Potty Training, Valentine Mommy

It's been months now and I am still on the neverending quest to potty train my daughter. She is the most stubborn little thing this side of, well, me! I guess she may not look a thing like me but she sure does take after me in the stubborn way.

She has these Princess panties; She will only wear the princess panties and God help me, they are positively threadbare from the constant washing and washing and washing and washing and washing... you get the picture.

Now if you keep a timer running and drop everything to take her every 30 minutes she will go, without fail. If you for any reason forget to reset the timer, or heaven forbid, not hear it go off then forget it.

She can tee-tee on command, she can poop on command (and that, ladies and gentlemen, is really hard to do.) I only say this because at the doctors office... Never mind.

I consider today a victory, if in theory only; we only washed one pair.

I've tried gummy bears, jelly beans, chocolate(her favorite) reading books, water running, warm water, and a million other methods to get her to actually go. We've got that part down. Now how do you keep them from actually tee-teeing in their pants. SHE DOESN'T CARE. Garrison comes to get me if she has an accident. Her doctor said once you make the transition to panties don't go back.

HA! Let him pay the $200 carpet and upholstery cleaning bill from February!

Other than this, she is a delightful and charming child in almost every way. Today she would only respond if you addressed her as Cinderella. I was the Fairy Godmother, thankfully not the wicked Step-mother, and Garrison played the part of Prince Charming. He will tolerate this only as long as he gets to use his light saber, space gun and fight the evil Wedlock and a eventually rescue the princess. (And I worried about him not being interested in Boy things....)

Garrison asked my to be his valentine (only after Alexis and Sophia were not available for goodnight kisses.) I was proud to accept his offer anyway and he melted my heart when he deemed me, "...the most prettiest Mommy ever in the space of the world!" I tell you what that little boy has a key to this mom's heart. I ache when I think I only have the summer and then he goes out into this mean old world. I'd rather spend this entire summer playing and swimming with Garre and Kamy than anything in this entire world and I really mean that. More than ANYTHING!!!

Speaking of this Fall, we are moving Kamy to and local pre-school. I will miss the day school that I am now teaching at and that Garrison has spent the last three years. The decision was really a simple on of need and logistics. I needed to be nearby logistically if the kids needed me! I couldn't even conceive of being 45 minutes away from Garre if he were to get sick or hurt or just scared. Since we met with Dr. Kirkham several weeks ago, we learned that Garrison is terrified of change and failing. We've been working on this but it flat out terrifies me to think of not being there if he needs me. It's no even an option. Her school will only be 5 minutes away from the house and Garre will be 5 minutes the other way. NICE!!!

Well be looking for my Tickelopes to start appearing in your local store just any darn day. My art comes out in March and I have 8 offerings (without signature) in this batch. I have been given the fantasy line for children's birthdays. It will also cover some other areas not related to children's birthdays. What is fantasy? Frog prince, Knights, princesses, fairies, castles, superheros, pirates, stuff like that. It is a blast and I LOVE IT!!!!! The kids love it too because we get to paint and draw together a lot. Garrison wants to be and artist when he grows up, that or and oceanographer/Zoologist and work with whales. This is right from his mouth. Mrs. Rutledge has been teaching his about the ocean and it seem to nearly consume him.

Well I'm tired and wandering all over the place. Sean and I ate for the 9th year at the restaurant where we dined the night he proposed 9 years ago, for the very last time. It's been out Valentines tradition and now it's over. I have had the same dish every year, Picatta de Vittelo. Tonight I savored every delicious bite and memory and the feeling of sitting alone with my handsome husband (that doesn't happen often enough.) He is my rock.

Happy valentines day.