Monkey 'Pee', monkey do

Funny learning experience at the Pediatrician's today...

I took Lucy to the doctor because after going to the bathroom last night (she's totally got the potty thing down by the way! AWESOME!) she announced that it made her v. hurt. Then, this morning, she refused to go again, and made a huge scene about not wanting to go -- odd behavior, as she's been so happy to go the last week or two while she's been potty training.

The pediatrician's office is next door to her dentist, which is where we were this morning for her teeth cleaning/checkup, so I called to see if they'd take her, for I was pretty sure we're dealing with a urinary tract infection. Poor girl-just as she learns to pee in the potty like a big girl, this happens! :-(

So, we hurry in (notice my word choice of "hurry"? 'hurry' you may be asking...how can you hurry anywhere with two kids in tow? I could only 'hurry' because Tiffany was kind enough to watch Jack so I could take Lucy to the dentist and focus just on her-HUGE thanks, Tiffany!)

Of course Dr. Susan needs her to pee in a cup. Right, Lucy who's adamantly REFUSING to pee. How can I make this happen???? Fortunately, I had some sweet tarts in my purse, so I donned the biggest grin I could, hiked up my voice a few notches, and trotted Lucy into the bathroom on my hip, baiting her..."Look what I've got! Some sweet tarts for a game we're going to play."

Lucy: "Game?!?!?!" "Sweet tarts!?!?!?"

Me: thinking, okay, got her interest..."Yes, we're going to play a game where we try to get our pee into this cup (lots of theatrics as I reveal a plastic cup with green lid)-awesome, right?"

Lucy: blank stare

Me: decides the sweet tarts might be more appealing to Lucy if they were POURED out of the bag so she could see all those little morsels ripe for the taking.

Lucy: watches the sweet tarts spill over the counter (Damn! Wait, it's okay...I have breath mints in my purse-crisis averted!)

Me: "Okay, Lucy, I'm going to put you up on the potty, and I want you to let your pee pee out and I'm going to catch it in this cup! (Lets me put her up on the toilet seat, but then covers her v. with her hands and begins wailing, "NOOOOOO PEEEEEEE PEEEEEEE, Mama {this "mama" phrase is new, and I much prefer "mommy"} but anyways, we're going downhill and fast).

Lucy: quickly scoots herself off the potty, jumps over my legs (I was sitting on the bathroom floor, legs straddling the darn toilet so I could hopefully catch this elusive urine! throws open the bathroom door, and runs BARE-ASSED into the hallway.

Okay, time to regroup (Thank God Jack is not here with me!)

I discover my half-naked daughter at the end of the hallway, near the waiting room. I scoop her up and we walk to the nurses station so I can get another pee cup -- a pee cup for yours truly.

Me: "Okay Lucy...new game: who can put more pee pee in the cup. I have my own cup I'm going to pee in, and you have your cup for you to pee in. Let's see who can get more pee. I'll go first."

Lucy: face lights up, "Okay!"

Me: okay, I think I've got another chance here, please God let this work!

And it did...I was a big girl and put lots of pee pee in my cup, and then Lucy happily and willingly did the same.

We almost had another problem when Lucy wanted me to put my cup in the magic wall door along with hers, but I was able to distract her with a breath mint while I tossed my very full cup of pee in the trash ;-)

And this time when she returned to the hallway to walk back to our room, her cute little butt cheeks weren't jiggling around for the world to see...

Kids sure do imitate lots of things we do and say; use it to your advantage when necessary :-)