Play-Doh and Potty Chairs

It’s been a big week here. First day of preschool, first time using the potty for its intended purpose, first week of fastening my pants with a rubber band… But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me back up and tell you about our first-ever Parents’ Night at Miles’ new school.

First of all, both parents were requested to be there and it was held on a weeknight. Hello?! Have you ever tried to get a sitter on a school night? But we did, so we trekked off to a stuffy auditorium to watch slideshows of cute kids and listen to speeches from the head of every committee and council and fundraiser at the school. Then we went over a diagram of the carpool drop-off and pick-up procedure, as detailed as any complex military operation.

Finally, we got to go see our kids’ classrooms and meet their teachers. You know how on sitcoms they always show the parents cramming themselves into those ridiculously tiny chairs at school events? Well, it’s TRUE! I had no idea. Anyway, the classroom was adorable. Miles already had a little cubby with his name on it and a bunny-shaped name tag. Too cute!

Monday was the first day. Really, just an orientation, since it was an hour long and I went with him. At first he was surprisingly shy -- I didn’t expect that -- but he soon warmed up. By the next day, he was running toward the entrance and barely gave me a quick kiss before he was off to play with the trucks. So much for separation anxiety.

People keep asking me if I’m sad that my baby is starting school. Actually, I’m not. He’s happy, so I’m happy. Plus, he’s going to preschool for a few hours 2 days a week, it’s not like I’m packing him off to Princeton. And let me tell you, those few hours FLY by. I don’t have time to miss him. I spent one whole morning sitting around the ob/gyn’s office waiting to get weighed and pee in a cup. What freedom, huh?

With Miles starting school, not to mention this other baby on the way, I’ve been a bit anxious about my son’s, uh, “failure to launch” when it comes to potty training. Not that I’m exactly making it a priority. (I did just receive my free Pull-Ups potty training DVD, but I haven’t watched the whole thing yet.) Only one kid in his class is trained, though, so I guess we’re not too far behind.

So imagine my surprise when the night after his first day of school, Miles takes the initiative to sit on the potty himself. Not only that, but he actually PEED in it!! He looked as surprised as I was. And SOOO proud of himself! Alas, only a few moments later, doing the Big Boy Underpants dance in his room, he began to pee again. On the carpet. When I (involuntarily) shouted, he stopped, we hustled back into the bathroom, and he finished up there. That’s progress, right? Alas, he hasn’t gone anywhere near the potty the past couple days.

Oh, well, one thing at a time. Right now I’ve got to make sense of this recipe for homemade Play-Doh his teacher sent home from school. And also, dig my maternity clothes out of storage. I don’t want to be known as the class mom who walks around with her pants unbuttoned, do I?

RECIPE O’ THE WEEK: This pregnancy, I am obsessed with grilled cheese and tomato soup. I have finally perfected my grilled cheese technique: Stick a couple of slices of cheddar or the cheese of your choice between two pieces of bread. Lightly spray both sides of the sandwich with cooking oil. Pop it in a George Foreman grill and a couple minutes later -- ta da! The perfect toasty, crispy grilled cheese.