Baby Names! YAY!

I’m getting a very strong “boy” vibe with this pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Maddie, I consistently referred to the baby as “she” even before we knew she was a girl. This time, I’m calling the baby “he,” even when I’m thinking to myself. Of course, I could be way off base but I think we ought to concentrate on boy’s names this go ’round.

(Just for the record, we have a girl’s name picked out already. Since Maddie’s named after our mothers, the second girl will be named after our grandmothers.)

Here’s the criteria for a boy’s name:
Our hypothetical last name is Henderson
The middle name must be Gerald. (Henderson family tradition dictates that the son’s middle name is the father’s first name.)
I’d like it to have a nickname like Madeleine does. We may not use it, but it’s nice to have the option.

Here are some names that I like:
Beckett (Beck)
Cooper (Coop)
Mason
Lucas (Luke)
Malcolm (Mal)
Nathaniel (Nate)
Samuel (Sam)
Theodore (Theo)

Gerald doesn’t like Beckett or Malcolm. He’s ok with Cooper. I haven’t asked him about the rest.

What other names should we consider? What do you like on my list? What do you hate?

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Pardon me while I feel sorry for myself

This morning when Maddie realized she had to poop, she started crying and begging for a diaper. I praised her lavishly for not going in her underpants and sat her on the potty. We sat there for a half an hour and she broke down and started hysterically begging for a diaper. I tried EVERYTHING I could think of to help her calm down and relax. I promised her a Blow Pop. A car. $100. Nothing helped. I finally gave up and put her in a diaper.

Then she wanted to watch Nemo for the 11th kajillion time. THIS time, she decides to notice that Nemo’s mom is suddenly gone and wants to know EXACTLY what happened to her. So, not only is she scarred for life by my attempt at potty training, now she’s upset about Coral being gone forever.

Parenthood: When every choice you can possibly make is wrong. Fuck saving for college. Start saving for therapy.

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Pass or Fail?

So, today was Day One of Potty Training Bootcamp Round Two. We purchased new underpants specifically chosen by The Girl. (Disney Pixar toddler boy assortment, if you’re curious. And yes, she looks adorable in them.) We talked it up for three days before we started and she was very excited to begin this morning.

TMI, I’m sure, but Maddie usually poops within an hour or two of getting up in the morning. She peed and pooped in her new Buzz Lightyear underpants right away and started to get upset. (The last time we tried Potty Training Boot Camp, Maddie completely lost her shit after having her first accident and refused to try again.) This time, I was able to talk her down from the ledge and we cleaned up and carried on. I moved her potty chair into the living room so that she could go immediately and not have to worry about making it to the bathroom. Several times throughout the morning she pulled down her underpants and sat on the potty without prompting. We sat on the “big potty” and she “helped” me go several times, too. She was enthusiastic and completely ready to be trying, but by the time nap time rolled around, she still hadn’t put one drop of pee into any potty in the house. I put a diaper on her for her nap and, of course, she soaked it. After nap, the afternoon and evening went EXACTLY the same way. Still not a drop of pee in the potty, but not a drop in her underpants, either. I know she was holding it in until she got her nighttime diaper on.

So, do I call this day a success or a failure? I mean, if she’s just holding in it waiting for a diaper then she’s not really getting the whole “go in the potty” aspect of potty training. I was planning on just repeating everything tomorrow, but is there something else I should add or try? Help a sister out, wouldja?

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RAWR!

So my kid is OBSESSED with dinosaurs. She wants to know what they’re all called and, well, I know pretty much jack shit about dinosaurs. Teh Google has been pretty helpful so far, but I was thinking it might be nice to get some age-appropriate reference material.

I’ve already gotten Maddie’s Christmas gifts, but her birthday is only three weeks after Christmas. I’m guessing that my kid isn’t the only one out there who constantly refers to herself as some type of dinosaur. (Examples: sneakasaurus, nakey-snakeysaurus, Rudy, & plain ol’ Tyrannosaurus.) Can any of you recommend some cool dinosaur toys or books?

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