Automatic Drama

When I set out to go to the mall this morning I didn't go with any sort of lofty goal except to pick up the boys latest photos and get my oil changed at Sears. Yes, I do get my oil changed at Sears. Yes it is a bit more expensive, however, it gives me a lot more options for boy entertainment which is worth the extra bucks. Most of the time Jiffy Lube doesn't have the greatest toy options. Did I mention that the mileage between my last oil change and this one was 9000 miles at least????

Anyway, we go get the pictures and play with the bead table and other toys there. We go to Stride Rite and get Logan some new sandals because the hand me down sandals from Dylan were too little and then Dylan announces, "I need to potty." No biggie, we go to the newly remodeled Lakeline Mall bathrooms and, UH OH, they have redone everything in nice tile and it is so super shiny.

Why the uh oh? They replaced the old potties with automatic flushers. One look at those things and Dylan is always like , "I don't need to go." What to do? What to do?

Wait! Sears has potties! Let's try those. On the way there I ask a worker where they are located. Dylan says something about automatic potty and the lady pipes up quite proudly, "We have those here." Can I get a break here????? Dylan decides that he has to see for himself and I'm prepping him by saying, "If we don't potty here we don't get to eat at the mall. We are going home." We go to the bathroom and indeed there are automatic flushers. He's a no go.

So we go back to Sears Automotive to pick up my car as it was over the 45 minute limit. Guess what I forgot? My car always requires some fancy, weird oil filter that either takes extra time to find or they have to get it delivered from Advanced Auto Parts (I asked the guy where it comes from today.). Needless to say, the car was not ready so now we definitely cannot go back home.

I decide that the mission of the day is to get the boy on the automatic potty and "Make it yellow." Now why did I bring this on myself? Sounds stupid, I know, but we are going to Disney World next week. How does that relate? You have to go on an airplane, which means you are in airports, which ALL have automatic flushers. If we were doing a quick Midland flight (55 minutes), no biggie. However, since we are going to be doing an almost 3 hour flight we need to conquer this. I need to not have the accident on the plane because he thinks he can go on there and realizes that even Mommy is a bit scared of that potty.

So, I say, "Let's go back to Sears' potty and try. We have to. We have no car and we can't eat until you potty. " Whiny crying starts. So I force him on the potty. Actually pick him up and pull his pants down and hold him on the potty, tinkle down. Usually, I'm not a make you do it person, but Dylan actually does respond well to that every once in awhile. Some things you just don't get a choice in. Plus, would I rather do this at Sears and ruin a morning or in the airport and ruin his first airplane experience?

Now I hear a lady walk in. Great. Dylan is screaming, crying and I'm talking him through it. Yes, she thinks its abuse I'm sure. Embarrassment, but she leaves before seeing my face. Of course Logan is chilling outside the stall in the stroller so I am recognizable.

No tinkle yet so we stop. Good try, good sitting on the potty, etc comes from me and Dylan calms down. He says he's hungry and I say, its not lunch yet and we can't get pretzel sticks until we potty. He decides to try the other Lakeline Mall potty that we went too after we go outside and hang out because I don't want an accident on Sears floor. I'm pretty frustrated by this point, but remember my parenting class (a church MOM time thing which is fabulous) and how we talked about anger. I'm keeping it in for now.

We go to the other potties. Same thing. Crying, but we sit there. I give up for a bit and decide its lunch time. We eat. I come up with a new plan and tell him the secret we have been keeping.

"Now Dylan I want you to know that Mommy isn't trying to be mean by making you tinkle in the automatic flushers. I know it is scary, but I need you to be brave and start using them because you know how we are going to Disney World next week?"

Dylan - "Yes."

"Well, to get to Disney World, we have to go eat lunch at the airport, use an automatic flushing potty there because that's all airports have, get on an airplane (**eyes are looking excited here**), and then fly for 3 hours. That's like six Mickey Mouse Clubhouse shows... Then we get off the plane at another airport and go potty in an automatic flusher there because that's all they have and get on a bus to our hotel."

Dylan - "We get to go on a bus???? Logan did you hear that? A bus?"

Now who would think a boy that LOVES the airport and picking up Grandparents there would be excited about a freakin' bus? Hey, whatever. He's seeing the picture now.

Lunch is over. He decides he wants to go to the Lakeline Mall potties by the food court. They have recently been remodeled too, but he being the 3 year old he is thinks that they don't have automatic flushers. He was wrong, but this time after I pulled his pants down and sat him on the potty, he didn't scream as much as I pointed out that the red light flashes to show it knows he's there and then when we get off it goes off and then flushes.

We walk out of the stall and there is a Grandmother there. She looks at us coming out of the stall and says, "I had to see this." I guess she wanted to see who it was. Anyway, she actually was supportive, which as most of you moms know that random Grandmas are usually not nice. They come up and ask, "What's wrong , little boy?" like you are abusing them. I shared the next week trip and she understood and was asking me how I got him potty trained as her daughter has a 2 1/2 year old and is trying before new baby comes. Yeah, don't think that is going to work out as I'm sure the older one will revert for a little while, but I'm not telling supportive Grandma that! She likes me and I'm getting discouraged and feeling bad mom. Its one of those things where you see this was a mistake to start, but you have to follow through or it will bite you next time.

I'm not sure what to do from here, but I know that we have to solve this somehow. Luckily the family bathroom right next to the women's where we were was magically unoccupied. I asked him if he wanted to see if they had automatic flushers. I mean it was 2 hours since he had told me he needed to go. He says yes.

Now here is something exciting. No, its not that there were normal flushers. Although, as I write this, I'm thinking maybe I went a little overboard on the we must do it thing. Anyway, I felt so close so I kept chugging on. What was exciting?

"MOMMY, THERE'S A LITTLE POTTY! IT HAS AUTOMATIC FLUSHER TOO!"

So I think to myself. Logan has got to be getting bored and is smiling at the little potty because I have to admit, it is cute. I see an opportunity.

"Logan, would you like to sit on the potty?"

Now what 18 month old who has seen his brother sitting on 3 different potties over the course of 2 hours wouldn't want to? So I hear a yes from him and take off his diaper and sit him on the potty. He was so proud of himself. I'm cheering him on and saying yeah Logan. Guess what? The potty didn't flush until after Logan got off. What a great demonstration even if there was no tinkle from him.

So I ask Dylan if we wants to get on it. We bargin over a smoothie. Usually, we get a small smoothie split in 2 glasses and I share the boys, alternating drinks. He asks for 3 smoothies this time and I say sure. I'm desperate. What is 4 extra bucks? He says yes. We get on and I'm talking him through it. Logan is trying to play with the flusher light as I am batting his hand away.

"Make it yellow. Make it yellow. You can do it."

I can see Dylan relaxing. No screaming this time and he starts going! YEAH!

"Keep it up! Keep it up! Yeah! You are doing it!"

Then I see the light stop flashing. Oh crap! The potty is going to...

FLUSH!

Dylan jumps up. I'm thinking. Oh, Logan, why?????? But Dylan doesn't get upset because I start jumping up and down.

"Oh you did it! You were so brave!!! Yeah, Dylan! We can do this at the airport."

He's jumping up and down with his undies and pants around his ankles. All is good. We call Grandmommy while we are in the bathroom and she gets all excited. She has been getting updates per bathroom and at lunch all morning so she appreciates it.

Thank you ,God! My child went in the automatic potty and doesn't hate me!

Now I just feel like we need to find some more automatic potties - one for each day - so that we can keep this new found skill up.

So I brought it on myself, but better now than next week I suppose.