The Saga Continues... when we last saw our Intrepid hero she was teetering on the brink of constipation, sitting on a veritable timebomb. Would she crack the code? Would she explode? Time would tell.

Well, since the last time she has had one poop in the potty. At least only one that I have proof of, Sugar Momma says she had one with her also but I didn't see it. You see, being the proud Poppa that I am I commemorated the occasion with photographic evidence, What!? It was a big deal, and a big poop! I was told to praise her when she made these kind of break-throughs, to reinforce the good behaviour, that's all I was doing. She said she wanted to show Mommy and while I am a guy, ...I wasn't about to leave the steaming log there until Mom got home from work. I mean come on, that would have stunk up the joint.

Side Note: When shortly after the first episode of Potty Fu we took the ShortThings for haircuts, this being the first ever for ThingTwo, Sugar Momma just shook her head at this conversation.

Sugar Momma: "Did you save the trimmings from her first haircut?"

Me: "No. Was I supposed to?"

Sugar Momma: "But you took a picture of her first poop in the potty!?"

Me: "Well, I, umm....I took picture of the haircut too......"

How was I supposed to know you're supposed to keep the hair? Is that even sanitary?

And now back to our regular programming.... So ThingTwo has progressed admirably in the way of Potty Fu. She has developed new skills, some unforeseen, some long fogotten since the training of ThingOne. Firstly she has incredible control, she senses the approach, then announces " I PEED!" (translate: I'm going to pee) and can make her way to the throne without incident, almost everytime. She can drop trou like a pro so no issues there. This where a special long forgotten talent emerges. She has made it to the potty and is sitting, ready to do the deed, but being curious and thorough, wants to see the evidence. So she arches her back and hunches over simultaneously which causes the stream to arc in perfect 3 point form over the rim of the bowl and swish gracefully right into her princess underwear. It's quite a feat really, nothing on the rim, all net. It make me wonder why they haven't designed a standing urinal for women. The girl's got Mad Skills! If I wasn't so impressed I'd probably be pissed about all the extra laundry and wardrobe changes it causes at the most inopportune times, like 2 minutes before we have to leave to get ThingOne to the bus on time.

We still need to work on No2 in the Potty Fu, at least she has control and most of the time requests a diaper and then proceeds to assume the "Bullfrog" Stance to finsh the move. For those of you unaware of the "Bullfrog", picture your toddler hunched over, feet and hands on the floor, rythmically rocking back and forth, hopping in a circle and grunting, until announcing "I'M FINITHED! CHANGTHE MY BUTT! Oh the bliss...

Another unforeseen skill is the mastery of the DVD remote. This is my fault, I know it, I admit. I like to watch movies, and my kids like to watch movies. We don't have cable but have a formidable DVD collection and that's what we watch. Sometimes it's the only way to get anything accomplished, to zombify them with the TV. Get over it. But ThingOne doesn't like to miss a anything, not a second. So when she has to "go" she bolts up screaming "PAUSE IT!" and waits, and dances with disaster until it paused before she races to bathroom. Well, well, well......ThingTwo has now adopted this exact routine, but is also at the "I do it my own THELF!" phase so I had to teach her to use the buttons with the triangle and the white lines if I wanted to save on some laundry. She found this to be so much fun, she has turned into The Girl Who Cried "I PEED!". It's a super fun game and she likes to play it over and over and over......

And so, I wait and dream of floating logs and perfect aim.....damn, I have to go pause the movie.

Tags: Potty Training, Mad Skills, 3 Points, More Laundry

Now I am in support of Potty training, but also am not afraid of diapers and all that they entail, and some small part of me was not disappointed that she did not give herself fully to the process at that point. You see, she was pooping about five times a day, and I was not, eager, to "coach that team" if you will. Someone told me once that life with a small child is all PPB. Poop,Puke, & Boogers. I have mostly passed the Puke phase and it only rears it's messy head on rare occasions. Boogers have an entire research division devoted to them. Then we have Poop.

A week ago Thingtwo decided that she was now going to wear underwear, and that was that. Now, like I said she is a child of great resolve and there would be no dissuading this decision, and we were in no way intending to. This was a good thing, she was ready again! Of her own accord!. Since then there have been only 3 incidents.(2 wet, 1 otherwise). It's the otherwise that concerns us. She will not poop on the potty, and she does not want to wear a diaper at home, so she's holding it in. Fortunately we are able to enforce the, Diaper when going out, and diaper for sleeping (naps & night time) strategy with her and she likes to go out so there is still some small shred of leverage there. Hopefully like all of the other choices she makes, there will be an overnight embrace of the porcelain throne and she will find peace and zen in it's chilly yet comforting embrace.

Tags: Potty Training, Patience, Zen