Potty Training.

What comes in, must come out. Somewhere. In a diaper. A potty. One time down his leg onto the floor. 

http://sabbyinsuburbia.blogspot.com/2010/03/adventures-in-potty-training-part-1.html

Oh that's gross? Sorry, it's just that once a naked three-year-old does a cartwheel right in your face, well, you just kind of get past all that. 

But the potty training, how's it going you didn't ask? Well, some days it’s a breeze, he tears off his pants and heads for his little froggy toilet in the bathroom just a ringing and singing. Other days, such as this morning, the mere mention of it sets off a horror movie scream that has the dogs taking cover.

But mostly he gets it right. And he’s awfully proud of himself. Like last night. He was on his little potty, giving Mom and me a play-by-play of what was happening. How he wasn’t quite done, in case we were wondering. Then it was back to singing Christmas carols while on his potty. 

Such are the times.

But it will be nice not having to buy diapers. Or change them. Or even look at them after three years of handling full ones. And I think he's ready to be done with them too, be a big boy, where some Underoos. 

And being that we're not completely in the clear I have to keep an eye on his expression. I can face read him like a champ. The narrowing eyes, the furrowing brow, means that a storm's abrewing and we'd better get him where he needs to go. Some jumping up and down, a slight smile, well, that means the dude needs to pee.

When he does his business in the potty you'd think he'd won the slots. A parade ensues. He gets high-fives, we cheer him down the hall to the kitchen where he receives a bit of candy to grease his palms. And he's ready to tell anyone about it.The other night we went to dinner with friends, their 8 and 5 year-old girls were at the end of the table. My son hops out of his seat, struts back to them with a gleam in his eye and says, “I’m potty trained.”

It just may be the best come-on line in history.

And things aren't always a breeze, not with such a stubborn strong-willed kid. But every kid is different, and will take to doing things at different ages. For my kid this was all about comfort. For a time his reason for not pooping at school was that the toilet is too loud. Not sure if that was truth or just a well thought out excuse but it was fine with me. He's going now so all is well.

Man, when did I get here, writing about poop? Maybe after my last  shred of dignity was bundled up and tossed into a diaper genie. Or perhaps before, when I was fumbling sloshing bottles of breast milk in the fog of night. Either way, this is just one more notch in the belt of parenthood. Next up, hang on, uh, there’s poop on the floor….