Just When You Think It's Safe To Go Back In The Water, There's Another Rainbow

Following last night's Dora and Diego marathon, bath time with my two two-year-olds was inspirational. There was much singing and dancing and imitating.

Baby Z chanted, "Sube! Sube!" (Spanish for climb) as she climbed out of the tub and up to the top of Mommy Mountain.

Swaddling her in a big yellow duck towel, I coached, "Amarillo. Yellow. Amarillo is yellow in Spanish."

"Yellow!" said Baby Z.

Her sister, Baby K, stood still in the tub and smiled, enthralled.

"Amarillo, yellow," I repeated.

Still, she stood and smiled.

I thought I must be doing such a good job to hold a toddler's attention so well.

Then, proudly she turned and pointed near the drain, "Rainbow!"

There it floated, curved like a rainbow, a little brown stinky rainbow. Ah yes, the world looks so different through a child's eyes.

All Aboard the Potty Train -- Hope Springs Eternal

Just when you think you will still be changing their diapers at their prom, they surprise you.

This week, Baby K stood up from play, turned with a startled look, and exclaimed those precious words, "Mama, poo-poo!" Away we dashed to the potty. Who knew a mommy and toddler could run so fast holding hands.

Then the golden moment, or should I say brown. "Hooray! You did it!" reinforced with much cheering, clapping, and dancing.

To which Baby K responded with a slight smile and tilt of her head, as if to say, "Yep, I did it. I knew I could all along. But you, Mommy, make quite a silly dancing monkey. I think I'll do this again sometime . . . when I'm ready."

Wacky Wednesday -- Flaming Potty

Oh my, and I thought the singing potty was bad.

Japan firm apologizes after toilets smoke, catch fire
from Reuters.com
Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:43AM EDT
Oddly Enough News

TOKYO (Reuters) - Twenty-six smoking toilets, and three more on fire, put a Japanese toilet maker in the hot seat on Monday . . .

Potty Train -- Hip Hip Who Pottied?

The potty dance is the dance. At least it's the dance at our house. It's the celebratory dance, it's the cheering baby on dance, it's the please remain seated on the potty dance.

Here at Chateau ZoKai, there is no end to the foolery in which I will engage to make the potty training transition easier. I even purchased a potty that sings. Yes, a potty that sings! It sings not just one, but many songs, about potty time, toilet paper, and all sorts of things potty related.

This fabulous potty rewards baby with a congratulatory "You did it!" each time she abruptly sticks her tiny little hand in the potty. Not quite what I expected. In fact I can see this feature combined with its inopportune "now it's time to flush" reminders leading to bigger problems down the road, especially with twins.

Alas, the ill-fated musical potty shall spend most of its days with its power switch in the off position.

Potty Train -- What's In a Name

Lest you think I am a prude based on my previous post about "sh_t," I should share with you that I am a big fan of George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television," a routine brought to mind by the whole potty training experience. Afterall, there are so many words associated with the potty that are just not acceptable in polite company. I mean, it's not good to be a "potty mouth."

I have read several blog entries recently about the importance of teaching our daughters the anatomically correct word "vagina," and I agree. When it comes to what to call our bums however, the path is less clear. Therefore, I am hard at work preparing a list of contenders for the title in our home. These are the current front-runners:

1) heinie -- my personal favorite
2) fanny -- fun choice, but also the name of a great aunt, which taints its appeal
3) hams -- interesting what you find in the thesaurus
4) rear -- more a location, don't you think?
5) rump -- cute, but also descriptive of a roast
6) bum -- cheeky, I like it
7) backside -- scary, makes me think of someone saying, "I'll tan yer backside."
8) posterior -- rather complicated
9) booty -- shake it! shake it!
10) groove-thing -- 70's flashback

Potty Train -- Peezza

It's funny how toddler skills transfer from one area to another. It appears this week we have been blessed by the ability to say the word "pee." Anything that sounds like pee is now known as pee. For example, when we ordered pizza this week, the girls delighted at the arrival of the "pee." No matter that I called it "Pizza." Clearly, it was "pee."

"Pee! Pee!" they exclaimed as I carried two deliciously warm pizza boxes into the kitchen.

"Pee, Pee, Pee," as they went into the highchairs. Someone who didn't know them would have assumed I was making a huge mistake by placing them in their highchairs at that exact moment.

"Pee!" as I cut up the pizza.

And "pee," they sighed as I placed it on their trays.

Maybe we'll go out to eat at a peezza buffet soon, or maybe we'll just drop by for entertainment.

Potty Train -- Next Stop Disinterestedville

The potty has lost its charm. Interest has been flushed away. I'm trying to follow their cues, trying to learn the ever elusive natural potty schedule. We'll keep trying, but I won't pressure them. I've been told by every mommy I know the dangers of too much focus on the potty, so we're easing up, but not giving up.

(To see the Potty Train animation, just click here.)

Potty Train -- A Step in the Right Direction

"Hhhmmm. Pee-pee. Uh-oh."

Progress! Baby K uttered the words above as we drove to the bookstore today for a family outing. I never thought I would be so happy to hear my child tell me she wet herself, but it really seems like progress. While we still are not making many pees and poos in the potty, the girls are becoming more aware of what is going on with their bodies. I hope that is a big step in the right direction.

It's My Potty, I'll Sing If I Want To

People frequently ask how I manage with twins. Sometimes it's challenging. Sometimes it makes things easier. Today it was both.

Not long ago, I mentioned that we recently began potty training. Today was a banner day, three pee-pees in the potty and one almost poop.

The best part though was the girls' antics.

"Okay, let's go potty," brought instant smiles and a race to the bathroom door.

While Baby K sat on the potty "meditating," Baby Z would dance and sing the potty song for her. I have no idea what inspired her, but her sister loved it, and it seemed to work.

"Pee pee pee pee pee pee pee pee," she sang, smiling and spinning like a whirling dervish. And then her sister peed. And we all cheered and clapped.

Baby K was so pleased with the whole experience she wanted to give the toilet a big hug. When it flushed, she kept trying to lay her head on the lid and wrap her arms around the commode as the water swished beneath. Maybe it looked just a bit too much like a big kitty with that fuzzy toilet lid cover.

Potty Train -- I Found the Wrong Video. Did You Find the Right One?

I would like the same people who create Disney Channel's marketing to come to my house and potty train my children. I think they could get them to do anything. It's a little frightening really.

They don't have a mind control Disney video for potty training that I have been able to find, so Saturday, I bought Elmo's Potty Time. How could you go wrong with Sesame Street and Elmo? With the help of Sesame Street's Guess that Shape and Color, I have been teaching the girls shapes and colors already. Unfortunately, I didn't find the Elmo's Potty Time video nearly as helpful.

It was long on explanation and short on illustration. Perhaps it would be suitable for children quite a bit older with more language skills and longer attention spans. Our girls are expressing an interest in using the potty now, so this is not the video for them.

If you've found a potty training video you can recommend, I would love to hear about it.

Thanks Giving Thursday: Potty Train, All Aboard!

It's a Potty Train! (Hum Soul Train theme music here. If not old enough to remember, just substitute theme from Thomas the Tank Engine. It'll be fine.)

Thanks Ladies for the comments regarding yesterday's post. When it comes to potty training, I have been feeling a bit like I have been sucked into the swirling vortex of the toilet flush. Just then you came along and offered your hand. (Lovely imagery, eh?)

You have paid me one of the best compliments I can imagine by implying I might have a spec of something insightful to offer on this subject. So, today I am thankful for the camaraderie of my fellow potty training blogging mamas. Muchas gracias.

Here is my little smidge of insight. Let's all do this thing together. I would love to hear your insight too. The best advice I get on all things baby almost always comes from conversation with other mommy ladies.

I promise to post on the Potty Train on Mondays, and I hope you will come along for the adventure. Your two cents in advice is your ticket to ride.

All aboard! Please keep hands, feet and flailing toddlers inside the compartment at all times. It may be a bumpy ride.

*The idea is that the Monday Potty Train review will be a bit like the Weight Watchers weigh-in, where I lost, where I gained and where I flubbed and totally need your advice.

Wacky Wednesday -- Diaper Double Duty

We have just begun potty training at the House of ZoKai and already I am dreaming of what to do with the disposable diapers soon to be left high and dry.

Although I pride myself on the fact that I fashion a fine looking diaper hat, a girl can only wear so many hats. So what do with the rest? What to do? What to do?

I did a little research and found the following suggestions:

Microwaveable heating pad (Not so sure I would toss a diaper in my microwave, but OK.), keeping a plant watered longer by putting a diaper in the bottom of the pot, and packing material for shipment of fine china (Somehow that just seems wrong.) all from Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things from Reader's Digest RD.com.

You can even make a "diaper cake" for a baby shower as seen here.

Who knew?