Potty training.
Once your kid turns 18 months, it seems like the buzz starts. People start asking if you've started potty training, if you're thinking about it, what method you'll use, etc.
Boys potty train later. It's just a fact. Part of that is muscle control. They actually aren't able to control the necessary muscles as soon as girls are. Still, everyone
So for a few weeks I've been thinking Sam may be ready to start. He'll be three at the end of October. I've been mentioning it to him, we bought this, and we've laid out the bribes, M&Ms, a big bag, whatever type he wants.
My original plan had been to reserve a weekend, send Grey off, put Sam in underwear and see how he did...hoping he would pick up on it after a couple days and we'd be diaper free. Due to travel, Grey's birthday party, and random other events, we haven't really had a weekend we could do that and we won't have a weekend like that for another 3 weeks or so.
Sunday, Bob decided he was just gonna go for it. He says he noticed Sam pulling on his diaper so during breakfast, Bob asked if Sam wanted to go poop on the potty.
Success! And so we made a pit stop at the gas station on the way in to church to get M&Ms.
(Dark chocolate peanut for those who are wondering).
Of course, since we were headed to church and since he's in the nursery while we're in church, we had to put things on hold. But over the next few days, he had various other successes. His diaper wasn't dry for too long but he was having dry periods. Tuesday was kind of a bummer. He didn't want to try at all. In fact, I was starting to get a bit discouraged thinking we just needed to nix this plan and do the weekend thing.
Wednesday, we got back on track a little and he had a bit of a breakthrough. It became pretty obvious that he knew how to control the flow of urine. I kind of already knew this because he'd look at me (with a diaper on) and say, "I just tee-teed." Wednesday though, he was using the control to go in the potty. Yea! It was just the encouragement I needed. Weird right?
Big thanks to Bob for suggesting we mix up the rewards a little to include fruit snacks and pickles.
Thursday we had a few successes, nothing mind blowing.
Friday, Sam hopped up on the big potty and tee-teed. Then we ran to Publix and I wasn't giving it a whole lot of thought. In fact, I'd been trying to decide if we should just lay off until we have a few days where we can really focus on it.
So I'm finishing up my grocery shopping when he tells me he needs to tee-tee in the potty. I rush to the bathroom, squeeze me and my big belly, and the double shopping cart into the family restroom. About 10 minutes (no exaggeration) later, and after much of Grey's screaming, we had success! Wahoo!
Trading diapers for underwear and trading our vacation for potty training.
Take 2 will be up tomorrow.
1 comment:
Gooo, Sam!!
It's a great feeling, huh?! About a week after Shiloh was officially potty trained I told Richard that I felt like I had this newfound love for Shiloh. I was soooo proud of her, that was the only way I could explain it.
We just started wearing underwear to bed at night, too. (fingers crossed)
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