Things you never think about...

One of the rites of passage (for parents as much as for kids) is potty training. While I have tried to say as little as possible about this process because even I don't really want to hear about it, a couple of things have come up with Alex which have surprised me and that I don't remember being an issue for Jacob.

Specifically, toilets that flush themselves. I don't know if they have become more common or if it's just a bigger deal for Alex, but every. single. time. we are in public we have a conversation about whether the potties flush themselves. He's gotten very good about figuring it out though - when we walk in he looks for a handle. He's always very excited to see the handle because that means it doesn't flush by itself. If it doesn't have a handle he looks for a button because buttons almost always mean it does flush by itself. Very recently we've been able to manage toilets that flush by themselves by putting a hand over the sensor but prior to that he just wouldn't use them. And they really are everywhere. But this whole situation led to one of the funniest conversations I have ever witnessed between the boys. 

We happened to be somewhere with a portapotty. Now Jacob can not pass up a portapotty. I have no idea why, but whenever he sees one he realizes that he urgently needs to use the bathroom. So obviously Alex was eager to check it out. But, of course, they don't have handles. So the conversation goes like this:

Alex: No Jacob. I am not going in there - it has no handles! It will flush by itself!

Jacob: No Alex! It doesn't have a handle because it doesn't flush at ALL. Here - I'll show you. 

Chris and I: Uh oh, this doesn't bode well.

So Jacob proceeds to lead Alex into the portapotty and explain, briefly, how it works. Alex in his most adamant "you can't fool me" voice, then proceeds to point to every single rivet holding the thing together saying "but there's a button and there's a button and there's a button...and it flushes by itself and I have to leave now". 

Thankfully we weren't there long.

Other conversations we've had to have: You have to stand on a stepstool if you want to pee standing up. You have to pull down your underpants if you want to pee standing up. You can not poop standing up (luckily this one was only theoretical).

Boys.

And on another note: Congrats to Karen and Brandon who will be having to deal with this in a couple of years! Their little boy, Bryce, is our first nephew (we have three nieces on my side of the family) and he was born on September 3rd. Enjoy the ride guys - it's not easy but it's worth it!