Parental Eunuchs

[Relaxer]

So rather than slog up other threads about our little darlings, post your current family situations, issues, stories, advice, etc. I know there's several of you out there, Chaz, Rhett, Brain, Brennser, Eros, etc.
 
 I've got a 3 1/2 year old boy, and another on the way, due in May (Thanks to Sweetcell and Brennser for the hearty odes!). Currently we're in potty-training hell, trying desperately to get the kid to unload on the pot and not on the cat. (poor kitty -- he watches 2girls1cup and thinks 'amateurs')
 
 Last night was sort of a breakthrough. The boy announced that he had to go poo-poo. Now, he was standing right next to a pile of said poo on the rug, so his timing isn't quite right, but at least he's recognizing the process. But we've been going cold turkey on the diapers for months now and he's still not getting it. We do like 10 loads of laundry a day. Little help?

[sweetcell]

OMG.  that's horrible.  a complete injustice.
 
 i'm calling the SPCA.

[eros]

My son is 3 1/2 and has been pooping in the potty for a couple of months now.  I don't think there is any one silver bullet to do the trick, but there are several things you can try.  
 
 - If he says he has to poop, put him in the bathroom ASAP, even if he goes in his pants.  It associates the act with the room.
 
 - If/when he goes in his pants, try to deposit the evidence in the toilet (in front of him so he can see where it goes).
 
 - CONSTANTLY ask him "do you need to poop" (we did the same thing with pee).  Every 10-15 minutes.
 
 We've been accident-free for a while now.  Good luck!

[brennser]

like eros said every kid is different and theres no magic solution
 
 our daughter held out till she was past 3 - but made the transition fairly easily - I think we were helped by the fact that it was just prior to her going to nursery school for the first time and it may have been a little blackmail/peer pressure on our part, i.e., you don't want to be the only kid in diapers do you?
 
 Hey, we're Catholic.....we live and die by guilt!!

[chaz]

Both mine were fairly easy.  Girl easier than boy.  
 
 My son is also 3 1/2.  We still put a diaper on him at night.  He's dry in the AM about 50% of the time.  Honestly we're probably just being lazy and should just get rid of them.  In a month he'd be tired of having a wet bed I imagine.
 
 He's always showered with me since he was a little baby (highly recommended..get's them ready for water/swimming etc.).  Had some fun times with poop in the shower.
 
 There's definately been poop on the floor in my house, but it's been a while.
 
 Everything I hear and have read says every kid is a little different.  They will give you signs when they are ready, but once you start, don't let up.  Consistancy is key with kids for just about everything.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

I don't get it. Is this a thread specifically for bathroom issues, or to brag on our kids in general?
 
 If the former...um, she poops and pees. She's been exclusively on breast milk, but she's just started experimenting with solids, so I reckon it's about to get much stinkier.
 
 If the latter...our little bird turns six months on Saturday. She was above the 95th percentile for both weight and height at four months, and shows no sign of slowing down. She just started eating a bit of mashed sweet potato and avocado in the last couple of weeks...her first solids. She appears to have started teething in the last week or so, so she gets a bit whiney and clingy at times lately. She can get herself into a pushup position, and crawl a bit backward, but can't go forward.
 
 I echo everyones comments about parenthood being a life changing experience, though my wife has had to bear alot more changes that I have. I love being a dad, love watching my wife be a mom, and of course love our little girl to pieces. That being said, I haven't changed my mind on our prior decision to only have one.

[Relaxer]

Wow, 3 boys all 3 1/2. We should all have a playdate. Do you guys ever do Rock'n'Romp? They've been doing it up in Silver Spring. It's gotten VERY popular lately.
 
 Loving the Christmas season with the kid. We walked down to the Capitol Hill tree last night, which he dug, and then went to see the toy trains at the Botanical Gardens and Union Station. For like 5 minutes, he was so enchanted he didn't even speak, and then he wouldn't shut up about how much he liked them. Pure gold.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

If I'm not mistaken, Brain's (aka Mankie) son is about the same age?
 
 They could form a band.
 
 
 

Originally posted by Relaxer:
  Wow, 3 boys all 3 1/2. We should all have a playdate. Do you guys ever do Rock'n'Romp? They've been doing it up in Silver Spring. It's gotten VERY popular lately.
 
 Loving the Christmas season with the kid. We walked down to the Capitol Hill tree last night, which he dug, and then went to see the toy trains at the Botanical Gardens and Union Station. For like 5 minutes, he was so enchanted he didn't even speak, and then he wouldn't shut up about how much he liked them. Pure gold.

[chaz]

Originally posted by Relaxer:
  Wow, 3 boys all 3 1/2. We should all have a playdate. Do you guys ever do Rock'n'Romp? They've been doing it up in Silver Spring. It's gotten VERY popular lately.
 
 Loving the Christmas season with the kid. We walked down to the Capitol Hill tree last night, which he dug, and then went to see the toy trains at the Botanical Gardens and Union Station. For like 5 minutes, he was so enchanted he didn't even speak, and then he wouldn't shut up about how much he liked them. Pure gold.

Haven't done the Rock n' Romp yet.  Could you pm or post next time one's happening?  We could have a forum playdate.
 
 Also have a 6 year old girl too, a little angel.
 
 Holidays are great with the little ones.  Can't wait to see their little faces when they see the bikes that Santa brought them.

[eros]

Originally posted by Relaxer:
  Wow, 3 boys all 3 1/2. We should all have a playdate. Do you guys ever do Rock'n'Romp? They've been doing it up in Silver Spring. It's gotten VERY popular lately.
 
 Loving the Christmas season with the kid. We walked down to the Capitol Hill tree last night, which he dug, and then went to see the toy trains at the Botanical Gardens and Union Station. For like 5 minutes, he was so enchanted he didn't even speak, and then he wouldn't shut up about how much he liked them. Pure gold.

I'd like to do Rock n Romp.  We were real close to going a few months ago and then naptime got in the way.  Keep me posted on the next one.

[Here's the thing]

We have two boys, 6 and 8. Almost every day is a blast. (Except for the strep, flu, and stomach virus days.)
 If you haven't yet, check out DC's own Pancake Mountain. www.pancakemountain.com
 Here are my two non-dancers with Tilly and the Wall. They are getting practicing to be non-dancing DC rock show fans.
  http://www.pancakemountain.com/photos/tilly/pages/tilly06_09.htm

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Hey fellow unattached twenty-somethings:
 
 This thread stinks! Lets go start our own thread about drinking ourself stupid and our ridiculously expensive hipster lifestyles!
 
 Ta, Julian

[sweetcell]

as a semi-attached thirty-something, this thread has reminded me to enjoy what i have while i have it 'cause someday things might be very different.  plenty of other fun to be had on the other side, but the grass is always greener...

[Relaxer]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
 That being said, I haven't changed my mind on our prior decision to only have one.

I used to agree with this, HEARTILY, but as my boy got older, I can see where the loneliness comes in. And this is a kid who has over a dozen friends his age within 3 blocks of our house, including 4 on our street. But I'm really excited that he'll have a little brother to kick around, and he is too.
 
 That said, I am not looking forward to that first six months again at all. Our son had serious colic, so it was absolute torture for us after he was born. Fortunately, my wife and I had both quit our jobs and started a dog-walking business in our neighborhood, so it was easy to sleep-walk through the day if it had been a bad night.
 
 Now I'm back in a demanding-ish professional job, and I'm extremely wary about having to be sharp and on-the-spot after a night of crying in my ears. We're smarter now than we were before, and there's always the possibility that Thing #2 will be mellow, but... I'm expecting the worse and hoping for the average.

[godsshoeshine]

this all started with pooping on a cat. successful thread