Monday, October 5, 2009

Special Thanks to my Nephew

Having conquered the great potty training milestone, I was happily pretending that no further bathroom obstacles would find themselves in my near future. The problem with poop was resolved in the middle of a wedding (a story I keep forgetting to post) and my fastidious little fellow has even declared that he will no longer be wearing diapers at any time...including naps or bedtime.

This is all well and good, with one little exception.

Unless my Joseph develops the thickest of skins on the planet, his reliance on a little potty that sings to him as he sits on it and hums along will surely warrant some serious taunting come middle school.

So, my next hurdle would be to take homo habilis from the sitting down position to the standing shot.

Enter cousin Nick.

While babysitting my 3 year old nephew, an impromptu trip to the boys room provided a much needed tutorial in what big boys do for Joseph, who idolizes his much older relative. Here's how it went down:

Joseph: (Staring in disbelief at a standing Nicholas in relief) Mama, what he doin?
Me: He's going to the bathroom like big boys do....standing up.
Nick: Is it time for lunch?

A brief moment of male bonding quickly transcended into monumental progress. Within minutes of returning home...

Joseph: Mama! Pee pees!
Me: Okay, let's go.
Joseph: (Pointing to the big potty) Mama, like Nicky do?
Me: Okay, buddy, let's see.

I grab the conveniently located stool by the sink and prop the ingenue up. More than a little eager, Joseph takes aim and proudly emulates his nephew....with hands on hips and confidence in his gaze.

A mother couldn't be prouder, or more amazed that such a small boy could produce such a ricochet.

2 comments:

Samantha said...

Wait, were you in the bathroom with J and Nick too?

One Maid A' Milking said...

Yep. As it typical at Music Together, Joseph had to use the bathroom at the exact mid-point and, though Nick did not, he came with us to the mens room, which is conveniently attached to the music room.

As is to be expected, Nick also found himself needing to go (or, a ready excuse to explore new scenery) exactly five minutes after Joseph. It was during this second trip, with us all huddled in a too tight single bathroom, that the learning began.