Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Somethings never change

So now we are struggling with potty training Colin, which is of course, 2 steps forward (goes potty all by himself twice in one day), 2 steps back.

Since potty training goes better "nudie bum" as we say, Sunday evening that was the state of Colin's lower half. He did spend some outside, spraying the plants and playing with his bubble-blowing lawn mower. Last night, Anthony ran out to water some plants in the dark, and came back holding up his sandal in disgust. Since there is no dog detritus in our yard anymore (and this was way grosser), we knew who laid this turd. Actually, he did try to cover it up with a gutter drain spout.



Today when we were running to the store, I put the kids in their new sandals, then searched for mine - where are they? Oh, yeah, under my desk where I left them last night. But they're wet...and smell of pee. "Argh!" I yell, "Who peed on my shoes?"

"Not me!" Anna says.

"I do dis," Colin says.




Continuing the repetitive loop here at our house, Friday night Vino had another mishap. Fortunately he has not lost any more body parts. I got home to chaos - we wanted to go out to a local show, I was eating dinner, the kids were finishing their bath, the babysitter was arriving - and Anthony starts hollering, "Jennifer! Jennifer!" from the bedroom. Since he's not saying, "Mommy," I know its serious.

Vino had a little fake coral decoration in his cage, the kind you'd put in a fish tank, a present to him from Enricka (rodent goddess). It had little holes in it for fish to swim through, some big enough for Vino to crawl through. For some reason, he decided to crawl through a tiny hole, about the size of a quarter but triangular, and got stuck. His head fit, and since he only has one arm and shoulder, his thorax fit, and her got his abdomen through, then was wedged in at the pelvis. I tried pushing him back, and tried helping him through, but all I did was make his little eyes bulge out.

"I think I can get him out with the hack saw," Anthony said.

At first these words scared me, but Anth assured me that if I could just protect him a little bit, he could carefully cut the coral and get him out. So, we put a small piece of wood over one side of Vino and a corner of a blanket on the other, and cut Vino out of the coral.

Within minutes, Vino was hauling hamster booty around the cage again.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you were Britney Spears, you'd have Hamster Social Services at your house all the time ;-)

Emily said...

Ew. That's pretty gross about Colin peeing on your shoes and pooping in the backyard. That stuff goes in the potty, Colin!

Poor Vino. What a trooper, though. He must have 9 lives like a cat.

Leah said...

There is never a dull moment at your house. We the nurses were just talking about how people can train a dog to sit,come and go outside to do their business on comand. So why can't we do that for our kids. Well, it looks like you accomplished just that. Congrats!!! Just don't rub his nose in it. Maybe crate training will help.
Poor Vino, he needs to be put in a padded little room for safe keeping.

Anonymous said...

hahaha you took the words right out of my erm mouth,Leah...it seems mad at your house,Jenn..but fun? hahaha xxx

Anonymous said...

Yuckie....I think peeing in random places has gotta be a little boy thing- Anna never did that!
BTW: That is good "black-mail" material when Colin becomes a teen.

Aww, I just love lil Vino! He is a special part of your family- I'm glad he didn't lose another appendage. He could've made it to the Guinness Book of World Records...for a hampster surviving with the least number of appendages! =)And, great, quick thinking Anth! A hacksaw at first did sound a little daunting.
Did y'all ever make it to your show?

XOXOXOXOXOXO! See you guys this weekend!

Unknown said...

Goodness gracious, maybe someone should come up with Toddler Poop Camp like Doggy Basic Training. Wouldn't that be great? They'd come back all clean and with good potty skills like saying, "Excuse me, Mommy, but in 5 minutes I'm going to go use the restroom alone. I don't need you to wipe my bum, I can do it, but I thought you should know. Oh and I'll flush and wash my hands, don't worry." Ahhhhh, a mom can dream...

Anonymous said...

A small tourniquet and a bung will work wonders Jenn, it will focus the brain on the parts that do 'the business'.

Of cousre, you can always try Mungo the Monkey.

Jessica said...

Oh my! It looks as if Colin has confused the idea of tinkling in the potty with the idea of tinkling wherever he sees fit. Hum...kind of makes me laugh though. :)

I can't believe Vino got stuck in that tiny hole! I was amazed he could fit in there! How in the world did he get himself in there? I wonder how long he had been stuck like that? Poor Vino!

Anonymous said...

Mungo the Monkey! That's so funny that you mention that "pops"...because I was just thinking when Anna use to do that. One time in particular we, Jenn me and clan, were traveling along a VERY busy highway and Anna chimes," Mommie I need to tickle!" Jenn replies," We are not near a gas station, how about you go like Mungo the monkey?" Anna complied and she tickled right there on the side of the road. That memory is plastered in my brain......for some reason!

Anyway,that was a long story just to say I remembered the phrase 'Mungo the Monkey!'
I'm a little long-winded. =)

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO!

P.S. Edamamemommy, that's funny...although I'm not a mother...I can imagine what relief that would be to have your child say that! =) Maybe some, your dreams will come true...
*hums Cinderella song*

Anonymous said...

someday your dreams will come ture...

Anonymous said...

I love it: "nudie bum!"