The museum is closed this weekend, so I don't have to work at all. B has tomorrow and Friday off, is working Saturday (boooo) and has Sunday off. So we have essentially a four day weekend starting tomorrow, although admittedly one where we can't go anywhere.
Do you know how long it's been since we had such a long run of days off at the same time? I feel like I'm starting a grand tropical vacation, if only I could convince Sonya to dress up and be our cabana boy. What we'll probably actually do is go somewhere Improving like a museum or the zoo sometime this weekend, go to church Sunday and spend much of the rest of the time generally bumming around. I can't wait.
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It appears the secret to getting K back on the toilet is straight up bribery.* First, I introduced the idea of a long-term bribe (a Fisher Price Little People barn, which she was so engrossed with at daycare last week that I had to literally drag her away), to be given when she is completely out of diapers during the day (nighttime dryness can take a long time, and she has a genetic heritage of longer-term bedwetting, so I'm not going to make her reward hinge on something that could take years).
She was very enthusiastic about the idea of the barn and went charging upstairs, only to do an abrupt u-turn when we reached the bathroom door. So I decided that since two-year-olds are creatures who live in the moment, she needed a short-term bribe. In this case, chocolate. I brought out the bag of M&Ms and she practically sprinted for the bathroom. After the first time, where I was downright profligate with the chocolate, I've established more firm rules where she has to sit on the toilet for two minutes before she gets her treat. I'm going to gradually both increase the time and then move towards only rewarding actual production, but the key right now is just getting her in the bathroom again. It's definitely working - tonight, she sat on the toilet for at least another five minutes after I said she could get off because she was engrossed with playing with the timer I had brought in to count down the two minutes.
I know better than to count my chickens too early when it comes to a toddler, but the progress so far is encouraging. I may try putting her in a dress for some diaper-free time this weekend.
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In addition to the visit to someplace Improving and loafing, I'm hoping to get some projects done this weekend. Tomorrow, I'd like to make to a fabric store sans toddler, so I can get some fabric to get moving on the dinosaur dress.
And tonight, I made a very successful prototype of a four piece puzzle for K (pictures later). She was able to do the two-piece puzzles with absolutely no hesitation, so rather than searching high and low for something more complicated but not too complicated and then spending too much money, I made one tonight with Microsoft clipart and scrap cardboard for pennies. I'm looking forward to experimenting withy making more.
And if I'm feeling crazy, I might deal with the empty boxes drifting like tumbleweeds throughout the house.
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