Nana Holds

Thanks so much for joining me for a little break today at Chicklit Power! It’s so good to be sharing coffee and memories with you! Grab your coffee and come on in. We left off about our discussion of a backpack and matching lunch pail for big boy school!

So that’s how we’d start the day, discussing which backpack and matching lunc pail he was going to get when he was all potty trained and ready for big boy school. Then I’d put a pull-up on him, get him dressed and give him kisses with a reminder to tell Nana when he had to go potty so we could begin to prepare for big boy school.

And we were also using one other bribery tool: coins! He loves coins. Every time he made bubbles, he would get to take two coins out of the little glass jar that I set on the tank of the toilet. Then he would run into his room to add his two coins to his piggy bank. But the real bribe was for him to go number 2 in the potty! We told him he could have a whole handful of coins out of Papa’s bank when he pooped in the potty.

It’s funny how that started, too, now that I think about it. He used to see Papa’s change in his bank and he’d just stick his hand in it and take some change without asking. Well, rather than scold him, we told him every time he went poo-poo in the potty, we’d let him come into Papa’s closet and take a big handful of coin out of his bank. (That way he earned the money and wasn’t just taking it!)

It took what felt like a long time – a few weeks but I’ll never forget the first time he did it. He was acting like he had the urge so I set him on the potty and told him I’d be right back. I ran upstairs for something – I don’t even remember now – and I had just made it into my bathroom and I heard: NAAAAAAAAANA! I did it. I went poo-poo in the potty! I ran downstairs so fast I just know I missed every second step and flew into the bathroom to verify his announcement!

Sure enough, there it was! Holy cow! It really worked and it continued to work. I love rewinding the memories of when he would get to go into papa’s closet and reach for his bank and take a handful of coins.

We’d pick up Papa’s bank together, put it on the floor, and Bryden would kneel down on his knees and get as comfortable as he could stand it. Then he would stick his whole hand in there, and dig ever so deeply into at least eight inches of coins – I’ve had to fill it three times – and he’d bring his hand up ever so slowly so as not to lose any of his hard-earned coins.

Before they began to spill, I’d say, “Use both hands so you don’t lose any.”

He’d put his other hand right next to the coin-packed one and let a few spill into his empty hand and they we would scurry into his room to transfer the coins into his very own piggy bank!

Oh, I treasure those moments of turning potty-training into praise! I marvel at the gift of second chances, of unexpected opportunities for do-overs! We serve a loving and creative God!

Join me tomorrow for our Power Friday!

Evinda

Nana Holds!

Thanks so much for joining me for a little break today at Coffee Hour. Grab your coffee and come on in.

As the days passed and we got into “our” routine again, I began to relax a bit with him, and he with me. I realized that God would reveal whatever the “something keeping me from something” was, but it would come easier if I didn’t let it rent so much space in my head as that would take me away from what He’s actually trying to accomplish in me and through me as I learn to put into action all the things I’ve learned and put to rest all that I’ve unlearned!

See, with the visits to others, potty-training was sort of put on hold so with no immediate visit away from home for at least three weeks, I began to give this chore a lot more dedication and yet, I was learning not to be so serious at the same time.

I’m not sure how the subject came up, but I’m pretty sure it was in the midst of another accident, and this one was a poopy one and George was the lucky one on cleanup at that moment! In his frustration, he brought up big boy school came and told him, “How am I going to take you to big boy school if you keep pooping your pants?”

Well that little seed must have resonated in Bryden’s head and it didn’t take long to root. He kept talking about big boy school. I mean the concept totally got his attention and let me tell you, we took that tool and ran with it as if it were the last football to touch the 100 yard line! Although we did look a bit dorky as we still weren’t quite so sure what we were doing and how we were doing it!

I’d tell him each morning, Bryden’s gonna go to big boy school and Nana and Papa are going to get you a big-boy backpack and a big boy lunch pail. His eyes would get real wide — and he has the most expressive and big brown eyes! And I just love the way he’d repeat it, his pronunciation of “big” incredibly heart-warming as he emphasized his the “b,” nearly sputtering every time because he said it so hard.

And then we’d have a discussion on what type of backpack he wanted for big boy school, and the lunch pail had to match. He was torn between Spiderman, Superman and Sponge Bob and I assured him that when the time came and he was going potty in the toilet all by himself, we’d go and get that backpack and matching lunch pail.

Join me more potty-training praises tomorrow!

Joyfully

Evinda

Nana Holds

Happy day to you! Thanks for stopping by for a little coffee break at Chicklit Power. Grab your coffee and come on in for some sweet memories we made while waiting for September 24th, the date that would determine guardianship for little Bryden.

Rewinding the memories, I can’t help but smile as I see them outlined in support, the support of friends and especially CPM family. Bryden became more and more outgoing, that is until something happened and then all of a sudden we would watch him hide. And then, out of nowhere the answer of his hiding would come in that distinct odor. Yup, he was beginning to hide every time he pooped his pants!

Just the reminder makes me break out in another hot flash! I couldn’t believe it; in my 50s and God was calling me to potty-train! Really! Never in a million years did I imagine this is what I would be doing at 50-something! But it was time and so I began to get prayed up; after all, he was two-and-a-half. And despite his daddy’s mom telling me that Bryden’s daddy didn’t train until he was three, and George told me this too, I knew if I was ready, then Bryden would get there, too!
So, if you can imagine, there I was hot-flashing and daring to begin the vicarious roller coaster ride of potty-training. I remember thinking to myself that I so wanted this to be a more positive experience than it was the first and only time I did this with my son. I wanted to experience more highs than lows. I didn’t want to get myself so worked up, so instead I prepared myself emotionally for lots and lots of accidents. I wanted to be patient, patient, patient and equally as loving.

Well, it definitely takes more than good intentions! This child had to be the hardest-headed little two-and-a-half and for a couple days, I felt derailed from my good intentions. See, when he would have an accident, I’d ask him, and he’d say no!
My first reaction was that of old coping mechanisms as I inwardly accused him of lying. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why he would lie. But after a couple of those instances, and a few talks with a couple of friends, understanding settled in as I prayed for a mind of a two-and-a-half-year-old. He was just being two-and-a-half and he didn’t understand it as a lie; he just knew from my tone, my attitude, and my body language that this type of accident wasn’t a good thing. I didn’t want him to feel shame and yet my frustration contradicted that.

I was determined not to let frustration win and for there to be no memories that would scar this little guy! It was in this process that the hint of something incredibly important began to surface, but I couldn’t quite put my grasp on it. The mere hint of it pulled me up and away from old behaviors and familiar frustrations and even though I couldn’t quite tell then what it was I can now, but it’s not the right time to share it in the story.

And Bryden’s daddy was focusing on what he was in Teen Challenge for, and as we sat in our chairs waiting for them to call his name for the first phase graduation, we were convinced of that.
Yes, George and I were experiencing all kinds of redemption, amazed at His sovereignty that makes true redemption possible. Join me Monday for more moments of Nana Holds.

Transformed,

Evinda