Pee pee

It's been close to a solid week of no diapers, except when we're in the car and overnight. Camryn is so proud of her success.  Despite a few minor accidents, she is happily using the toilet for both number one and number two! When in close proximity to the real bathroom, she prefers to use the BIG toilet, "just like Ethan," otherwise it has been super helpful to this process to have the little potty nearby at all times. Traveling all around the house, carrying it with her wherever she goes like a suitcase.... She seems so......grown up.  Which, for me, is tough.  Just like when I stopped breastfeeding them at age two; it feels like the milestone has arrived way too soon, and that this is the official end to babyhood. I'm still wistful about nursing, and even Cami occasionally asks if the milk will ever return because she would like some.  How I wish I could stop time and keep them as they are forever.  For all of my complaining, I know that I will look back on this time, when I'm even older and grayer, as the best time in my life.

Though I am theoretically and philosophically TOTALLY against bribes and threats, I have found them indispensable in my parenting. And in my experience, the best kind of bribe is The Double. It goes like this: I need Cami to do something (i.e. use the toilet), so I bribe her with what we call a "kaka candy" (one m&m per poop--pee pee doesn't get a treat).  If I bribe Ethan as well (also giving him one m&m when she poops), I'm much more likely to get the desired outcome as he now works for me--and he is a very motivated employee when chocolate is at stake!  Same goes for threats.  Since Ethan introduced Cami to the phrase "stupid idiot," he is responsible when she uses it against me (even though she gets it backwards every time and yells, "You idiot stupid!" when she's mad).  So now, when either one uses any combination of the offending words, neither gets dessert nor any other treat the whole day.  Yummy food, I tell them, simply cannot go into a yucky mouth.