The countdown has begun. We are at -2 days before full blown potty training begins. Prep work started today. I bought 21 - yes 21 pairs of underwear. I wanted 2-3 packs of plain white underwear and one pack of character underwear. Apparently they don't like to sell plain white underwear for his age. Apparently they market towards kids' desires rather than parents' desires. I want to be able to use the character underwear as a bribe. Have the manufacturers of toddler underwear never bribed their own kids? Are their kids that freaking wonderful that they've never had to resort to such measures? What is wrong with these people?
At least the makers of Resolve are a little more understanding. I was able to buy the super size of the High Traffic Resolve and the spot cleaner. I am convinced Resolve was invented by the parent of a toddler during potty training.
As for the person who decided wall-to-wall carpeting was ever a great idea also never had toddlers requiring potty training. That or his child reached the potty training stage during the warmer months and just kept the kid outside all day. I am seriously kicking myself for not putting down hardwood the second we moved in. Please don't tell me to keep Little Man in the kitchen the entire time. Trust me - it isn't big enough.
We do have a tarp though. My mother-in-law had the foresight to get us a tarp designed for toddlers. It saved the carpet in my dining room several times (yes, someone with a toddler thought wall-to-wall carpeting in the dining room was a bright idea. I'm thinking they put it down shortly before selling and made the kid eat on the kitchen floor until after they moved). So the tarp will be coming out to cover any area this kid feels like standing in. It, unlike my carpet, is machine washable.
My neighbors do have a steam cleaner. I will be borrowing it. Either that or I'll call the whole thing a wash and take the money set aside to landscape the front yard next spring to replace the carpet. That's one way to get me off my lazy butt and put in my much desired hardwood.
After picking up the underwear today we stopped at Barnes & Noble for some potty books. The one we have hasn't caught Little Man's attention. I was on a mission. I was going to find an Elmo potty book. Yes. Elmo. I bought an Elmo book. That damn red monster - my arch nemesis and yet I need to call him in; need to work out a truce to get me through this weekend. He responds to that annoying little creature. What book do I find? One with sounds. So not only do I have that damn creature in my house but I have his voice in my house. Because my son will listen to him. I HATE Elmo.
I also found a book called the Potty Train. Little Man also responds to trains. If I am really lucky he'll decide that is the cooler book but I'm not holding my breath.
I showed him the underwear tonight. I told him they were big boy underwear. "I no like big boy underwear" and he walked away.
But they have Thomas, and James, and Percy...
I hate being ignored almost as much as I hate Elmo. For a split second I contemplated digging out the Spiderman underwear but decided to change tactics. I showed him the books. He got all excited until he discovered each one revolved around the potty. Ignored again.
Fast forward a few minutes and he's being unceremoniously carried upstairs by his father and dumped in his room for kicking and hitting his father. We let him scream his fool head off for several minutes before bringing puppy, Grinch, and books upstairs as it was close to bedtime anyway.
I get him calmed down enough where he can apologize to his father. Then have to calm him again as he doesn't want to go to bed before I can get him in his PJs. I tell him to choose a book. That calms him completely. He curls up in my lap and proceeds to thoroughly enjoy Elmo. He even sits through the potty train but he still won't go potty. I think I should have started this a year ago. At this rate, he will be in pull ups until Kindergarten.
So as I sit on the floor of his room ruing that I will be spending the last few days of my vacation cleaning up all sorts of nastiness from rugs and upholstery (because you know I won't be able to keep him off the couch and chairs entirely) and clothes he turns to me and says: "Mommy, I call Amah. You not listening to me".
He proceeds to dial his hand phone. "Hi Amah. Mommy not listening to me. OK. Bye".
A sign of things to come.
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