Genetics and Potty Training

Dear Logan,

In a couple hours, Mommy will be heading down south to meet with the Geneticist to discuss the results of my blood test. I am not sure what the conversation is like, but I have a feeling that I do possess the same DNA mutation in my mitochondria. If not, how else are you going to get that? It would be very rare for you to have the illness without me giving that to you. I was adamant in getting your brother tested, if I were to be positive. However, now that I think about it, if your brother seems to be doing fine, and this mutation is only passed along by mothers, maybe I won't have your brother tested. Afterall, why subject him to the trauma of getting his blood drawn when he's this young. However, I need to consult with the Geneticist and then talk to Daddy to decide what's going to happen. I was going to prepare some questions to ask the Geneticist, but I think they will probably cover all of my questions. The most important thing is, will your brother be OK, and will I be OK. If I were to have another baby, what are the chances that the future baby will have the same mutation, and if this could be tested with the amniocentesis. These are my main questions.

On to the your brother's potty-training, it's not going too well. I don't think we're making much progress and Daddy and Mommy are getting very frustrated. I know we're not supposed to, as all the other experts say, but it's hard not to. It seems like he couldn't feel the urge to go pee pee in the potty. He definitey felt the urge to go poopy, coz he told us. Yay! But he won't go pee all by himself. We had to tell him to go, then he might pee in there. The most upsetting moment was last night before he went to bed. I knew he would pee about every 30 mins if he has drunk something. So, after dinner, we played a little, then brushed his teeth. His 30-minute mark was almost there, and after brushing, I told him to go potty while I drew water for his bath. Once I turned around to draw water, he immediately peed in his pants while standing on the stool (where he stood to brush his teeth). I was so pissed off. I just told him to step down and go potty and he didn't! I was so upset with him, I didn't talk to him much during the whole bath, and after I put him to bed, I told him I was not going to sleep with him and he had to sleep all by himself. I then proceeded to wash his clothes by hand, as I just turned on the washer for all of his other dirty underwear. After I finished washing and checked on him, he already fell asleep.

I felt really bad afterwards. I knew I should have held my cool, afterall, I am the adult here, right? And he was so tired, since he didn't nap yesterday. Maybe being tired has affected his potty-training ability? I don't know. I read that you have to give kids a lot of salty snacks and fluids, so that they will go often. We didn't really do that, just the usual amount of fluid. Maybe we didn't give him enough fluid so that he could feel the urge to go? I don't know. He would go if I forcefully tell him to. But if I asked if he needed to go, he always says no. I don't know if he couldn't feel the urge, he defiantly said no, or by the time he felt it, it was too late. I guess we'll have to try it another weekend. I hope I have not traumatized him. It's hard not to give him pressure.

Well, Logan, I'll see you in a little while. I'm gonna come see you after I see the Geneticist. I also want to take two of the pinwheels away from you, leaving just one, and see if the people are going to take it away on Wednesday during flower clean-up time. See you soon.

Love you,
Mommy