Pee, Myself and Why

I'm going to triple post to make up for lost time. If you're not into bathroom stories, skip the first paragraph.

Potty training was everything we expected. A) Challenging? Yes. I felt like I was chasing a chicken around our house. B) Unbelievably unfortunate timing? Yes. A cold day at the park when every building nearby is closed and I'm trying to convince him to pee on the ground behind a dumpster is not exactly smooth sailing. C) Wishing we could go back to the ease of diapers? Yes. D) Funny? Yes, but sometimes in unexpected ways. I never predicted that Noah would be fascinated with urine and poop. I still remember how excited he was with one of his first successful trips to drop the kids off at the pool: "Hey, it looks like a rocket ship and two little rocks!" He was very proud when he was finally tall enough to pee standing up, but he, of course, had to spray it everywhere. I didn't even know how to respond when he asked if he could touch the pee with his other hand as it made its way down towards the potty. By the time we came back from reunions last week, he had become almost completely independent in the bathroom. I'm proud of how he's grown and how we stuck with it. Now it's time for his pizza party celebration. E) Use rewards and bribes? Yes.

I'm glad that Noah has confidence and desires independence. It certainly helped with his potty training above, but I'm growing a little weary of "blah blah blah by mySELF!" The most memorable moment was at USC community day. Noah had never played mini golf before, but he knew Grandpa liked it and he watched us play a little bit on our Wii. He asked to try the hole-in-one for a prize, so we said sure. Mary stood behind him helping him hold the club when he demanded, "No, Mommy. I'll do it by mySELF!" He swung the putter and knocked it right in the hole to the shock and amazement of everyone watching. After crushing the ball into another section on his second try, he proceeded to sink another one to win two prizes. His incredible strokes of luck only enhanced his already overflowing confidence, which made it just a little bit harder to offer help the next time he was about to jump off of the neighbor's driveway wall. He still calls for Mommy when he lands the wrong way, though, so he hasn't completely lost the need for us yet.

If we hear "mySELF!" five or six times everyday, we probably hear "Why?" at least a dozen. Sometimes there's a dozen in one conversation: "Why do I want to wear a pullup?" "Because you might pee while you sleep tonight." "Why do I want to pee while I sleep?" "Maybe because you will sleep for a long time." "Why will I sleep for a long time?" "Maybe because you're tired." "Why am I tired?" "We had a long day." "Why did we have a long day?" Sometimes Mary and I don't even know how to end the conversation. The best strategy seems to be "I don't know Noah. Why do you think?" Our most surprising why question yet was probably when we gave in to his persistent requests for ice cream. When Mary handed him the bowl he asked, "Why did I want ice cream?" While Mary and I have almost stopped asking why questions since the answer tends to be "because he's 3 and he's Noah," he seems to just be gearing up.

All three important developments in Noah's life are signs that he's growing and, while challenging, his growth can be pretty entertaining. Before I was married and a dad, I was mostly focused on Me, Myself and I. Now Pee, Myself and Why has most of my attention, and I've never been more engaged.