Hit or Miss…

I meant to write about this a month ago, but I was hoping there’d be a repeat performance to tell you about rather than just a “one shot” deal. For those of you squeamish about bodily functions (which seems a staple of baby blogging), I suggest you link out now here or here, depending on your preferences.

We know it’s too early to expect any real progress on potty training, but the boys are showing signs of interest or at least curiosity. While they have never seen the Barnum and Bailey Circus for comparison, daddy in the bathroom is clearly the “greatest show on earth,” particularly when waterworks are involved. In any case, about a month ago Liam developed a new habit in the bath time routine. When I’m home, I strip them down and take off their diapers while mommy brushes their teeth. Since brushing takes longer than disrobing two toddlers, even wriggly ones, I also run the bath water before Tiffany’s done with both of them. This leaves one or both of them some unsupervised time.

Liam usually entertains himself, but recently we get suspicious if he stands in the corner by the door. We have good reason. Every time he goes to this corner he turns back to the room and lets fly. The only thing louder than his shriek of joy is his mother’s shriek of horror, or perhaps Graeme’s giggles of delight. After a short burst, Liam stops to survey his work, but we have learned this does not mean he is finished. If we do nothing (other than start to clean up the damage) he waits a minute and then fires again, usually on the unsuspecting clean up crew. They find this even more amusing that a target free shot. We’ve learned.

About the second time I witnessed this, we swung into action. I grabbed Liam and swooped him over to the toilet. His next shot was controlled and “on target.” He seemed to really enjoy that and flushing afterwards, which makes his unwillingness to repeat it all the more baffling. We’ve got him in the corner both before and after his first shot and he simply gets stage fright once I get him to the toilet regardless of whether I hold him or we get him a stool to stand on.

We know he has to go. You can read it in his eyes. Well that and the minute he hits the bath water you can see the rivulet of current in the water. Mommy is thrilled by this, particularly when his brother starts trying to drink the bath water a few minutes later.