Something good and something not so much

The Good

We started with potty training last Sunday, and to make it stick, decided to "teach" G's stuffed Doggy to pee on the potty. In an oh-so-clever Jedi Mind Trick fashion, I soaked a wash cloth and squeezed it under and behind Doggie's fuzzy rump to make "pee". Gillian made him a potty by taking the little bowl out of hers so they can both pee at the same time. It goes down like this. I say, "Can you show Doggie how to peepee on the potty?", and make sure everyone is situated on their respective potty. Sometimes all of us. I squeeze the washcloth in Doggie's potty. Gillian makes an effort, then checks Doggie's potty. When there is pee, she exclaims with delight "DOGGIE PEE!!!!" and dumps his pee in the big potty so he can try again. The past four days or so, she has made substantial pee at the same time as Doggie.

So, we have spent some time in the bathroom for the past 6 days letting Doggie go peepee (this occurs while Gillian sits on her potty as well). I am delighted to report that last night when reading her book before bed, Gillian said "Peepee? Potty?" and off we went. She made a substantial deposit to said potty, not a drop in her diaper. She got to wipe with her prized toilet paper. I was busting with pride. "My, how the things that make me proud have changed", I remarked to an equally proud Sean. We had a similar experience tonight.

I bought her some underpants today at Target. She seriously digs the underpants. She likes that she is like Sean and I, all grown up. She said "Mama's pants", "Papa's pants", "My pants"!!

The Bad

Bad news is that Gillian had a seizure Thursday. Again. #4 and counting. I thought we were supposed to be done (most kids only have 3 of them in their toddlerhood and we have a lot more toddlerhood to go). This happened on Anna's watch. We told Anna this could happen, but I don't think she understood how terrifying it is. Gillian had a low grade fever, from teething we assume (still has it) since she has no other symptoms of illness except not eating (also could be from teething). Given her history of wanting to retain symmetry, I can only assume the are some molar tectonics going on on all four sides of her mouth. Anyhoo, apparently Anna was holding her (she is needy with the teething) when she stiffened, cried that awful cry, and began convulsing. Anna tried calling Sean three times before she got him (his basement shop has bad reception), but luckily he was working here that day. He said she sounded panicked the way a person would be panicked if they believed someone else's child was dying in their care and they could do nothing to stop it. She did everything I would have done, and I am officially sure that I couldn't have chosen a better person to care for Miss G. I left work early and got here, and Gilly was super needy and quiet. Anna told me what happened. When she left I gave her a giant hug and thanked her for doing such a wonderful job. She started explaining, tearing up, that she should have given Gillian medicine sooner, or noticed how warm she was getting faster. I told her I, as Gillian's mother, can't even prevent this. I remember how harrowing the first seizure was, and it is no less scary the subsequent times. At any rate, I have spent a lot of time thinking about the blessing that Anna and her sweet girls are to us and how happy I am to know how much Gillian's nanny loves her back.