Of Telling the Truth

For those who have followed the potty training saga, you know it has been a struggle.  However, for the past few months, Micaiah has been doing great.  She still wears a diaper/training pants at nap-time and bed-time, but we're happy with where we're at for the present.  When she's ready to potty, she pulls her little white step-stool up to the toilet, pulls her potty seat from its hook and sets it in place, then climbs up and takes care of business.

It can be a struggle, though, when it's time for bed and she is hesitant to go to sleep.  One way in which she rebels is to drag her feet in going potty.  She'll go in the bathroom and hide behind the door, or (if she doesn't want to be spanked for that) she'll simply move as slow as humanly possible in putting everything in place.  It's a habit we've been trying to break.

Thus, this afternoon, when it was time for a nap, it was no surprise to me when she refused to go potty.  I once again commanded her before I went a separate direction to get something else done.  When I returned, I noted the light on the in the bathroom, but no stool in front of the toilet, or even in the room, and the potty seat was still on its hook, though I had never heard her move it to or from.  This girl was going to be in T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

"Micaiah!" I yelled calmly stated, "Why aren't you on the potty?!"
"Because I already make water." [that's her self-created euphemism]
"Are you lying to me?" I asked angrily as I went to retrieve the stool from the kitchen (a task I would normally assign to her, but this getting-ready-for-bed thing was taking too long already), surprised she would lie about using the potty - she has lied about other things, but we can always count on the truth in this matter.
"No."
"Then how did you go potty without a stool?" I asked, smugly, holding up the white object that was so clearly catching her in her deception.
Innocently, she shrugged, "I just climbed up."
I noticed, then, that she was wearing underwear, but no pants.  She typically only takes off the pants after going potty.  Could she really be telling the truth?
"Show me." I demanded.
Sure enough, there goes my little three-year-old, into the bathroom as she pulls down her underpants and lifts herself to the seat - no stool, no potty seat, just her and the toilet, like a big girl.

When did this happen?!  Oh my word, she's growing up!

1,000 Gifts:
133. A long-distance relationship with my sister, kept alive via Google chat.
134. Our wonderful neighbor who isn't afraid to try new recipes - we're always willing guinea pigs.
135. A gracious heart learning to trust in the Lord for her needs.
136. A small green tin, adorned with images of Santa Claus, filled with plastic jewels to help our little girl celebrate the tv's "pretend birthday."
137. A glass cake platter topped with delicious Coca-Cola Carrot Cupcakes.
138. A new way to use an old shelf.


Taking Time for Play: Toys
When Micaiah saw this shelf this morning - one I had pulled from Joey's closet and put out for a new purpose - filled with toys, she exclaimed, "Can I play with them?!"