Potty Training

It has been quite the week in the Tubby house as we blocked off our social calendar to focus on potty training our two year old. I can’t say it’s been all fun and games, but I can say that it hasn’t been nearly as painful as I worked myself up thinking it would be, and I’m really proud of my daughter. She usually picks things up pretty quickly, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that she really blew potty training out of the water — no pun intended.

We both still have a little to learn as we navigate this new normal without diapers, but overall I’m marking it a huge success.

On day 3 of our new normal, we hit a wall. The fun and intriguing newness had worn off, and my two year was being, well, a two year old, who tries pushing boundaries and limits. It ended with one of the only big messes she had + me muttering a few choice words in my head. (A small note before the Nazi Moms come for me: this was completely a behavioral thing and not a real potty accident. Believe me, I know my child, and the look in her eyes said she knew exactly what she was doing, and she wanted to see what my reaction would be about it).

In the middle of this chaos, I saw what God has to see when He looks at me sometimes: Defiance. Disobedience. And a big ole mess that I created because I wasn’t listening.

I certainly didn’t chuckle in the moment, but later when I had time to stop and realize what God had shown me, I laughed hard. I hear ya, God. I understand.

I don’t expect perfection with the potty with my child right now, and God doesn’t expect perfection in me. He knows I’m going to make some more mistakes, because I’m just not God.

The frustrating part of this little dance is when the mistakes come from me deliberately not taking a potty break when He asks me to do it. Or when I’m angry because I’m not getting my way, so I just glare in his face and pee all over the floor — that’ll show Him!

How many times have I heard God whisper, “Just be still,” but I preferred some action? Too many times, let me tell ya. How many times have I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit telling me to, “Wait! I’m working behind the scenes!” but i spiraled into an anxiety attack because I didn’t fully trust in His deliverance? Too many times…especially lately.

When God asks me to stop and pause for a second, but I want to keep on moving, that’s when all the things get messy. When I take back over. When I pretend I didn’t hear Him. When it’s all said and done and I’m sitting in my mess, and I’m too prideful to run back to Him and admit it just yet.

Graciously, God waits. Even when I refuse, He keeps His promises. He waits on me to get my act together, and sometimes (MOST OF THE TIME) He even picks me up in the middle of the puddle and cleans me off before I even realize that’s what was happening. Without any prompting of my own, He steps in and handles business. He shows me.

She was crying, I was crying, but I stopped and grabbed her little hands. “Let’s take a breath,” I told her. We breathed together. “I know it’s hard. I know it’s not always fun. But this really is the better way.” She nodded her head and let me clean her up. When both her tears and her booty were dry again, she ran to me and gave me the biggest hug.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you, Mommy.” she whispered. And I reminded her that I don’t like it when she yells, but I’ll never stop loving her or helping her clean up when she needs me there to do it.

I hear ya, God. Who knew potty training could teach me a lesson, too?

With much love to my BloggerFam and S/O to our two year old who impresses me every day,

Allie