And we'll need a urine sample. . .

Noah went to the doctor today for his three-year check-up. He is doing great! He demonstrated to his doctor that he knows his colors and shapes, and he also got to show-off his verbal skills. . .which are pretty amazing. He also told that doctor that he can kick a ball and that scissors are for cutting. In a nutshell, the doctor was pleased and said that he is ahead of where he needs to be. Developmentally, when I asked what he should be doing next she told me that Noah needs to learn how to repeat a story back to us once he's read it. I then told the doctor that he can do that already. This is how we discovered his love the book "No David." They had read it at school and Noah would talk about it in the car.

Then the subject of potty training came up. I explained to the doctor that Noah has gone pee-pee on the potty before and that he clearly shows all the signs of readiness. He knows how to use the toilet, but he holds it in. And he is so stubborn that we're afraid to force the issue because if we do it'll only set us back. The doctor asked if we had used incentives. So I asked Noah what happens if he pees on the potty. He said, "I get jelly beans." When I asked what happens if he poops he said, "I get a lollipop." Yup. We've tried incentives. The doctor then agreed with me that dropping the subject was probably a good idea and that we should just pick it up again in a few weeks.

And then she handed me a cup and said, "we'll also need a urine sample."

I looked at her and said, "are you kidding?" She said that sometimes kids are motivated if they are given a target to "shoot" for. Now, I love our pediatrician, but did we not just discuss Noah's lack of potty training 20 seconds earlier? So if nothing else I figured I would humor the doctor.

Noah and I went into bathroom and he sat on the toilet. First he wanted to use the urine cup to drink some water (thankfully there were some paper cups near the sink). Then he insisted on getting off the toilet to wash his hands. Twice. Then he wanted to flush the toilet. And then mommy gave up.

I walked out of the bathroom, handed the nurse the cup, and said "this isn't going to work." CLEARLY their expectations of Noah are higher than mine. But it was funny nontheless.

And let me also explain the pictures. Both were taken with Noah's new Fisher Price digital camera. I took the first picture. Noah took the second one. Enjoy his foot!