we can do this, right?

if you are wondering what has been the focus of my time over the last week and why you haven't heard much from me, you have just probably figured it out. malena moved into a new preschool class at her daycare and they are a no go on diapers. we have been trying to move towards this transition, but now with the switch of rooms, we are essentially forced into 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, hard core and unrelenting potty training. endless laundry. accidents everywhere/anywhere/anytime. wet sheets. bribery with marshmellows. tears (her and me). crying (her and me, this potty training is rough on moms too). exhaustion (her and me, the disruption of a normal routine and all of the effort and angst is very tiring). reading dora books over and over again in the bathroom. debating a quick stop at the store for something that i really need versus the potential meltdown that could occur if an accident happens while we are there. i know that i did not appreciate as much as i should have going to the store with her in diapers and not having to think that i could be the reason that people hear "cleanup needed on aisle 8" over the intercom. i think that i smell pee everywhere i go. yesterday when i happened to be holding her when she had an accident, i realized that was the first time i had been directly peed on. check that box off of the list. all of this said, there have been successes and you know we all love those when they happen. i take comfort in a few things. one, most adults i know do not wear pampers, she will figure this out, it will just take time. two, i know moms that have kids that have been potty trained, they survived it, i can too. three, my friend ellie is going through potty training right now too (just to clarify, not ellie herself but her son willie:)), we can exchange tips on how to get pee stains off of our leather couches. we can be a little real-time mini-support group, we may need to meet in bars. four, barrett and i are potty trained, so she has some good genes supporting her in figuring this out. five, even though this is a rough patch, all of this in a big, messy, wet package - they are moments with her, and these are the moments the last year has been about.