I didn’t start sewing for Henry until 6 o’clock this morning. 
 
You see, I have this thing about sewing for babies whom I know are coming. It makes me nervous, and my sister, your beloved Mrs. Chicken, has had such a tough time these past few weeks and months that I didn’t want to take any [...]

A conversation with my mother-in-law sparked a Sunday filled with anger, recriminations and tears.
She asked me how potty training was going.
The Poo is progressing nicely from toddler to full-blown preschooler, with her big girl bed, ability to get in and out of the bathtub by herself and her ever-exploding language and imagination skills.
She is, in [...]

Last night was a very special night.
Last night, we (and by “we” I mean my husband) lifted The Poo into her crib for the very last time. This morning, her big-girl bed arrives, in all its white bead-board glory.
We’ve waited weeks for this newest piece in the puzzle that is The Poo’s girlhood. She is [...]

Turns out all you need to force a small girl to pee and poop on the potty is this:

The Poo was farting up a storm so I asked her if she wanted to sit on the potty. Of course she said no, until I told her this:
IF YOU POOP AND PEE ON THE POTTY YOU [...]

Sitting in the living area of our loft and looking at the hard winter sun, I held The Poo in my arms and thought, “What was everyone talking about? This isn’t that hard.”
Mr. Chicken was out fetching ice cream, a particularly decadent sort made by a local creamery that I craved throughout my last trimester [...]