P was one of the first letters that Everett could reliably identify. It has also been a subject that comes up often as we navigate potty training. A couple months ago we switched from diapers to underwear during the day, and along with that came increased awareness on everyone’s part about the need to use the bathroom. This is a transition that Melissa and Chris have been encouraging Everett to make for some time now. However, it wasn’t something Everett took seriously until his teacher Ms. Erin told him “Everett, it’s time to start wearing underpants.” One thing that helped was that the prerequisites for going on fieldtrips are that you have to be three years old and potty trained. This was clearly an issue of motivation rather than ability.

Everett engages in rituals that seem, at least to his parents, unnecessarily elaborate. Tonight upon picking him up from school he took off his shoes, put on his monster slippers, put his duck slippers on his hands and then we had to find the branch of a weeping willow to drag behind the bike.

As a result of potty training, bathroom stops have also become a ritual part of our commute. One day on the way to school in the Bakfiets Everett said he had to pee. We know from experience that he doesn’t give us much warning so Chris stopped and Everett went in the bushes. He excitedly told his teachers at school about it, which they found hilarious. Everett loves being outside and this provided him with one less reason why he needs to go inside. We try to confine this to the backyard but one day recently he started peeing in the front yard to the amusement of Melissa and two other neighborhood Moms who have boys of their own.