The bathtub was caulked last night. I have two theories for the results.

Either we tell everyone I'm way out of practice caulking or we tell them three capuchin monkeys broke in, pushed me out of the way, and finished the job themselves.

I'm going with the capuchin monkeys.

(mostly) more rational than a toddler.

Rabid tasmanian devils are more rational than a toddler.

I think, "Crazy kid who doesn't want to get rid of carrying around a soggy mess on his/her bottom!"

You'd think! I mean, I sit on something wet and I have to go change cause I can't stand it. Yet these craxy kids will just sit there for hours if you let them. Blech.

Happy Birthday to Katie Bee!!!

And Cabil, if you cruise through, send along my birthday wishes to Ms. H.

My boys are potty trained. Of course Bobby still prefers to go outside, but I think this is a boy thing.

I used to occasionally babysit for a family in the Freak-Ass Church, who had 2 utterly whip-smart little girls. One was about 18 months, and the other was 3 and change. The 3-year-old was potty-trained -- but only to pee. She wore big-girl panties, and when she needed to poop, she put on Pull-Ups, pooped in the Pull-Ups, and then dumped the poop in the toilet.

She was very articulate and VERY sure about her plan to poop in the potty: when asked, she would explain, very solemnly, "I am 3 now. When I am 4, I will poop in the potty, but not until then, because I am 3."

One night I was babysitting her, and she told me she needed to go to the potty, because she needed help to get up on the toilet and get situated, being a small person as she was. I helped her up onto the toilet, and I didn't leave the bathroom, figuring that she would pee right away and then I'd help her down. She looked me square in the eye, and said, in that same solemn expression, "Can I have some privacy, please?"

I managed to stifle my giggles while I said, "Of course! Just call for me when you're finished." And then I went out in the hall and laughed -- silently -- for a full minute.

This conversation reminds me of a story my pediatric nursing instructor told us many years ago at Babies' Hospital in NYC. She was admitting a 4 year old girl to the hospital. It's important in that age group to ascertain the words they use to communicate their elimination needs. My professor was running through the usual words with this girl, but she acknowledged none of them. Finally, the 4-year-old puts her hands on her hips and her nose in the air and says, "I either micturate or defecate!"

we have been very lucky with potty training but I always feel so embarrassed when people ask if she sleeps through the night. I've basically just strtsd lying although now that my 2.5 month training in ga was cancelled, it is our top priority.

call me clueless but I've neverheard the word micturate before. Does it mean urinate?

call me clueless but I've neverheard the word micturate before. Does it mean urinate?

Yes. Clearly, it isn't used much.

The boys use Much Less Fancy words. Polite for them is "going to take a crap." We had a discussion about this before staying the summer next door to grandma. Now when Brendon asks to "please be excused" from the dinner table we all crack up then he adds, "because I need to go to the restroom, to do stuff." And we lose it again while I explain to mom that it is an improvement.

Sorry to interrupt the potty talk - but I must SQUEEEEEEEEEE.

I slugged into work this morning, late, grumpy. The usual. Opened e-mail and slugged through all the requests for work until I hit something odd. A message from one of my most demanding project managers. Now, I must say that while he is demanding, he knows what he wants, knows the company procedures, and is very clear in his instructions. I don't mind working with him at all - rather his requests than the half-assed requests I get from others. But I digress. His project is coming to an end. This thing has been a MONSTER. And he sent me a $200 gift certificate as a thank you for my efforts.

WOOOOOT!!! Ok, will likely spend it on kids school clothes, but still WOOOOOOOT!!!!