Moments with Maddie O.: It's potty time.

I love to read. Always have and always will. I'll read just about anything written in a magazine. I enjoy reading fiction books filled with passionate relationships, love and dreams that take me somewhere else. I also love reading blogs written by other mamas. I look for inspiration, guidance and joys shared within other families just like ours.

Today I stumbled upon a blog written by a mama who lives right here in Indianapolis. In my mind, I was thinking: Awesome! A local Mama! I might get some ideas on local places for us to visit. Whew! My mind was in one place and was completely thrown into another once I started reading. This mama is brave enough to share her struggles with a chemical imbalance that drops her down to the lowest of the lows one minute and then throws her up for the highest of the highs the next. She battles depression and tries to live a "normal" life while raising her two daughters.

I read entry after entry of her blog for about twenty minutes. With each click of the down arrow on the keyboard and with each word I read, I became sadder and sadder. I felt myself falling into a mild depression, in just that short amount of time. I quickly closed the laptop and knew I had to stop, thank the lucky stars for what I have and be grateful. Just when I think things are tough around here in our house I stumble upon the life of someone else. It kind of throws things back into perspective.

So, yes, in my typically all smiles and laughter world, the last day and a half have been tough. Ryan left Wednesday evening to fly down to Florida to visit his brother and play lots of golf. I thought I would take this opportunity for Madison and I to completely focus on her potty training. As I've stated before, not all of my ideas are good ideas. Regardless of when we do it, it has to be done. Our child cannot go around in diapers forever. She's been showing signs that she's ready for weeks so I'm biting the bullet and taking one for the team. I'm focused on getting our gal potty trained.

Day one wasn't so hot. She cried in one room and I cried in another. I couldn't take seeing her so upset and I certainly didn't want her to see me upset. It was a rough day but we made to today, Day Two.

This day is going much better. We've had two successes and she is showing improvement. She has wrapped her head around the whole idea of this potty thing. She says: "Tandy. Sticker on chart. Potty." Yes, bribery never hurt anyone so when she uses the potty I'm giving her some M&Ms and she gets to put a sticker on her potty chart.

I'm maintaining my focus, being careful of the words I read and counting my blessings.

Life is good. It's real good.

Go find something to smile about.....