GRACE for life's bleachable moments!

My sweet boy wearing his big boy pants!

I'm really happy that Gavin is finally interested in potty training! He was probably ready almost a year ago, but we moved and had a new baby and I figured there was too much transition for him (or me) to focus on it.

I am very thankful for God's grace in many forms the past few days.
For instance, Gavin loves this commercial:

And since it's been Mardi Gras season around here and we have been to a couple of parades, he thinks parades might really happen just for him. And they have! But only with Mommy and Daddy marching around the house with improvised instruments. I'm thankful that Gavin still enjoys that version of a parade too.

He also loves this commercial and likes to act it out after he goes (thankfully, he thinks the little boy is pointing to his potty!):

I'm thankful also for Aiden being sleepy and napping more than usual the last couple of days which has allowed me & Gavin some quality potty time.

I'm thankful for my sister in law who graciously allowed us to use her daughter's potty that she used when potty training. I had added ours to the Goodwill pile when we moved in an anxious fit of decluttering, but Gavin's cousin had the EXACT same potty! So it was familiar to Gavin but also had the cool "Now I can be like Ryan" factor.

And I'm thankful for TV kid's shows, for Legos, for train tracks, and most of all, for M&Ms as rewards!!!

AND keeping it real, I am very thankful that my husband insisted that the whole family start taking vitamins. I always intend to but keep forgetting. But he has been reminding us every morning, and since I have been taking them I have been TONS less irritable and frustrated. I talked to a friend at church who is a nutrition counselor and mentioned this to her, and she said that a lot of moms have irritability, anxiety and depression due to hormonal and nutrition problems! I had suspected that this was at least part of my problem, but it was reassuring to hear. She recommends B vitamins, Omega-3 fats, and to lay off caffeine. I can totally agree that this has made a major difference for me and I am SO glad because I would be a really not fun potty trainer without feeling balanced in my mood! (I am sure my entire family is thankful for my vitamins!)

Anybody had any potty training strategies you have learned for success?

I'm especially and MOST thankful for THIS VERSE:

I am thankful that this process is not about my performance as a mom, or Gavin's performance on the potty, but about seeing God's grace work in us in our successes and our failures.

All right, let's go potty!