« Recent pics | Main | happy heart »
January 17, 2006
potty training madness
So... today I have had to do something that only a crazy woman would do on purpose. I'm potty training my two year old, while nursing my one month old, and trying to keep my three year old out of trouble. Many times today, I found myself nursing while simultaneously lifting Janie onto the potty and pleading with Dana to quit drinking endless cups of water at the bathroom sink. I guess you could call it a potty party, because all four of us spent the bulk of the day in the bathroom. I wish I had timed this better, but Janie is determined to potty train, whether I'm ready or not. My emotions are mixed and at war with each other. I feel proud that she's learning so well and so quickly, impatient for her to finish training, sad that she's not a baby anymore, worn thin from the excitement and encouragement I'm trying to send her way, and hopeful for the day when Matt and I can buy tickets to travel to some foreign country and forget about all responsibilities for a little while.
Thankfully, I started the day excited to potty train and I was full of energy. Of course that energy petered out to nothing by the end, but I'm thankful for being charged up this morning. I wish I had a picture to document the day, but I'm afraid we were too busy to take one and I'm a little worried that some weird pedophile would find it and do something disgusting with it anyway. So sorry, no potty shots this time.
On another note, I was asked this weekend if I would go back to work when my youngest was in school, and I guess I haven't given it a lot of thought. Teaching still seems too traumatic after my Howard experience. One thought was to work in a school library doing what I love: working with books and kids (I really do love my kids and kids in general, despite my venting). It would also mean I wouldn't have to grade papers or deal with discipline problems, at least not major ones. The thought of going back to school also sounds appealing. I would love to get an MA in Victorian literature or the Inklings or something along those lines. I'm probably a long way from anything like that, but I figure that if I just keep reading as many good books as I can get my hands on, then I should feel less like I'm dumbing down and more like a thinking adult. Any suggestions?
| By Karen | 07:39 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://chattablogs.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/28816
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference potty training madness:
Comments
definitely spring for the master's. Not only would you enjoy it tons but if you were to go back to any kind of job in the educational realm, you would have to be paid more. :-)
Blessings your way in potty-land!
Posted by: Jeannette at January 18, 2006 09:55 AM
and grad school is a fairly flexible schedule to manage, easing the transition from SAHM to a job.
Posted by: Jeannette at January 18, 2006 09:57 AM
I've been talking about getting my masters too (I don't know if I can de-mush my brain enough to do it though).
I am afraid there is no way I'll be able to teach and care for my family at the same time, but I have thought that being an elementary school librarian would allow me to be in a school setting with children and doing something I love without as much prep work and after school hours.
It might leave me a little less emotionally drained as dealing with 23 kids all day long might. Maybe I would have something left for my own children at home.
Honestly, I don't look forward to going back to work at all. Being a mother is such a BIG job that even with the kids in school I don't know if I'll be able to swing both working out of the home and meeting the needs of my own children and husband.
(We are all too familiar with the potty parties you are describing above. It takes a lot of patience to do what you do all day - every day. Good luck with the potty training)
Posted by: sara at January 18, 2006 10:45 AM
Karen, say hello to phat matt, wow... sounds a little nuts, life that has found you here and now. my heart goes out to you in the chaos of multi kid juggling and trying to keep sane...
Posted by: brian at January 18, 2006 01:22 PM