Tag Archives: snake

How The S Word Helps With Potty Training

We’ve been in the midst of potty training for about two weeks now and have been seeing slow but steady progress. Hopefully we’re through the initial phase which I assume is the hardest part. Thanks in part to the S word, and of course a few healthy treat incentives like No Sugar-Added Lily’s Dark Chocolate Chips sweetened with stevia.

I’ll admit, Daddy got a treat every time she went potty too. They’re just too good not to sneak a few bites!

There are many potty training methods, and while we haven’t followed any of them to the T, the method we practiced most was the Two-Day Method a neighbor friend shared with us. Yes, the fact that I stay home with our daughter was a big factor here, but it can be done over the weekend too. As our friend recommends, aim to try when you have an extended weekend from a holiday or just take an extra day off.

Since I’m not here to lay out a full potty training program, I’ll spare you the minute details. Just know that within the week, after having our daughter in the house with diapers off, asking “Do you need to go potty?” more times than there are days in a year (Every. Day), and listening to a very unhappy kid who wanted to poop in her diaper, we actually made progress.

We felt hopeless at first, but many puddles and plops, a few successes with chocolate chip rewards, and use of the S word later, our little girl is going to the potty all by herself.

No, I’m not talking about the multitude of books on Socialism, Secrets, Suicide, Submission, and S**t with the title The S Word. I’m talking about snakes!

zoo, family, snake, reptile, kids, learning

Kids are fascinated with all kinds of creatures, and since she has a reptile-loving daddy, she started using “snake” to describe what she made in the potty. After her first BIG success in the potty, she stood up, turned around, and proclaimed “Ooooo, it’s a big snake! Hissssss!”

This was a proud dad moment on many levels. I mean, she freakin made a successful poop in her potty! After cleaning several plops on the floor and couch, I was beyond happy to see this milestone. As for the smell, not so much. Since that first snake, she’s made an entire family snakes almost every day.

Mommy snake, daddy snake, and several baby snakes have all been spotted in the potty. If she’s reluctant to sit on the potty but my wife and I see that she’s overly squirmy, we just ask her to try and make a snake. 8 times out of 10, she will at least give it a shot squeeze. And 9 times out of 10, a snake, big or small, makes an appearance.

She now knows to pull her underwear down and sit on her potty by herself. If we are outside or not at home, she sometimes says she needs to go potty, but this is still a work in progress. For that we are using The Honest Company Training Pants at night time and while out and about. Gone are the days of our cloth diapers, it’s Elmo undies and training pants here on out. Eventually going to just undies of course. I’m not sure what turned her on to liking Elmo so much though….

potty training, sesame street, elmo, the s word

Ohhhh yeah, nothing like watching Sesame Street on the pot. #ToddlerLife

We are proud of our little semi-potty trained girl. There’s nothing like being in the kitchen and all of the sudden hearing her going “Hisss-hissss-hissssssss!” after making a “snake” in the potty. True story, I heard her hissing and thought she was just making animal sounds so I chimed in and hissed too. Then I turned around to an odd smell and her undies down. Go Avery!

If you’re in the process or getting ready to start potty training, either get your kids excited about snakes or some other poop-shaped creature and learn the sound they make to use it as a form of victory call after pooping in the potty. Oh, but don’t forget the chocolate chip rewards. I know, it’s an ironic treat to have for poop, so feel free to use your own reward system.

After a week or two, they’ll be so proud of using the potty, they may not care about the rewards anymore. But they’re never proud enough to want pictures taken, so don’t do this….

potty training, toddler, poop, funny, humor, parenting

Avery Got Bit by a Snake Because of Her Dad

I just had to stop and look, didn’t I? Avery was having a good day today being all hunky dory and even sleeping good in her crib.

snake, april fool's, dad, humor, funny

With the nice weather gracing us with its presence, I decided to take Avery out for a run in the B.O.B.

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Things were swell, a nice breeze, a little cloud cover, and a great view of the lake.

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But, the crazy Canadian goose made an appearance and showed his (hers?) disapproval of us by hissing just like before.

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Feeling unwelcomed, I continued through our regular neighborhood loop hoping not to see the goose again. I got my wish, but we saw something else instead.

snake, april fool's, dad, humor, funny

I’m a reptile fanatic and can’t seem to ever mind my own business. I’m very keen on snakes and turtles in particular, so I had to stop and say hi to this guy.

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The first snake of the season just basking in the sun on the warm road. How could I not stop and check it out? But, when I stopped, this kind apparently likes to jump and strike. Crap, I’m an idiot.

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What kind of dad brings their baby in a stroller so close to a snake? Yep, yours truly. It struck and reached the tip of her right foot! Crying ensued after a very brief pause of terror on her face. I raced back home as quickly as possible with a face red from guilty embarrassment. I practically threw my poor daughter in a snake pit! Once home, I checked to see how the now eerily quiet Avery was holding out.

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Ummmmm, not good. I strapped her in the car seat and sped to the nearest Urgent Care. The wait wasn’t too long, but felt like an eternity. Luckily, the nurses found no signs of poisoning and the bite didn’t even draw blood. Phew!!!

Guess I never even checked for blood because I was so frantic. Today, I am Bad Dad #1 and guilt weighs heavy on my conscience! With a pretty bandage on her foot and a grim look on her face, we went back home. I feared telling Kelley the news and how my stupid curiosity caused the whole ordeal.

Kelley took the news better than I expected, but still gave me an earful. I’m surprised she’s still letting me keep my stay-at-home dad job after this one! So, moral of the story, don’t stop for snakes; especially not with your baby in a stroller!

I posted a picture of Avery’s snake below for all who care to see….

 

 

 

Avery_April Fool's