Monday, September 10, 2007

newsflash

Tonight, I attended an orientation session through the church we've been attending, for people who are planning to host a small group. I'm preparing to host our third small group but have never once attended an orientation session.

I learned a lot of things, like ... how to keep the conversation moving and how to make everyone feel welcome. I also learned that all of the hosts are supposed to be members of the church.

Oops.

Although, I guess it makes sense when you think about it.


While at the orientation session, a book that was on a nearby shelf caught my eye. The title was "Surviving Adolescence" and beneath that it read "It's not terminal. It just feels like it."

I really should have picked the book up and seen whether it was written for the adolescents or for the people that live with them? Because I felt a cold chill pass through my body as I tried to imagine any period in our children's life feeling as terminal as the one we are in, RIGHT NOW.

Speaking of which, we started potty training full-force, yesterday. As much as I would love to delay this process indefinitely, two things have happened lately that are making me reconsider.

First, two of our three children are in a size six diaper. From what I have seen in the stores, this is the largest size that Pampers makes. Since one of our children is now OUTGROWING the largest readily available diaper size, it seems to me the next size up are Depends.

Second, ever since Henry has come home from the hospital, it has become increasingly difficult for me to change the triplet's diapers. Not just because they are too heavy to lift up on to the changing table, particularly when they lay flat on the floor and insist that they "NOT HAVE POOPY!!" but because their poops have suddenly become extremely offensive.

I think what happened is that I was unaware the triplet's poop chemistry was evolving. And now that I have a breastfed newborn who I am changing throughout the day ... throwing a toddler who can pack away three hot dogs and a half box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in to the rotation ... makes me feel an overwhelming need to use a supplied air breathing apparatus.

At first the children were totally enthralled with their cotton underwear existence. We pumped juice in to them and they excitedly ran over and sat down on their potty chairs, jumping up intermittently to check on the status of their deposit.

Everything was going swell ... until today.

The novelty of their cotton underwear immediately wore off when the children realized that they had to go poop. And then they all cried for their diapers ... which we had to inform them were only to be used when they went down for a nap or for bedtime.

Tonight, while I was at church, Charlie noticed that William had poop squished between his toes and it had been tracked all across our brand new hardwood floors.

At the moment, the jury is out on whether it is worse to change an offensive diaper or to scrape the contents of what would be in the offensive diaper, off of our floors?

Definitely a tough call.

Almost as tough of a call as my decision to wear jeans tonight. This was the first time I'd squeezed myself in to a pair of denim in almost 10 months. It is downright incredible what pregnancy and 200 gallons of peanut butter cup ice cream can do to a physique ... that was out of shape because of a triplet pregnancy and 200 gallons of rocky road ice cream.

Henry has his 2-month pediatrician appointment tomorrow. Considering he has outgrown a size 1 diaper and will probably graduate to a size 3 diaper by the end of this week ... and since he is fitting comfortably in 6 to 9 month clothing ... I suspect that he will weigh at least 18 pounds.

Charlie also goes back to work tomorrow leaving me at home, alone, with three cotton-clad toddlers who are hell bent on not going poop in their potty and a newborn who will be recovering from his 2-month shots.

I may or may not have time to update my blog for a while. I would say the chances are great that any free time I have will be devoted to doing sit ups and leg lifts. When I'm not busy scrubbing the floors.

But first, I have to join the church.

I think I'm in need of God now, more than ever.

9 comments:

  1. Good luck today with everything. I have three children and don't remember potty training being that hard so the moral of the story is it will get better and you probably won't remember it.

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  2. I have one son so I cerrtainly cannot compare him to triplets, but I was very frustrated as well with potty training. When I was researching potty training a common theme seemed to be praise and positive reinforcement. I came across a website called www.pottytrainingrewards.com. We hung it in the kitchen and named the little boy on the front of the package, Bobby. My son could not wait to go to the potty so he could push the button, hear the praising message, and get his chocolate reward from, Bobby. It really got my son excited about using the potty himself and it was fun for him. Because he became so involved, potty training was easy. He was using the potty the very first day. So give it a try. Best of Luck!

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  3. i love your son in mid action pose! looooooooooove the photos.

    p.s. good luck momma. they're doing a great job!

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  4. good luck...it will get better and maybe one day you can write a book on surviving adolesence x4...you will! you are a great mom...and charlie is a great dad. does he have mon-fri 8-5? or does he have flexible schedules? either way, call friends and have lots of playdates...that is how i got through the rough parts...if not for the kids, for you!

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  5. Um, a bit of warning with the diaper training thing: Two of my boys have figured out that if they hold their #2 in long enough, they can do it in their diapers at nap time. So even thought we're all now "potty trained", I still have to deal with offensive loads. *Sigh* Maybe it's time for Big Boy beds and potty chairs in their room.

    Not to bum you out or anything...

    -Debbie

    P.S. Did you forget something today? Uh, like a playdate? We missed you. ;)

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  6. Pampers and Huggies both make training pants/pull-up diapers. YOU WILL SURVIVE! Kyle is still in them, weighs 45 lbs. right now and will beat the triplets to Depends any day now! Be thankful you don't have the carpet anymore! Glad to know SUPER MOM is human though!

    Love ya!
    B

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  7. I would definitely recommend picking the potty battle carefully. My oldest (now 9) would NOT poop in a diaper in the beginning; she was petrified. So I made it clear --poop in the toilet or diaper, NOT underwear. She was completely pee-trained; she would ask for a diaper; so I knew she was controlling it. It took about three months of pee independence before she was beyond the poop fear. They will do it when they are ready; I really don't believe you can force it w/o batting your head against the wall.

    ....passing you a gas mask.....

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  8. You are a funny writer. I think you get the sense of humor from my Dad.
    Just think that the trouble is almost all behind you--or the Trips. They look like they are so comfortable on their new potty chairs.
    MOM

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  9. I understand there is video's and books on this matter. I guess it is "tramatic" to not have it smeared all over you. I heard once to have a goodbye- waving- see ya later while it flushes like a goner goldfish.
    My son would do his duty in any toy he had that resembled a "toilet" but wouldn't actually use the real deal????? I ditto your mom also:) except the grandpa part do not know him:).

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