Potty Training 101

Probably, the most important and life changing event this year has been potty training. I can't believe I didn't blog about this earlier. I decided to start the first Saturday of Christmas break. Crazy. Not sure what I was thinking since that week is busy with traveling and activities, but we went with it. It was the only length of time at home with him I would have before he started 3k which he has to be trained for. Gaines was starting to get really scared of the potty.  He told my sister that only girls teetee in the potty. He would freak out if we talked about it. So I thought we needed to nip that in the bud. Since he was about 18 months he could sense when he needed to go to the bathroom, and he had gotten to where he asked for diaper change - neither consistently but still proud. The real problem was me. I was scared. I was worried about the inconvenience. The night before we started he told me he needed to poopoo and went in his diaper. I knew it was time. 

The first day he got a little tired of it...only because he doesn't like to be told what to do. It has to be his own thought ;) That day was actually pretty warm for December so I showed him how to go outside. We just put towels down and kept the potty in the living room. Only way I could get him to go consistently was watching TV.

He kind of figured it out after that. I was worried on Sunday and sent him to church in a pull-up. But he came home DRY! Second and third days were accident free as much as I can remember. The third and fourth day he was kind of over it too. Christmas Eve we had a couple of accidents since I was trying to get cooking done and Scott wasn't used to the process. It does take a lot of attention and interpreting of body language! But once we started our festivities...not.one.accident! I was so proud. He did have one accident on Christmas Day, but again I got preoccupied. 

After that, it just was remembering to make him go to the bathroom. He transitioned to school really good. He would have some accidents at daycare, but I think we are almost over that! It took him a full month or more to start going on his own or consistently telling you he had to go. Now, almost all of the accidents are the same day he has to poop which he is doing awesome at! I was real scared of that too at first. He was freaked out and wouldn't go for a couple of weeks maybe. We may have had a couple of times in the underwear. His first time in the potty I was out of town so he and daddy shared that special moment! Once I was able to catch him straining though, we could make it in time. He is still doing great. We just have to work on that aim! He might knock a hole in my wall! He as some super pressure and pretty much pees horizontal :)

We haven't worn pull-ups/diapers out since December 20th. We still nap and sleep in a pull-up/diaper. Almost all of the time he is dry after naps. Last weekend I let him nap in underwear with no accident. The first month he was dry every morning. He is kinda going backwards waking up wet - but still goes to the potty first thing. Even with all the going we do, we haven't had any problems out. We have had to use the Wal-mart bathroom twice which I am not proud of. And we may have stopped on the side of the road a couple of times after which he decided he didn't have to go. The few accidents we still have he catches himself and finishes in the potty. 

Before I knew it, we did it. Crazy.