and so it begins. (potty training a toddler.)

I'm undertaking something ambitious this week:

It's time to potty train Rocco.

Oh, yes, my friends.  It's that time.  Actually, I think it was that time about three months ago, but we have been so stinking busy with everything that I just haven't had a week to set aside to actually train him, so I've made him wait.  I know.  Terrible parenting.

I always equally look forward to and dread this stage.  It is always so worth the work, but man, is it work.  It doesn't matter how ready they are.  It doesn't matter how prepared you feel.  There is always a moment during the week where you break down in tears and pray for the rapture to come and take the kid straight to heaven.  (Sadly, you will be left down below, because if anything can get you right to the edge of losing your salvation, it's potty training a toddler.  But at least you'll be down here with nothing left on the day's agenda and a sparkling, urine-free floor.)

I'm planning on posting about how to actually go about potty training a child, but every single time I have my feet on the starting blocks with the up-and-coming trainer, I panic that I really don't remember how this works.  So I'll get a few days under my belt with Rocco this week before spouting off advice.

But I will say this: before jumping in with any of the kids, I take them to Walmart to pick out their choice of new undies.  Rocco picked out Paw Patrol.

We spent all last evening talking about how he's going to get to wear big boy undies like his brothers, and stressing how much the puppies don't like to get pee on them.  "Do we put our pee on the puppies?  No.  The puppies think that's gross.  Where do we put our pee?  That's right! In the potty!"  Etc. etc.

We'll see how convincing that all was as the day progresses.  I'll keep you posted.