It's about that time I suppose. Despite the fact that they now make diapers that will fit Eliaya until she's in kindergarten, knowing that 75% of the world's children are potty trained by the time they're two or so motivates me to get crackin. (The idea of changing only 1 person again is lucrative too...)
So, we bought a little kid potty. Actually, we did this a while ago both because it was on huge sale and E1 kept asking about it. Then came the move, and the baby.... so needless to say it's been more of a bathroom decoration until this point. But no longer, we are gonna make use of it now. I hope.
If you've ever met E1, you know she thrives on verbal praise / words of encouragement. It's a little scary what we can get her to do just by cheering her on..... *note to self, teach discernment before she goes to middle school.* So we spent a few days cheering and she would sit on the potty, fully dressed. She has also learned how to open the bathroom door, so be careful to lock it while you're in there if you don't want a visitor :) Then we moved to sitting on the potty for real and we would count to 10 or sing a song then get off. Well, now.... the following has happened.
Elora was napping and Eliaya said she had to go. So we run to the bathroom, strip her down and take a seat. Eternity passes. Nothing. But she refuses to get up. Elora wakes up. I beg E1 to stay on the potty and tell her I'll be right back. While taking care of E2 I hear a panicked "uh-oh! uh-oh!" coming from the bathroom. Seconds later an overjoyed E1 comes racing across the living room yelling "potty potty!". Sweeping up both kids, I find that she was telling the truth! She did go! I think it mildly terrified her, but she did it! Success! After some cleanup, tons of praise and an animal cracker... our day continued and E1 told daddy, the dog, and all of our neighbors that she went on the potty. Like I said, she's a proud kid.
Then today. E1 said she wanted to go potty. She sat and sat and sat, begging for a prize, but I tried to tell her she had to go potty first. So what does she do? She walks into her room ,stark naked, grabs a book, and returns to sit on the potty (wonder where she learned that from.....). Perseverance pays off, about 3 minutes later we celebrated with another animal cracker.
It's funny how the Lord uses potty training an almost-2-year-old to teach me. Eliaya is so anxious for my approval. She is truly saddened when she gets disciplined for not obeying. She doesn't try to hide her emotions from me. Am I this transparent with God? Do I crave His approval and words of affirmation? Do I cling to the Word because it's His love letter to me? Do I feel deep remorse when I've disobeyed or is it easy to move on and pretend like nothing happened? Do I try to "play it cool" in front of the Most High God, acting like I've got it all together? For what??? He tells me to come to Him, bringing all my troubles and laying them at His feet.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)
Come before the Lord like a child. I pray I would desire to please Him, not to earn anything because the work of salvation is accomplished by Christ alone, but to be in closer fellowship and to know Him: my creator, redeemer, and lover of my soul. I know His grace through Christ has given me salvation and I will spend eternity with Him in heaven.... which, if you ask me, is a whole lot better than an animal cracker :)
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