Life Is Good: That's Poop

Sunday, May 31, 2009

That's Poop

new sink (aka a new boat)...a garage sale steal $10

Okay...I need some advice.

We have not started potty training yet, so we've not really ever discussed potty issues. He has a little potty that he will sit on (usually fully clothed) while I'm sitting on the potty, and we discuss "pottying". That's as far we we've gone with that.

For some reason he has started pooping in the bathtub! He gives no warning...no visible signs. It's just all of a sudden some nasty brown things invade the tub water. I have NO IDEA WHAT TO DO with this. Of course I immediately yank his wet behind out of the water and show him that what is in the tub is "not good". What do I do though? How do I get him to stop? If I paddle that sweet behind for his misbehavior I'm not so certain he will understand that the pooping is the bad thing, but the bathtub is not. I think he's conscience of what he is doing while doing it, but I'm not sure if he fully UNDERSTANDS all that is going on.

Any advice is appreciated. I'm tired of scrubbing the tub every night, and I sure don't want Ryan to think that it's okay to do that in the tub. On the brighter side...I SURE DO HAVE A CLEAN BATHTUB these days!

I apologize for all the discussion about poopy pooping issues.

6 comments:

a little love affair said...: Oh Julie.. Do I ever know what you are going through! Wyatt did the same thing and he was right about the same age as Ryan is now. Not sure why he did it! But I can say for Wyatt, it was more like a "phase" in his toddler years. It didn't last too long and I too was worried about having to discipline him for fear of when we started to potty train.I did the same thing you are doing now, and soon the bath water stayed clean :) Keep your fingers crossed this "phase" will pass quickly and your bathroom cleaner close by until it's over. Good Luck!; May 31, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Kim said...: That is very common for kids Ryan's age. Don't make a big deal out of it, but don't let him think it's OK either. Show him where the poop belongs. The "phase" will pass.; May 31, 2009 at 9:49 PM
twin power mommy ♥ said...: Gosh....i really don't know...Eli isn't in potty training mode, yet.

I bought him some underwear for his birthday, hoping he would be interested, but no such luck.

As far as poopy in the bathtub...perhaps stop bath time for awhile?
If it's something he really enjoys, he'll miss out on the enjoyment of a relaxing bath. You can stress that it's because he goes poo in there....dunno, just a thought.

Good luck with it.; June 1, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Anonymous said...: Maybe put him in the bath for a few moments and then place him on the potty before he poos.; June 1, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Hilary said...: Hello Julie,
I say before you put him in the tub put him on his little potty for a few minutes and tell/ask him to put his poopy in there...well that's what I would do. Man that's so gross. I know how it is though! Boys I tell you they are just nasty. I have one of each and my son he has just done things that my daughter would have never done so hang in there. it's a phase too. I went to underwear pretty fast too. Those pull-up where too much like diapers I thought. It was a rough couple of weeks with boths kids but pretty up hill from there. Hope that helps...; June 1, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Kristi said...: Yeah, I agree with Maker and Kim! All four of my girls did that. But I just said, "oh gross, we don't do that in the tub, poo poo goes in the potty." Took them out cleaned the tub and put them back in. They stopped pretty quickly. I think the warm water relaxes their bowels or something? :); June 1, 2009 at 2:48 PM

Brandy Danielle

Brandy is our firstborn, our precious angel baby girl. Her entry into this world wasn't without excitement. At 26 weeks I started preterm labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. With 10 weeks of strict bedrest, most of which were in the hospital, she made it to 36 weeks.
Brandy was diagnosed with "possible/probable" heart defect around 28-30 weeks gestation. After her birth she was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring and after a few days her defect was formally diagnosed and labeled...atrial septal defect and a cleft mitral valve.
Brandy, upon indications of failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension, underwent her first of 2 open-heart surgeries at 4 months of age. A week after her surgery on the day of her anticipated discharge home Brandy coded for 13 minutes...a stoke.
From that point on Brandy's life was full of doctor's visits, endless crying, pain and suffering. She underwent another heart surgery, fundoplication and g-tube surgery, treatment for infantile spasms, and a mountain of tests and procedures. Her brain damage was extensive.
Upon counseling of our wonderful, most amazing heart surgeon, Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, and many hours of prayer, we finally called in hospice and called off all of the extensive medical interventions and surgery needs that would prolong her suffering while possibly prolonging her life. Brandy, our precious baby girl...our angel...passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Saviour, Jesus at the tender age of 17 months.

Ryan Andrew

Ryan, our micro-preemie miracle, is a ball of life. After nearly a year of trying to conceive imagine our delight when we finally knew he was on the way. My pregnancy with Ryan was uneventful at first. It seemed perfect and with all of the precautions for preterm labor being taken and monitored we entered this pregnancy with cautious anticipation covered over by a whole love of naive excitement.
At 20 weeks we discovered our "Baby Peanut" was going to be a little boy. We began to make plans and began dreaming about the day we would meet our son.
Almost 2 weeks later everything changed in our lives. It wa a whirlwind of fear and emtions as I began to bleed, was sent for monitoring in L&D and eventually had an appointment with my OB only to find out that it was serious. I had incompetent cervix with hourglassing membranes. The doctor admitted me to the hospital immediately and an emergency cerclage was placed. The statistics were grim, but the hope was to keep our son inside for at least 10 more weeks. We only made it 10 more days.
Early in the evening of February 11, 2007 our son, Ryan, came into this world in emergency fashion at only 23 weeks 5 days gestation. He weighed 1 pound 8 ounces and was 12 ½ inches long. He was so tiny. All I could think of was “oh my goodness is he really that tiny? And is there any way he could actually make it?” I tried to hold on to hope, but in all honesty I had never met anyone with a baby born that early and that small that ever made it.
Ryan did make it! It was a long, hard road, but in the end he spent 90 days in the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 2 months. Finally on one fine glorious day in May we bundled up our 4 pound 4 ounce baby boy and went home...May 11, 2007.
Ryan is now a spunky, lively, strong-willed little boy. His laughter is contagious and his spirit is compelling. He is our miracle. There are no words strong enough to share our delight and joy that God has blessed us with this little boy.