Taking a little break from the recount of the travel days, to shine a light on some real time adventures.
Today commenced potty training for the 7th & 8th children in our family. I should definitely be an expert by now, but … I have to confess that I have got to be the world’s worst potty trainer! So, as I write this, please disregard any advice I may try to offer. I am simply going to try and recount exactly what I am trying THIS time around and hope for the best!
My two 2 yr/old boys will both be 3 in July. I should probably wait until they turn 3, but I am a hopelessly hopeful and I really want a few less diapers in the house. Maybe, just maybe…this will be the time (the one time) that potty training is fast and easy.
For the past few weeks I have been putting the boys on the potty, talking about the potty, having them watch others potty and playing the whole thing up (Yah, Yah, Potty, Potty!!!). We successfully got the boys over their initial fear of the white throne and had them contently sitting on the potty (no action). Last night I told them that today was the big day and we were all excited!
This morning, as soon as they got up, I declothed them, stripped them of the “baby” diapers and the rest of the day the boys went “free”! I put long t-shirts on them and nearly drowned them in hydration! After cups and cups of juice and juice boxes (with their Bandette cup labels to keep track of whose was whose, of course!), their little tummies were bulging and their eyeballs were swimming. My only goal for the day was for them to experience some real action on the potty, I knew that we would need drastic hydration measures!
After about 1 1/2 hours, the boys were both dancing around (that “I gotta pee” dance around) and then…I heard the word, “WATER, Mommy, WATER”!!! I ran! Phew, it was just a little, one of them had sprung a leak! We dashed to the potty, all excited, it was time and that little boy had managed to hold off the full deluge! Once we got to the potty, the first stream easily shot forth. But, it was just a leak! He didn’t quite conquer the full “relax and let it all out” of a completely executed urination. So, we sat for a while longer while more little squirts were coaxed out. During this time, his brother was apparently about to explode, and he finally let us in on the fact that he had to go potty too! Once taking the throne, he had no trouble with the full experience and was very proud to relief himself of his uncomfortable status.
Party, party, party!!!! The whole house was in an uproar, they did it…they did it!!! Big Congratulations and celebrations were handed to the new achievers, and the best prize – jelly beans!
Shockingly, the rest of the day went very well. I turmoiled for a while over whether I should just stop there and put the diapers back on, but I just couldn’t do it. The taste of victory was sweet and we (I mean “I”) had to try for more! Leaving the boys without anything on their bottoms was working pretty good, there seemed to be some inhibition to peeing into free air. We did however have 2 small poop accidents, apparently…when they come, they come and it is hard to stop the urge to push! I can relate to that – something about labor and delivery comes to mind!
The boys had only one more escaped squirt during the day and managed to wait for the times that we all tramped off to the potty for a try, again. Eventually, the little leaker figured out how to be free (I think, it’s kind-of hard to tell if his leaks just got bigger or if he was truly emptying out). The boys were even dry during their naps! I did diaper them for their naps, but caught them as soon as they woke up and took them to the potty.
Day 1 – BIG SUCCESS!!! I know better than to get overly excited and to have any, any expectations – but, once again, I am hoping, hoping, hoping! So far, so good. This might just be the time!
