1. I can say with full certainty that I experienced my hardest day as a parent on Friday. We started potty-training Hudson on Friday with intentions of doing the 3 Day Method. This method has the child in underwear from the beginning and you stay home for three full days. The method suggests that kids who are at least 22 months old are ready. Hudson is almost 27 months.
The night before we began, I was so nervous. I couldn’t sleep and there were knots in my stomach. I was worried about the messes, about the struggles to get him to the potty, and I just worried that he wasn’t ready.
Our first day covered every emotion possible. I was frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed, excited and proud. Hudson had about nine accidents and four successful trips to the potty.
The only thing that was a huge red flag to me throughout the day and then that night after I went to bed was that he just still didn’t seem ready. He was resistant to actually going to the restroom. He seemed to see the potty as a punishment because it was keeping him from what he wanted to be doing. He never caught on to tell me that he needed to go. But I decided we’d keep going with day 2 to see if he made any progress.
But I woke up feeling super sick and nauseous on the morning of day 2. The 3 Day Method requires you to be by your child’s side 24/7 and to watch them like a hawk so you can catch him in the act of the accident. Being sick, this just wasn’t an option.
So we’ve suspended potty training. I’ve decided that it’s for the best. He didn’t seem ready and his resistance really worried me. I was getting worried that it would do more harm than good and I don’t want the potty to become a battle. And I don’t want the “training” to last months. He’s a smart kid, but he’s not ready for this.
We’ll give it a break and try again in a month or three. I know he’ll get it someday. But I want it to be a good experience for him and I don’t want him associating the potty with negative feelings.
and this is the way he poses for pictures these days. wacky smile and eyes shut!
2. My 29th birthday is coming up. I do have a few things on my list and I’ll talk about that later. There really aren’t that many things that I actually want. But I’ve wanted a fancy cutting machine for a while. I’ve got my eye on the Cricut and the Silhouette. Do y’all have recommendations? I know one of the negatives of the Cricut is that you have to purchase cartridges. The Silhouette hooks up to your computer, but it’s not Mac compatible. Is that correct? That pretty much makes it useless to me.
Do y’all have reviews and recommendations? I’d really appreciate any words of wisdom!
3. We finished Friday Night Lights about a week ago. It was really incredible. I’m so glad we sat down to watch the whole series this summer. The representation of marriage and the way marriage is portrayed was my favorite part of the show. What an encouragement! Even if it’s fiction, it was encouraging.
4. Football season is here. Hallelujah! TC went to Charlotte on Saturday to watch the Gamecocks play East Carolina. We won! And Hayes got to watch his first football game! Here he is in his Gamecock gear. Sweet boy!
So friends… Cricut or Silhouette? What team are you cheering for this season? Do you have any TV on DVD recommendations? (We’ve seen all of Sex and the City, Mad Men, Damages, LOST, Felicity, The Office, Friends, Seinfeld, and now Friday Night Lights. I’ve got Modern Family on the way to me!)
Do y’all watch Mad Men??? If you can handle some violence, Rob and I just watched the first two seasons of Sons of Anarchy. It’s actually REALLY good. (And the main character is not too bad on the eyes.)
You can get set up a program/operating system where you can run PC platform on your MAC. I have this for my embroidery software.When you boot your MAC with this installed you hold down option and it lets you chose the PC. The set-up is called bootcamp I think. I don’t know much about how it is set up but it works. Hope this helps. I would recommend the you can use your computer to operate so you have much more versatility.
Go Tigers!
I have been trying to decide between the two of those as well! The silhouette actually is Mac compatible: http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/faq.aspx?solutionid=204 so that’s a plus!
I am cheering for my Aggies this season! Watching the game yesterday made me extremely sad that I had graduated and couldn’t be there.
It sounds like you’ve got all the great tv shows finished! I’ve heard Dexter is a pretty awesome show but I have yet to sit down and watch it all.
Good luck to Hudson with the potty training!
My sister has a Cricut and I borrow it all the time! I’ve never heard of the Silhouette, but it looks interesting.
Oh, and GO BUCKEYES!!! 🙂
Potty truing my little girl was the hardest thing I ever did. She was about 3 1/2 before we got it down totally & she still wears pullups at night & she’s 5. I stressed & stressed over it & I’m sure made it miserable for her. Looking back I wish I would of realized to back off & remember that she wouldn’t be wearing diapers to Kindergarten. I have a little boy that’s 14 months so I know that potty training again is in our future. I look forward to any tips on training boys!
I waited until my son was 32 months to potty train. We didn’t really do any method but I guess it kind of ended up being a 3 day event. The first day was awful. He had about a million accidents. The only good thing was that he was devastated by those accidents. But I can remember calling my mom and telling her what a nightmare it was. She told me to relax. That was the best advice ever. Each day got progressively better and on the third day he ran to the restroom alone. I didn’t use any rewards other than praise. In retrospect I think I let potty training get to me way more than I should’ve. If I were you I would revisit it sometime around 30-32 months. Hudson is still young, and you have your hands full right now. Not that they’ll be less full in three months, but Hudson will be older. And no, there is absolutely no way you could’ve potty trained him while sick. Hope you’re feeling much better!
Well roll tide! As for suggestions for TV on DVD, I think you guys would love The West Wing! It is my favorite and I still go through and watch episodes at random! I really miss it being on TV!
I cheer for Texas A&M and my husband is a diehard Texas Longhorn – needless to say, this makes Thanksgiving a litle competitive! Ha, ha, ha! The winner of the game always gets to put their college ornaments front and center when we decorate the tree the day after Christmas.
I wouldn’t worry about the potty training with Hudson. My best-friend JUST got herson into undies and he will be three at the end of the month. In my experience with little ones…boys just take longer but in their defense – there is a lot more hardware that makes it a little more difficult for them. I have a six month old little girl and I just tell myself…she won’t graduate high school in diapers, or needing midnight feedings, and she won’t be crawling across the stage because she can’t walk. All in due time I suppose. But the waiting is SO hard.
24 is great. If you have streaming live Netflex it is all on there. There is over 200 episodes. Potty training all three of my children has been different. I don’t think a book or method would help you will know when he is ready. You could write a book on how to train him after it’s done but it won’t work for your next son! Good luck don’t watch football but live in TN so … go Vols?
The Silhouette is definitely Mac compatible! My girlfriend has a MacBook and uses her Silhouette with it…I’m actually going to download the software onto my Mac and borrow her machine. I love, love, love Hayes’ smocked game day outfit! Where did you get it? I need to get Julia one for Gator games. 🙂
Oh, and Modern Family is the most hysterical show!
Erin,
Potty training when they aren’t ready is hard stuff, and something you need to do at Hudson’s pace. My son was 3 and a half before he was “completely” potty trained – meaning he would pee for months before he would, well you know. It was so tough because I felt like I was making him do something he didn’t want to do and I was angry and frustrated. But my daughter showed signs of being ready at 2 and she was potty trained by 2 and a half – and it was stress free. Following their cues is so important.
We LOVED Friday Night Lights, and I am a HUGE fan of Coach Taylor. We’ve watched all of Modern Family, and it’s the first show to make me laugh out loud in a long time – I’m adding Mad Men to my cue – after my husband is done watching The Walking Dead.
I love my silhouette! I chose it based on not being limited just to the cricut cartridges. And, it is MAC compatible! Yay! They are coming out with a larger 12″ machine this fall which looks awesome.
Happy Labor Day!
Thoughts on your PT adventure:
1) Major kudos to you for stopping when you thought he wasn’t ready. So many of us parents can be too prideful and would have kept pushing. So kudos! I hope you are feeling better too.
2) I was not prepared for how emotional PT was going to be for me and C. She’s a pretty sensitive little girl so I think some of it is just her, but it was very emotional for us – scary, frustrating, exciting, overwhelming – all of those.
3) We used a different 3 day method (the naked method), but something C’s pediatrician said stuck with me. She said to try it for 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, you will know if it’s not going to work. At the end day 4, C seemed to really start getting it. And somewhere on day 5 I knew there was no turning back.
4) I know you said you don’t want it to last for months, but I think it kinda does. Sure they get it for the most part pretty quickly, but there are so many other variables: PT for nap/bedtime, going in public restrooms, onesie restrooms versus stalls, #1, #2, standing/sitting for boys, PT for diarrhea when they are sick. Each one of those brings new emotions and fears. It kinda does last a couple of months because it takes a couple of months to run into all these situations and resolve them all. I really thought we would be PT and ready to go in a few days, but it helped me be more patient when I adjusted my expectations.
Good luck to you friend! Hope you are feeling better and like I said kudos for listening to your kid and not worrying about pride!
I have both- My Cricut is one of the first that came out, so I am sure the newer versions are much nicer, but after using both I prefer the Cricut- as it’s much easier to use. The Sillouette was so much harder for me to figure out, and I have not touched it in years….
Big Love and Desperate Housewives are two of my favorites to watch back to back on DVD!
I would recommend Chuck. I got hooked on it this past summer, and bought all the seasons that are currently out. Also, a favorite of mine is Alias. I’ve watched the series at least 2 full times from beginning to end, and it’s just clever. It’s JJ Abrams, so that’s no surprise, but I really loved it!
I have 3 kids and didn’t potty train until they were interested. All 3 were potty trained between 2.5 and 3 yrs. It will happen, don’t stress about it. Good luck!!!
I have a Cricut and I love it! Even though you have to purchase cartridges, the cartridges are super-versatile & the machine is very easy to use. Plus there are all sorts of discount sites to purchase cartridges from, and you can find them on eBay. You can also get an accessory called the Gypsy that is neat because it lets you use the cartridges in different ways–stringing letters together so they make just one cut for a word, plus editing images. And they have a new feature on their website, The Craft Room, that also adds versatility. I have a program for my Mac, Sure Cuts A Lot 2, that lets me use any font on my computer or any image that I create in Illustrator and save as .svg with my Cricut. The word of caution on that is that it negates the product warranty on the Cricut, because it’s not a ProvoCraft product. But it’s pretty sweet, so that’s a risk I take 🙂
I’m cheering for the Vols this year and always! Now if only we could play teams like Montana all season…
As for TV on DVD–my husband & I are on season 2 of FNL, and we’re loving it! We watched The West Wing earlier this year, and I think it might be my favorite television series ever. It’s one we’ll go back and watch start-to-finish again, it’s so good!
From what I’ve read about boys and potty training, 27 months is pretty young to start training. My son will be 3 years old next week and we are just beginning to get serious about it. And many of his little friends over 3 years old aren’t completely trained yet. Seasoned moms have told me if you start when he’s not ready, you will just end up training for months instead of days so I think you are wise to hold off for a while. When Hudson is ready for the potty, he will start showing interest in going and it won’t be a struggle to get him into the bathroom to sit.
My sister in law has a cricket, she loves it!! GameCocks ALL the way!!!! Don’t let potty training stress you, it will happen!!!
I am with Turner. Mad Men is our absolute favorite show at the moment. Free on Netflix and oh so addictive – it’s fabulous! :o)
I know a few people who have the Cricut and really like it! But I see how having to buy cartridges gets annoying. Do you have the chance of borrowing the one or the other to see if you would like it?
Oh no – what happened to the smiley?! Sorry about that!
Hudson is so smart – I have no doubt he’ll tell you when he’s ready. I dread potty training…I’ll have no clue what I’m doing. Hayes looks just like you…such a cutie!!
Go Hogs!! 🙂
Sounds like you are doing the best thing for you and Hudson! One of my boys potty trained at 3 and the other at 3 1/2. The best advice I got was to wait until they were ready. We had no drama and they did great! You will know when he is ready!
1. Companies still make products that aren’t mac compatible? What is WRONG with them? Talk about missing a huge group of people.
2. Oh my Lord. That child looks just like you.
3. Eric and Tammi’s marriage was one of my very favorite features on FNL. They are amazing. And what do you mean fictional? They are real in my mind.
what i discovered when potty training my now almost 4 year old daughter, who was 2 years 10 months, at the time, was that peer pressure goes a long way. we had originally planned on doing it before baby #2 came when she was 2.5. but then baby #2 came 7 weeks early and was in the NICU for a month, so that definitely threw a wrench into our plans. by the time i had come out of the preemie NICU colic newborn haze and was ready to potty up, she was not having it. a few of her girlfriends had been wearing big girl panties for a few months at that time, but she could have cared less. but then, one day, i told her “boyfriend” was wearing big boy undies. and, seriously, it clicked. right then and there. if her “boyfriend” was wearing big boy undies, then she was wearing big girl panties. there was no stress. no pressure. no multiple accidents in a day. no days spent at home, running back and forth to the potty, attempting different potty training methods. it was just a decision she made for herself when she decided she was ready…and it stuck…and to this day, i can count the number of accidents she has had on one hand…and i think my husband and i giving her that control has made all the difference in her positive experience with potty training. best of luck to you guys!! 🙂
oh, FNL! FNL is/was my most favorite show on television. i love myself some matt saracen! i cried big sappy tears during the finale. we’ve got modern family on the way too. we also just started streaming weeds, which is definitely weird, but interesting…
GO GAMECOCKS!!! I do not find many GAMECOCK fans in the D.C area but I am a diehard all the way!!! Glad to find another fan. Plan to go to the Gamecock vs Tigers game 🙂
I love the Cricut. I don’t have one but one of my friend’s does and I love to go over to her house and craft.
A few show recs for ya! Six Feet Under, The Tudors, Rome and How I Met Your Mother!
About potty training. I agree it is really hard if they aren’t ready. My 2 year old is trained, but he has a big brother to watch and “copy” so I think that has really helped him. When he first started going to the potty he was very resistant and screamed and it was awful, even though he was doing all the other behaviors that told us he was “ready”…like telling us when he needed to pee, etc. One thing that we did is just started small. Every night before bath time, our goal was to get him to sit on the potty for a few minutes. I really think he was almost scared of it. Then we moved to twice a day (morning and evening) and often nothing would happen, but this seemed to help him get over the fear of the potty. We did give him one m&m when he would sit down, but I know everyone has different feelings about that. Eventually he did start to pee during these times, and he would get another m&m. Anyway…when we finally decided it was time to train, it was much, much easier.
Good luck. You are so right. It will happen eventually 🙂
Hang in there. We tried the 3 day method with my son when he was just over 2, but he wasn’t ready– lots of accidents and tears. I didn’t want it to be so negative so we stopped and tried again several months later. It clicked on the first day! Good luck!
Big Bang Theory. It’s hysterical. I got the first three seasons on DVD on Black Friday…… hysterical.
No matter what you do, potty training won’t be successful unless he is ready! Why stress yourself out and make it harder on him?? We waited until our first son was ready…He was 32 months at the time. He understood and told me when he had to go. I think he had maybe 5 accidents or less during the entire time (which I consider to be before we went out of the house w/o a pull-up on) because he was ready. I also had a month old baby at the time so staying at home more those first weeks was easy. But, it was easy on us all! Here was our exciting post…
http://calebcreedfowler.blogspot.com/2011/03/guess-what.html
AND this is the post I made around 5 months prior…
http://calebcreedfowler.blogspot.com/2010/10/hes-just-not-ready.html
As for potty training, I don’t have really any advice yet. My little boy us just a few days younger than Hudson and I plan to visit the idea in December when he’s 2.5. Right now, I don’t think he’s ready and if we try then and he’s not ready then that’s fine too. So far none of his friends his age are potty trained either.
And we love FNL too and are in the middle of season 4. Question, did you rent season 5 somewhere since it’s not in Netflix instant yet?
I have to tell you, once my little one turned 2 (May 2009), I was hell bent on getting him potty trained over my Christmas break (I’m a teacher). I figured since he had been talking since he was really little, he was “ready”. Let me tell you, he WASNT!!!!!!! It was such a battle and I was MISERABLE and so was he. He was holding it for 12 hours, refusing to use the restroom. I gave it a break and about 2 months later, I told him there would be NO more diapers. That day we went from diapers to underware and he never had one accident.
Just wait. It shouldnt be a challenge and you shouldnt be frustrated. Give it time and when he is ready, it will all work out.
Modern Family, Glee are two we loved.
Hi Erin – I’ve been a lurker for a long time and enjoy your blog but had to comment on the potty training. My girls were exactly the same ages as Hayes/Hudson and I was determined to get the oldest one trained the summer after the second one was born because the books said she was ready. We had two false starts to the 3-day method and I was frustrated and exhausted. She started a 2-day a week preschool that Fall and the first week of October, she came home and announced that she was done wearing diapers and would only wear “big girl panties.” Of course, we had a few accidents and nighttime training took much longer but it was not a power struggle and because it was her idea, she had total ownership. I let all the books and advice go with the second one and it was just as easy when she told me she was ready – earlier because she had her big sister. They are now 13 and 11 and are smart, talented girls who have no lasting effects from not following a certain schedule! 🙂 Good luck and keep trusting your instincts.
Stephanie in NC
You will love Modern Family! It’s so funny!
I think you’re smart to hold off on potty training Hudson if he doesn’t seem ready. I’ve heard that girls tend to potty train younger and faster than boys in general. That was the case with my brothers and I. I was around 2 1/2 and both my brothers were over 3 before they were ready. It will happen when Hudson is ready and hopefully it will be super easy for you guys! 🙂
I just got a Silhouette for my birthday and love it! I’ve only had it for about three days but have already used it for several projects. It is Mac compatible now and really easy to set up on the Mac. I picked this over a Cricut because I can use my own fonts and free computer downloads.
Good luck with the potty training. Hudson is such a smart little guy and I’m sure he’ll catch on quickly just as soon as he is ready. You’re doing the right thing to not push him too hard and make it stressful on both of you. Hope you’re feeling better!
I know you didn’t ask for advice on potty training but( 🙂 ) I thought I’d share what worked for my son, Will. Due to circumstances beyond our control(a sick parent), we were not able to put much time/effort into potty training Will between the age of 2&3. He had a little potty and would use it sometimes, when he was interested, but he still wore diaper/pull-ups, day and night. As he neared 3 years old things got a little less hectic, and I knew I had to really start thinking about potty training. At around 34 months, every time I changed Will’s diaper, I would excitedly tell him that he would soon be 3 and that meant he’d be a big boy and wouldn’t need to wear diapers anymore. I did my best to make it sound like a milestone that he could look forward to and not a punishment. So, this went on for a couple of months and, lo and behold(!!!), about 3 or 4 days before his third birthday he told me he didn’t need his diapers anymore! We went cold turkey, he did a great job and I can count on one hand how many accidents he had. He continued wearing a pull-up at night but as he neared four, I did the same thing again and shortly before his birthday, he stopped wearing the pull-ups. Again, he only had a few accidents.
I think the reason this “method” worked for us, was likely because Will was a couple of months past being ready to train(though he did fall in the normal age range for when most kids potty train). It was truly a painless process for all involved! Just my two cents! You’re great mom and you’ll know when Hudson’s ready!
We have been on The New Adventures Of Old Christine kick . Love Julia !
My two cents ;)…my oldest boy had just turned 3 and my middle boy was a month shy of 3 when they finally “got it”. My oldest was basically trained by his wonderful babysitter, who was a veteran mom and grandmother. Bless her heart! I had become a SAHM with my younger one so the adventure was all mine 🙂 They were not early PTers, but when they got it, they got it. Very few accidents and nighttime in undies almost from the start. My littlest boy is currently 20 months and I have no plans to start with him yet…he’s not ready. You and Hudson will know when it’s the right time!
You’re a brave momma on the potty training! It’s the one part of parenthood I am dreading. I definitely think it’s OK if you wait until he’s more ready, it will probably make it easier on both of you! Most of my friends with little boys aren’t really trained until closer to 3 . Some of them who introduced the potty before the boys were ready had some really frustrating times, they’ve all warned me to wait until Georgia is ready. Just some advice I’ve gotten. 🙂
I love Hayes’s smocking! Georgia has two University of Oklahoma outfits, and I’m sure I’ll buy her more when we visit my family this weekend. I was thinking about buying her some Alabama stuff, but I just can’t do it yet…HA!
We watch Modern Family, it’s pretty funny. I’m also addicted to Pretty Little Liars!! It’s like Gossip Girl Lite, but sometimes better…because of the scary suspence.
I haven’t seen this shoe but have gotten TONS of recommendations from my friends for Prison Break. I think it is on Netflix too:)
You absolutely did the right thing by stopping the PTing experiment:) My oldest son was 34 months when he was potty-trained. It happened in a matter of days with no accidents. It was amazing because I had dreaded so badly. But he did great, and had NO accidents.
My almost 2 1/2 year old son has just finished potty training. I think I could have PTed him earlier, but I wasn’t really ready. My goal was to TRY and have him PTed by the time MDO starts which is this Wednesday. But I also wasn’t going to stress if he wasn’t. We started almost 3 weeks ago with underwear because he himself kept taking his diaper off and going by himself on the toilet. See, that’s how you know they are ready:) I think having his older brother to watch made him ready faster. Anyway the last 3 weeks have been painless. I am praying that he does okay going to school on Wednesday. Praying for no accidents there either. He is wearing a diaper for nap and night. Although, he has been waking up dry from naps. I may be brave enough to try underwear for naps in a few more weeks.
You WILL know when Hudson is ready. Don’t fret:)
I know it is easier said than done, but try not to stress about the potty situation! I will say a few prayers for y’all. Hayes looks precious in his smocked football gear! I think it might be the cutest pic of him yet!
My biggest advice I have regarding potty training is don’t push it. I had read the books and had a potty chair in our bathroom from the time our girl was ~18mos so she could sit on it fully clothed when I was in there. However, despite what the books say she was never really ready. Throughout her 2’s preschool year, all the kids eventually were using the potty where she just wasn’t into it. I figured we’d get it during the summer so going into the 3’s year she would be potty trained. All that was accomplished that summer from my pushing and “trying to train” was a lot of yelling and many, many accidents. I decided at that point that enough was enough I wasn’t going to push it, I knew she wasn’t going to be in diapers as a high schooler so at some point she would decide she was ready.
Literally on my daughter’s 4th birthday, she got up from the breakfast table and went potty all by her self. After that I think we’ve had a handful of accidents. She continued to wear pull ups at night but after her waking up dry a couple of weeks, she was able to wear underwear at night as well. We’ve only had a few nighttime accidents.
My daughter has always been very shy regarding potty time. Even now we’ll have fights when out and I know it’s going to be awhile that I kind of have to push her to go in public restrooms. I also know that if she tells me she has to go then I need to find a bathroom immediately.
I’ve always believed that it’s up to parents to decide what battles to fight–for me the potty training fight was not worth the misery. Sure she was the last of her friends to be trained but honestly she didn’t care which now I think is great. She wasn’t going to fall for the “everyone else is doing it” argument. Should we be blessed with a second child I know I won’t push the potty training issue since I have seen how it can backfire.
Good luck with the process, he’ll “get it” one day.
Lastly, very excited for College Football—Go Ducks!!
I have watched most of the TV shows that you have and loved them as well…especially FNL, the Office, Friends and Felicity. I have also watched and loved 24 (especially the first few seasons), Alias, Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls. VM and GG might be a little more girly, but TC might like them too!
My niece had a hard time potty training. She seemed to be doing okay until her sister was born and it was a huge step back. Almost like she had probs bc all the attention her sister was getting being a new born.
Is the cricut for things like making the vinyl stickers?
24 is amazing!!!! Getting it on DVD was perfect… But I really did want to watch all four episodes all at once!!! Modern Family is also great – y’all will LOVE it! Make sure the kids are up or far away because y’all will be laughing out loud! Also, I haven’t seen it but my boss says it’s the best show ever – the Tudors. You may want to check it out!
Geaux tigers! The hubs and I are heading back from the LSU Oregon game now! A great win for us!!
Okay, so I see so many similarities in our lives. Well, with the exception that I work and I’m not very crafty.
I didn’t really use any sort of plan for potty-training. We winged it. I took away diapers completely at 27 months but he had seen the potty for months and had all the signs that he was ready. I think that is KEY. Anyway, I just put him in big boy undies and although he had a few accidents for a couple months he eventually got the hang of it. I think there are bound to be accidents regardless of whether you do the 3-day or the 3-month version 😉
They’re only kids and we shouldn’t force them because a book or someone else tells us to, ya know? I think it’s good you put it on hold. It’s okay to change your mind!
Also, as for the DVD recommendations, get DEXTER. Although if you don’t like blood and killing I don’t recommend it. But the acting is superb and it is can’t-stop-watching awesome. I am kind of obsessed with it.
a couple things:
I have a cricut. I LOVE it. I’m not going to lie, it crapped out after my first marathon session with it, but their customer service was AMAZING. They sent me a new one, no questions asked.
my sister tried to potty train her first son at about 2 years, something happened and he just was ready so was pretty much traumatized by the situation. He didn’t end up being fully potty trained until he was 4 1/2. Wait until he’s ready so it doesn’t backfire.
i am so glad you posted this and i will definitely be back stalking the comments 🙂
i am in the throes of the “cricut” or “Silhouette” debacle and have no idea which to choose! i was leaning towards the silhouette, but since it may/may not be compatible with a mac – that kind of knocks it out of contention for me….
can’t wait to see all the suggestions you get! and we did the whole three day potty training thing, too. it was…..an experience to say the least 😉
hang in there – you’ll know when he’s ready!
I can imagine this is a tough situation. I was just at a friend’s house last night and she has a two year old little girl. She was telling me that she and her husband wanted to start potty training her over the weekend and she couldn’t shake the feeling that her daughter wasn’t ready yet. When she put regular underpants on her, she just frowned and asked for her diaper. So she listened to her heart and decided to wait because it didn’t feel right. So I say go with your feelings on it!
I have been wanting to start the 3 day program with Carter, he is 23 months. I would like to ask you, do you put them to bed in underwear or diapers during this program? I have been a little ‘ify’ on doing it too.
I have been wanting a cricut myself! Thought I would buy one with my birthday money this year, and spent it on a new camera instead. My family are HUGE Virginia Tech fans!! GO HOKIES!!! And as far as DVDs….My husband and I are getting ready to start season 1 of True Blood (if you like vampires). I hear so many people raving about it, so I have to see what all the fuss is about. You have made me want to also watch Friday Night Lights, we will probably start that this fall! 🙂 Let us know what you decide: Cricut, Silhouette!
My comment got deleted…so if it shows up twice I apologize!
Have you seen Big Love? It’s one of my favorites! It’s a fictional portrayal of a mormon family in Utah who are polygamists. I found it fascinating! My mom always said that with P-training her boys she put cheerios in the toilet and had them “aim” for them. She said it was a fun way to teach them to use to potty and it worked! Just a thought for the future 🙂
PT will come. I had so many of the same worries and anxieties. It’s just part of it. You are wise to hold off so as not to overstress anyone! When the time is right, it’s actually not bad at all. We did the mini m&ms as rewards, books & heaping praise for a job well done… and an attitude of ‘no big deal’ for visits that weren’t productive 🙂
So funny you mentioned the Cricut today. My bff was just asking me about it this a.m. I sent her a link to your post. Can’t wait to hear what you get! And see what you make 🙂
We’re potty training right now… Just remember: He won’t be going to prom in diapers. That’s the thought that keeps me calm. As for shows, Prison Break and Six Feet Under are two that Hubby and I loved watching together. Both shows are so dark and different from our little suburban life, but the characters are well thought out, and the writing is terrific. And at the end of each episode, you are left wanting more. Oh, and the British version of Coupling. Watch the episode called ‘end of the line’ as a tester to see if it’s for you… It’s sort of like Friends, but a tad more raunchy. xo Kiki
Having raised a boy and a girl I have ptd both genders. With each of them we made a special day to shop for their underpants. They were allowed to choose whichever (tacky!) ones they wanted. The day after their 2nd birthday we got up, put on their underpants and visited the bathroom. No more looking back. No special treats for going, just lots of praise. The first few times it was just me “catching” them when they were about to go but they got the idea quickly. I did put them in pampers for nighttime sleep until they were waking up dry for a week which was about three months after we started. My daughter used the same method for our granddaughter and it worked as well……My children responded to praise so we did not have the frustration of fighting. I would have been a basket case if that had been so. Each parent and child is different but I am just reporting what worked for me. The important thing is to not make it a battle, just matter of fact, go about your business with a smile and “good job” when they make it and a “that’s okay” and back into underpants if they have an accident……The down side is after they are trained we have to use public restrooms which give me the hebejebes!……Hope you are feeling better.
Erin, I tried to potty train our first child like you just did with Hudson. She was about the same age and it went about the same way. We just stopped and decided to let her do it when she was ready. Right before she turned 3, she told me she needed to go one day and the rest is history. It really was that simple. Nighttime took a little longer, but when they are ready, they are surely ready. I now have a 28 month old who has just done the same thing. It just goes to show that every child is so different and they all train at different ages. I read somewhere that the average age for potty training is 3 years 9 months. You’re a great mom!
We are currently watching 24 on Netflix and I would LOVE to have a Silhouette! Oh, and GO DAWGS!
No experience with either Cricut or Sillouette, but I would love to know what you learn, and what you find to be useful! Been thinking about getting one..Good for you, trusting your instincts with potty training! You will def know when the time is right. Hayes is such a cutie!! He looks so much like you in that picture!
For TV on DVD:
-I looooovveeedd the West Wing. The writing, the dialog, the music, etc. are brilliant. It is one of the best shows to ever have been on TV (in my humble opinion).
-LOVE Modern Family.
-I also ended up loving Cougar Town, but not until the middle of the first season. It made a big switch in content from being stupid to being funny about a little neighborhood group.
-Big Love is also very good.
-Breaking Bad is supposed to be fantastic.
-Scrubs is kind of fun, as is 30 Rock.
-The Good Wife is interesting.
-Alias.
-Downton Abbey
Enjoy!
Great thoughts on stepping back from the potty training! We tried to push our son to be potty trained before our daughter was born. She was born 2 months after he turned 2 and he was NOT READY for potty training! I pushed and pushed because I really felt like I needed to get that under my belt before a newborn came along. I think he really set him back a great deal. Our pediatrician told me that I needed to back off and come back to it when he was ready. It took a while but he finally made that hurdle in his own time! I had to keep telling myself “He won’t go to college in diapers or pull ups” =)
My son wasn’t fully potty trained till he was 3.5. We had NO accidents after that.
I want a Silhouette. I’ve seen so many cool things that you can do with them. One of my friends is a big Cricut gal. I know that there is some after market stuff that you can use instead of their cartridges.
First off…potty training is of the Devil. It has been the most challenging part of parenthood for me, thus far. My oldest son will be 5 in 3 weeks and only in the last two months has he been dry at night. It took 2.5 years of on and off attempts (3 day method included–twice!) to get him trained. He still has issues, though–he won’t go in public places unless they are familiar (church, preschool, friend’s homes etc.) but luckily he has a bladder of steel and has never had any accidents (even at Disneyland for 10 hours!) All that to say…Hudson has to be ready or it’s just not worth it, for you or for him. Hayes will pick it up more quickly because he’ll have a big brother to emulate. My little guy just turned 2 and is already showing interest! Yay! So press on…when you feel like it. It WILL happen, just not as easily or painlessly as you’d like!
A thought about the Cricut….there is software that will allow you to hook the machine up to your computer and you won’t have to fool with the cartridges. However, Provo Craft (manufacturer of the Cricut) is trying to put a stop to that. I have Sure Cuts a Lot v2, and it works; however, Version 3 (which is what is being sold now) is not compatible. Someone told me there is another program, called Fairy Cut, I believe, that will still work with the Cricut.
Potty training….don’t sweat it. I know, it’s hard not to! It sounds as if maybe Hudson is just not ready. Same thing happened with my oldest. We tried for about 2 weeks, and sometimes were successful, sometimes not. We just dropped it. When we picked it up a few months later, he got it immediately. He just wasn’t ready the first time. I’ve heard that boys are usually older than girls when they are ready to train. Hang in there!
Good luck with potty training. I have no tips, but I will be looking out to see if you have some in the end. You’ve already made one great point- don’t start until they’re ready!
Tv shows, hmmm, I’m enjoying Big Love at the moment 🙂
Oh potty training….I think it is more humbling than being a parent! hang in there momma and trust your instincts as you know your child best. There is no “perfect” age for potty training and people will always say things like he is too young, or he is too old. Your the only person who can try to read when he is ready. One thing we did that helped us make the association easier when we did go full force was to put my daughter on the potty before I put her in the bath pretty much as soon as she was old enough to sit on her own and take a bath in the big tub, while I got the water ready. If she went, we threw a huge party, and if she didn’t we didn’t say a word. But she often went in the bathtub so this started helping her go right before. I would also suggest maybe trying first thing in the morning when you get him out of bed. Both of mine ALWAYS wet their diaper as soon as I change/d the first one. I dress my daughter while she sits on the potty now and will put my son on the potty before bath and in the mornings as soon as he is old enough to sit up on his own.
Just remember, he will get potty trained when he is ready! I think not making a negative association is a great call on your part!
Oh, I had an incomplete thought! Part of my reason for telling you about sitting them before bath and in the mornings, was maybe once Hayes is old enough to sit, you can make it a NO pressure thing by putting him on the potty and maybe Hudson will want to try to. Even if nothing happens, it is a great positive step to have them sitting there on their own free will and it certainly can’t hurt with Hayes!
I highly recommend Lie to Me on DVD. GREAT series!!
We watched Friday Night Lights this summer on Netflix and LOVED IT! Hubby is a high school football coach here in Texas and it was funny listening to him critique the games and things Coach Taylor did. But I’m with you on Coach and Tammy’s marriage- love them and love how they work together. I wonder if we will ever find another show as good as FNL?
I recently purchased a Cricut and wish I had done it a long time ago. I really wanted to be able to take it to work with me (I’m a teacher) so it ruled out the Silhouette. My teacher friend says there is a website out there that sells a lot of Cricut cartridges for up to 1/2 off. Wish I knew the website!
Hayes looks just like you in that picture! Hang in there- hudson will do it when he’s ready!
I am deciding which machine to buy alos. Lots of great info on this site.
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com
go to the forum and ask questions. Everybody is so helpful.
I’m lazy when it comes to PTing…that said, with both of my kids I’ve gone from diapers to unders in a day with only a handful of accidents, total. My method pretty much involves completely shelving the potty training thing until they’re more than ready–with my daughter she was just over three, and my son was 2 yrs, 8 mos. Urine soaked clothing makes me gag and I just wouldn’t be able to handle a stream of accidents, so this worked for me; once they were able to communicate that they wanted to use the potty I went with it and it was soooo easy.
No thoughts on the Cricut decision–I personally thought the silhouette was pretty sweet, but I’m a Mac girl so it’s probably out for me as well.
If you have Netflix I’d recommend In Plain Sight, White Collar (dvds only on this one) and Saving Grace (this is a TNT show and on the surface is a little crude and rough-around the edges, but if you follow the series through it has probably the most pro-Christian viewpoint that I’ve ever seen on a mainstream television show).
That picture of Hayes in his gamecock gear is the sweetest thing I’ve seen! Good luck with the potty training! I have no children, so I have no words of wisdom. Love Hudson’s new smile, too!
Planning on trying the 3 day method with my 26 month old in a few weeks. Scared to death! Reading your blog is always comforting, so nice to know their are other moms out there who feel the same way!! He’ll do it when he’s ready, let’s just hope I actually keep that in MY mind in a few weeks 😉
I’m waiting (sort of) patiently to get my Silhouette (hopefully for Christmas!), and I went back & forth between that & the Cricut. I decided I want the Silhouette when I figured out that it IS Mac compatible. As a graphic designer, I don’t think I could stand being limited to cartridges. You can create your own designs with their software, or somehow it links with the Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator and/or Photoshop). And they have a ton of designs in their shop. Since I’ve had to wait for mine, I’m definitely getting the bigger 12″ version that’s coming out in October. 😉
You will SOO enjoy Modern Family. We laughed out loud at every episode. You could also try Parks & Rec (watch instantly on Netflix)—the first season is a bit of a warm-up, but it gets really funny after that. And Community is pretty funny too. We’re currently watching Parenthood, which is good, although I sometimes yell at the screen “It doesn’t have to be that way! Teenagers are not all rebellious!!” or something along those lines.
Good luck with the potty training!
I raised 3 girls and they were very easy to potty train. I didn’t start until after they were 2. Many of my friends that had boys said they were harder to train and were closer to 3 when they became successful. Have you watched The Good Wife? It is a terrific show, intelligent, and great acting. It keeps you guessing.
My son was about 30 months when we started potty training and we got one of those seats that just sits on our seat for him with a step stool – definitely agree with you on the waiting until he is ready so that it is less traumatic for all of you!!
LOVE that college football is back – I was born and raised in good ole Nebraska so I am a true Husker!!!!
I don’t know anyone in high school that is not potty trained. I took a very laid back approach with my son who pt at 3yr 4mo . seems old right? but it was so easy and he hasn’t had many accidents since. We had his little potty out from about 18 months since that is when he started letting us know he was going. he only liked to sit on it with his clothes on though. we did try around his 3rd bday but he wasn’t having it. later we tried making him stay on the potty when we knew he had to go- but he just held it in til we gave in. so one day, (and it only took 1 day) he went bottomless and I explained that if he did not go use his potty when he had to go, it would get all over him, his toys, and the floor, so please use your potty like a big boy. And he did!I think that b/c he is older, I can reason with him more and he understands what will happen if he does not use his potty.I never thought I would do that b/c of the messes, but we didn’t have any.
mostly, it just comes down to when they are ready. if you wait til then, it will likely be easy. and don’t let anyone make you feel bad if he is not pt when they think he should be.
The silhouette is totally Mac compatible now. New software for for both pc and mac came out almost a year ago. I was thrilled to say the least because it meant I could stop stealing my hubby’s computer to use my silhouette plus the new software is much more user friendly.
I have both machines – the cricut I got 4 years ago and the silhouette which I’ve had for 1.5 years now. Hands down I love the silhouette because I don’t have to deal with cartridges and have a practically endless supply of shapes/fonts to cut and use! I made this shirt for my daughter for game day this past weekend and it took maybe 30 minutes including set up/clean up. http://www.texastigersblog.com/2011/09/lsu-shirt-heat-transfer-tutorial.html
I’d totally say you are on the right track trying again in a month or two. When he shows interest it will go much smoother for both of ya’ll!
Erin- thank you SO much for this post. I’ve been feeling pressured to potty train Manning because “he’s smart” “you’ll save $ on diapers” “he’s a big brother now”. Even though I think he is smart enough to do it, I feel like it would be a hard, frustrating process at this point. Why go through that when I can wait until he’s a little more mature? Anyway, thanks again. And Hayes looks ADORABLE in his smocked outfit.
I tried to potty train my 2 year old boy and it was a disaster. I asked the pediatrician for advice and he said with boys, just wait until they are 3. I know a lot of people may think this is too late but honestly for us it worked. About a month before his 3rd birthday we started and he was done in about 2 weeks. We did underwear from the beginning – pull-ups for bedtime only as he is unable to hold it yet. We used a potty timer set for every 30 minutes at first and slowly increasing to an hour over the course of a week. We didn’t leave the house for 5 days. It was hard, but it was done quickly & without any fighting or trauma on my son’s part. Good luck!! And remember – do what works for yall and don’t care what anyone else says.
Hang in Mamma!! It’ll happen when he’s ready, you did the right thing!
Potty training is hard. We’ve been doing it off/on for months but I think it is finally kicking in for her which is nice. Good luck, and when he’s ready he’ll let you all know!
I don’t know which one is better but I know I have a lot of friends with Cricuts, and they love it!
I am cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes this season! I’m a die hard fan. I’m just excited for this season overall.
My favorite TV show right now is Parenthood. I’m excited that it is starting back up again next week. Just a great show.
Can’t think of anything else! Have a great week!
breaking bad is awesome!!!try it!
Hey Erin,
On potty training:
First off, good for you for realizing the potty training was just not going to work this weekend and making the decision to hold off for a bit. You know Hudson and if you realized he wasn’t ready, then he wasn’t. Gavin will be three in November, and he keeps his pull-up dry all day, but wets at night. We have never pushed the potty training and probably let him start earlier than we should have (he was 2), but we had a potty chair and he was excited about it. He moved on from the potty chair (decided he was a big boy) and now he sits on the toilet facing backwards. It works really well to keep him from feeling like he’ll fall in and it ensures the pee goes in the toilet, since he can lean forward and hold on to the back of the toilet. Feel free to email me or call me anytime if you want ideas. I’ll email you my cell #. Oh, and we aren’t putting him in underwear yet because of the occasional accident when we’re too busy playing to stop and go potty. I would just rather not have pee in the carpet, but that’s just a personal choice, so we use pull-ups (but can use the same one all day and one overnight).
On TV shows:
It’s a little elementary, but I LOVED “Gilmore Girls” and have the series on DVD. It’s a cute, fun, and romantic family appropriate show that isn’t too suspenseful. I also really liked the show “One Tree Hill” – again it’s kind of a teenager show, but I liked it. Did you watch “Alias”? If you like more thrilling, grown-up TV, that was another major favorite of ours that we couldn’t miss!
Have fun!
Erin J
http://jenningsbaby.blogspot.com
I don’t have kids, but my sister ran into the same problem with my niece when she started potty training her. It just wasn’t working. It was becoming much more work than it should have been and my niece wasn’t catching on. So, my sister waited about 5 months, tried again, and my niece caught on right away! My sister was much happier this time around and it came so much easier to my niece. I think you made the right decision! 🙂
and finally, on the Cricut vs. Silhouette:
I have a Cricut and really like it, but I’ve never tried the Silhouette. It does sound like it might be a little more versatile, but who knows. I buy Cricut Cartridges from http://www.customcrops.com/ because they have great deals on them! I never ever pay full price. If you go with a Cricut, definitely get the Expression, which is the biggest one. I don’t think the smaller machine is worth the money. (I heard Menard’s stores were selling the Cricut Expression for around $100 this summer, which is a STEAL! Not sure what deals can be found right now, but I would try to find it for less than $150. You can also buy Cricut Design Studio Software that allows you to “edit” and combine Cricut Cartridge images and keeps a searchable library of all Cricut Cartridge images.
I’ll be really curious to see what you buy and how you like it! Keep me in the loop!
Dexter! Six Feet Under! The Sopranos! The Wire! Weeds!
It took me a full week. Lots of laundry and cheerios in the toilet as target practice! 🙂
Read Chenin post here.
http://www.fudgebananaswirl.com/my-oprah-moment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-oprah-moment
Your not alone!!
have you guys watched Entourage? We LOVE it so much!
Please do not worry about potty training. I have three kids and I swear to you every single kid is different and eventually he will be potty trained. Please try not to stress about it. He has plenty of time.
My little guy turned 4 in July. Just the March before, he finally gave in and was totally potty trained. He was/ is super stubborn. I tried everything to get him potty trained. But he wasn’t ready. I read books, we watched movies, tried rewards and charts. But he wasn’t ready. In March, he did it all by himself. He wears undies at night and will wake up and tell me he has to potty. He was ready. I know the pressure that other Moms and family members give. It’s hard. My breaking point was when we tried the timer technique and when ever it beeped he’d ‘try’ to potty. He would stop what he was doing, run happily to the bathroom, and realize why he was there and fall to the floor crying. I felt like the worst Mom ever. I decided he’d be potty trained in his time. It was emothionally the hardest time for me and my son. My daughter just turned 2 and I know we’ll be doing this again soon, but it will be in her time. I’m not making that mistake again.
I understand about potty training. I was so frustrated with my daughter, I knew she was smart enough, she just refused to do it. I got all kinds of advise; from forcer her to let her decide to do it on her own. I decided to let her want to do it and it was like a switch. One day she wanted to and we’ve had no problems. It worked for us but I had stress just like you did, like she should do it because she is xx old. I promise he will do it!
I applaude your approach to potty training. 3 day methods like that only work when the child is ready and I’m so happy you were willing to meet Hudson where he is at. I definitely agree that you don’t want him to fear going to the bathroom or see it as a punishment. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if he is potty trained at 24 months, 30 months or later. He will get there in the end and that’s all that matters!
I’m learning how to use my sillouette, slowly but surely in my spare time (ha!). I like that you are not limited to the designs that are out there; you can deisgn your own.
As for potty training, I wasn’t ready to start when my daughter first showed interest at 18 months. So, when she wanted to, she sat on the potty. When she didn’t want to, we didn’t worry about it. One day she looked at me and said, “I not tee-tee in my pull-up any more.” I said, okay, and put her in panties immediately. It was totally her idea when she was ready. It was an awesome experience. I am totally not telling you how to do it because we all have methods that work for us, but I am so glad I didn’t put myself on a 3-day or 5-day or whatever schedule. It was completely stress free and not a power-struggle with my already VERY strong-willed child. It was the best method for our family. Good luck with all of your endeavors! You are such a great mom!
Let us know which machine you get. I’ve been thinking about getting one, but having to buy all the cartridges seems like a pain (and could get pricey).
I agree with Turner– Sons of Anarchy is one of the best shows on tv, but it is violent. FNL was one of our favorites and Sons has filled that tv hole for us. 🙂
Do you watch How I Met Your Mother? I caught on to that one late in the game, but enjoy watching old episodes on DVD. It’s really funny.
Get a Cricut with Sure Cuts A Lot 2! It hooks up to a Mac and prevents you from buying any cartridges! I think the software is about $60 but lets you use any fonts on your computer allowing for MANY more options. I find it very easy to use 🙂 Best of luck!
PROPS on the potty training! I worked as a daycare teacher for 2 year olds for six years, and I can tell you, you did exactly the right thing. When they’re ready, it’s like a light switch, and within days they’re in underwear. Mind you, accidents happen, but when they’re ready, they’re ready. I had so many parents over the years concerned because their child wasn’t “getting it”, but I always told them to do what you just did- so good job!
Hang in there on the potty training! I tried at 27 months with my little boy wanting to get it down before baby boy #2 arrived and he just wasn’t ready. He fussed and screamed. I tried again in August which is 32 months and he picked it up in a day! It is so true that they do it when they are ready!
I have the cricut and I like it ok…one of the issues I have is that the cutting mat is either too sticky or not sticky enough. I have started using painter’s tape to tape my paper to the mat before I cut it. Also, the cartridges are a pain to buy – you can definitely find good sales, but I find that I like only 3-4 images from each cartridge. I would go with the silhouette if I had it to do over again. If you do get the cricut, I would definitely get the gypsy (although I’ve heard that the new generation of cricuts does away with the need for the gypsy). Hope this helps!
Hi Erin…wanted to pipe in on the potty training. I have 3 boys and I started training them when I knew they were ready. My first was about 32 mos and my other 2 were just shy of turning 3. I loved waiting until they were ready because all of them were trained in a matter of days and it was relatively stress free. It was also a matter of days before they all were night trained. So kudos to you for giving Hudson the time he needs to prepare for this:)
I am really curious what you go with on these machines !I have the same dilema! I want one just for the cutting out vinyl letters to label stuff with! I use them EVERYWHERE. Please blog about your choice and the learning curve!
Erin,
I didn’t read through all the comments so I hope I am not repeating too much, but don’t pressure yourself too much about PT. I totally agree that it’s more on the kids timing than your own, but also remember that you are teaching something so he might not get it on Day 1. Just because he doesn’t, doesn’t mean he’s not ready (though you, as mom, really know how to read your kid best!). I had a “bear” of a day the first day of PT and got so frustrated at the end of the day that I set the little potty in front of the tv and had my daughter sit on it until she went (I was ready to call it quits by the end of Day 1 too). Once she did, we basically had a party in the house because she finally did it. And she got so excited, she started to do it more. And that’s when it pretty much clicked. I will say – we never used pull ups, not even at night. For her, once it clicked, it clicked.
I don’t have a boy, but my older brother does. He said the “click” moment for his son happened because he showed him he could pee outside. I know that doesn’t sound like stellar parenting, but his son thought it was so awesome, he had his “click” moment. And he was PT ever since.
Best of luck to you!
Oh, and my two cents on tv (though I have no clue if it’s on DVD) is White Collar and Covert Affairs (both USA shows).
The cricut has a software that you can buy and design your own shapes. I think. I don’t have that software. I get excited to get new cartridges 🙂
ps- it sounds like he is not ready for potty training. One thing I’ve learned (in my 7 months of baby-owning wisdom…yes I said owning…lol I don’t mean it) is that the babies can tell you when they’re ready. i.e. Peanut was NOT ready to give up her pacifier at 4.5 months like our pediatrician suggested. When we took it away she started to suck on her sleeves and necklines. She still does that when she gets upset now. I wish we never tried to take it away (she has it back now).
Just found your blog and LOVE it! We are so at the same life stage right now! I also have 2 little boys and also recently tried the boot camp potty training for one day and totally bailed. He just isn’t ready even though I am ready for him to be ready! I have had my eye on a Silhouette for a while now but haven’t gotten it yet. I know some girls who use theirs ALL the time and they have Macs so I think that’s fine. OK TV shows. Suits on USA Network. It’s new this season and just ran this summer. It is SO GOOD.
So glad to have found your blog!
I’m so glad that you posted this. I thought maybe we were “behind” in the potty training thing but truthfully, Kace isn’t interested either. He turned 2.5 in August, has a Cars potty, and uses it as a stool. He talks about the potty, sits on (diaper on or off depending on his mood) but no success. I haven’t forced it because I know it’ll stress us both. He’ll be ready when he’s ready. Thanks for making me think we’re more “normal”. 🙂