Mom, I Have An Owie.

Oh man is life with a 3 year old boy a constant ride. At times the ride is fun, at times it is scary, at times it is exhilarating, surprising. And at times it is overwhelming. Thankfully these times come, and these times go. This past week was a week that I don't think I will miss...and I hope it does not linger into this next week. There were fun times, funny times, and not-so-fun-or-funny times.

Wanna go for a ride?

The not-so-fun-or-funny times:

Monday during nap time I was looking for my iPod. I searched high and low. I wasn't a happy camper because I knew that a "camp robber" had taken it. That same little bird was yelling from his bed so I knew he wasn't actually sleeping. I went down and got him by the hand and gently guided him upstairs. "Until you find and return my iPod you will not get to watch TV." I helped look because after a trip to the car, a trip upstairs, and the look of imagination pouring out of his face I realized that he didn't know where it was but he knew he'd better look. I was also hoping to find my missing calendar that had disappeared the previous week as well.

I pulled a book shelf from the wall in the office after searching and searching and thankfully both the missing iPod and calendar were found behind it. The Prairie Kid and I had a little "chat" and then he was put back in his bed. Now he was crying and yelling because I am sure he thought that nap time was over.

When it was time to actually retrieve the kid from his nap time (in which he never slept) I discovered a fowl odor in his room and two large spots on the carpet. Urine. "Did you go pee-pee on the floor?" Sheepishly, "yes." We proceeded to discuss this issue as we scrubbed carpet. I told him what would happen if he chose this behavior again. He would not be going to his cousin, "The Hero's," basketball game on Friday night. I knew I had to reach his heart and the only way I could do that was with something that meant a great deal to him.

Monday evening I went to sit at the computer and put my barefoot in a big puddle of ...urine...on the office floor. "This is so sad. You chose not to get to go to the game." And we cleaned it up together.

The Prairie Kid also pooped his pants 3 times on Monday, again on Tuesday, and maybe even Wednesday...I don't remember.

By Thursday we thought the urine issue was over. After all, for two days he hadn't done this and he was saying, "but I want to go to the bask-o-yo game." "There'll be other games. Better luck next time."

Thursday afternoon I saw a huge spill on the couch. Water? Nope, urine. I guess it was just too far for The Prairie Kid to walk the whole 15 feet to the bathroom to do this in the potty. "This is so sad. I am going to have to do something about this." After some tears, an "I need support" phone call to The Prairie Daddy, and a joint effort in cleaning up the couch, I took The Prairie Kid to his bedroom and he watched me remove everything...books, his playhouse, prized blankies, stuffed animals, etc. I told him how sad it was that he was choosing to go potty outside of the potty and that when he makes that choice he is choosing to lose his fun stuff.

He bawled himself to sleep for his nap.

Friday we left The Prairie Kid at our pastor's house while he thought we were going to the game. He was very upset. We grinned in knowing that we were reaching our kid's heart.

Two hours later we returned and talked to our kid. It seemed as though he understood. We had reached his heart. So we surprised him and took him to the last 10 minutes of the game.

Saturday afternoon I laid down next to The Prairie Kid in our upstairs guest room while he was watching a movie. I smelled something. I felt around on the carpet. Another big puddle of urine. We again cleaned it up together and I took him to his bed screaming. He went to bed with only a plain, not-so-prized blanket and when he woke up he discovered that he would no longer get to wear his beloved new cowboy boots, or old cowboy boots, or cowboy jeans, or the new basketball jersey auntie got him...until he only goes potty in the potty.

So far so good. Please Lord...let this be it.

The funny times:

"Mom, I'm gonna take my sleeping bag to Grandma's house! I'm gonna sleep outside!"

"It's too cold to sleep outside but you can sleep in your sleeping bag inside Grandma's house."

"Yeah! And we're gonna make a fire!"

"Uh, I don't think you can make a fire inside Grandma's house, okay?"

...later retelling this story to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa says "you better hide the matches from him!" I replied, "well, at least if he lights a fire we know he can put it out by peeing on it!"

A good laugh after a long week.

The fun times:

Saturday: "Mom, look! I have an owie!" The Prairie Kid had pulled up his shirt on one side and was pointing to a round, pink fleshy area. "An owie, Mom. I have an owie."

"Sweetie, that isn't an owie. That is part of your body. It's called a nipple. If you pull up your shirt on the other side you will see you have another one."

Shirt comes up. "Oh, nother one!"