Welcome to the $##@Show
Stella has been potty trained for about five months now. I was really nervous to start the process and thought it was going to be impossible. Thankfully our daycare really worked hard with her and we stressed the importance of wearing “big girl panties” so much at home that she stopped wanting her pull up. She got excited to earn some M&M’s after each time and it worked slowly but surely.
Accidents have now been few and far between and I’ve finally gotten to that point where I don’t feel like I have to pack an extra outfit for her everywhere we go. It has been so nice to only have one child in diapers again. Aside from the fact that she still wears a nighttime pull up, but aren’t ready to say goodbye to those just yet. She tells us when she has to go and has done a really good job learning how to hold it until we reach a bathroom when out in public. I have been really proud of her for how quickly she has caught on to the whole thing.
Recently though, for some reason, Stella has decided she would rather poop in her panties than take the time to poop on the potty. She has spent the past few months successfully going on the potty, but something’s changed. Not sure what, but something. That’s typical, right? Like who has time to stop playing and spend several minutes doing your business where it’s supposed to go? If you ask Stella why she does it, she will tell you that she is too busy and most of the time it’s, “A Accident.”
Girl, Please!
I do not believe that for a second. She is too smart for this to be happening. Literally for the past five days in a row this girl has “accidentally” pooped in her pants. Last night she was playing in the basement with me while I was on the elliptical. Something we do most nights. Usually she will run upstairs to use the potty if needs to go, but this time she was brushing her stuffed animal’s hair when all the sudden she froze and said, “Mommy, I smell poop.”
Oh really? Wonder what that could be?
I responded by asking her if she pooped and she told me no. I got off the elliptical to check her and sure enough she had a lump just chilling in her panties. Oh come on! While I wanted to yell for Kyle to handle it I knew I couldn’t be that selfish, so instead I took her upstairs and we gave her a bath together. I just get so tired of changing diapers, wiping butts, and washing my hands a million times a day that when this happens I wish I could just walk away and leave for someone else to deal with. Her poops aren’t like Scarlett’s baby poops. They have evolved into the big, smelly, stick all over your butt and legs kind of poop. Too much?
This picture is from Sunday afternoon. She had been having “quiet time” in her room watching a movie when she came to me to tell me she had pooped. No shame. I told her to go get some new panties and wipes and come back to me. She came back into the room looking just like that. Panties on her head, laughing at herself. Suddenly, I was reminded just how silly this little girl can be. I even have a smile on my face while I type this. She didn’t care that she had done something so unacceptable and gross. All she cared about was having a good time.
Even though I’m totally putting her on full blast right now, I’m sharing because I feel I must always be real about the hardships we go through with every stage because I know there have to be other moms out there right now thinking to themselves, “Why can’t I just get my child to do what they’re supposed to do?”
Here I thought we were in the clear with this girl, but obviously we have some work to do. Maybe it’s time to go back to using candy as an incentive, or maybe it’s time to start giving consequences. I don’t know exactly what will get the job done right now but it’s okay. My days of sniffing out poop and wiping butts aren’t anywhere near being over, but a girl sure can dream. There will be messy moments and I might even go a little crazy, but this too will pass.
Wish us luck as we deal with this mess, and hopefully we will know exactly what to do when the day comes for Scarlett to have a go at it.
XO-
Sarah