GARDEN BOXES and 3 YEAR OLD LECTURE

We finally finished our garden boxes out of Trex. For the first time in my life I am actually excited about the thought of having my own garden. I suppose I do have some of my Grandma Lila in me. Daison and I were working hard to finish the boxes, fill them with soil, and place wood chips around them. As many of you know we have struggled to get Maelyn intersted in potty training. We have tried reward big and small, we have tried consequences, we have been nice, mean, upset, patient, and tried to reason with her. We are learning that she is just as stubborn as her parents. So while working hard we put a pool in the back yard for the kids to play in...I stripped them down. When Maelyn was done I put her clothes back on minus the diaper - Oh and here comes the lecture!

"MOM, you can't put my clothes on without a diaper because then I will pee on my shorts and it will get all over and onto my shirt and then I will have pee all over. (with a sassy look on her face and pointing around) and then I will pee on my bike and my slide, and the basket ball hoop, and the swings, and the stairs, and all the stuff. I will pee on it all so you have to put a diaper on me!"

"Maelyn do you have to go potty?"

"No, mom I don't have to go potty but you have to put a diaper on me because if you don't I am going to get pee all over myself and on the.......the list continues.

"You are ok without a diaper, just let mom and dad know when you have to go potty and we will take you"

With arms folded and a scowl on her face, "I don't have to go potty, I just need a diaper on"

Daison "If you have to go pee then just pee outside"

She thought for a minute and got excited so we ran over to the planter to have her squat then she starts again "Mom, I can't pee outside because Grandma Pat told me that there are stickers on the bushes and if I pee on the ground then it is going to scratch my butt so I can't pee outside!"

So I take her inside to set her on the potty and she proceeds to get mad.

"I don't have to go potty I just need a diaper on"

"No you don't Maelyn just go play outside without a diaper and tell us when you need to go"

I walked outside to begin working again and here comes the lecture from the top of the stairs yet now in a louder voice.

"MOM, YOU DIDN'T PUT A DIAPER ON ME AND I NEED TO HAVE A DIAPER ON SO I DON'T PEE ON EVERYTHING!

"Ok Maelyn then go get a diaper and I will put it on you"

She smiles and runs in the house to get a diaper and brings it to me prompty lying down in the grass for me to put it on. Once the diaper was in place she went on her way playing outside.

Today I learned that she is strong willed and she will be ready when SHE is ready.