A very rigid search

Here's a cute picture I stole from my sister's blog of Elena, Ethne, and Emeline (her cousins, and yes we did sort of plan out the E thing). So adorable. Elena does look a little bit dark compared to those redheads, but otherwise, where in the world did her father's coloring go?!?.

Anyway, I'm sure you're all tired of reading about diapers and such things. Well too bad, that happens to be the main focus of my very rigid search today. Leo, with the wisdom (or lack thereof) that only a father could have, insists that we should start potty training Elena. I violently objected this idea at first, thinking he was off his rockers, so to speak. However he kept insisting that in Colombia no kid wears diapers once they're able to walk around, hence beginning potty training before they can even walk. I'd heard rumors before that such things were a possibility, although I always doubted them, so I looked into it. Turns out he was right, there is a whole "movement" of earth mothery types here in the US that are promoting diaperless infants from when they're born--it's called elimination communication or EC. I again, initially thought, "These people are cuckoo, like the people who want a natural child birth at home with a midwife." Sorry to offend anyone out there, that's just my personal opinion. But I did find some more moderate approach articles and what not, anyway, I think next Monday I'll start trying it. It's not exactly what Leo was talking about, but close enough I think. (I think in Colombia no one would think to call it a method, let alone "elimination communication"). I'm sure I'll be ribbed endlessly by my siblings, kind of like how they give me weird looks because Elena sleeps with me most of the time (not because I really see any benefit to co-sleeping, just mostly because I'm lazy and it's easy to roll over and let her breastfeed while I go back to sleep; plus my husband's gone all the time so it's not that big of a deal). We'll see if it lasts.
I did find this funny article while on my rigid search though. I decided to share it with everyone for your reading enjoyment and enlightenment.

1904"How may a child be trained to be regular in the actions of its bowels? By endeavoring to have them move at exactly the same time every day. At what age may an infant be trained? Usually by the second month. What is the best method? A small chamber, about the size of a pint bowl, is placed between the nurse's knees, and upon this the infant is held. This should be done twice a day, after the morning and afternoon feedings.... After a few weeks the bowels will move as soon as the infant is placed on the chamber."— from The Care and Feeding of Children by L. Emmett Holt, M.D.

1946"I think that the best method of all is to leave bowel training almost entirely up to your baby. Somewhere in the latter half of the second year, he will be aware that the movement is coming and be able to control it. He will probably make some sound of readiness, and you can then lead him to the proper place. If he doesn't signal, he will probably take himself to the toilet before he is 2, just because he gets the idea from watching others in the household."— from The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care by Benjamin Spock, M.D.

2003"Toilet training is a partnership....You can lead a baby to the bathroom, but you can't make him go....The [main thing] is helping your baby achieve a healthy toileting attitude. To approach toilet training as an exciting interaction rather than a dreaded task, consider this event an initiation into your role as instructor. From baby's viewpoint, toileting is his initiation into 'bigness' — a rite of passage from toddlerhood to preschoolerhood."— from The Baby Book by William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N., co-authors of 8 children and more than 30 parenting books

The 1904 method is the closest to the EC method by the way. It was also funny to read people's comments against it, "Haven't you ever read Freud--this is a terrible idea!!!!!" Really, WHO cares what Freud says anyway?!?!?! My other thing I decided to start is baby sign language, but just some basics. I picked out 20 words and am going to start there, and probably end there too for that matter. I think it would be useful, but I am pretty lazy, and so.... we'll see. Now I'm really sounding like a hippie-type mother. Ahh, well.

On to a new topic.... way back when, I made this arrangement for my sister for her ward's Relief Society Birthday Celebration. It's all done in chocolate. All the tables were a different theme. Amy's table rocked with a chocolate theme. I gave her some of those plates--yeah, she loves me. Here's photos of the rest of the tables too. Here's Sister, umm, well forgot her name, anyway, the former ward activity director's table. Yeah, her husband is a multimillionaire. I went to an Italian Dinner Party (ward party for adults only) in her backyard. It was exquisite. She has an entrance to the backyard with a rose archway, and hanging from the middle was a black rustic, Tuscany looking chandler lit up with at least a dozen candles. And that was just the entrance. I was visiting Amy in her ward, when this lady was released from her calling. Both Amy and me had the same thought--poor, poor person who has to replace her.Here's photos of the rest of the tables too.