Big girl Addy

Addison has done a couple of amazing things the past two days and I just had to share.

Yesterday, I was out on our patio/backyard hanging laundry. A very common task indeed. Addison was going in and out of the house. Another very common occurrence. Then Addy went in to stay. Like the big girl she's becoming, she sat down and took off her boots. Addy then shut the door so as not to let the heat out or the bugs in. I'm very proud that she's learned these things. The next thing Addison did was a tad frightening. She locked me out. I wanted to panic. I had no keys, no cell phone. There is no true exit out of the backyard. It's completely fenced in. I could have climbed it and went into the vacant lot, but then I would have been locked out of the entire building. I could have climbed the fence into a neighbor's yard. But, if they weren't home, that wouldn't do me a lot of good. Plus, leaving the back door meant leaving Addison and that scared me most. All these scenarios tumbled through my brain in rapid succession. "Addy. Please open the door for mommy". I knew she had stretched and pulled the handle down into place to lock the door, but would she be able to push it back up? Had she clicked the lock on the handle? "Addy. Please open the door for mommy. Please push the handle up," pointing to it as I asked. She understood. She stood on her itty-bitty tiptoes and pushed the handle to the up position. I was in. It was such a relief not to have to carry out any of the things I had thought of. Phew!

Addy the big girl continued learning new skills today. Toilet training hasn't been all that successful since the first couple of days. I knew to expect this. All my recent offers to take Addison have been meet with fierce resistance. The few times she did sit on the potty recently, nothing happened. Today we had a picnic in the park with Polar Bear Club (a post on that at a later date). Addy hadn't poohed before we left and she's not likely to do it in a public place. She needs the comfort of home. When we arrived home, I took her diaper off and put her on the potty. In a shear battle of wills, I made Addy sit on the potty until she pooped. It was at least 20 minutes, if not 30. I wanted to give in. But, I was tired from the picnic and honestly, didn't feel like cleaning her messy little bottom if she poohed in a diaper. She did it. Addison poohed in the big potty. I was elated! I could hear the choir of angels singing Hallelujah! A half hour later after having story time and milk (our nap time routine) Addy looked at me and said "Tinkle". !!!! Holy cow!!!! Ok! Let's go! Straight away into the toilet room we went and she tinkled just like she said she had to! No more baby Addy. We've got a big girl Addy now!!