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.
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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:
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!
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Bebe Stages Potty seat
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| The "comfy" insert on the Safety 1st seat gets nasty with pee and can't be cleaned |
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| 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 |
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| Summer Infant 3-in-one potty is easy to clean, but pee guard isn't high enough |
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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." >>>
