Yesterday...

my 2 1/2 yo was a wild man...and a naturalist too! :) (I've heard that naturist is the "new" nudist, and let's face it, it sounds better than exhibitionist.)

I didn't grab the camera even one of the twenty plus (no exaggeration!) times I found my little guy running around with his pants around his ankles, sucking his thumb. At first, his diaper was still on, later he was bare-bottom and enjoying the freedom.

At first, his desire to drop "trow" was accompanied by my own excitement that he was ready to use the potty. Woo hoo, celebrations all around. He has used it occasionally, but maybe this was "it"! I happily brought him in to the bathroom where he was insistent that he wanted to sit on the toilet, not the little potty seat. He sat for maybe 5 seconds, reached behind him, flushed and washed his hands. OK. We leave the bathroom and I turn around to find my son with his pants around his ankles again..so we/he tried again. And again. And again. For three hours we didn't go more than 5 minutes without "pants on the ground" and yet the child didn't pee! I put my foot down and wouldn't let him run around the house like that...no pants = in the bathroom mister! Finally, around 11:30, he stood in the bathroom and peed...on the floor...with a shocked expression on his face..pointing to the growing puddle. After that, we put on a fresh diaper, he ate his lunch and took a nap. I think we were both exhausted by his new game.

Is he ready for the potty? Probably. Am *I* ready for this new game? Do I have a choice?
This is the fifth time I have entered this phase. And as a mom of 5 boys, I stand (sit really) before you to say...you know what you learn by having more kids? You learn that every child is different, that the same things don't motivate or teach every child, and that the more kids you have the more you realize you don't know. I will stand proudly before you and say, I am no expert. I am a human being raising human children...the human thing always gums up the works...robots would be so much easier. ;)

I have basically good and healthy, intelligent children. I have tried to teach them right and wrong, to love God and love their neighbor. Guess what?! They are unique individuals and not puppets. I cannot control their every move and decision. Sometimes I say, "What were you thinking?" Sometimes I'm disappointed, embarrassed, overwhelmed (with frustration and with love). But through it all, I am thankful that I was blessed with these crazy little (and not so little) boys. I love them each so much, for who they are and who they were created to be. I pray that I am the parent they need me to be so that I can nurture their gifts and help them realize their full potential.

Sometimes I count to 10 when I want to yell (sometimes, not all the time ;) ). Sometimes I laugh when I could cry...because in the words of Jimmy Buffet..."If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

-Peace