Friday, October 2, 2009

"un"planned parenthood

i keep putting off writing something because i really don't have any pictures and the guilt just seems to throw my mind into something else. since october has reared its oh so beautiful head, however, i've decided that i need to see its name written at the top of a post. i've promised myself and many of you, i'm sure, that i would never discuss potty training or anything of its nature in this blog, but for the sake of this entry, we need to just skim the surface.

last saturday, i decided it was time to buckle down and get that kid out of diapers. so, i woke up, took off his pants (left mine on) and began the every 5 minute trip to the bathroom, follwed by the token skittle routine. things were going pretty smoothly until about 10 minutes after i began. lets just say, i'm pretty sure i didn't get my necessary 8 hours of sleep (who does anyway?), i was cranky for who knows what other reason, and luke just wasn't really into going the distance. its all pretty much a fuzzy blur now, but i'm pretty sure i began to be frustrated, he began to scream, there were several trips to timeout, several more fits of screaming and crying by both parties, an explosion of baby powder in the kids' room...all culminating in one almost 3 year old being placed ever so lovingly (while fuming under the surface) in his unmade bed (due to the aforementioned explosion of baby powder) and a blotchy, red-eyed, shell of a mother exiting the room and narrowly avoiding abandoning the family thanks to the food network and a previously stashed reese's peant butter cup. after the two of us had a nice, healthy break from each other and the water closet, luke and i enjoyed an evening of corn dogs, surf's up (shia lebouf just has a way about him even in penguin form), blackberry picking (him eating, me picking), and brainwashing...we both needed to remember each other the next day in a different light....which brings me to my title. have you ever wondered why the program is called "planned parenthood" when the reason why girls go there is because they definitly were not planning on parenthood happening?

i definitly had one of those days where being a parent, good or not, was just not in the cards. we can always have the best intentions, the best "plans," only to get to the end of a 12, or in luke's case, 15 hour day and wonder if your child will ever recover from the disaster you put him through. the truth is, that they will and you will and 30 years down the road, you'll only wish you could have a glimpse of that sweet, little, innocent boy that had once forced you to question your sanity thanks to a day of endless wet lightening mcqueen underoos.

7 comments:

Child Family said...

So is he potty trained! Ha ha I gave up and decided I will try in a few months!

McCain Family said...

Oh Tara, I'm not really looking forward to this stage in my life. I'm scared to officially start the training. We have good results when I sit Hayden on the toilet before her bath, but to actually start potty training?......I'm scared.

I'm so sorry it was a rough day, but I really like how the day ended. You are a great mommy. 30 years from now Luke will look back at his childhood and remember the good times. And there are lots of those. :)

Love ya!

mamagale said...

Enjoyed this post--it brought back some memories. I don't know how I got through it 8 times, but somehow managed to get all of them out of diapers before they started kindergarten! (PS the skittles were a tried and true method for us :})

Leslierush said...

One day I'll share you with Aiden's potty training story...maybe it will make you feel better. Lets just say I scrubbed plenty of poo out of the carpet in his room...anywho here is my little tidbit of advice that worked for us. We put a toy that he REALLY REALLY wanted up on the fridge where he could see it and said he could get it once he numero dosed in the potty. Worked like a charm... I wish we would have tried it 3 weeks earlier...it would of saved me a lot of grief!!!

Dave Dyk said...

Tara, you are so funny! Potty training is rough, but feel free to ask your friends for advice! It really helped me!

Andi Kate, Children's Author said...

Ugh. Potty training. I am resisting heavily--what with the new baby, new move... I am ready, but Brody is NOT. Wah.

The Rupps said...

Ya gotta love it! I am so proud of you though...being a mom is tough, and potty training a BOY is, from what I hear, even tougher. Parenthood is amazing with its ups and downs... so far I love it, and I know you love it too!