underwear, underarms, under pilesOFpaper & underpaid ...

Potting training - no matter how many times you do it, is always a pain!!! Big D is so good at it, when he wants to be ... that's the kicker ... I'm starting to get serious though - I'm tired of paying for diapers and even more tired of changing pull-ups when I know he is very capable. I pulled out the plastic pants today - you know, the ones that go over cloth diapers - a good motivator in the way of keeping your pants dry (they sell them at Target) and a Buzz Lightyear sticker chart. There was no way he was going to let me cover those big boy pants up (Thomas the Tank Engine in fact) ... which meant he had to keep them dry and he did ... mostly ... at one point he was playing with some trains (he is always playing with trains these days) and said, 'mommy, I stopped the pee!!' in a voice that was so jubilant and proud. He was damp, but not soaked and he did get to the potty to fully relieve himself. Would he let me change his damp underwear?!? - NEVER! He preferred to let his 'triumph' over stopping the pee, air dry ... such a little man!

Speaking of manhood ... his older brother has discovered a fascination with underarms and using deodorant. Master S found some of his dad's and was completely intrigued by the idea that you could use something to help you smell better when you sweat. In his words, "I could use some of that stuff, 'cause I sweat a lot!" I found an extra and let him use it this morning ... then the question, "If you use deodorant for under your arms, what should I use for my head, 'cause my head really sweats when I run." Oh, the thoughts of an 8-year old! Miss Lilly was complaining that something smelled like a dirty diaper while doing homework after school and Master S very seriously said, 'you know, some deodorant smells like that ...' Seriously?!?

I also volunteered to coordinate all the room parents for the whole Elementary school this year. Thinking this would be relatively painless, I sent out a flier with all of the kids to be returned to me, to get information back from parents ... and ... over 800 pieces of paper later ... what was I thinking?!?! My organization OCD is screaming at me, I'll probably log more minutes this week on my phone that I ever have. I literally have piles of paper everywhere and my brain is so full of names, numbers and miscellaneous information I need to download somewhere .... thank heavens I have potty training to break up the mounds of paper and information I'm drowning in! Ha, Ha!

BTW, as if you don't know this already, motherhood is a significantly underpaid profession. Thank heavens I have hugs, sticky kisses, I love you's, smiles, giggles and snuggles to remind me that life does not revolve around money, despite the lack thereof - it revolves around the love you give and the love you get in return - all too often its hidden under all those little things. I need to look for it more.