Bribery woes

One of our Christmas gifts this year was the Pass of All Passes.  What a hit - the kids ask to go everyday to Trafalga and that in and of itself has paid for the price of the tickets (which we got at a SCREAMING deal online) and Seven Peaks isn't even open yet. The girls can zip up that rock wall like they are walking upstairs and Matthew absolutely loves roaming the laser tag arena and talking up a storm while he tries to carry drag the super heavy laser gun.  He asks for the Frog Hopper ride incessantly. This pass has become a nice leveraging tool for not only the girls, but Matthew as well. Except when it backfires on me.

Sunday afternoon launched the wonderful time of potty training Matthew.  We hit it HARD Monday and then Tuesday we hit a road block since he has preschool.  I wrote a note to the teacher and bribed Matthew with his very own trip to Trafalga if he would be a good boy on the bus, at school, and go potty.  For a three year old, that's a tall order.  However, I received a note back from his teacher stating  he was a happy boy all morning and even used the bathroom.  Give it up for Matthew!! Of course, I had to deliver on my bribe or I'd suffer the loss of any credibility I have with him.

We drove down the street to Trafalga at 12:48 (it opens at 10) and found the gate closed and the doors locked!!  What??!!!  There were several other cars, full of disappointed children, that pulled out of the parking lot with drivers gripping their steering wheels a little tighter than when they had pulled in. Matthew was so upset.  I drove up the street and pulled into a fast food place for him to play only to discover I had not brought my wallet.  You think I'm joking right? No. I had the Pass in my pocket for the trip, what else did I need? I knew if I pulled out of that restaurant parking lot without giving him the chance to play, all bets were off and I would have no leg to stand on when I asked him to go potty or be a big boy.  Luckily, it worked out.  He played on the slide, jumped up and down, and had a good time, even without a treat.  I fumed the whole time. He did go potty while we were there though, which perked up my mood significantly.

We finished the day out without further drama (okay, I have three kids....with less drama than earlier) and he was accident free all day.  This morning he woke up, I removed his Pull-Up, and was ready to tackle the 15 minute interval questions of going potty.  Yet, I soon discovered I didn't need to.  He went potty this morning 3 - 4 times without me asking him to go.  As I was blow drying my hair he ran in, pulled down his adorable Toy Story undies, went potty, clapped, and then rolled himself up in the bath mats to nap.  

I love this little boy.  I love the challenges he brings to my life, making the sweet moments like this seem like I have captured a shooting star.