Potty training Ace while I’m pregnant has been interesting to say the least. Even though we’re not using a super-intensive potty training bootcamp method, I still feel like I’m being battle-tested.
Allow me to illustrate.
When we’re at home, we spend most of our time in the family room. The closest bathroom is a tiny half bath, made even tinier, by the addition of a potty. It’s impossible for me to bend at the waist right now, so I squat down to help him. I probably have a permanent bruise on my knee from the number of times I’ve banged it on the toilet.
We’ve moved from diapers to training pants and they are largely similar, but the nice thing about the training pants is that they have the tearable sides so they’re easy to get off. Now getting the new pair on is the real test. I have to take off his gymshoes, take off his pants, put on a new pair of training pants, put his pants back on and put his shoes back on, all while during my baseball ump squat in a shoebox space with Bea hanging out between us.
When it’s time for him to wash his hands, he’s just short enough to not reach the faucet, even with a step stool. That means I have to pick him up and balance him on my knee. The other option is to put him up on the counter and lean him over the sink. Neither is easy or convenient with Bea taking so much of my front space.
And now, picture us in a less than sanitary public bathroom lacking a handicapped stall. I’ve had to pull off his training pants and now it’s time to put on a new pair. After he’s all done and wiped up, I sit him on my knee as I’m squatting down to get his new training pants, pants, and shoes halfway on. Only then will I consider standing him up and pulling them up all the way because I don’t want to risk him setting his foot down on the gross bathroom floor. Meanwhile my knees and hips are on fire. It’s quite the workout if you’re trying to keep your figure during pregnancy.
I know it’s a long shot for him to be potty-trained before Bea comes next month, but right now he’s generally a willing participant in this whole thing, so I’m going to keep trying to take advantage of his timing while I can. With any luck, I’ll have in diapers and one in underwear in about a month’s time.