New Stages, Transition and Stablitiy

We are entering new stages as a family. Especially Mady.
New Baby.
Big Sister.
School (ok, well....Mother's Day Out)
Big Girl Beds.
Potty Training.
Making new friends, saying good bye to old ones.
New jobs.

Transition.

But what do we crave (I do admit I like change....but the little kind, like a re-arranged room, new rug or throw pillows) ...we crave STABILITY!

Stability, for a child is so so so good. They really need it and crave it. Its good for them. Definitely been good for my Mady. When things are stable and consistent in her life; life generally feels "easier" for us too, as her parents. When we are lazy in discipline / instruction and routines we often see that effect her behavior in big ways. Now, I am not saying we run a tight-ship, army-regimented, routined household. By no means... but remaining steadfast in typical routines, bedtimes, familiar outings and such are all good for Mady and me.


So what do we do when the inevitable happens? When change, new stages and transition are upon us?
Freak out.
Haha! Just kidding. Well, maybe a little bit of freaking out.

We are knee deep in the "muck and mire" that is: potty-training. I'd rather call it "potty-hell".....but in order to not sound sac-relig....I'll resort to "potty-PRISION"!!

I know some people that have such an easy time with this....I'd like to know what drug you have your kids on when you do it, because mine 'ain't biting'. So recently, I vowed to wait until I saw SURE signs that she was FOR SURE ready. Like her specifically ASKING to go. Which she did....Sunday night (today is thursday). I was encouraged and thought...with the no coaxing on my part and her desire to do it...and then immediate success, I assumed she was ready. So I vowed, the next day to try and start.

Well, what I forget is that TRANSITION is so so so HARD on my EMOTIONAL little lady.

Thankfully.
We have had little problems with other "new stages"/ transitions with Mady like: Big girl bed, giving up passey, sleeping, school, etc. We have actually been very lucky. Because I know lots of mom's who grieve these other transitions for their children because it is so hard on them.

So I write this in a meager attempt to solicit prayer from the 6 people who read this.
Please pray for wisdom for Bryan and I as we navigate these "mucky" waters of "potty-prision".
I will spare details of how she is or isn't doing/ going. But, I will say there is general fear there and her heart is having a hard time getting her body to align with what she knows she wants to do {read=she wants to DO it}. ...such an odd place to be.

So please pray.
Her heart is tender, which is what I love about her....but also have a hard time instructing her well through dealing with her emotions to new and "scary" stages of life. Including this one. Her fears often manifest themselves out in different ways (like saying her knee hurts and refusing to walk, when really she is just nervous about needing to go #2)=true story, actually happened today at MDO.

Tender heart.

Of course, I want to make all things better for her and want to now throw in the towel because of these recent emotional issues....but I know I need to stick it out. If not completely, at least partial effort at home and staying dry other places...I want to encourage the good things. And we have had good success.

Transition is hard. Never more than on a tender hearted (almost) 3 year old.