Adventures in Potty Training

 

We have dove (dived, doven?) head first into potty training here at HQ.  I only had 2 weeks off of teaching early morning seminary until the summer and neither of us could have waited that long.  So awkward and frustrating as it was a few times, we charged ahead.  

We've been planting the seeds for awhile.  We bought this little potty after he turned 2 and he has enjoyed sitting on it. 

 We practiced taking off his pants and sitting on it with his diaper.  We practiced wiping and throwing toilet paper in the potty.  (I've been really lucky.  The Captain has never tried to flush any foreign objects down the toilet.  Also, he is not scared of flushing.  Knock on wood.)  We also told him he wouldn't be a big boy until he went poop and peep on the potty.  

So we made a Big Boy sticker poster.  As you can see there are lots of stickers.  The Captain has been doing really well, but we'll get to that later.

The Captain really enjoys his big boy undies.  In fact, that was a break through for us.  This is still his favorite way to wear them.

   

And he is very good at getting dress by himself.  At least from the waist down.

So, I have decided to break potty training into 10 steps.  That way I remember it's a long process, and it gives us many things to celebrate along the way.  So here are the 10 Steps to Potty Training (a boy) by Tara:

(I have no idea of the actual order of some of these)

1. Go pee on the potty
2. Tell me he has to go pee BEFORE going
3. Go poop on the potty
4. Go a whole day with no accidents
5. Make it through a nap with no accidents
6. Go pee standing up
7. Go on a big potty
8. Go on a public toilet
9. Go all by himself, without telling me
10. Make it through the night with no accidents

The blue steps are the ones The Captain has already done.  Not a bad list for 3 weeks.  However, he has only gone poop on the potty once, so I've cleaned up plenty of those messes.  Also, we haven't had many accident-free days.  He's not very good at telling me yet, so our accident-free days come from constant vigilance.   And he only goes on the big potty when it's a public toilet.  

In other words, we have a long way to go, but we've definitely made huge strides.  I'm so proud of my big boy.  He doesn't need stickers any more, he just likes to tell everyone around how he goes peep in the potty.  

We also have teething to deal with (with Joy) so our plate is full.  Also, there are mice in our kitchen, apparently.  So pray for me.