought about when my mom came to help me after Evan started his job in New York and how she never really offered any advice unless I asked for it. She let me be in charge of how I wanted her to take care of Blake while I was napping or at work. And I wonder if inside she just smiled to herself thinking, "One day she'll look back on this and laugh at how ridiculous she's being."

Because I was ridiculous.

I was telling my mom how to take care of an infant when she had raised 4 wonderful (wink) children. I mean, I wasn't telling her every single thing to do. But I balked when she wanted to give Blake a little bit of water.

"No, Mom. You were there when the doctor said he gets plenty of water with his formula. He doesn't need any water!"

Or when she had the TV on at night while she fed him.

"I'd rather the TV not be on at night if you're up feeding him."

Or if she wanted to grab a bite to eat or run to the store while I was at work.

"I don't really want him riding in the car that much."

Ridiculous.

With baby #2, I feel like I'm going to be less uptight. Water? Sure, give him (or her) a little sip. TV on while the baby's awake? Meh, why not. Car ride? Let's take a trip across the country!

My mom was a good sport. She allowed me to come into my own as a mother. Instead of stepping in and telling me how to take care of Blake, she let me take the lead, even if I was a little ridiculous and even if it wasn't how she would necessarily do things. I often forget with both my mother and mother-in-law that they have experience. They were in the trenches just like I am changing diapers, cleaning up after little ones, and trying to teach them how to be kind and respectful.

So I'm ready to let go a little bit. I'll have enough on my plate come November (and I'm not talkin' turkey and stuffing here people) that it will be nice to just go with the flow instead of trying to control everything.