As fall was approaching again, so did a big day for Thread: it was time for her to get potty trained. With her parents wanting to send Thread to preschool for the upcoming academic year, and the preschool having a potty training requirement, the entirety of Team8s cleared out their calendar and was ready to get to work!
They spent time buying everything that would be necessary, from a mini toilet, some fun drinks, and some extra paper towels in case any accidents happened. After all the prep, the team made the setup in the kitchen and we're just about ready to potty train.
"When are we going to start this adventure," Donut asked.
Pin nodded, "we will soon, we're just waiting for Needle to come home."
"Let me guess, Needle's at the gym again?" Saw asked sarcastically.
"Where else would she be?" Pin remarked.
"Gee, last time I witnessed anyone train this hard for something was when Taco trained for her black belt exam," Gaty added, "boy did it push her to limits I had never seen."
"Needle should be home soon though," Coiny said, as he turned to Thread, "because today is a very special day for a very special girl!"
"Aren't you guys potty training her today?" Gaty asked
"We sure are!" Pin said excitedly. "We're a bit nervous, but it has to be done eventually! I recommend you guys take some notes," Pin said to Saw and Gaty.
"Oh believe me," Saw added, "we will!"
A few minutes later, Needle made her way home from the gym, and opened up the door to all the chaos.
"Mommy!" Thread shouted, as she ran into Needle's arms.
Needle was excited to watch Thread try to accomplish another milestone, "it's a big day for you, huh sweet girl!"
Thread smiled, "I'm gonna learn to go potty in the big girl toilet!" Thread ran back into the kitchen, visibly excited for the day ahead of her.
The excitement in the kitchen was palpable as Thread eagerly awaited the start of her potty training adventure. Needle couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and nervousness as she watched her daughter, realizing just how quickly time was passing.
"All right, everyone," Pin announced, clapping her hands together. "It's time to kick off the potty training festivities!"
The team gathered around the mini toilet, ready to guide Thread through this important milestone. They had prepared themselves with patience, encouragement, and plenty of positive reinforcement.
"Okay, Thread," Needle said, crouching down beside her daughter. "Remember what we talked about. You're going to sit on the toilet and try to go potty like a big girl."
Thread nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with determination. With a deep breath, she climbed onto the mini toilet, her tiny legs dangling above the ground.
"You can do it, Thread!" Coiny cheered, offering his daughter a thumbs-up.
Saw and Gaty exchanged amused glances, marveling at the sight of Thread taking on this new challenge. They were both grateful to be a part of such a supportive and loving team.
As Thread sat on the toilet, the room fell into a hushed anticipation. Time seemed to stand still as they waited for any signs of progress.
Suddenly, a look of concentration crossed Thread's face as she tried to go. The tension in the room mounted as everyone held their breath, waiting for the moment they had been anticipating.
And then, it happened. With a triumphant grin, Thread went to the bathroom on the toilet for the very first time, her face lighting up with pride.
"She did it!" Needle exclaimed, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie!"
Thread giggled, proud of her recent accomplishment, "I did it mommy I did it!"
Pin smiled, "Now next time you have to go potty, use the toilet again."
Thread nodded, "I will mommy!"
The team decided to leave Thread to be in the kitchen, as they headed into the living room, still keeping an eye on her."
"Wow, she picked that up way quicker than I thought," Coiny remarked.
Gaty nodded, "Kids are smarter than you'd think, trust me, I would know."
Saw jumped in, "let's just hope she doesn't-"
"MOMMY! MOMMY! DADDY! I PEED ON THE FLOOR!" Thread shouted.
"-have any accidents," Saw said, although that clearly didn't last long.
The team rushed back into the kitchen, finding Thread standing near her accident, looking up at them with wide eyes. Needle knelt down beside her, offering a reassuring smile despite the mishap.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Needle said gently, "accidents happen when we're learning something new. Let's clean this up together, and then we'll try again, okay?"
Thread nodded, her lower lip quivering slightly. With the help of her team, they cleaned up the mess and encouraged Thread to try again. Despite the setback, Thread remained determined, eager to master this new skill.
As they continued with the potty training, the team showered Thread with praise and encouragement, celebrating every success and offering comfort during setbacks. With each attempt, Thread grew more confident and comfortable with the process, eventually mastering the art of using the toilet like a big girl.
By the end of the day, Thread had made significant progress, and the team couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.
"We're so proud of you Thread," Donut said.
"Thanks uncle Donut," Thread responded.
The day had been filled with ups and downs, laughter and tears, but through it all, Thread had persevered with determination and courage. As the evening drew to a close, the team gathered around Thread, wrapping her in a warm embrace of love and pride.
"Today was a big step for you, sweetheart," Needle said, her voice filled with affection.
Thread beamed up at her parents and the rest of Team8s, feeling a swell of pride in her chest. "I'm so happy," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
Saw ruffled Thread's hair affectionately. "That's right, kiddo. We're always here to support you, no matter what."
Gaty nodded in agreement. "And remember, it's okay to make mistakes along the way. What's important is that you keep trying, just like you did today."
Thread hugged her family tightly, feeling grateful for their love and encouragement. As she drifted off to sleep that night, she knew that she was surrounded by a family who would always be there to lift her up and help her grow.
..............................................
She's growing up guys! Also, bonus points to anyone who caught the Pi Day short reference (I love the idea of Taco as a black belt in taekwondo, it suits her so well!). It was so nice to see Tack again, first speaking role since the finale almost 3 years ago!
We're 16 days away from the anniversary of this book, and we have 1.3 K reads to go to meet the 10K goal, so if you want those designs of the children then I recommend you tell your friends to start reading! See you in the next chapter!
- Sunny