Dear Huggies, I will miss you...

One week ago today, our home was forever changed. We (meaning, I) decided it was time for Alden to potty train. After the last post, I am sure you can understand why the thought of giving him this next step of boyhood was difficult for me to swallow. I sucked up my wallowing no-more-babies-grief stricken- whimpers and got out the little boy undies.

He did ok at home Friday. One little accident, no nap time problems.... Friday night was a different story. He had three accidents whilst at my friend Lolo's house. I was already thinking, "Man... this kid is just not getting this." I put him in a diaper for bed... that is against my firm potty training policy of no diapers, no pull ups. I decided, it is one thing for your kid to whiz all over your own home in their sleep, it is entirely different and wrong for them to do so at a friend's home.

So... we came home Saturday morning, and I had put him undies, prepared to watch the wet spot form, and reclaim my baby. Oh no... that was it. He's done. Potty trained.

He has not had an accident since, and not a drop at night or during naps. Really? So quickly? Yep. He has even moved to taking himself to the bathroom!

I caught him in there, talking himself through the motions. "Ok, undies off. Pee-pee in da potty. Oh, point it down! Now Fwush" I just watched, in awe. When he parked that little naked booty on the floor and put his own underwear on, I almost lost it! NOOOO! This is too much! I went over, and thankfully, he put the undies on backwards. I am still needed, if only to put Bob the Builder on the proper side of the buttocks.

I sadly realized, this is the first time in 8 years that no one in this house will be in diapers. EIGHT YEARS. I know people throw parades about this sort of thing, but wow... first the crib, now this... if Alden didn't look so stinking cute toddling around here in those little undies, I would be a basketcase.

This photo was Sunday morning... I laid out the boys' clothes, and hit me... three little sets of undies.Sigh.

I think teaching your kids independence is one of the hardest things to do. Sometimes we don't invest the time to make them this way, because, honestly, it feels good to be "needed". I realize though, that as my relationship with Lincoln has been changing lately, it deepens. Well, it can deepen. If I set aside tv, my latest book, or even that sinful iPhone app "Angry Birds", and spend time with him. I can spend time talking to and investing in him as a little person, and then we will continue to grow closer. It will be different... he no longer needs me to shower him, dress him, etc. BUT he needs me to keep pouring into him in other ways. If we miss this chance as parents, guess what? I don't think it can be recovered. You will miss a tenderness and closeness with your children that lasts through adulthood. I pray that God would continue to slap me with His heavenly 2x4 when I forget this. Psalm 90 has never rung truer than right now...

The days pass quickly. I want to INVEST these 24 hours. We need to turn off the stupid reality show, quit browsing online uselessness, and stop worrying about silly things... Wow, I hadn't meant to sound so preachy, but there it is! (and I am talking to myself here most of all, so whine not...)

See, see what happens when I don't have babies to occupy my time all day? I will surely lose readers over this latest diatribe and that is ok. My best friends? They are right here, in this house. Four men who mean more to me than all the stuff I let overshadow their importance. God forgive my stupidly placed affections...

All this angst over some diapers that are no longer needed, crazy I know, but I never claimed to be sane, so there.

And PS I haven't used huggies in a long time, so technically it is "Costco ginormous box of kirkland brand diapers I will miss you!" but that was too long of a title...