Such Sweet Relief

Hello All,
I have only one topic for you today. Little Red Fontleroy has finally decided that the toilet is NOT a terrifying monster that will suck him down into the black hole of pipes and is FINALLY using the contraption for it's intended purpose! Well, at least partly. After I did not have a patience filled day yesterday and I will admit, I did some yelling and REFUSED to cave to the threat of his bladder bursting if I didn't get him a pull up. I finally was able to convince him that NOTHING terrible happens when any of the rest of his family members manages to use it, he relented and gave it a try and now he's a CHAMPION at this whole thing. Music Man, who does not have to spend his days trying to convince the little stubborn goat that he needs to do this, has a bit more patience with this whole process then I do anymore. After all, I've been steeped in this fight for 10 months. Music Man has his own challenges each day going off to earn the bread on the table, but I had gotten to the point where, when Little Red started his freaking out routine, I would just take only so much and then he was removed from the offending device.

Music Man spent a lot of time on Sunday sitting on the bathroom floor, playing games, reading, singing songs and whatever else took place while I was off shopping for a few hours. He was actually able to get Little Red to do a little bit, and that was the start of it, I think. The next day, we went the whole day without the pull up, I refused to give in and low and behold, just before supper time, he went (camel bladder managed to hold it for 8 hours, though!). Liked to flood the house. I will abashedly admit, I was doing a jig, hugging him, and singing songs for him and Maestro, who's been a great cheerleader through this whole time, even got in on the act. And he was duly rewarded for his antics with the same Kissables candies his brother got for finally using the daggone thing. Music Man brought home a set of 5 big matchbox type cars and for each day Little Red keeps doing this, he gets a car at the end of the day (for the next 5 days, not forever of course). And in that box is a coveted PICKUP TRUCK. Little Red LOVES pickup trucks. So, he has to wait until the 5th day before he gets that one, but he's thrilled it's in there and so happily sits on the toilet when I ask him to. This whole process has been a bit of a dark cloud for our family and I for one am very happy for the sweet relief it's granting all of us. Hallelujah!

That's my only topic and for those of you who've been on this path with us, I thank you for your support, advice and listening ability to deal with my venting. We've all been in this together, so thank you for your love and support. And I wish for those of you with this challenge to come, a much shorter duration for your little ones!

Fabulous days to you, too ~Peacemom