Potty Training

Potty training. 

It has nothing to do with missions or ministry or cross cultural experiences. 

But it is happening today and I don't want to forget it. 

Because I am first and foremost a wife and mom. And I don't want to leave that out of this blog. 

I have cloth diapers. I have shared that before. 

This means that before I wash the diapers every other night I have to spray the poop off. 

I'm sorry to be graphic but how do your really say that politely? 

And last night, as I was spraying the poop off, I just decided I was done. 

I have been dreading potty training because I know it requires a lot of time and energy and ingenuity. I didn't feel ready.

But last night I just decided enough is enough. 

Shiloh can clearly can communicate, and I know she can comprehend the concept. 

So this morning I put Shiloh's first pair of panties on. She was very excited about. 

She started downing juice and I told her every time she went pee on the potty she could have a candy. 

We set a timer and she started going every ten minutes. 

About an hour into to, she peed all over the kitchen floor. 

She was extremely startled and didn't like what had happened. 

From there it was pretty much clear sailing and she continued to go every 10 minutes. 

Or every 2 minutes is more like it. Once she caught on that she could have a chocolate chip every time she went pee, she decided she should go as frequently as possible. Who can blame her? 

I didn't want to dampen her excitement so I just went with it. 

We had a few mishaps: 

Taliah crawled over to the potty and stuck her hand in some fresh pee. 

I dropped a wipe in the potty and Shiloh wanted to sit back down again. She decided she didn't want the wipe in the potty, picked up it up and threw it, flinging pee all over the floor. 

She also dropped one of my scarves in the potty. 

Why weren't you dumping the pee out every time you ask? 

I don't know that's a good question. 

I was making cookies for boys bible study and feeding Taliah and cleaning my house so dumping out the pee every 10 minutes seemed excessive.

Especially when it was like 1 teaspoons worth. 

The victory of the day was the poop. I've never been so excited about her poop, or any poop for that matter. 

She goes every morning at the same time. That time came and went. I was getting more and more nervous. 

She is really good at tooting so I kept trying to tell her to toot. That was not working. 

But finally about 3 hours later, she told me she had to go, and she went. 

You know you're a mom when you take a picture of it. I'll spare you all. Suffice it to say, it was worth taking a picture of.  

So, when you wonder what missionary moms do all day, you have to remember that in addition to ministry, and language, and cultural experiences, there is the normal mom stuff. 

There is the potty training and the feeding and the playing and the bathing and the changing and the disciplining and the walking and the teaching and the training. 

And I've been thinking lately about how I can have the tendency to allow my children to simply exist around my schedule. And by this I mean, I can occupy them without actually giving them attention. 

I can be very task oriented instead of relationally oriented. I am a Martha, not a Mary. 

So as long as my children are "occupied" I feel like I am winning because I can "get stuff done." (I mean obviously I spend time with them, but it is not my tendency)

But I've been convicted lately that this is not the goal. To simply occupy them. 

It can be hard to balance ministry and motherhood. Especially when you are in the midst of a very exciting ministry. 

But every time I set my tasks aside, and spend focused time with my kids, I am reminded of the incredible necessity. 

And I don't want to miss it. I know they grow up so fast and I want to be a part of it. I can't believe Shiloh is already walking around in Frozen panties. How did that even happen? 

This in no way means I can't be involved in ministry or anything else but there does need to be some kind of healthy tension which I am working on somehow putting into a blog. Maybe soon I will be able to explain my thoughts on that clearly. 

But for now, here are some pictures of Potty training day 1: 

And here is my disaster of a house, but at least I won't be spraying Shiloh's poop tonight.