Big Boy

Despite the fact that I have been a bit negligent in writing recently, I have been feeling a bit, well... nostalgic. First of all, Papaschnuck traveled this week, and I always seem to get somewhat melancholy when he leaves the roost, albeit for a simple 2 day trip. It makes me somber and I never like being without him. But the thing that really got to me this past week is that my baby, ahemm, my big boy, Schnuckie2 (almost3), has made the decision to move out of diapers and began using the potty. Yipee!! one might think, and yes I am happy that the end is near. After 12 years of diapers (condensed into 9 years of time- we often had 2 in diapers at once) the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. I can finally see a day with no diaper bag, no diapers, no swimmies and no pull ups.

This is a day in which I dreamed on those long nights, tired and cranky, I'd be scraping poop off the back of a very unhappy baby whose diaper blew out in a spectacular fashion. This is a day I dreamed of as I realized, with alarm, that the very stinky child I was going to change was gonna have to sit in a very dirty diaper because the diaper bag was sitting by the back door where I forgot it while trying to herd all the children into the car. This is a day I longed for when, after buttoning the very last top button of a winter coat, covering a snow pant, tucked into boots, a small be-gloved hand would tap me to say,"Mommy, I did poopy."

And here we are, the other day, my little guy demanding (as I tried to put a new diaper on him), "No! Me no need diaper mommy, me a big boy, me go in the potty." Despite my logical arguments about how it was so much easier for me if he just stayed in a diaper for a little longer, he insisted, and so now he is a "big boy", and using the potty with all the pride and excitement of an almost 3 yr old. We went out for pizza for dinner, after religious education classes on Wednesday, when Papaschnuck was gone (Hey why not?). After 2 earlier failed attempts on the potty he came bursting out of the rest room, with me trailing him, to announce in his loudest, proudest, voice to his siblings, " HEY GUYS! ME GO POOPY ON THE POTTY!" Oh, the sense of accomplishment he felt and wanted to share.

And here we are today, all my kids now use the potty. How soon it arrived and how surprised I am to actually be a little sad to see it come. I guess it is more the reality hitting me that I do not have another baby rather than my own internal desire to keep changing diapers (wow some insight there). But it is a definite demarcation in time and experience: I was a diaper changing mom and now I am not. 2 weeks now and with only a few accidents, he seems to have followed with the others in being really pretty easy to train- I am not complaining. I have always waited till the third birthday before informing them (rather matter-of-factly) that "big boys who are 3 don't wear diapers." (OK there was a girl in there too but she thought she was a boy for a while). Surprisingly, it always worked. Within a week or two the drama would be over and using a toilet would be routine. Dry overnight usually follows in 6 months or so. This last guy was the first one to take it upon himself to make the decision that he was ready. Well, I guess I better accept it cause, "3 year old's don't wear diapers mommy!"