Back To Adapting

It was a slightly different "back to normal" today. I found myself with kids neatly squared away at their respective schools rushing home to Miss Leeloo. Which wasn't an altogether unfamiliar thing, to have a baby at home. I reflected on what I saw as the biggest challenge all the way home: How will I get her outside quickly? Luckily, she had been out a few minutes ago and was lazily munching her breakfast in her "room" (crate) when I got back, passing my husband in the driveway.

She was calm enough and settled down to sleep for a bit afterward so I had time to ponder. I mulled it over while I folded laundry and tidied toys. I wasn't going to cause a regression making her pee on the pee pee pads all day. Plus, that wouldn't be super fun for my back either. I decided to try my go-to in Middle School, I would attempt to use my wheelchair as a stroller and push her to the backyard. If that failed I could attempt to carry her on my lap.

Plan A was an epic fail. She wanted nothing to do with being in the wheelchair by herself and even with my arm serving as a seat belt she jumped out. Than I attempted to sit down and scoop her up, but she is no longer the 13.1 pound baby we brought home. While I am still able to lift her from the lower couch trying to pick her up from my wheelchair is a no go. Shoot. We'd have to do it baby duck style. She'd have to follow me.

I got her outside, but she recoiled from the heat and camped out in the shade on the patio. I rolled down into the grass and tried to coax her out. I used the same words Mike does "pee pee time". She didn't budge. After such a long nap she had to be bursting. I got down on the ground and petted her, eventually pulling her into the grass. I got up and watched her for what felt like forever and then finally she got up sniffing. With her bouncy puppy run she found a nice spot in the flower bed and took a tinkle. I praised her no end and thought maybe we might just make it.

The rest of our potty trips were increasingly longer and in some cases unsuccessful. Just like a toddler she followed happily then almost immediately began testing my resolve. On the plus side she knows Mommy and Daddy can take her out to potty now with certainty. Also a bright spot she's 11 weeks old Thursday which means in a week she'll be old enough to hold it. She's growing up so fast.