In a display best described as "Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat" -

HE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tito peed on the potty!

(Excuse me a second.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!)

Ok, I'm back.

He went once last night, and once this morning!

I almost crapped my pants, but then I realized what a horrible example I would be setting.

Several factors converged to bring about this joyous success. They are, in no particular order:

- Beebie filled the bottom of the bathroom sink with water then found a plastic teapot, filled it up and poured it into the water in the sink, thereby creating a better sound than merely letting the sink run while he sits on the potty, "waiting for the pee to come." Smart girl.

- My friend Eric suggested that I take away one of Tito's trains whenever he has an accident, and then give one back when he goes on the potty. I took his Molly engine away yesterday, and was able to give it back not long afterwards.

- I started a chart that allows him to put a Thomas Train sticker on one the letters in the word "TRAIN" each time he successfully goes on the potty, and then when he fills up all the letters, he'll be allowed to pick out a new train.

- Here comes the part where I confess to my vast readership that I did something unethical. Something dishonest. Something that may or may not cause one or more of my children great psychological damage in the future. But I will go to the mat with any parent who wouldn't have done the same damn thing in an identical situation.

But first, a little bit of history. Ry was 7 months old when we discovered I was pregnant with Tito. Oh, and not just pregnant, but FIVE MONTHS ALONG. Had Tito been born on his due date, they would have been exactly 11 months apart. But Tito came 2 weeks early. So they're exactly 46 weeks apart. For 6 weeks every year, they're the same age.

There is, and has always been a bit of competition between them. Ry is old enough to understand that when you're older, there should be some perks. Beebie gets to stay up later, she gets to make her own lunch, that kind of thing. But now that they're 4 and 3 and both in preschool, Tito is getting to the age where it's easier to treat him and Ry like equals. The only thing making them different is the potty thing. And Ry has held it over T's head that he is the Big Boy and T is the Baby because he wears baby diapers.

Ry was not at all happy when T peed on the potty yesterday because his status as "The Big Boy" is being threatened.

T got off the potty this morning and said,
"Mommy! Mommy! I big like Ry now! Mommy! I'm a Big Boy too! I'm FOUR!! I'm four, just like Ry!!"

His birthday's not until Christmas. And now, the confession.

Sure, honey, you're four now. Just don't tell Ry.

Hey, whatever works.


UPDATE: Poopy accident, right after I hit "Publish Post". Another long day ahead. At least they let me sleep until 7 this morning.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that today is Ashley's birthday party, and tomorrow we're going to another pirate-themed event!