It finally happened - UGH!

I've heard and read of other mother's who have experienced this with their children, and, up until yesterday, I was lucky enough to not be able to relate.

I've posted before about Ben's less than ideal sleeping habits, and this past week has been no exception. For some reason, he has decided to forgo his afternoon nap. I refuse to give up on this one though, so even though he's wide awake in there, he stays in his crib for the allotted nap time. Yesterday, however, he added a new twist. After playing and talking to himself in his crib for over an hour, we suddenly realize that he was talking to us. I distinctly hear him say, "mommy, poopie. Mommy, poopie." This is not a new occurrence. He has become more and more aware of his dirty diapers, and will frequently ask to be changed. So, thinking that this must be the reason why he has been awake for so long, Shawn decides to go in, change him, and put him back in his crib to finally sleep.

Not more than 1 second after entering Ben's room do I hear Shawn frantically yell out, "Naomi! come here!!" I run to his room only to discover that Ben has totally stripped down, taken off his diaper and is holding it, poop laden and all, in his hands for us to take (like it's a gift or something????). He had such an angelic look on his face that I really think he thought he was doing us a favor. "Well, why don't I just save mom and dad the trouble of changing my diaper and do it myself?" Thanks, but no thanks, son!! Thankfully, unlike other children about whom I've heard, he did not decide to finger paint with his new discovery. But it was all over his sheet and his backside, of course.

After cleaning him off, changing the sheet and disposing of the "mess," we got him back in bed. The little stinker (literally) never did go to sleep.

Time to potty train? Um, yeah.