Vocabulary Check and A New "P"

So my husband came home from work yesterday and gave me a long hug and said, "Are you really despondent?" And I said, "Yeah, a little." And he said, "I'm worried about you and sad that you are feeling so low. What can I do?"

First, how nice is that to have a husband that talks about feelings? Can you imagine? He's a gem, seriously.

But secondly, I had to ask...is "despondent" that bad? I was thinking it meant blue or gloomy, kinda apathetic, maybe mildly depressed. He was thinking it meant utterly hopeless, not wanting to go on. We were both kinda right, but I think it is more what he thought it meant.

So to clarify, because I do take depression seriously and didn't want anyone overly concerned, I'm just blue, and thankfully not horribly so. I'll try to keep my inadvertent hyperbole in check. Although "despondent" is a very cool word.

In other news, we worked out one whole day of potty training Henry yesterday. I made up the chart and Henry picked out some thrilling stickers, and he used the toilet nine times, stayed clean and dry the entire afternoon.

But the best part is discovering another key to our potty-training method: Peer Pressure. (It even starts with a "p!")

Every time Henry said he needed to go, Calvin said, "I'll help him!" I was leery at first, because the last thing I need is both of them in the bathroom together for any length of time, especially involving the toilet.

But it works! Cal cheers him on like there's no tomorrow, Henry comes out all proud that he went and that his big hero brother thinks it's the best thing ever, then Calvin administers the sticker, they count the stickers on the chart again together, Calvin raves about how great Henry is doing, and we're good to go.

The first thing Henry said to me this morning was that he needed to go potty.

So, yeah...definitely not completely hopeless.