The Good Life – March-April 2018

We’ve also learned that “no” often means “ask me again
in two seconds.” We got to the point of discussing the
pros and cons of who would let the dog out, how there
would be countless more opportunities to slide that
door open and the reality of how the animal digestive
system operates round the clock.
The Big Boy Bed
Another monumental change, but this time one he’d
been asking for. Ever since we went to visit the in-laws
and discovered his two little cousins were now sleeping
in “big girl” bunk beds, Macklin began asking when he
was going to get a “big boy” bed of his own. We couldn’t
resist, as the introduction of a twin bed into the mix
held the promise of more snuggles and a better excuse
for falling asleep during nap time.
In hindsight, however, a wiser choice on our part may
have been to wait until after the daycare transition was
complete before introducing another new variable to
his routine. Change is tough for us adults, but it’s even
tougher for a toddler who has only known one thing…
be it a classroom or a bedroom configuration.
His new bed inadvertently moved him one step closer to
independence, and he knew it immediately. Apparently,
with big boy beds come big boy responsibilities, or so
he believed. We’ve smoothed out our evening routines
since, but those first few weeks were a definite
regression in the battle of wills I now realize may have
no end.
Potty Training
I don’t blame daycare for the unavoidable challenge that
is potty training, but with his move up to the threes room
came with the condition that potty training become top
priority. So, to recap, in the span of a couple of weeks,
Mack changed rooms, changed beds and is now, at least
occasionally, walking around with poop in his pants.
For the first time, I’ve stopped being jealous of his life…
if only momentarily.
Similarly — and thankfully — I’ve learned that potty
training is only awful momentarily. Bringing home a
bag full of soiled clothing from daycare is awful, but
only for a moment. You either throw that whole bag in
the garbage before entering the house, or you throw it
into the wash and forget about it (pretreated, of course).
Overall, the twos aren’t bad for Macklin. They’re just
another developmental stage he must go through, and
we’re along for the ride. His growing independence is
what makes it hard for us. Everyday he’s coming up with
more of his own opinions and ideas, most of which are
fun and creative. Others are just, well… inconvenient.
Potty training — and his feelings about it — fall into the
latter category. The good news is it’s all momentary. •
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