Sometimes I think it would be easier to just keep her in diapers.
For instance, when we drove to my cousin’s house a few weeks ago for a family birthday party, that three-hour drive would have been much simpler with a baby in diapers. Instead, we had the pleasure of stopping more than once on the way there for potty breaks – and stopping to mop up a wet car seat on the way home.
Running errands is also a tad more difficult these days. Because my curious – and slightly conniving – little sweetheart insists on visiting every single public restroom in a 25-mile radius of our house.
Finally, I’ve recently discovered the danger potty training poses during timeouts.
Weekends are always difficult, partly because our schedules are different and that throws all of us for a loop. But it’s also due to the expectations we (okay, fine – I) place on the two days we have together. I mean, it’s our only family time. [I may have said that a time or twenty.]
Whatever the reason, most weeks present a struggle with patience and behavior and attitudes and obedience. Annalyn has some issues, too.
So last weekend, when my darling daughter spent several two-minute stretches in timeout, it was life as usual. What was new, however, was her decision to pee in her crib during timeout.
[Yes, she’s still sleeping in a crib. I know, I know. We have to move her to a big girl bed soon, but she hasn’t tried climbing out since that one time that scared both of us out of our minds. We’re on borrowed time, I know, but I’m enjoying it as long as it lasts. Bedtime is just so darned easy now!]
But back to the issue at hand: She peed in her crib out of anger!
My father-in-law said, “Oh, she just got so mad she couldn’t control it, huh?”
Um, no. She was mad and out of control, yes. But she decided to take control the only way she could – and PEED!
The second time she did it (so I had already stripped and remade her bed), she sat on her PILLOW and did it! She PEED on her pillow to get back at me for putting her in timeout!
Well, joke’s on her. Because have you ever tried to wash a pillow? It never comes out the way it started. It’s lumpy and fat and generally uncomfortable. So there.
Seriously. I anticipated wet pants and weeks of bare feet. Once I recovered from the initial shock, I wasn’t even that surprised about this episode. But I never guessed that my sweet little angel (ha!) would respond to timeouts by peeing on herself.
Crazy.
Then again . . . I guess I do some pretty stupid things when I get mad. No, I don’t typically stomp my feet, spit, throw myself on the floor, wail and whine, or otherwise act like a certain two-year-old I know.
But I do hold on to hurts and bitterness, instead of letting forgiveness and time ease them away.
I decide that fine, I’ll just be perfect from now on, so you won’t have anything to criticize – instead of apologizing for a mistake or explaining my viewpoint or decisions.
Or I eat. I push my feelings down with salt and sugar and a round of carbs for everyone.
Sometimes I clam up.
Sometimes I scream.
Sometimes I cry.
Almost all the time, I give myself a pounding headache.
I really don’t behave well when I’m mad.
Well, well, well. Once again, I’m forced to see the similarities between myself and a toddler.
How do you behave when you’re mad? (Please tell me you don’t pee in your bed!)
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