Nanny McPhee or poo on the potty!

Okay...so I know I'm not going to get the "Parent of the Year" award for this one but...I did it anyway.

{source: news.bbc.co.uk}

Two days ago I showed Sofie and Lorne this picture of Nanny McPhee (they haven't seen the movie). I told them...when adults don't do their job properly they get fired and replaced with someone who can. I've been at my wits end with something each of my children DON'T do. I told them...the lady in the picture will be their new Mom if I can't get them to do what I want. I know...psychologically damaging stuff here.

I have to give you a little bit of a back story here before I get to the potty and Nanny McPhee thing...so bear with me...

Sofie who is 6...has "issues" sleeping in her own room alone. My fault really. When she was a baby I let her fall asleep on my lap and then I'd slide her off the pillow and into her crib. This worked fantastically for the 1st year. She slept all night. I thought I was a genius. None of this crying stuff I heard other parents complain about. I just put her in my lap gave her a bottle and slid her off to Neverland. HOWEVER...once she got out of the "baby stage" she became a lighter sleeper. So then what would happen is...she'd wake up and need me to repeat the process all over again...at really inconvenient times like say...3 a.m. O_o

Then I realized my HuGE mistake. I never allowed her to figure out how to fall asleep by herself. She always needed some kind of other "security" to get it done. That security was usually me. So I gradually edged my way out of her room...eventually staying in my room while she fell asleep. But to this day if she woke up in the middle of the night she needed {someone} to go and sleep with her in her room. Usually on an extra mattress on the floor. We started referring to this mattress as "the chicken bed". It was usually me sleeping in it.

Why didn't I just let her cry it out you ask? Well...she had a VERY sensitive gag reflex and the moment she'd cry...she would throw up. So it seemed more trouble than it was worth to endure that when I could just collapse into the chicken bed and go to sleep. Again...my bad.

This June she had her adenoids and tonsils removed which has greatly improved her terrible gag reflex. I no longer run for a bucket when she coughs or cries.

As for my son...you already know my woes with the whole potty issue and if you don't you can read about it here and here.

In comes the Nanny McPhee connection...I never called her Nanny McPhee. I just said I would be replaced by this woman (insert picture) if 1) Sofie didn't figure out how to sleep in her room all night 2) Lorne didn't stop going poo in his pull-up.

Well what do you know? Sofie has slept the last 2 nights alone in her room ALL NIGHT!!! Lorne held his poo for a day but finally today he did it!!!! Woooo!!!

Unfortunately he did go out with me for the afternoon and when we got home...before I could remind him about going on the potty if he had to do it again...he went in his pants. Bah! I put on a bit of an act about being worried over being replaced by the "new Mommy". Lucky for me I was given a last minute stay of execution from the "powers that be" who decided that since Sofie has been holding up her end and since the boy DID go once on the potty...I would be granted a second chance...PHEW!!!

Had to come up with something to save face....hopefully I don't have to get anymore creative with my story line.

I hate to do it. It's basically flat out lying to them both which I don't like. The thing is...each of them just need a reason. I know they can both overcome whatever hang ups they each have and so I thought this might be the thing to do it.

I'm sorry if you don't agree with my methods but...I do what I feel I have to do.