The Potty Predicament

What do you do with a kid that doesn't seem to really be ready for potty-training, save for her interest and determination?

For months now, Little Sister has stripped every princess doll in the house in order to put them on the "potty" (which is really an upside down hay trough for Dora's ponies). When playing with the dollhouse, if she isn't taking the twin babies in and out of high chairs, she is putting somebody on the toilet and wiping them with a tiny washcloth.



And poor Ariel hasn't been clothed (except for any diaper Little Sis can find) since she came home with us from Disney World.


Yes, Little Sis is obsessed with all things potty. My theory is that this is the one thing that she can't master (or really even practice) on her own. Her determination with all things mechanical and fine motor blows my mind. She holds her pencil/crayons/markers perfectly, and she has for months. If there is a buckle anywhere near her, she works on it until she conquers it. If there is a container to open, a gadget to turn on, or a piece of doll clothing to figure out, she practices.

Over and over.

It is enough to drive you crazy. And make you proud.

But as much as she wants to wear the Elmo and princess "big girl pants" waiting for her in a drawer on her changing table, she just doesn't get it.

She sits on the potty for a split second, asks for "paper towel," wipes and says, "I'm do-ooone!"

But she has not done anything.

Except go through a TON of big girl pants and towels.

Yesterday, though, she did!

She sat on the potty, looked at a book, and pooped! I was so excited we called Daddy at work and updated my facebook status. I know, I know... TMI. But it was a big breakthrough. She finally got that you do more than just sit on it; you put something in it.

So, I don't know. Just when I thought we needed to give up and wait for a while for her little bladder to mature, she has a small victory.

So I'm asking all of you experienced mommies out there. What do you think? March onward with big girl undies (and lots of towels?) until she gets it? Shelve the idea until she can have more success? What's a Momma to do?

He said it better

Right now there is a humongous half-finished post of mine waiting to be published.

It's a post about everything swimming around in my brain these days. About anxiety, frustration, exhaustion and... depression. Yeah, I said it.

It's a post about busyness and the feeling that something is still missing despite there being no time to fit it in anyway.

It's a post about how somewhere along the line, the burning passion to serve God and others faithfully at every opportunity led to burn out and feelings of resentment and obligation.

But I don't know if or when I'll post it. Because today, Shaun Groves said it better than I ever could.

Go here to read his post.

This was literally the fifth time in a little over a week that I heard someone talk about some sort of "leave of absence" when leadership for the sake of serving Christ distracts from or distorts our intended relationship with God. And I've lost count of the other ways God has been trying to get me to turn my attention to Him, to get me to slow down, to listen. I think I've kept myself busy intentionally to drown out the still small Voice.

No more.

I'm pulling the rope.

Book Review: Friendship for Grown-Ups by Lisa Whelchel

If you don't know Lisa Whelchel as the Women of Faith speaker and author of several books about Christian parenting, you might know her as Blair from Facts of Life. It is actually because of her experience as a "child star" that she wrote this book about friendship. She shares a little about growing up too fast, a lot about being alone and independent, and even more about how God helped to heal her heart and help her to understand real friendship.

As in other books I've read by Whelchel, this one is very honest. She doesn't hide the hardships, the awkwardness, even the unhealthiness of her own relationships with God and girlfriends. Instead she bares it all and what she has learned in the hopes that we might do the same, pointing out the importance of friendships in our understanding of grace. As someone who sometimes struggles with the whole concept of friendship, as I shared a little here, I found this to be very inspiring. I sat and read the book basically in one sitting, although I know I will go back and delve deeper into some of the chapters again and again. I would quickly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about opening up to others or maintaining healthy friendships.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Song for Sunday: begin the song of praise

Be Still My Soul

Words by Ka­tha­ri­na von Schle­gel (english by Jane Borth­wick),
Music by Jean Si­bel­i­us

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Big Sister's New Game

Big Sister's fairy obsession grew beyond Pixie Hollow to now include... (drumroll please)... the Tooth Fairy. Today she dressed up in purple fairy wings, glass slippers, a wand and a UK cheerleading outfit (huh?) and asked me to play Tooth Fairy with her. There were both good and bad things about this new game.

Pro: I got to sit down the whole time. And I was able to actually encouraged to lay back and close my eyes while she not-so-subtly reached under my pillow.

Con: Little Sister kept asking me to put a pull-up on her baby doll when I was supposed to be sleeping, making it hard to stay in character.

Pro: There were few props and little mess involved.

Con: I actually dozed off for a few minutes and woke up covered in tiny chart-sized princess stickers.

All in all, not a bad game.

I won!

I won this!

Well, actually, I won a pattern and a set of instructions from Bugga Bugs to make my own. Which may or may not look like this when it's all said and done.

Kristin at Couponing to Disney has been having some fantastic Reader Appreciation giveaways on her blog. Last week I was a winner. How cool would it be if you won this week! (or me again... that would be cool too!)

Conversations in the Car

Today Big Sister & I had to go back to the doctor after her fifth(?) fever in as many weeks. Turns out she has a lingering sinus infection and probably needs her tonsils out. Little Sister is already scheduled to get tubes in & adenoids out at the end of the month. It's a good thing I like our ENT.

We dropped Little Sis off to hang out in Daddy's office, went to the doc, came back & picked up Little Sister & Daddy to go to lunch, dropped Daddy back at the church after lunch, came all the way home, realized we had Daddy's car keys and turned around, and then came back home again. Whew.

So there was plenty of time for conversations in the car this morning. Here are a few of my favorites:


Mommy: Hey, [Big Sis] see all of those dandelions in that yard? I bet you would run out of breath trying to blow all of those guys!

Big Sis: Nah. I'd huff & puff. I'm like the Big Bad Wolf, you know.

.....................................................................................................................
Daddy: Bye girls. Be good for Mommy. Take a nap. I'll see you later! (closes door)

Little Sis: Bye Dad!

Mommy: (rolling down window) Did you hear her? Listen. Tell him again, [Little Sis]

Big Sister: Bye Daddy!

Little Sister: Bye Da Da! And Happy Birthday!!

.......................................................................................................................

Big Sister: (after watching me let a car merge in front of us) Who are we waving at?

Mommy: I don't know. I don't know him. I just let him have a turn in front of us, and he waved to say, "Thank you." I waved back to say "You're welcome."

Big Sister: (straining to hear me over the goofy Fred Penner cd) Did you say "You're welcome" or "I love you?"

Mommy: I waved to say "You're welcome." I don't love him. I don't know him... (Then, after a moment of thought) I mean... I love him because I'm supposed to love everybody because Jesus loves everybody. But not like I love you or Daddy.