Now I've got Doodie trained too!

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1 naptime accident and 1 poo in her panties

Alasdair: 2

No, not potty trained, but he did grab the bowl out of the potty chair after Maeve had used it, carried it into the bathroom (sloshing it all over the kitchen and bathroom floor), dumped it into the toilet and flushed! Nice. I pretty much don't have to do anything now. Michaela and Doodie will take care of everything for me. :)

On another note, I saw just about the cutest and most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen Maeve do tonight. I was cleaning up, Michaela was reading, Daddy's in bed (wtf??) and Maeve is taking care of Elmo. He took a nap on my kitchen rug that was dragged into the girls' room. He peed in the potty which required a wipe and an imaginary dump in the toilet/flushing, etc. He was at the table in Doodie's high chair with a bowl and a cup, but he was apparently "not eating his be-fest" according to Maeve. After that he needed a bath. Now, the bathtub was still draining (it's really slow) and I saw her go in there, but i figured she'd just pretend to wash him and maybe get some jammies on him or whatever, so I let her be. Two minutes later I hear the bathtub faucet turn on, so I yell from the living room for her to turn the water off and don't play in the bathtub.

(here's the heartbreaking part)

So Maeve comes tearing out of the bathroom into the living room and she's absolutely freaking out with fear, and she's saying "Elmo's dying!! Elmo's dying!!" I mean, she was terrified. You would have thought she birthed him herownself. So I had to run in there and rescue the drowning Elmo from the bathtub, wring him out and promise to give him a bath downstairs and get him all dry in the dryer.

(not our actual Elmo)

On one hand, it's freaking hilarious. But she was so geniunely scared and upset that I can't help but feel bad for her. Plus I'm in some weird way really proud of her having those kind of complex feelings and also understanding that water is dangerous. Huh. My amazing little 3 year old.

the pooping isn't going so well

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 2 poops in her panties
Alasdair: 1

Just like every potty training kid, Maeve still hasn't grasped the whole pooping thing yet. This morning she was laying on the floor playing with some Barbies and all of a sudden she looks up at me and says "I peed!!" with a look of shock on her face. So I brought her over to clean her up and lo and behold, poop too. So I cleaned her up and then reminded her what we do when we have to go poo, and not an hour later she pooped in her panties again. Geesh.

The problem is that with Michaela i knew what she did when she had to poop. She had a pooping "place" and she'd get really quiet and stand a certain way. With Maeve I haven't figured it out yet. She does tend to get quiet and still I think, but I haven't quite grasped it.

And, to top things off, Maeve woke up with one of her butt cheeks covered in a rash with one spot in particular really flaky and nasty. I have no idea what it is, if I should use benadryl or steroid cream, or how she got it. What I do know is that it is NOT diaper rash. And I dare you to try to google "rash" and "butt cheek" or "bottom" or "butt" and "child" and not get an entry for diaper rash. Google fails. If it's not getting better in a week i'll take her in to the doc. For now we're just chalking it up to Swine Flu. :)

A bit of a backslide

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 2 pees in the potty, 2 poops and 2 pees in her panties
Alasdair: 2

Today was my first day back to the work grind after 11 days, so we need to get a new potty routine in place. I actually think when Maeve is more active, she's better at recognizing when she's got to go, as opposed to while she's losing herself in an episode or two of Dora the Explora. We'll get back on track though.

And then there's Doodie. I mentioned yesterday that his poops are just gross lately, and today was no different. But with pooh #2, we (I) left him in it a little too long. I put him up at the dinner table and he wouldn't even sit down because it hurt his bum. He squatted in his booster seat and ate. Once I got him cleaned off in the bath and dried off, I could see his whole scrotum is bright red. Poor baby. So I creamed him up with some Desitin and he was off. I think we can avoid the weepy rash. That usually stays pretty localized on his butt cheeks and doesn't get on his penis or balls, although they haven't been 100% unaffected. But this rash isn't so bad. We won't even need the Ilex.

Note: Best thing ever after sinus surgery? Sneezing. Close second: Blowing your nose. Don't take these things for granted people.

!!!

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1 pee accident, BUT she pooped in the potty again!
Alasdair: 2

Doodie's got something nasty going on in his tummy, and frankly so do I. I think between all the greens my dh has been cooking lately and my harsh meds for my sinuses, it's wreaking some havoc on my insides. I'm ready to head off to bed shortly so I can sleep through the awful gut feeling.

But before that I'm waiting for Maeve to pooh on the potty again! She was all tucked in and came running out saying she had to go poop. So now she's watching American Idol and watching her daddy to ab exercises in the living room while she gets inspired to "go". I'll send her back to her room shortly. She rarely poops at night, even if she does have to go.

But we continue to have lots of success going potty with Maeve, so I'm glad for that. Our diaper pail was only half full this week instead of overflowing!! Maybe we can even downsize our garbage can again. :)

Potty Trainer for Hire!

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1 - IN THE POTTY!!
Alasdair: 2

I haven't posted in a week or so because I was technically on "vacation" last week, but I ended up having sinus/septum surgery on Tuesday which put me out for the week. Then I suffered some complications that put me out even longer. Long story. Really long story. But today i'm back and tomorrow I start getting all the crap shoved up my nose out! yay!

The other motive for taking vacation last week was to fully concentrate on potty training Maeve, so I was concerned that it wasn't going to happen. But you know what? 1 day with me and 5 with my seven year old daughter was enough to get Maeve peeing on the potty when she needs to and she even POOPED on the potty this morning! I was still in bed!! Seriously, she deserves a Nobel Peace Prize and Maeve gets a gold medal! I couldn't be happier. Maybe we'll end up going to preschool in the fall after all!

Some Success!

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: NOT ONE WET/POOPIE DIAPER!!
Alasdair: 2

Today was offically day 1 of our Potty Training Boot Camp with Maeve. Yesterday at my in-law's Easter get-together we used our last pull up. She peed in her bed this morning instead of getting up and using the potty, but other than that she went 4 times in the potty, twice because she did a little potty dance/squeezy thing with her legs and I rushed her to the pot to go. One of those times was even at Walgreens and she used the public toilet!! I'm so proud of her.

Of course, this is day 1. Now my expectations are set WAY too high. :)

Happy Poopy Easter

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 2

We got all spiffied up this morning in the Easter fancy duds and headed out to a brunch at my friend's house. We did a little egg hunt (inside 'cause it's Washington and it's pouring rain outside), and then we had a nice meal. And something that Maeve ate made her crap her pants to the point where it actually fell out of the leg of her pull-up and onto her sock, where she then proceeded to track it all over my friend's beige carpet and house full of people.

Nothing like the holidays I tell ya.

Happy Easter!

The Terrible Twos? Terrible Threes? Nope. It's the Terrible Maeves.

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 0
Alasdair: 3

First the poo, then the "Maeves". Doodie has been pooping up something runny and nasty for a few days now, anywhere from 3 - 6 times a day. And the diapers are FULL. Yesterday they started eating away at his bum and now he's got a rash. It's only weepy around his bunger, but his balls are red and raw, and his poor thighs are all irritated. The poo keeps running down his legs inside his pants and so it's making everything it touches all red. We used some Ilex tonight and creamed him all up with some Desitin too.

Oh, and he ate some birthday candles today, so his poops are runny, green and flecked with pretty red and blue wax!

So, I don't know what to do with Maeve. She is hands-down the most stubborn person I have ever come into contact with. She won't do as I ask, as I say, as I scream, nothing. We try to keep things fun and light and with any small request the mood turns dark. There's pouting and screaming and foot stomping which leads to time outs and butt smacking and sitting in your room crying for hours on end. And then there's Maeve. j/k! I took next week off of work for the sole purpose of potty training Maeve so that she can go to preschool in the fall. I was optimistic, but the closer we get to P-Week the less I think I'm going to be successful. I'm pulling out ALL the stops though, so hopefully we can get this burned into her hard little head. And maybe once it's there it will never come out like with my first one!! :D

Retro Post

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2ish

I didn't post last night because I seriously had the WORST NIGHT EVAR. Okay, I'm being a tad dramatic because I can name at least two other nights right now that were worse. But it was bad. I left work late and had to go get my kids from the Y. My friend who watches them brought them there and checked them into daycare with her kids while she took a class. I was able to squeak in a 45 minute workout, which was good. Then we got the kids and Maeve was poopy (naturally) and Michaela told me she had a headache. My first thought was, "she's going to puke". I think she gets migraines like her dad and more often than not when she has a headache it leads to vomiting. So anyway, we go to the cars, but not before stopping to get a piece of candy. M &M ate theirs quickly, Doodie let the chocolate melt all over his hands and face. We went to my friend's car to get Michaela's backpack, but Doodie got pissed because he wanted to ride in her car. So he starts throwing a fit. I drag him to my car and take away his melty chocolate (because the day before I had just washed their car seat covers - see previous post about dog poop) and he goes ballistic. So we're heading home, Maeve stinking up the car, Doodie throwing a hissy and we are 1 block from home, no shit, when Michaela shouts, "Mommy, I'm going to throw up, aaaahhhh!" And she does. Inside my car. This is a first for me. I guess I'm pretty lucky since i have a 7 year old and have never cleaned puke off of the inside of my car.

Anyway, I now am trying to get ahold of my husband, who is having a paid dinner and drinks at a bar. And not answering his cell phone. So, let's recap what I have going on now:

Maeve: poopy, way too tired, needs jammies and soon she'll be really pissed off that she can't sleep in Michaela's bed.
Michaela: pukey, fever of 103, tired, needs a bath and some Motrin.
Alasdair: way WAY too tired, screaming, needs jammies, clean diaper and his nightly concoction of a nutrition drink mixed with half and half.
Husband: MIA
Me: Sweaty, tired and hungry as it's 8:45 and i haven't had dinner yet.

So, I finally get the girls both in bed, Maeve screaming bloody murder, Alasdair in bed without his drink because he didn't want to drink it, he wanted to suck on a binky and hold the cup so I took it away. After much thrashing and head banging I just tossed him in his crib and shut the door. (i learned tonight that i apparently forgot to shut the light off, my husband turned it off when he came home and calmed Maeve down and checked on Doodie). I then went outside to cry my head off and clean up vomit from my car in the dark.

All i can say is that I am SO glad I have a sinus infection and can't smell a damn thing. My car smells like shit and puke, but it smells like nose rot to me!

Does dog poop count?

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1, 2 if the dog crap counts
Alasdair: 1

So, we went to pick Michaela up from school today and had to get the small crew out of the car because we had to go buy SCRIP inside the building. So I parked on the street next to a grassy hill. We got to the school, bought the goods and came out without incident. But then we got to the car and while I was putting Doodie in his seat the girls were running up and down the grassy hill. Okay, good. Michaela got in the car, Maeve got in the car. We got almost home and Maeve says, "I'm poopie." Of course, what else is new. So we pull up to the house and I get Maeve out of the car and see that she is indeed poopie. First I thought she pooped and it leaked all over her pants and shoes. Nope. It's dog doo. It's on her jeans, her shoes, her socks because she's wearing Crocs, her car seat and MY car seat. Gross.

I proceed to extract all the poopie items from the car, Resolve my car seat and decide to wash all the kids car seat covers. It's about time anyway. Then it dawns on me, "Michaela, did you know that Maeve stepped in dog poop BEFORE she got in the car?" After a long drawn out story about something or other, I heard one of the two words I was looking for. "Yes." ARGH. Seriously. I should have made her clean up the poop in my car.

The grossest thing is that I still have a sinus infection and can only smell the rot in my nose, so I can't even tell if my car stinks like dog crap. Even cleaning it up I couldn't smell it. I'll probably get on the bus tomorrow on my way to work and no one will sit with me because i smell like poop. Sweet.

It's been a hazy day

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 0?
Alasdair: 2, i think

I don't remember changing anything poopy from Maeve today. 3 wet pairs of panties, pants/skirts and 1 pee soaked towel? Yes. Doodie, i think i changed one of his and Mike changed one. Honestly, those were the only two diaper changes he even had today. I was bogged down with work stuff and Maeve and Doodie seriously fought and cried and whined all friggin day long. By the time dinner came around I was DONE. After I got them all bathed and jammied I snuck out and went to do some laps at the pool. When I got home we cleaned up the kitchen and living room and I feel a lot better.

Maybe tomorrow I'll actually remember to change the kids diapers and have maeve sit on the potty before she piddles on my floor again. :)

I really hate potty training

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 2, one of them in her undies
Alasdair: 1

Last night after bath, Maeve insisted on wearing her strawberry panties. but since we're nowhere near being able to wear undies at night instead of a pull-up, we compromised. She wore the panties underneath her pull-up! Of course this morning she had peed in them both. Later on we were at the Y, Maeve in daycare w/Doodie and I was in the gym working out with my friend. Just as we were leaving we walked into the hall and saw one of the teachers walking Maeve toward us, her pants full of a huge ball of pooh. Apparently, they don't "do" poopy diapers in there. Later on after nap and we picked up Michaela from school, Maeve wanted undies again, so we put them on. She pooped in them.

I hate the whole poopy undies thing. I never know what to do with them, and I can't be washing a load of laundry that has 3 pairs of size 2T panties in it. I really hate potty training. I'd gladly pay for someone else to do it for me. I guess that's what full-time daycare is for, huh? I had that luxury with Michaela, but I'm on my own with the little ones.

The nice thing is that Doodie wants in on the action already. Every time we coax Maeve onto the potty and give her a jelly bean, he wants to sit on it too. So we give him a jelly bean. I mean, ONE of my kids has to be easy and successful to train, right? The odds are in my favor. It wasn't Michaela, I thought it would be Maeve until her stubborn streak kicked in full force, so Doodie's left. HD or no, he will be easy!!

A day out on the town

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 1

It was a quiet diaper day today, which is good. Because last night we had Michaela's 7th birthday party. We had 19 kids, and it started at 8 PM. Late. But it was way fun. It was at a local bouncy house place. We let the kids jump themselves ragged, stuffed them full of cake and then sent them on their way. All except my niece and by friend's two kids. The spent the night. We brought them home and got them all ready for bed and plugged in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. at 12:45 a.m. my sister and I went to bed. The kids zonked out at about 1:15 or so. Then they got up this morning at SEVEN A.M. WTF??? And we had a busy day planned. I took them all down to the Pacific Science center to watch a 3-D movie, we had lunch at McDonalds and then back to play at the center. Afterwards we got some Seattle Fudge and headed home. They were plum tuckered out, and frankly so was I. None of the kids got naps, including Doodie. We weren't on the freeway more than 5 minutes before 4 of the 5 kids were asleep. Michaela lasted until we got about half way home.

If I had had to change more than 2 poopie diapers today I think I would have just laid down and cried. :) It was a good day.

It's been almost a month?? Seriously?

Michaela: been having small accidents lately
Maeve: regular
Alasdair: regular, but with some tiny rash issues lately

So, things have been wildly crazy at my house lately. It's a March Madness of another kind. I know 11 close friends and family that have birthdays in March. That means a good portion of our evenings are taken up preparing for parties and get togethers. I know. It's rough. Plus, Mike and I are trying hard to make time for being with the family instead of out running around town. And we've made a pact to turn the TV and laptops OFF until after the kids go to bed, which seriously puts a damper on my blogging time.

Nevertheless, i will make time to blog about poop for 5 minutes in the evenings. I mean, it's not that hard, right? :)

Kid updates:

Michaela - we've switched her from cow's milk to soy. We had to try like 6 brands to find a one that she could tolerate the taste of. She's so picky. I don't know where she gets it. I also have her taking a probiotic every day. So far I don't see any change. Last weekend I gave her an adult does of Milk of Magnesia which is supposed to cause a bm in 6 hours or less. 24 hours later she finally went, but only once. So the next day I gave her some mineral oil. That helped her go a few more times, but she's still not unconstipated. We have her well child check up in a few weeks. I'm going to ask for a referral to a GI.

Maeve - she's been complaining of her tummy hurting almost every day for about 3 weeks now. I'm actually thinking she might be backed up too. Her poo is starting to smell pretty bad, it's got a weird consistency to it, and I think her tummy is distended a bit. Ugh.

Alasdair - you know, the one with Hirschsprung's Disease is the one who is doing fine. He's still skinny as all get out, but he's pooping like a champ. We're still pumping him full of as many calories as we possibly can every day, he's growing, but still doesn't weigh much. It worries me, but he still seems healthy. I'll just have to get used to a not-fat baby. :)

lots of little ones today

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 5

Doodie has been just passing these little tiny squirts of poo all day today. Not sure what that's about. It's still not the normal color or consistency, but it's getting closer. I'm not sure if maybe he has a tummy ache? He went to sleep last night at like 8:30 or so, slept for about an hour and then woke up upset. So we got him up because he was running a fever (although not as bad as the Saturday night fever) so we gave him some Motrin and a popscicle. He still wouldn't go to sleep so I brought him in bed with me. I pinned him down and after about an hour he fell asleep. 45 minutes later as I was finally drifting off, he startled himself awake and started screaming and flailing. I couldn't hold him down and he wasn't feverish anymore, not to mention I was really tired and not feeling well myself. So at 1:00 a.m. I put him in his bed to let him "cry it out". After about an hour of some serious crying he finally passed out. Maybe it was tummy related, I don't know. Babies are an enigma.