08 September 2007

The one about pee and why I hate Stampington

OY! What a day. Daddy and I decided it was time for some tough love. We threw away the diapers.. ALL the diapers, Pull-ups, what have you. Lots of crying and yelling, some accidents including in Mimi's cafe (eeep), tummy aches, etc and FINALLY, this afternoon we got her to go in the potty. She stuck with it this afternoon with no more accidents and we let her put on a Nighttime Pull-up for bed. You'd think this would be a big hooray but she has lulled us into a false sense of potty security before only to yank the rug out from under us a couple of days later. I am trying to think positively this time though and hope that we will get her on the road to potty independence.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment or email with some tips. Believe me, we have TRIED everything we could think of. On Thursday, her pediatrician had a talk with her, we have tried pretty panties, rewards, reading her stories, praise, charts, the works... I tell ya this kid has an answer for it all. Even her doctor remarked to that effect. H is very intelligent and if she doesn't join the debate time when she hits high school it will be their loss for sure. Her teacher is a dream.. and even though we are only 2 days in to her school year I am confident that she is in a nurturing and supportive environment. I know that the bottom line is us and how we handle the situation and we are trying to be patient with her but man.. it sure seems like she WILL be the kid who graduates high school in Pull-ups.

Now, in other news, I guess hate is a rather strong word but extremely disappointed is a pretty apt decision. I have been waiting patiently for part two of the collaborative charm projects the article in Belle Armoire to come out. I got my comp issue today and look up the article and they show the BACK of my charm. Come on people! This is an altered art publication and they can't figure out that the decorated side of the scrabble piece is the FRONT?! Ok, rant over... I have 2 more pieces due to be featured in separate publications this fall so I guess I can live but still.. that just sucks.

16 comments:

  1. Ok....first things first.... I feel your pain sister. We've got the potty training blues over her too. Complete with Thomas the Train underwear. Secondly, my best friend had the same issue you were going through. Her pediatrian said...ignore it. Flat out ignore. It's a complete control thing. No more pleading, discussions or reactions. When she has an accident.....no reaction or discussion. I'm telling you...if I hadn't seen it for myself I would have never believe such simple advice could work on such a complicated, hair pulling out, two steps away from the insane asylum situation. But it did.

    Bummer about the charm!!

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  2. Potty training is so stressful isn't it. Gosh, that's so weird about Stampington and your charm. Weird.

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  3. Oh Heather, I remember those potty training days quite well. My guess is that H is sensing your stress about this and how important it is to you and Daddy. I remember training my daughter and no matter what we tried, it didn't work. Then one day she just did it herself and never had a relapse. When they are ready, they are ready. Good luck with it...I feel your pain!

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  4. I hope things go better with the potty training. I can understand why you are stressed about it. What an absolute bummer about your charm. Next time you will have to clearly lable front and back :) Tell them to send you some free stuff :)
    Karla

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  5. Heather, Oh, you and I could swap stories! My son just turned 5 and (he's my first) we are ALMOST completely potty trained, but it only happened in the last month. I tried everything, bribes, punishment, yelling, ignoring, leaving him on the toilet for 30 min at a time, taking things away, rewarding, you name it. My pediatrician was great and just kept telling me that it will happen, just in HIS time...apparently he and I do NOT work on the same clock LOL

    And about Stampington...I love those guys to death, but did you see MY charm? Course you didn't, because that big ol' glare on it made it impossible to see. How disappointed I was! Oh well, the necklace as a whole looked great.

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  6. That is disappointing about your creation. It's so exciting to see something published and so disappointing when they get it wrong. Here I thought this was going to be a I couldn't get anything done because I had to inhale every page of a new magazine post.

    Potty training, I know it well. I have three boys and do home daycare so I've been through quite a bit. My philosophy is to just put them in panties and deal with the mess. Usually it takes about two weeks for them to "get" it. Sitting in wet undies is uncomfortable. A pull-up or diapers, the kids really don't even mind if they're wet. Good luck.

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  7. Sorry to hear about your potty training woes, and also the publication. But on a good note, at least they gave you credit for your creation (unlike one of mine that was under some elses name).

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  8. Hey Heather - I think they need a new photographer at Belle Armoire. The photo of the necklace I took part in, was so tiny you really can't see the intricate seed bead work in the pieces - grrrr sucky sucky sucky if you ask me..

    My oh my, H is such a sweetie but then she always has been
    I hope the potty thing goes well for her this time, it sure can be stressful

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  9. it was disappointing to see that they really didnt take the care to make sure the necklace photographed its best but each of us that received your charm know how wonderful they were and how special it made the necklaces....
    xox~kim

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  10. Heather...I don't envy you & the potty training! But she is so darn cute...
    Good Luck
    Priscilla

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  11. Oh you're funny...the debate team !!
    Good luck...sounds like you're all almost there 100%

    and the goof with the magazine...yikes !!!

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  12. Okay, I just saw the goof with the magazine, and that is just ridiculous!!!!! Pay attention to details people!

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  13. Sorry you had such a bad day :(

    That's just too weird about the charm. I thought that whole article was rather badly photographed considering their normal quality, so maybe it was a photographer thing.

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  14. Stampington sucks on so many levels, not only for artists but it's worse for employees! They are abusive and evil. They take advantage of artists and will screw you if they can. Boycott, boycott, boycott! You deserve more!

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  15. haha - I agree with the previous commenter. I know a number of former Stampington employees and their stories are all the same. It sounds like a horrible place to work. People have even been fired for using too many sick days! I no longer buy Stampington products, I've heard too many horror stories from former employees. I'm putting my money elsewhere and keeping my conscience clear.

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  16. All these comments are correct about the way Stampington practices their business and manages employees. Not only are employees used and discarded for no reason, but artists are exploited. If you send in your art, they will put it in a $14 magazine, sell it, and give you nothing.

    Their hack staff (those who kiss ass and stay in favor while all the competent people quit or get fired) will also photoshop your work in such a way as to completely change the colors from your original, if they even manage to properly light it and keep it in focus.

    There is also a definite trend of misandry throughout all levels of management, so don't even bother trying to work there unless you have a vagina or are a masochist.

    If you want your work raped, exploited, and ultimately used to enrich owners that do not care about their artists or employees, then you know where to submit it.

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