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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Commissioner's apology for text incident doesn't sway family Since You Asked: State requires headlight use in bad weather Emergency Services Kitchenware, sheets would ease stress of starting over for mom and son Get Up & Go: Dec. 23 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Man wearing fake beard robs Medford bank Police still hunting for third suspect tied to bomb threats, high speed chase Josephine County scrambles to house juvenile offenders Emergency Services Politics and Elections State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Education Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament A lesson in giving Environment Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock Jackson County holds back on enforcing GMO ban for now No fish, no funding for problem dams Most residents speak against gas pipeline State News Oregon to step up water quality checks on farms Questions remain in death of Oklahoma teen Impostor makes off with Salvation Army donations in Corvallis, Albany Faith-healing couple sentenced to 10 years for death of diabetic daughter Uber suspends operations in Portland for 3 months Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Emile Victor Caloz Donna J. (Hall) Green Death Notices Eva Mae Clement Gerald Steve Stebbins Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable ACCESS receives $50,000 donation from Wells Fargo Sports Latest Stories Dixon’s buzzer-beater gives North title After layoff, Wisconsin knocks off Cal Abdul-Bassit boosts Ducks in OT Upon return, Parker fuels Spurs’ win Bengals top Broncos to reach playoffs Varsity 541 College Sports After layoff, Wisconsin knocks off Cal Abdul-Bassit boosts Ducks in OT Memphis wins thriller, then brawl breaks out Beaver women in top 10 for first time Gutches, Johnson lead Raiders to eighth at Reno TOC Pro Sports Upon return, Parker fuels Spurs’ win Bengals top Broncos to reach playoffs Harden lights up Blazers Harbaugh skirts topic of his, 49ers' future On the rise Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Business Latest Stories Silvio Calabi: GLA250 is a Merc for the masses Blog: The Holidays Have Arrived Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Employment in Oregon surpasses pre-recession levels Free lunchtime presentation covers business planning Real Estate News Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate More sales, but no change in residential housing median price People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 Transportation Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Opinion Latest Our View: One more try for Josephine safety levy Letters to the Editor, Dec. 23 Michael Gerson: Room for non-conformity nurtures genius Granlund cartoon: Holiday carry-on bags Granlund cartoon: Christmas Day creche Editorials Our View: One more try for Josephine safety levy Other Views: Kingsley Field jobs are welcome Our View: Be careful when you donate Other Views: Detective's sentence violates public trust Our View: Cheers and jeers Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 23 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 22 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 21 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 19 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 18 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Lifestyle Latest stories Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Religion news: Judge rules boy can be given transfusion, despite parents’ religious objections Kitchen Call: The comfort of creamy soups Community blog: Last Minute Gifts for your Critters Blog: HAIKU MONDAY: On Big Water Food Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Kitchen Call: The comfort of creamy soups Community blog: Baking contest finalists combine cookies, candies Community blog: 'Cookbook Book' digests genre's past 300 years Community blog: Liver pat� an easy nosh for Hanukkah and beyond Home and Garden Home Help: Home safety tips for a safe and happy winter season How NOT to install drywall Dear Monty: Siblings dispute inherited real estate Home Help: Create a happy homemade holiday Rogue Valley Christmas light displays Health Health Watch: Small diet changes can make a big difference Community blog: Removing Barriers Is Good Insurance Health Watch: Change up your treadmill workout Community blog: A Dark Night of Healing and Hope Community blog: The Promise of Hope � and Health - Fulfilled Hiking Biking Faith Churches, synagogs host seasonal events Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Milestones and Achievements Fans, friends and family welcome home victorious SOU team at airport Wedding: Boldt-Mahon Order of Elks national office revokes Medford lodge's charter Jackson County's new health building complete, will serve clients in February Ashland celebrates 'Wild' screening with Cheryl Strayed Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories In the Pocket releases 'I Got News' Live Music in Local Clubs Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present 'The Holly and the Ivy' Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Theater ACT presents reading of 'The Quality of Life' Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning TMTO presents 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' Music In the Pocket releases 'I Got News' Live Music in Local Clubs Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present 'The Holly and the Ivy' Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Seattle rock band Smokey Brights plays Howiee's Community Events Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Dancing People Company celebrates the solstice Dance to the Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra Dining Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Coffee shops roll out holiday-inspired drinks Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches Brunch at Loft Brasserie Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Our View: One more try for Josephine safety levy ... Man wearing fake beard robs Medford bank ... Former Ashland student saves surfer from pounding waves ... Our View: One more try for Josephine safety levy ... Man wearing fake beard robs Medford bank ... Former Ashland student saves surfer from pounding waves ... Jeff Vrabel: Unhappy accidents are hard to predict Comment By Jeff Vrabel More Content Now MailTribune.com By Jeff Vrabel More Content Now Posted Dec. 1, 2014 @ 8:41 am By Jeff Vrabel More Content Now Posted Dec. 1, 2014 @ 8:41 am » Social News You would think that a 3-year-old having three accidents at the house would preclude him from having a fourth at a Barnes and Noble but, man, you would be distressingly, seriously wrong. The potty training is coming along pretty well, and by that, I mean my son pooped on the kitchen floor tonight during dinner, so maybe you and I have different definitions of the words “pretty well.” It goes in fits and starts, is what I’m saying. We’re getting a handle on the pee thing, but poop-training remains a widely unexplored wilderness of hope and possibility, which is to say I’m starting to believe it’ll maybe possibly happen when he’s 12. It’s partly happening: “I’m wet,” he’ll confess, but quickly add, “But my bottom is dry!” It probably says something about the kind of father I am that my first instinct is to congratulate him for having a dry bottom, and not to chastise him for hosing down the front of his trousers with such enthusiasm that there was actual dripping. We lucked into something: The boy’s daycare handles a good bit of the potty training, or at least partners and counsels with us on it. Last week, I actually got an email at like 10 in the morning from the delightful Ms. Jen, who reported that my son both announced his need to go poop in the potty, but then — wonders never cease! — went and DID IT. This may not seem like news that demands an individual email, but lo there was much rejoicing. I might have cried in a Starbucks; it all happened so fast. So we have teamwork, which is great. But the daycare’s potty-training plan has one fatal flaw: They don’t come back to my house, which would frankly be really nice of them. Because when we get back here, things get a little less consistent. I know what we’re supposed to be doing, that there’s a system of rewards and incentives and screen time and peeing on Cheerios for some reason, but it just doesn’t happen here. Which brings us back to the bookstore. Now naturally, when you’ve planned a day of shopping with a kid who’s like 47 percent potty-trained, you know you’re rolling the dice. But since he’d had three, count them THREE accidents during the morning, I believed, understandably I think, that the tank was empty. This was, of course, not the case, and I could tell it wasn’t case because my son betrays some quiet subtle tells. For instance, in this case, he hid under the Thomas the Tank Engine table in the kids’ section and laid there until I came to get him. “Is everything OK, buddy?” I asked. “Yeah,” came the tiny, muted reply. “Did you poop?” I asked, absorbing the looks of the other parents whose kids were being delayed from their train fun by my son’s bowels. “Yeah,” he muttered again. “Do you want to go get changed?” I asked, and he turned his head and gave me a sad, hopeful look, one that said, “I bet you left the backpack in the car, so now you’re gonna carry me and my poop out of the store, into the car, change me in 40-degree wind and then carry me back in 40 minutes later, aren’t you?” Yeah. Jeff Vrabel definitely cried in the Starbucks. He can be reached at jeffvrabel.com and/or stalked at facebook.com/jeffvrabelwriter. By Jeff Vrabel More Content Now MailTribune.com By Jeff Vrabel More Content Now Posted Dec. 1, 2014 @ 8:41 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. 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