Playtime and Potty Training

     That is what this week has been. Jessica's been ready to potty train, probably for a while now, I just wasn't. We've been slowly inching our way into it, but I decided that it was finally time to just make the switch. So, on Monday we started having her wear "big-girl-underwear" all the time except naptime and bedtime. Now, technically it isn't quite normal underwear, because there is a tiny bit of extra absorbancy, but its a lot closer to underwear than a diaper (unlike pull-ups). Jessica loves her big-girl underwear, and seems to be very happy with the switch... and quite upset when she has an accident. Day 1 went pretty well. We had a LOT of false alarms, but only 3 accidents. So I thought it was a pretty good day. As of yesterday, the false alarms are few and far between, and we're down on accident numbers. (Wednesday was an exception because we weren't at our house.)  Yesterday we actually had NO accidents at all!  We're also up to about an hour (sometimes more) between potty times. Now we just need to get her to tell me (rather than the other way around) that she needs to use the bathroom. Here's hoping that by the end of this month she'll be pretty much potty trained except for bedtime.
     The other thing is that I finally came to a realization. I've been a bit slow on the uptake on this one.  Luckily, Jessica is unlikely to have any memories from this time in her life. I've always been a fan of super-limited "screen-time". There are so many better ways for kids to learn and play. (If it's a family activity or homework it's different, but for my really young kids I'd prefer no screen time at all on most days.)  However, after Jacob was born, I was going crazy trying to take care of both of them, and so Jessica started getting a movie every single day. That may not sound like a whole lot to some people, and I'm not going to judge any one else who has their kids do that, but for me, it was way too much, and I hated it. So, for the past month or so, I've been trying to cut back on screen time, but Jessica's been fighting it, because I haven't had much to offer her as an alternative. Well, Monday night/Tuesday morning I came to the realization that if I want her screen time limited, I couldn't sit at my computer. I wasn't necessarily using my computer, but I was sitting at my desk, trying to get stuff done a lot, and Jessica and I would be at each others' throats. Her wanting attention, me trying to accomplish things, and so wanting to be left alone. I realized that I needed to find more actually activities I could offer her, and I needed to do most of them with her. (I know, I know, as I said, slow on the uptake) 
     So, this past week I've limited my screen time to only when she's down for a nap or bedtime (and occasionally while she's strapped in her booster seat for lunchtime). I put together a list of various things we could do/play to keep her occupied, and to distract her when she starts asking for a movie. As the weather gets warmer it will get easier, because we can go play outside or at a park, but this will be really nice to have for bad-weather days, or during Jacob's naptime, when we can't really go anywhere. I started with having her help me with the things on my "to-do list". She absolutely LOVES helping me do dishes, loading and unloading the dishwasher.

 

She also really loves doing my exercises with me. And it is adorable to watch her doing things like the jumping jacks. Yes, I know, she's just in her underwear. This was on... Monday?, maybe Tuesday, and she'd already peed through her pants, and I didn't have any more clean ones. 

 

Tuesday I also, along with having her help with dishes, had her help me bake cookies. So, here she is in her (borrowed from me) apron. Funny thing is, I remember doing this with my mom. I wasn't this little in my memory, but I remember using this exact apron (of my mom's) when I was about 8 to help her bake. I remember having to fold it up so the top word was covered so it would tie around my waist. Whenever I did any sort of baking or cooking from that point on, I used that apron. And when I left for college, I yoinked the apron and took it with me. I still have it. (Luckily Mom doesn't mind) 

 

I had dumped the mix (using up the last of the junk in my food storage, trying to get rid of it) and the eggs into the bowl, gotten out the measuring cup and the oil, and then I had to go get Jacob. I came back and Jessica was playing with the scoop (measuring cup) in the bowl. My first instinct was to tell her no and take it away. Luckily, I didn't follow instinct this time. I realized, I wanted her to help me, she's playing in it, and at 2, that's helping. She wasn't making a mess all over the counter, and it was a liquid that I was going to be using that cup for. So, really, not much of a problem with her playing with it. It was fun to watch her though. She would scoop up the yolk of the egg, since it hadn't been broken yet, and then let it slide out of the cup and back into the bowl. 

 

She wanted to keep stirring, even after all the liquid was added, and it was really stiff. I decided to still let her try. 

 

And, every child's favorite part of helping their mama bake. Licking the spoon. No way I was going to deny her this opportunity, despite my preference for feeding her only healthy foods.  The cookies turned out well also. They were cookies made from brownie mix, and I'll need to tweak the recipe a bit, but not bad at all.

 

After that we played with playdough. She wasn't as thrilled with it, or interested in it as I'd hoped/planned. We made it in the morning, and I'd been going to have her help, until I realized it was a stove-top recipe. I don't think she's quite ready for that yet. I did let her stand on a chair next to me and watch me knead the color in once the cooking was done. Unfortunately, despite me constantly repeating to not touch the stove, she did put her hand on the burner, and so has had large blisters on 2 of her fingers all week. :( Needless to say, we were done at that point in the morning. We spent the rest of the time until lunchtime cuddling on the couch with me reading. 

 

Then after playing with playdough in the afternoon, we stumbled upon her favorite activity. Playing with dried noodles. I'd bought these noodles before I realized that I HAVE to have only whole grains, so we haven't used them (and its been over a year) and really, wouldn't use them in the foresee-able future.  So I decided they worked well for playtime. I put out some smaller, varying sized containers for her to scoop them into. She LOVES it. This one, she'll play for over an hour at a time. Scooping them into all sorts of different containers, and back. We're still working on making sure they stay in the containers, but she at least gets down and picks up the noodles that escape before she continues play. 

     I'm working on getting more things put together for her to play with, but its slow. It has also been an extremely tiring week. I don't really remember being told how absolutely exhausting motherhood is. The only thing I remember hearing about as far as that goes, is the lack of sleep when they wake you up in the middle of the night. Both of mine are good sleepers, so I haven't been ready for the bone-deep exhaustion. It's been good, but a very hard week. Here's hoping it gets easier as I get more used to it.