After spending a few evenings outdoors with the kids I decided we should just head to the YMCA pool and at least be around water if we have to be outside. This morning we made our first outing in our swimsuits. I hadn't taken the two of them to the pool by myself since last year and Anna certainly wasn't mobile then. Today was a different story. I had two mobile children on my hands. However, John is such a cautious minature adult man that he just sat on the first step in the pool and we tossed a toy back and forth while I held Anna in the water. I wasn't too concerned with chasing him around since I had to really convince him to at least sit on the first step of the pool.
But I discovered a new strength training workout: carrying a 20 pound baby around in the water with one arm. For an extra degree of difficulty I forced John to let me carry him so we could chase his toy in the water. So 20 pounds on one arm, 30 pounds on another....my upper arm muscles were buuuurning. At first John refused to even let me carry him in the water and since I had Anna on my other arm I couldn't force him to get in like I normally would.
Me: "John, come on in. I'll hold you like I'm holding Anna"
John: "No, I don't wanna get in. It's too watery in there"
Yes, the pool is, indeed, "watery".
Another reason we're stuck being outside or close to home is the potty training reinforcement. I'm trying to keep him in underwear as much as possible. He's done really good with peeing. The past few days have shown major improvements. The other day we were showering and he said "I'm going to pee in the drain" and then he proceeded to do just that. So I know he knows how to make it happen. And he is able to stop himself so we haven't had any torrential downpour accidents lately. He knows when it starts coming out and can stop. YAY! We even went to the park yesterday wearing underwear!
Now John talks a lot about his little friend Justin and how he has a shirt like Justin and shoes like Justin and a lunchbox like Justin and recently John told me that Justin pees in the potty. I quickly snatched this piece of info up and used dear ol' Justin as a bargaining chip. Oh. Yes I did. I told John if he would pee in the potty we could call Justin and tell him ourselves! Yes. I have no shame. I will go there if it helps John pee. Then yesterday I was watering the plants outside and John declared he needed to pee. I told him to stand by the fence and "water the plants" himself. He hesitated for a moment but then he was able to do it! Hallelujah! He was so excited and immediately said "Let's call Justin!".
Today John was able to pee on demand in the grass again! Apparently nature frees the man. The sterile bathroom/toilet does not lend itself to such urges I suppose? Next task: using the modern day toilet.....baby steps. Progress is being made.
1 comment:
Too bad John only likes Justin in thought, not right up in yo face in person. :-) So glad the potty-training is moving along - maybe we can come watch soon. Ha!
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