Wednesday, July 4, 2012

another big girl in the house

After months of worry on my part and weeks of stress and effort, again, mostly on my part, it appears Princess Firecracker is potty trained!  We still haven't ventured too far from the house (or a potty), but she's had several accident-free days in a row.  Looks like my fears of her not being able to attend preschool in the fall, or worse perhaps, of having three in diapers come October, were unfounded. 

I'm super proud of her.  It's true what they say--when a kid is ready, she's ready.  Motivated entirely by self-confidence and the thought of being a "big girl," she couldn't have cared less about stickers or m&ms or any other parental trick-up-the-sleeve.  Which is fine with me, and what we all ultimately want--a child intrinsically motivated.

Here's a transcript from one of yesterday's sessions:

"It looks like a J!!!
Oooh, what will this one be?
That one looks like a snail!  Or a shrimp!
I'm going to have a long time going poop and I'll never get off.
Oh, some more goed in!
If I squeeze it out a little bit more and a little bit more and a little bit more, all day long, then I'll never get off, or clean up the pegs, or get back on the computer!"  

She's delightful.  (Might need something from her backpack while on the toilet.)


The downside is that I really can't get her to nap anymore.  And our house isn't quite big enough for me to effectively enforce a "quiet time."  So this mama is now even more desperate eager to hear Dr. Husband open the garage door at 5:53 each evening.  I had every intention of home schooling all the kids, but that was before "all" meant five or included the likes of Princess Firecracker and Shu.  [insert giant sigh of exhaustion]  Thankfully, God's grace is abounding, or at least sufficient, and with a clear conscience I look forward  to a couple of kids headed off to school in the fall! 

I've observed that P.F. suddenly seems older, less tantrumy, more in control of her emotions, more cooperative.  Even more cuddly!  My theory is that she now has control over the potty thing, so she doesn't need to fight us as much in other situations, current scenario in which she refuses a short nap even though it means she does not get to stay up late and watch fireworks with the big kids notwithstanding.  And ironically, though she's getting less sleep, she's plenty happy.  No more waking up groggy or super moody from naps.  Did I mention she's more cuddly?  Mommy likey.  

Yep, she's not a baby anymore.  Couldn't keep her off of Hummus Girl's bike a few weeks ago.  She crashed no fewer than six times, as seen in this actual unstaged crash footage. 



And each time she popped right back up, announcing "I'm OK!"'  Not a whimper; not a tear.  No fear of hopping back on to try again.  Let's just say she is, so far, the only one of my kids wired this way.  I'm fairly certain she didn't get that from me.

She's just her own unique self.  She earns her nickname every day, no doubt, but it's a joy to watch her approach age three with aplomb!  Maybe she can teach me a few things.

3 comments:

becky said...

I love reading about the life of parents with children this age. It reminds me of the thoughts and feelings I had while watching our girls (still watching) accomplish milestones in their lives. The sleeping through the night, the potty training, the falling and jumping right back up, giving up naps before I was ready for them to give up naps, and wondering why one is so much more independent than the others and doesn't prefer cuddling. sigh...... It is true how their personality is at a young age is what they will be as adults. It is our job as parents to train them in the way they are to go. Not an easy task but, one the Lord leads and guides us in.

Krissy said...

I heart your story!!

Rita and John said...

What wonderful news! Your little girl has such personality!