Dear God pass the booze...and the lysol

Today is one of those days when I wish, just for maybe an hour or two or okay, maybe a day....okay a day like this makes me crave a week...that I could actually go back to work.  Ya know, with like adults!

The irony in today is partly what makes it so bad.  Blake - just 8 days shy of his two year old birthday - calling from his crib this morning that he had to go potty.  I pulled off his sopping wet pull up and he peed in the potty. 

From there it went down hill...and just about as fast and as furious my stress level went up....

Let's see...

• He smacked his 4 year old sister over the head with a metal tape measure. 
• Got timeout in his crib...
• My husband went to get him from timeout only to find he peed all over his clothes and the crib.  What do I hear from upstairs "T!!! He peed all over the crib....
• Hose him down in the shower.
• Went to the gym for a little stress relief since I haven't been there in 10 days because of my two sick kids...he had an accident there. 
• Get him in the car to take him home - he throws up (Go ahead...laugh.  At this point it was only 10 am)
• We're home...I put him on the bed so I can take a shower and he can watch a show.  Ahhh...10 uneventful minutes. 
• He hops off the bed as soon as I get out of the shower and pees all over the floor.  Somehow I thank him for this. 
• He asks for more milk.  I say "no" given all the accidents. He throws the cup at me.  
• More timeout in the crib. 
• He pees all over the crib....again
• Get home from picking up sister and he says he has to poop.  I try to put him on the nearest potty he refuses and says he wants to go upstairs fighting me all the way to the nearest potty that's when shit literally hits the fan. 
• He pooped all over the wall, all over the floor, pretty much everywhere except the potty. 
• When I finally get all that cleaned up he says he's done.  I go to wipe him and a full size turd literally comes out in my hand.  
• My daughter requests lunch because she's "starving." 
• As I wash my hands he pees on the floor...

 I mean in this moment, in this morning, I am beyond frustrated wondering how on earth USA Today's survey could find moms of 3 are the most stressed of us all...Apparently they didn't interview anyone with a Hurricane Blake.  I call my husband to vent but of course I get his office voice mail.

Next best thing...nap time.

I swear potty training can be the worst and best thing for a mom.  But on days like today when I know he's using it against m,  I can't help but wonder if he's mad I sold the half opened pack of diapers this morning or if it was that he is just showing me what 2 will be like.    He'll go a week without a single accident and then have days like today when I am seriously considering questioning my sanity. 

Potty trained toddler showing regression? Try these 5 tips to nip it in the butt

Potty training on the go

It's been almost two months since I successfully potty trained my then 21 month old son after enrolling him in 3 day potty training boot camp.  Even though he was potty trained in less than a week, there are days I am still on edge -- nervous he's totally forgotten all that we've worked on. 

Most days he stays completely dry and tells me when he has to go (it's usually more of a "ahhh ahh ahhh" with a little dance than a "potty mommy," but whatever, he's not even 2 yet).
But other days it seems like I'm changing his clothes so much I need to do laundry just so he's not wearing sissy's panties.  When he does slip into a minor bout of potty training regression, I use a couple of tricks to quickly get him back on track.

Constipation relief for kids: Plum juice goes down easier than prune juice

I pretty much feel like I'm an expert in constipation relief in kids.  It's not a title I really ever strived to have, but given my daughter's recent frequent peeing problems, my son's potty trained but won't poop issues, and some ongoing hemorrhoid problems in this house (this blog doesn't have nearly enough room for all I've got to say about being the caretaker for 10 days of bed rest, two surgeries, two ER visits, sidz baths, a cath, and 'roids....so we'll just leave it at that), I've come to know a few things about poop.  More precisely, I've come to know what keeps it moving.


Prune juice is an old stand by, but let's face it the stuff not only smells and looks like poop juice it's not exactly the easiest thing to swallow - literally.  I've been looking for an alternative to prune juice to keep my kids regular and recently I came across plum juice.  After looking at the fiber content per serving and all that good stuff I decided to give a bottle of Sunsweet Plum Smart Juice a try.

Here's a direct comparison of the nutritional information between prune juice and plum juice.  Pay specific attention to the dietary fiber, calories, and sugar.

I gave a small cup to my daughter who proclaimed... "Mmm it tastes like apple juice." The consistency is the same as apple juice and it's not pulpy in the least -- plus I like it because there's not as much sugar or calories.

Now, as soon as I recognize that my kids are constipated or even showing the slightest sign that they're headed in that direction,  I start giving my them 6 - 8 ounces of plum juice a day. 

Frequent peeing update: Testing for UTI, constipation, overactive bladder, spasms, growth spurt...

So it's been more than a week since I first took my 4 year old daughter into the doctor because of her frequent urination and finally we have some answers...although I'm left with more questions. 

Just to recap quickly (you can read my original post on the frequent peeing problem here) - she was getting up several times at night to pee and on her two worst days peed between 40 and 50 times a day.  Through a urine test, doctors ruled out a UTI (she also has no pain) and diabetes insipidus.  After the second urine test came back, our pediatrician recommended we wait a week and monitor her pooping pattern because she explained frequent peeing can actual be a sign of constipation.

After two and half days (sorry, this mama can't wait a full week...so I rounded up) of writing down everything that came out of her and at exactly what time, I figured two or three normal looking poops a day meant she wasn't constipation.

Potty training folo up: One month after potty training boot camp

It's been about a month since I enlisted my then 21 month old son into potty training boot camp.   As I shared in several pee-by-pee posts, I was shocked he picked it up as fast as he did.  The 3 day potty training boot camp definitely had him pee trained in less than a week.

We had some trouble with poop (perhaps it's his retaliation for me putting him in his sister's panties when I'm behind on laundry?), but I'm happy to report he's come around on that end too. 

Unlike a lot of kids he does NOT wait until I put the pull up on at nap/bed time to poop.  Instead, he just holds it until he can't hold it anymore and then he finally gives in.  Part of our success is that I've come to recognize exactly when he has to poop.  His MO has come to be running to the potty, but without any pee coming out.  He'll pop up off the dry potty only to repeat this about every 5 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute until finally he can't hold it any longer and he just poops...on the potty.  I've found that once he start he just keeps going....and going...and going.  It's like he's uncorked it.  The incentive of a Popsicle also helps!

Frequent urination: Not a UTI so why's my 4 year old child peeing so much?

It's well documented here that I've recently potty trained my 22 month old son...of course potty training is never a one and done thing in the first few months.  At least for me, I'm still always asking him if he has to go and we're constantly running to the potty.  I guess what I'm saying is it's basically a hot topic at our house right now.

But over the last 10 days or so I started to notice that my 4 year old daughter has been frequently peeing.  When I say frequently here's how it went just since dinner today:

5:20
5:28
6:24
6:54
7:18
7:23
7:25
7:28
7:36
7:44

Yes, she's peed 10 times in an less than two... woop, making that 11 times...7:49 ... hours.  I left her room for bed at 7:20 and as you can see she's gotten up six times since then to pee. 

Cleaning up poop: Potty training accidents happen so arm yourself

Poop happens when you're potty training. At the beginning, it happens a lot more out of the potty than it does in the potty.  That means you're left cleaning up poop and pee stains as you navigate your way toward one of the biggest toddler milestones there is.

Since potty training my two kids, I've been asked quite a few times - what products are best for cleaning up poop and pee?  The answer is:  it depends.

Potty Training: Won't Poop? Sh*t happens... eventually

One of my kids' favorites books

Both of my kids were potty trained before they were two and the biggest struggle was to get them to poop on the potty. It's normal. It's frustrating. It's messy. It's perhaps the most common potty training problem out there. But rest assure, my fellow moms...after pee, poop will come. It may take an extra few days, it may take weeks, months or upwards of year -- but eventually your potty trained kid will poop on the potty.

My daughter was one of those kids that would simply wait until she had a Pull Up on for nap to take her after lunch dump. My son, well, he has a harder time holding it. It's actually pretty comical to watch him walk around on his tip toes, run to the potty every other minute, sit down, fart, and then pop back up to an empty potty.   

Potty Training Boot Camp update: One Week Later

It's been one full week since I started potty training boot camp to get my almost 22 month old son out of diapers.  I am thrilled to say it's been a complete success and beyond my every expectation.

A week ago when I stripped off that diaper and said "commando it is" I never dreamed he'd be crying when I put the diaper on for nap...nor did I think he'd be waking up from naps dry and calling for "potty" instead of "mommy." But yes, that's exactly what's happening.

After five days of basically not leaving the house, in the last two days I've been able to leave my underwear-wearing son in the child care at my gym, run an hour's worth of errands, and skip Pull Ups altogether...all while he stays dry!

Potty Training Tips: 10 ways I trained my 22 month old son in less than a week

The Internet has no shortage of potty training tips...many of them from well-intended doctors and other self-proclaimed and actual experts.  If you ask me, when it comes to potty training the best person to ask for advice is a mom who's been through it.  (Hello, nice to meet you!)   That's exactly what I did and with the support of my girlfriend I successfully potty trained my 22 month old son in under a week using the 3 day Potty Training Boot Camp Method.

Now, I'm on the other side and am here to offer you my 10 tips for potty training quickly and successfully:

1. Take advantage of interest: My son started showing signs of potty training readiness around 18 months old.  I made a half-hearted effort to potty train him then, but it didn't work so I quit because come on the kid was soooo young.  However, when at 21 months and 3 weeks old he started pulling off his diaper when he had to pee, I knew I had to take advantage of it -- 6 days later he's telling me when he has to pee and staying dry in his underwear. 
2. Start pre-2 years old:  If possible start potty training your child before their second birthday.  By doing so, you avoid that stubborn and controlling behavior they begin to display... you know, during the "Terrible 2s."

3 Day Potty Training for Boys: Days 3, 4, 5 and beyond

I HATE this potty (it was my daughter's)

So we're 6 days into Potty Training Boot Camp (PTBC) and my almost 22 month old cadet is basically potty trained. Can I tell you how freaking excited I am at the thought of NO MORE DIAPERS!!!  In case you haven't followed this potty training experiment from the beginning, may I suggest you read how Day 1 and Day 2 went with my little guy before continuing...

So as you can see after two successful days, Saturday marked Day 3.  I was looking forward to not being the only one around to make sure he didn't pee all over the house.  But the day quickly turned disastrous.  He peed one or two times in the potty early in the day, but after that it was a fight.  He seemed really resistant and distracted and I'm sure a lot of it had to do with my daughter being home.  What made my frustration even worse was my husband seeming to question if he was really ready.  Sure, he still hadn't pooped on the potty - heck, he barely had pooped at all.  But now it just seemed like he was being stubborn.

3 Day Potty Training for boys (Day 2)

Potty training on the go...a must for the second child

Well, we're on Day 2 of Potty Training Boot Camp for my almost-22 month old son.  Since we made it to day 2 you can safely presume Day 1 went well.  Actually it went better than I expected.  You can read about it here...

As for today...Blake woke up this morning with a very full diaper, which I expected.  I put him on the potty almost immediately, but he was pretty resistant.  As I mentioned, I'm going with the nude approach so I took off the diaper and left it off.   It was almost an hour later when he finally peed for the first time.  I think he forgot how it all worked or something b/c he sat on the potty then got up and went behind my daughter's doll house and peed.

He quickly got the hang of it again and didn't have any more accidents in the morning.  I noticed two things today that are different from yesterday and are certain signs, at least in my mind, that he's "getting it."

1. He is going longer between potty breaks...about an hour
2. He is recognizing the feeling and running to the potty on his own.  He seems to realize he has to go, stops before he does, then looks around for the potty. 

We did have a little accident when I went out to pick up my daughter from school (he wears underwear and pants for this).  Going out is definitely not ideal, but I don't really have much choice with my older one in school 9-12 everyday.  He did make it out and back dry when we dropped her off, but had a little accident on the way back home. It's only a 30 minute outing, but he's only learning so what can you expect.

I'm still waiting for him to poop ... he's going on a day and a half without a #2 so we'll see how it goes this afternoon. I can tell, he definitely has to go but doesn't want to sit on the potty to do it.  I thought maybe he'd do it in his diaper when I put him down for a nap, but like yesterday, that's a big NO.

To be continued...

UPDATE:

So would you believe it if I told you my little guy woke up from his nap dry? I barely believe it myself.   He's starting to get into this thing where he's very resistant if I make him sit on the potty and he doesn't have to go so I just kinda held off a few minutes and let him think he's running this show.  (Oh, boys!)

He peed in the potty fine the rest of the night, however he kept crying that his belly hurt. I could tell he really had to poop but he just wouldn't do it on the potty.  I tried everything I could think of to get him to go.

Finally, I committed the biggest potty training cardinal sin known to moms...I put a diaper on him.  I nearly cried when I did it, but honestly it was only on for about two minutes.   I knew as soon as I did it he would poop and he did.  I immediately took it off and took him and the diaper into the bathroom where I dumped that nasty thing's contents into the toilet.  He waved bye-bye as he flushed it down the toilet and I explained THAT's where poop goes.  About five minutes later....he finished the job all over the floor.  You know what happens after the constipation plug comes out...yeah, that's what was all over my floor and my daughter's favorite Build a Bear.

Oh the joys of potty training....

More on our potty training success story:

• Day 1: This is Potty Training Boot Camp: Meet my Cadet
• Potty Training Boot Camp: Days 3, 4, 5 and beyond
• Potty Training Tips: 10 ways I trained my 22 month old in less than a week

  

3 Day Potty Training Boot Camp for boys....meet my cadet (Day 1)

Yup, I did it...jumped right in and decided Potty Training Boot Camp was to start today.  I decided this, oh, this morning...at about 7:04.  By 7:05 my cadet was wandering around commando...and that's how he was to remain the rest of the day (except for the two quick trips we had to make to pick up big sissy from pre-school...but more on that in a minute.)

Let me back up a minute here. It's not like I just decided today was the day with no planning.  No, about 3 months ago, when he was 18 months he started telling me "poop" whenever he'd pee or poop in his diaper.   I kinda half-heartedly tried at the time to potty train him, but seriously the kid was 18 months and I was just too lazy to really do it.  I did, however, go out and buy three potties along with a portable foldable potty seat that I could throw in the diaper bag for when we're out and about -- which is a lot! (At the very end of the post I explain which potty seats I've tried and which I like and dislike..I feel like we've pretty much been through every single one on the market.)

Our busy schedule is what really had me delaying the potty training thing because let's be honest here people, who wants to just around the house for 3 days and watch their kid's wee wee..waiting for them to show the signs (oh yes, there are signs) they have to pee.  Certainly not me...plus my Lenten promise is to hit the gym three days of the week and here it is Thursday and I've only been once thanks to a school program one day and a service man giving me a 5 hour window the other day.    But today, when he practically pulled off his diaper as he peed in it I figured I better take advantage or I may be buying diapers for the next two years when I could be saving for my next trip to Hawaii...one can dream, right?

Anyway, off the diaper went at 7:04.  He didn't get it back on until 1 pm when he went down for nap.  At first, it wasn't going so well.  He had an accident and then another and then another.  Since we have all hardwood floors it's not a huge deal to clean up.  Just so happens my kid has good aim and he likes to aim at the few area rugs that I do have....greeeaaatt.    I kept promising if he went pee in the potty he could have that lollipop he was just dying to have.

Then it was time to take my daughter to school.  School's about 5 minutes away, but you know how it is...you get to school, you put the little bro in the stroller, you take them in, you wait for the door to the classroom to open, you chat with your mom friends, you drive home and low and behold it's a 30 minute trip.  Anyway, I wasn't about to put the diaper back on so....I dug through my 4 year old daughter's bin of 2T clothes and found some Elmo "undies." Okay, okay I admit they're pink and purple panties, but whatever.  My kid requests I put a "pincess" dress and crown on him and then takes selfies....are you kidding me, he was thrilled with Elmo and Zoey!

I armed myself with an extra pair of Elmo undies  panties and off we went to school.  As soon as I pulled into the parking spot "oh dear mommy...." Seriously, this is how this kid talks!  I knew before I even got around to his side of the car what I would find.  So I stripped him down and put the new pair of Elmos on and in we went. He stayed dry til we got home.  I put him back on the potty, but he wasn't having it.  He popped right up and starting playing.  You know what happens here right - so cliche.  Of course, he peed on the floor in front of the potty.

By this point I texted my friend who's been encouraging me after successfully pottying training her two boys before they were two.  I said "uhhh I forgot how frustrating this is."  A few minutes later, I noticed the sign she said to look for...his little penis seeming to "fill up." Does it seriously work like that???  What do I know, I don't have those parts.  Anyway, I put him on and low and behold the kid peed in the potty!! I was so excited I think I scared him into stopping early.  We danced around. We sang the pee pee song. We ate lollipops.   Here is his eating his first "pop." >>>

If there's one thing I know it's that in order to get good at something you have to practice.  The only way to practice on the potty is to have to pee a lot...so I was seriously pushing the milk, juice, whatever.  Poor thing peed about 4 more times on the potty before we had to leave again to get my daughter three hours later.  The second time he went he was so proud of himself he finished peeing, stood up and yelled "Ta da" with his little arms outstretched and the first lollipop reward still in one hand!!! Then he ran over to me and gave me a hug and promptly asked for another "teat." That's Blake-speak for treat.

He stayed dry the entire time we left the house to get my daughter.  As soon as we got home I put him on the potty and he peed.  He ate lunch in the nude, played in the nude, and read a story in the nude.  This is 3 day potty training boot camp and if he doesn't get it in 3 days I'm bagging it....so let's just say he better get it.  We're all in here and I'm of the school that nude is the way to go...and I'll tell you why.  At one point I saw him start to pee only to realize it b/c he could either see or feel it on his leg.  He stopped himself and ran to the potty where he finished peeing.

I put a diaper on him for nap, which is, I think what most would agree is the way to go.  The kid took a 4 hour nap, there's no way he's gonna hold it for that long.  When he woke up his diaper was soaked so can you imagine what the crib would have looked/smelled like? Ew!

I immediately took the diaper off and put him on the potty when he woke up and my little cadet was back to being commando for the rest of the night.  He had an accident or two, but for the most part peed when I put him on the potty -- about ever 20-30 minutes.  At one point he was really fighting it when I tried to put him on there, and I realize I guess he just doesn't have to go b/c every other time he was happy to sit there.

Finally, what made staying home all day worth it was as I walked him up the stairs to bed tonight he looked at me "mommy potty." I said " you have to go potty?" And he said "yes!" I put him on there and there he went!

Hopefully Day 2 will bring a #2...but that's a whole different beast I can tell you that from round 1 of Potty Training Boot Camp with my daughter.

More on our potty training success story:

• Day 2: Making serious progress...already
• Potty Training Boot Camp: Days 3, 4, 5 and beyond
• Potty Training Tips: 10 ways I trained my 22 month old in less than a week

For the record...of all the potty seats I've had this little $6 plastic Bebe stages potty that I picked up at Kmart has been his favorite. It's small, doesn't hurt his bum, and his feet touch the floor.  It seems more like a chair to him I think.  Plus, it's the only one that has a pee guard that actually seems to guard me from getting pee all over me!

Bebe Stages Potty seat

The "comfy" insert on the Safety 1st seat gets nasty with pee and can't be cleaned

Portable/foldable potty seat that's good for when we're out and about. When we're home I keep it in one of the bathrooms

'

Summer Infant 3-in-one potty is easy to clean, but pee guard isn't high enough

Holy Crap...literally

My husband thought I was crazy earlier this week when I bought a little pink potty. He may have a point. My daughter is only 17.5 months old. Far too early to be potty-trained....according to nearly everyone, including myself.

Not like it's any secret, but lately, when she stands real still, gets that concentrated look on her little red face, and drops one...she's been telling me "doo-doo, doo-doo." Yeah, obviously.  At other times I'd take a peek in her diaper and she'd either say "yesh" or "no"...always correctly. So I briefly read up on the signs of potty-readiness in What to Expect the Toddler Years and decided it couldn't hurt to at least get her a little potty. I wouldn't push her, but if she wanted to sit there she could. After all, she's always extremely interested in what mommy has deposited into the toilet...sorry, TMI.

The first day I brought the potty home, she was far more interested in the box. She even sat her Elmo on top of the potty box and proclaimed "doo-doo." That was Monday. That night I asked her if she wanted to sit on her potty while I filled the bathtub. I took off her pants and diaper, but left her onesie on.  She seems to always pee when the tub is being filled, so I figured maybe the sound of rushing water would work its magic again. Oh it did...only she'd taken off from the potty and made a b-line for her crib to grab a binkie. When she got back her onesie was soaked and she'd left a little pee trail behind. So much for the potty.

I didn't pay too much attention to the potty Tuesday or today, Wednesday. But tonight while we were eating dinner, Olivia kept saying "doo-doo." I checked her diaper and it was clean. A few minutes later, we were done eating and she went over to the steps and again repeated "doo-doo" as she pointed upstairs. I finally realized what I thought she wanted: to sit on her potty.  So I took her up there and sat her down. Then she did it...the stare, the red face, the concentrated look and now...the clap. She was sooo proud of herself she'd pooped on the toilet. For my part, I almost crapped myself, I was so stunned!!!

While I'm sure it's by no means the beginning of potty training, I'm sure Olivia is starting to understand what the potty is for. I'll keep you updated on our progress and our adventures on (and off) the little pink potty. 

Potty Training at 10.5 Months

No, seriously, my not-quite 11 month old daughter pooped in the toilet. Well, it was more like she pooped over the toilet. Just fell right in...plop.


I had gotten her down to her birthday suit so she was all ready to get a bath. Why I did this, I don't know, I've been peed on in the past. Anyway, she was standing outside the tub without a diaper on while I filled it with water. Next thing I know I hear her doing her not-so-subtle poop grunt. It's classic and she's not afraid to let anyone know what's she's doing. She even has this great focus face that turns beet red to go along with the mess she leaves in her pants. Anyway, I hear two good grunts and I'm thinking, "Oh crap (pun intended) what do I do?" All I could think of was to grab her and hold her over the toilet the way my grandfather used to hold me over the edge of the boat when I had to go pee on a fishing excursion. I didn't really expect anything but then plop I got a surprise. I was so proud...even called Mom-Mom up from downstairs to come see. She was so proud too!

This morning my 10.5 month old went in her diaper so I guess she's not fully potty trained yet. We'll give it another month or two.

Potty Reading Material

Healing Diaper Rash Fast
Preventing Diaper Rash
Relieving Infant Constipation
Tips for Saving Money on Diapers
Toilet Swallows Car Keys

Potty Training Essentials