Little Green Frog of Doom!

Here is the little fella'

      We are staring each other down we both know it is time we meet again  and neither of us wanted to ever see each other again.  It started out so good with us the first time we met three years ago, I was so full of hope! I really thought he was ushering in an era of new beginnings and now every time I look at him I get that sick feeling deep in the pit of my stomach.
      I am talking about my green Fisher-Price frog potty. With his eyes demurely gazing to the side giving the perspective pottier that sense of security( I can just imagine the discussions in the board room about the placement of the eyes on the potty. "No Bob if his eyes look directly forward it is like he is looking at the parent and judging! But if his eyes stare upward it is like he is trying to sneak a peek!") The frog has a smug smile on his face he is not grinning to broadly like he is overly excited to me in his unique position, nor is his expression to grim like he feels entirely to put upon.

Cabbage patch potty

One of the more deluxe models

   When I first purchased him in 2009 I fell in love with it, I looked at about ten different potties while shopping for the perfect one that would take my Colton from diapers to undies. I looked at ones shaped like tiny thrones, ones that had a little pretend flush that made the noise when pulled on (they reminded me entirely to much of the tiny potty I had for my Cabbage patch dolls when I was little , while the toy was always a big hit when I had friends over it felt weird to have my child peeing on something so similar) there ones that sang a little potty song, and just plain old ones that are just a tan plastic seat with a removable bowl. Then I found Mr. Frog, he was the perfectly mix of utility and whimsy, his bowl was easily removed and cleaned, he was not to large and required no batteries, but he was also cute a rarity in other simple potties I had found (oh and he was not pink! that was another problem I encountered I guess moms of girls complained that there was not enough girl themed baby items and then manufacturers decided took those complaints to heart so that instead of making everything the primary colors of the past everything would now be pink and purple.)
        After I took him home the problems with or relationship started at first Colton was slightly frighted by his frog potty. It took lots of gentle introductions and bribes to get him even sit on him. Then there was countless hours sitting front of the potty staring into his side cast eyes willing Colton to produce even a trickle of tinkle. After a grueling month I finally had Colton trained and I never wanted to see that dang frog again but alas our fates were to intertwine again a mere year later when it was time for Cody to train. 

        If I thought training Colton was hard Cody was near to impossible he refused to sit on the potty at all, or if you got him to sit on it he would stare at you insolently for a couple minutes and then get up and run away crying with his little bare butt showing. After nearly six months of  exhausting training that nearly took it all out of me Mr. Frog was put back into storage again and this time I really never wanted to see him ever again. Yet here we are staring each other down for one last show down. He is a little worse for the wear now, showing the battle scars that come with bringing three small boys from diapers to underwear. This time with Cullen while be our last battle together, after him Mr. Frog can retire move to Florida and play shuffleboard all day with his other potty friends. Then and only then while my hatred for him soften and turn to gentle nostalgia for times past.
    Who knows maybe someday years into the future when the boys are all grown, I will come upon a frog potty at some thrift shop some where. Peeking out shyly underneath some rack and I will look into his eyes and my own eyes will well with tears remembering our battles together all those years ago. I will nod my head at him and he will understand that all is forgiven.