kismet art: I Have an Extra $42.79 Burning a Hole in My Pocket

Yes, it's true, I have an extra $42.79 burning a hole in my pocket this month because we are now potty-trained. And I say we are potty-trained because it has been a collected effort (thanks Dave for all the times you have literally run to the bathroom when the battle cry of "I gotta pee" sounds, and thanks to you big-brother Ben who has tolerated the ever mobile potty-chair with only a modicum of embarrassment and a lot of encouragement of your immodest sister who many a time insisted that only you could take her to the bathroom.)

We have survived pee on the floor, pee in the car-seat, pee on our bed (more than once, our comforter is now really, really clean and I just can't wait to get that EWEB bill), pee in the pants, and pee around, but not quite in the toilet.

I remember one of the things that went through my mind (after the usual elation, excitement, etc,) when I found out that I was pregnant with Emma (and besides the thought that everyone in our home was sleeping through the night and that was about to change, again) was "oh crap, everyone in our house goes to the bathroom by themselves, and now we will be diapering and potty-training, again..."

But after a couple of days of naked from the waist down (Emma, not the whole family), buying some big-girl underwear, moving the potty chair to the most convenient spot (outside, the living room, and even taking it along on a family beach vacation where when Emma spied her potty chair in the condo's bathroom she picked it up, hugged it, and exclaimed "my potty, I love you") we seem to be on the home stretch of potty training. Diapers are still worn at night but are often dry first thing in the morning. I haven't had to wash any bedding in days. And she has even peed on the road (not on the actual road but in public restrooms while we are out and about- and after using a few of them we may just start peeing on the road, but that is a different story for another day.)

And truly, the best thing about this potty-training story is how proud Emma is of herself. She exclaims "I a big girl" every time she goes and celebrates each success with a little song and dance. And I have heard more than one woman laughing out loud in an adjoining stall when Emma exclaims "I did it, I made pee" (maybe those public restrooms would be a little better if we all yelled that.)

So if you see me around with a paper cup of coffee in my hand from a chain-coffee store or a new lipstick on my lips don't go thinking we just won the lottery, I just have a little extra spending money this month that isn't going towards the purchase of diapers.

And that, to me, feels a little like winning the lottery.