Sunday, July 18, 2010

we like to potty

 The time was upon us for potty training. You were telling us more and more when you had peed and pooped - wanting to get changed. You were showing an IMMENSE interest in the act itself, when others were doing it, hence our open-door-policy of bathroom business at home. When I'd start to pee, your face would light up as if I just did this most awesome amazing thing. You'd grab toilet paper for me. And aside from the potty-specific things, I knew you could tackle it. You could carry out multiple directions/tasks at one time, and you're just damn smart.

So! After several months (who am I kidding, the better part of a year) of my own research and asking around, I decided that this method was the best fit for you. - http://www.3daypottytraining.com/ - And it so was. I had stockpiled many toys/items to use for the weekend (and onwards) for rewards.. I blocked out a weekend, which is never an easy thing to do. We laid bedsheets down everywhere. Bought tons (36 pairs!) of cheap undies.



I had been talking for a few weeks about how one day we were going to throw ALL the diapers away because we'd wear BIG BOY underwear - and you thought that was super cool. You'd sometimes go around the house saying it (weeks before we dove in), 'gonna throw the diapers away because we go peepee in the potty!!' - and you'd throw your arms up at the word potty, so excitedly! You were about as mentally prepared as any toddler can be. I don't think I would ever be completely mentally prepared though.

The morning of Day 1, you woke up and I said that today was the day! We went to your nursery (where your diapers are) and put them ALL in a trash sack (to be put in the car, to later be brought back in for donating), You said goodbye to them, then I put you in a pair of Nemo underwear - which I assumed would be your fave. The premise of the method we used was to trash ALL diapers and do just undies for a long weekend...  and constantly remind you to TELL US if you had to go pee/poop. Like, over and over. Like, nonstop. Like, you were noticeably tired of this after the the first few hours. You sounded MUCH like a highly annoyed teen after Day 1 - you literally went "okay okay okaaaaay!" after I'd remind you to tell me you had to go.
We would do 'dry checks' - where we'd have you grab your crotch (so to speak) and make sure it was still dry. We verbally praised for staying dry - even if for 15 minutes. When you'd start to pee, we would say 'look! you're peeing! that means it's time to potty!' and we'd rush you to the potty. If you got the smallest dribble of pee in the potty, there was bigtime praise/rewards. Yes, we used m&m's and gummy life-savers and all sorts of edibles that the parent books tell you not to use. Pride of accomplishement is supposedly enough of a reward.. I say that's pretty lame. Bring on the candy!
Anyways, you had about 10-11 accidents on Day 1, though you got MUCH pee in the potty after the first few times. You never once had a floor-soaker accident. You were pretty aware every time. I am sure that if we hadn't had bedsheets all over the place, there would have been a few floor-soakers. ;)
And you also pooped! You always go right after lunch, no fail. So around that time we sat you down (which goes against the 'method', but whatever) and you went! You were almost as shocked as we were... you looked down and pointed and said THAT'S POOP! That got huuuge rewards and a brand new puzzle.


Day 2 went very well. You started the day off by actually telling us you had to potty - and you went! We were so so sooo proud. The rest of the day was pretty good. You had maybe 5 small accidents and you told us the rest of the time when you had to go. You also pooped in the potty - no problem whatsoever. We spent the day(s) playing and you loooved the 1 on 1 attention that you sadly aren't used to getting ALL day long. The dishes and laundry definitely suffered.

Day 3 and on - very good! You now (at 3 weeks post-Day 1) tell us every single time you have to pee - and you (just started this 4 days ago) even go on your own - without telling us. You just strip from the waist down no matter where you stand and run off to pee! You come get me when you're done to ask me to come see - and to empty it into the big potty. You tell us out in public, too. We put a little potty in each trunk of both our cars, and if we're out and you tell us (and we're near the car) - we simply go to the car, pop the trunk, drop your trousers and there ya go! I also bought a folding potty seat thing - to prevent you from falling in to the HUGE public potties, and you've gone on that a few times as well.

We modified the method a tad, as it calls for ditching diapers/pull-ups for sleeptimes, too, and making a bed for the parents at night (next to the child's bed) to remind them to go every few hours. I think I developed a hernia from laughing so hard upon reading that. So we used pull-ups. And ya know what? You keep them dry. We call them 'sleepytime underwear' and that we are to keep them dry too - and you so do. We're still leary to put you in undies at night, but those pull-ups (right now) are staying dry!

I won't say too much about the pooping though, because I want to focus on the positives!!! And the pooping is not coming along at such a lightning fast speed as the peeing did. Those first two days when you pooped without issue were just teasing us, apparently. It's ok, I won't rush you. I am fairly certain you won't be pooping your pants when you start Kindergarten.

Overall, I am beyond pleased with how well it's gone. I do not expect perfection either though. I know there will be maaany accidents in the weeks/months/years to come, and this is ok. It's a lot like sleep-training. The more you talk about it when it's good, the more you screw yourself (and annoy others!), so I'll just wrap things up now. ;) 

Potty on!

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