Napping and Peeing

If we were playing Jeopardy, the correct question would be..

"What is how I spent the two coldest days of the year?"

My boys, sharing a story.

With highs in the negative numbers, any self-preserving mama does not bundle her kids up and go out if she doesn't have to. I didn't have to, so I didn't. We just hunkered down and taught one boy to nap by himself and the other to pee in the potty. Both tasks are still very much works in progress, but I am choosing to celebrate some small victories.

I have been reading very good books on both topics (napping and potty training) and I think some of it is paying off. Thursday, Caden slept in the co-sleeper for almost 2hours, by himself, for his morning nap. Friday was not such a good day, but I did the same routine and I am hoping that my consistency will eventually pay off. I did let him cry a bit. I can't believe I just typed that and admitted it to myself and the world. Thursday, he cried for 7min and fell asleep. Friday, he cried for 10min and was not showing signs of giving up so I picked him up. I went through the routine again until he was almost asleep and then laid him down. He laid there quiet for a few minutes, started to cry, and I let him cry for another 10min before I went and got him. He then proceeded to nap in the MeiTai for about an hour. Oh, well. Baby steps, right? Today we were out and the routine was non-existent and tomorrow is church. But Monday we are back to it... hopefully.

One point that Elizabeth Pantley makes in her book is that it is helpful for babies to fall asleep where they are going to sleep. It is easier for them to self-soothe and bridge from one sleep phase to another alone if they aren't startled by their location when they begin to stir. I am finding that to be very true for Caden. Thus, I am trying really hard to teach him to fall asleep in the co-sleeper but am finding it much easier said than done.

Task #2: potty training! Potty training for us has so far been led by two things...Lucas and bribes. At first, he was VERY resistant to even sitting on the potty. So I bought a Cars book he could only read while sitting there. It worked!! Then, we bought small toys (little cars, trains, ...) that he could choose from if he went pee pee on the potty. That worked too, but not at first. He would look at the toys and say "not right now...I am not ready to learn that yet." But when he was ready, it just happened and he was SO proud of himself (not to mention excited to pick a new car!). Now I have to figure out how to teach him to tell me when he has to go. He knows when he has to go, he just gets so caught up in playing that it is an inconvenience to him to take a break (even to change a diaper or eat a meal). One step at a time, I guess. I am definitely not one of those "potty-training in a day" people. It has worked for many of my friends. We are just taking a different, more gradual approach.


I am trying so hard not to get impatient with either boy and their progress. I am also trying to be diligent in my "training" for each task but often get lazy or busy or something... A little grace for me and the boys is in order, I guess. We are making progress, slowly but surely.