Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The Worst Part of Parenthood

The long sleepless nights from a newborn... the first time they get really sick.... the first time they get really hurt... these are many of the hard moments of parenthood.  

Times when we wonder if we can make it, how we will make it and how much sanity we will have left when it is all over.

But we do make it.  We are strong, we can do hard things.

We start feeling really good about ourselves.....

until

yep
potty-training.

The constant running to the toilet, searching for the puddles when you discover their underwear is once again wet, running to the bathroom in every public place because even though they just went at home of course they need to go again.

I have been telling Ryder that when we got back from our trip that it would be time for him to go potty on the toilet.  He was excited asking when we were going to get his underwear.  He insisted on carrying it with him throughout the store.

We got home and put on his first pair of underwear.  I set my timer to help make sure I didn't get distracted and forget to take potty breaks.

He happily went and sat on the toilet... and sat.. and sat only to do nothing.

I set my timer again and went back to editing some pictures.

"What is on the floor?" Lucas asked.  
"What?" I asked heading over.  Oh no.  Yep a nice little puddle.   Where was Ryder?  Just happily playing completely unaffected by the fact that his underwear was all wet.

This is going to be a very long process.

Can I make it?  How will I survive this?  Will I be sane?

Well I guess that is yet to be seen; wish me luck.


Since it is Tuesday I am linking up with some other great Tuesday meme's.  IA and Shawn's Talk to Us Tuesday and Stacy Uncorked's Random Tuesday


Stacy

34 comments:

  1. This is why I said I wanted mine to come out walking, talking and potty trained... lol. Hopefully it gets better!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh man. I'm sending prayers your way. This is hands down the hardest part of parenthood. I have no idea how you've done it twice already and survived.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yea, and that is what I keep remembering I have survived this so I somehow will again. I think I blocked out most of the memories of how it really was

      Delete
  3. You've got this. I know we're heading in that direction (though my boy is almost 2, and not quite there yet) and I'm dreading potty training.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yea, both of my boys I did not even start until 3, though Alex she was barely over two and did a lot of it on her own, wanted to be like her big brother.

      Delete
  4. Good luck Emily...Oh my my! It's such a struggle....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, you've done it twice already, so you know that it can be done. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep- I think it is like childbirth, one of those things you block out most of the details.

      Delete
  6. Oh potty training, good luck! I was incredibly lucky with my son.
    7 Things About My Job

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My daughter was semi easy, but my oldest not so much.. time will tell with Ryder

      Delete
  7. haha - my friend Sara was just telling me how potty-training her daughter was her least favourite parenting job ever, and how she never wants to do it again. "Until Daniel is old enough," I said with a grin, referring to her baby boy. She sighed, and said, "Yeah, I might send him away to get trained." LOL Wishing you luck & strength... it'll happen. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I personally don't know of any mom that it is their favorite part.

      Delete
  8. I have to say, potty training was definitely not a favorite parenting activity. :) Good luck with that - I bet Ryder will pick it up like a champ! :)

    Annoying Colds Cause Foggy Brains, Punctuation is Necessary, and Craig Morgan is a Hero – Random Tuesday Thoughts Rebel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope so, though the first day isn't giving me much hope

      Delete
  9. Yep...when I had 2 diaper clad kiddos, I would often think how nice it will be when the toddler is potty trained. Really though...diapers are so much easier than constantly trying to interpret each and every butt wiggle. "Was that the peepee dance or was she just excited?" We did the three day potty training thing...where they don't wear anything down there. (Trying to say it without using yucky keywords!) We had one accident that week but we hardly left the house. Still a work in progress but it's gone pretty well! Good luck! This too shall pass!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow only once accident! Impressive! And yes, I wasn't in too big a rush to do it as diapers, especially on trips really are kind of convenient. :)

      Delete
  10. Oh my...! It's really wonderfully when it finally "clicks" though! :)

    (I'm no help... my kiddo pottytrained himself at 20 months... so instead of any convenience of diapers on trips, I suddenly had to become a professional at pulling over quickly and finding the nearest restroom!)

    Good luck - I'm sure Ryder will get the hang of it soon :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is sort of how Alex was.. I have a feeling Ryder won't be that easy

      Delete
  11. Here's hoping that there are more dry underwear and less puddles soon!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Good luck. I feel like potty training breaks me more than it does the kids. Ugh. I hate potty training.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Girl I am right there with you! Nolan really has no interest in being potty trained...now I have gone full blown yet..but the day we had him in underwear he had so many accidents. He hides when he poops, and he is totally fine being wet in a cloth diaper. This process is soooo gonna be a long one!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh man, I remember the sense of dread that went along with that phase. It's a beautiful thing when it's over, but wow, the journey is a rough one! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This I am dreading big time! I've heard so many hard things about it. I was hoping you'd tell me it gets better with each kid!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The oldest is always the hardest one, I think. With my oldest, I was so worried because she was entering preschool and she still wasn't trained, and I was starting a teaching job, too!!!

    So I bought a pair of Disney Princess panties, and told my daughter not to pee on Pocahontas because it would make her sad. Believe it or not it worked, and she loved how the pain ties felt better than the pull-ups.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yup... That is my summer fun. My boy is going to be (no he is already) a challenge for this. I am making progress... He come and tells me and shows me the puddle...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Potty training is so tricky!!

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Seriously my least favorite thing too! Good luck!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ugh, I'm right there with ya sister! I think this is one of the worst things aside from getting them to sleep through the night. I am sticking with the idea of having CAMP for potty training!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wishing you lots of luck!
    I'm taking the laid back approach. The only plus is that she now refuses diapers...it's pull ups all the time now!

    ReplyDelete

ShareThis