Celebrate!

Hansie is night time potty trained.  Whew.  It's been a process that has been in the works since the fall.  He'd been wanting to drop the night time diaper and so did we.

He's been potty trained for over two years. I can hardly believe that!  And while we have seen some dry diapers here and there, for the most part, he's never had any long stretches of dry diapers in the morning.  Just like Freddie, one day he pretty much said he wasn't wearing a diaper any longer.  But when Freddie did it, it only took a week of wet sheets before he was able to go all night.  This wasn't the case with Hans.  Everyone kept telling me he'd one day wake up dry and we could move on.  But things just weren't that easy.

He started taking his diaper off during the night which was problematic.  He'd also get really, REALLY angry if he went to bed sans diaper but woke up to find someone had diapered his bum sometime during the night.  We tried piddle pads and calling diapers "night time underwear" but the kid wasn't buying it.

We tried taking him to the toilet midway through the night, and while that meant dry sheets in the morning, it just wasn't sustainable.  Charlie was waking sometime during the night and rousing Hans out of bed to get him to the toilet.  No one was getting a good night's sleep, everyone was grouchy, and we needed another fix.

Finally, we decided it was time to commit to the bed wetting alarm.  We couldn't continue to wash sheets each day, we couldn't wake up in the middle of the night, and diapers just weren't an option any longer.

Within three days Hans went from wetting twice a night to once a night.  By the 14th day his body was trained.  He would wake, go to the toilet, and go back to bed.  By the 20th day he was sleeping through the night without having to get up.  Amazing!

The alarm has a little sensor that is clipped to his undies and when wet it sets off an alarm.  Theoretically the alarm gets you up and to the potty.  Hans tried very, very hard to roll over and sleep through the alarm.  Charlie and I would have to shake him and help him up and to the toilet.  One of us slept in the room with him for the first few weeks because it was just easier to help him if right next to him.  Also, I think he was more inclined to wake me or Charlie to ask for help to go to the bathroom if we were just a few feet away rather than in another room.  So, there was work involved beyond hooking him up, but certainly worth it.

He'll wear the alarm for another several weeks to prevent him from slipping back into wetting.  I think his knowing the alarm is on and if he wets he'll have to get up means he just assume get up and out of bed before the thing starts going off.

We happily gave away the last stash of diapers, at his request, to a baby we know.  Just knowing there were diapers in the closet irked him, so he was happy to pack them off and drop them off somewhere else.

Although milestones tend to be bittersweet with the "last baby," reaching this one is quite a relief!

Notes from the Potty: The Rocking It Edition

• He has 99.9% accuracy when at home.  He did have an accident the other day when we got home because he was in the middle of a fit since I took his coat off when we came in the door.  He proceeded to wet his pants during his fit, stopped crying, told me "mess," and went to the potty.
• He will always tell me in advance when he has to potty when we are out and about.  Sometimes he makes it in time, and sometimes he doesn't.  I'd say he's about 50/50 on the road.  
• He has been waking up dry from naps for 5 days straight.  
• He asks for his diaper off first thing in the morning.  He asks for his diaper off as soon as he wakes from nap.
• I think he is potty trained.  We just need more practice.

Next steps:

• Make transition to the potty ring on the big toilet.  This may be tricky because sometimes he will sit, stand, sit, stand, sit when he is working on a poop.
• I suppose I should ditch the diapers at nap. 
• He needs to pee on demand.  I am getting him to sit on the potty before we leave the house, before sleep, and upon returning to the house but he doesn't always make a deposit.  If he'd empty his bladder when asked there's be fewer instances of accidents out and about.  

I should also note:

• When he's working on a poop he says, "poo poo out!  poo poo where are you?"   
• He's ready to be in pants around the house, but I will really miss seeing that naked hienie running around.

Notes from the Potty: The Week Long Edition

 We began potty training last Tuesday.

Hans was still feeling crummy, and he was certainly not himself, but I figured since he was attached to me anyway and we weren't going anywhere with the single digit wind chills forcasted that week I might as well get started with the potty training.  That might not have been the best idea because the first day was *very* emotional, although I kinda feel like it would have been a struggle even on a good day.

Here's a bit of what training has looked like over the past seven days:

Tuesday:

• He got a diaper change from Daddy first thing in the morning.  After I dropped Freddie off at school at 9.00, Hans and I went home and I removed his diaper.  
• Not 20 minutes later he began crying and motioning for his diaper.  He had a poop and he wanted that diaper back.  He was distraught.  I was thrilled he knew he had to poop and he wanted the diaper.  
• After whining, fussing he finally pooped on the floor, with me right next to him.  I told him poop goes in the potty, sat him on the potty, showed him his mess, and that was that.  I know he was relieved the world didn't end when he pooped somewhere other than his diaper. 
• The rest of the day went similarly with him peeing on the floor, my scooping him up and placing him on the potty while repeating "pee pee and poo poo go in the potty," then showing him the mess. 
• He was generally unhappy about it and spent the majority of the day calling for "Dada."  That is typical when he's irritated with me about something.
• He wore a diaper for nap and night time sleep and when we left the house.

Success!  Finally.

Wednesday:

• The day started similarly with my removing his diaper and then his realizing not long afterwards that he had to poop.  He asked for his diaper and was generally whiny when I wouldn't give it to him.  
• He finally pooped on the floor with me nearby, and again the world didn't end.  He was relieved and got back to his normal self.
• We had a stand off during the day where he obviously had to poop, thighs pressed tightly together, and he wouldn't move from the spot where he was standing.  Finally the urge must have passed and he resumed normal activity.
• There was lots of peeing on the floor with my standard response, and he began pointing at his penis before peeing, although he wouldn't stay on the potty long enough to release any urine.
• He began to make the connection of the sensation and would sit on the potty before, getting up and peeing not long after, saying "mess" or "poo" when he'd go on the floor, and he'd go back to the potty after the fact. 

Thursday and Friday:

• Not a lot of time was spent pantsless.  He was in a diaper for most of the day Thursday because we hosted play group all morning and then Friday we went to a puppet show.
• The time he spent diaprless/pantsless showed he was really starting to make the connection between the sensation and the potty.  
• He FINALLY sat down on the potty long enough to make a deposit.  Freddie and I did the potty dance and sang "You're the man."  There were high fives all around.  
• Again I could tell he was withholding poop, walking around with his thighs clenched together.  He ended up not pooing at all on Thursday.  I was a bothered by this but wasn't giving in.  I made a note to get lots of raisins.
• He was making progress, but his timing wasn't quite there.  Very frustrating for me, but I went with it.  

Saturday and Sunday:

• Diaperless all day, both days as we laid low and hung out at home.  
• Lots of pee on the floor.
• He's passed the issue of pooping without a diaper.  He'd poop on the floor, and report it to me.  We even had a poop on the bed.  Yep, I am feeling myself start to crack.
• Sometime Sunday evening he manages a pee deposit while hanging out on the little potty while Freddie was on the big potty. Big whoops and high fives from everyone.

Monday:

• We spend the morning at MoMA so he's in diapers, but when we get home, off come the pants and diaper.
• As he's playing in the living room with the legos he says "poopoo" and goes over to the potty, sits and pees!  Hallelujah!!!!
• He does it three more times, including an instance where he poops in the potty!  
• The pooping in the potty required a bit of help as he said "poopoo," sat, stood up, sat, stood up and was a bit fussy.  At this point he was mid poop and I encouraged him to sit and he finished the job!
• NO PEE OR POO ON THE FLOOR on MONDAY!!!

Tuesday:

• Same as Monday, but now it has been an entire day of NO ACCIDENTS!  
• He is diaperless and just goes to the potty, says poopoo, and does his job.  I make a big deal about it, but he doesn't seem to really care so much about the big deal.  It is almost as though he isn't quite done with the job and doesn't want the fuss quite yet.
• He stood midjob today with poop and I encouraged him to sit back down and he did.  This is going to take a bit more reassurance.  

I knew he was making progress but man I was really feeling frustrated those first few days.  I don't remember feeling that way with Freddie, but then again I didn't have another kid to tend to when Freddie was training.  Charlie reminded me it was a process and to dig for a little patience. 

Although Freddie has been VERY helpful in demonstrating all things potty, doing cheers for himself and the rest of us when we potty, he does make things a little tricky.  He has stuff everywhere, stuff waiting to get peed on.  He needs things so I am not glued to Hans they way I was able to be when I trained Freddie.  And he also seems to have this way of making sure he's getting equal attention in all situations. 

Next steps:

• More of the same.  He needs more help with poop.  I also want to fully implement the routine of him sitting on the potty before we leave the house, as soon as we return to the house, and before sleep.  Freddie got to the point where he was able to "pee on command" during those scheduled potty visits and I want Hans to get there too.
• I am not sure when I will have him go diaperless out and about.  Right now he needs the potty about once every hour, so I imagine I'll wait until he can stretch that a bit longer.  I need to go back and figure out when I had Freddie go totally without diapers, but I do remember wishing I had done it sooner than I did.  It wasn't as monumental as I had thought it would be....isn't that how lots of parenting is?

Notes from the Potty, Volume 2

Potty training 101 in Mama's School of Hard Knocks was on the calendar today.  When I put something on the calendar IT HAPPENS.  But today Freddie was home from school sick, and I just couldn't deal with a sick kid in addition to Hans peeing all over the house. 

PT 101 has been delayed until next Tuesday.  Such is the life of the second born, I suppose; someone else always interfering with the plan. 

Pre-Game Show

He's showing signs of readiness:

• He'll proclaim "poo poo" after he's pooped
• He's going to the potty to sit after he's made a poop and wants on the potty
• He points to the potty and says poopoo and peepee, and wants up.  He'll grunt and watch as though he's awaiting a deposit, but he's yet to make that happen.
• He's pointed to the potty while in the tub, but peepeed before he made it to the potty.
• His poops are regular and predictable.
• He's very interested in everyone's bathroom routine, and is a frequent spectator.  

I don't think he's quite ready now, although I plan to take full advantage of his interest in the potty sooner than later.  The boy's a spitfire and I only see that stubborn streak intensifying as he approaches two. 

Do you think he's trying to tell me something?

This morning while I was nursing Hans in my room Freddie pooped on the living room floor.  He nonchalantly led me to the mess after I finished up with Hans.

This afternoon while I was nursing Hans in my room Freddie peed on his bed.  He nonchalantly asked for Mickey undies and led me to the mess after I finished up with Hans.

Notes from the Potty

• Freddie is diaperless 24/7.  
• We had a long run with dry morning diapers in January and February and then some wet diapers began popping up here and there.  I took that as a sign that he needed to get rid of the diapers at night.  I knew there'd be accidents, wet sheets, and probably tears all happening in the middle of the night, but I was prepared.  You have to try, right?  He got off to a good start, and was dry for several mornings in a row.  He had a few mornings where there was just a bit of dampness on his undies and I think perhaps the little trickle is what woke him in the morning.  Then came a run of waking up wet.  The accidents were happening sometime during the night but he was sleeping through it.  I'd hear him stir during the night and imagine that's when it was happening, but it wasn't enough to wake him.  This was bad news.  He then started waking in the middle of the night or early (5am) in the morning and asking to go to the potty.  As pleased as I was that he was doing this, getting up during the night got old fast.  This went on for a couple of weeks until I finally had enough of changing sheets or getting up in the middle of the night.  So I gave the orders to diaper him after stories and potty at bedtime so we could work on sound sleeping all night and pottying first thing in the morning for a while before shifting back to no diapers.  Of course as soon as he's alone he removes his pants and his diaper and goes to sleep.  Charlie's been putting the diaper back on later in the evening but more often than not it is off in the morning.  Whether diapered or not, he's dry in the morning.  Yay!  And he's not calling us to go potty in the middle of the night.  Yippee!  We're on a two week streak.
• Freddie's getting up more and more on his own in the early morning (and the middle of the night) to use the potty and gets back into bed on his own.  He's done this a few times in the middle of the night.  Today it was in the early morning.  Through the monitor I heard him take off his diaper but the room was pretty quiet.  And then I could here him jabbering.  Next thing I know I heard little footsteps in the hall and just as he was closing the bathroom door Charlie called him.  Into our room he came proclaiming a "giant poopoo."  Wonder if he was going into the bathroom to wipe his bottom.  Sure enough there was a poop in the potty in his room and a neat little stack of books next to it.  
• He initiates 90% of the potty visits now.  We do have lots of regularly scheduled visits (upon waking up, before leaving the house, upon returning home, before going to sleep) so he shouldn't need to go much more than this, but I hardly ever tell him outside of scheduled potty visits that he should try to go potty.
• He takes off his pants and his undies on his own.  This resulted in some accidents for a while there as he perfected his undressing techniques and refused any help.  Thankfully he got the hang of it quickly and it's not longer an issue.
• He sits more than he stands, thank goodness.  One day he was standing to "potty like Dada" and I hear a shriek and then "Mess!  Mama, mess, Baby wipe, Mama.  Yuck!  Mess."  Yep, a tiny poop on the floor, and a long conversation about how he must sit if he has the slightest urge to poop.
• I moved the potty from the living room and put it in the bathroom with the hope that he'd just use the big potty.  This also meant some accidents because the potty was out of sight (and out of mind?) and the whole process took a bit longer.  Potty location is no longer an issue, but he's not been showing much interest in sitting on the actual toilet at all.  Plan here is when we go out of town in May we'll only have the seat for the toilet, and when he gets home the only choices will be the tiny potty in his room or the toilet.  I hope this is enough to get him on the toilet more.  I'm very thankful for no diapers, but it would be nice to just flush rather than having to empty these potties.
• The next step in this potty training process will come this summer when he's heavily involved in some hardcore playing.  Will he stop and ask to use the potty?  When we are out and about he will say "Freddie use it potty" and he says this far enough in advance that we are able to find a potty in time.  But we've already had one experience playing out in the grass where he tells me he has to potty, I tell him we need to go inside and potty, and he simply said "No," took a wide stance and peed.  He was obviously wet and uncomfortable and then wanted his pants changed immediately.  Foolishly, I changed him.  I've considered taking the potty chair out to the playground, but I think my plan is that we have to go home, use the potty in the lobby, and then we can return.  If he wets then we go home and don't return to the playground.  This plan will work when we're close to our building.  If we venture further out I imagine I'll bring the potty...but what in the world do I do with what's in the potty?
• We've been at it for 6 months and I think he's made good progress.  Not sure what it'd be like if we waited until he was older, but ultimately I am glad we started now.

Potty Note: Mommy Fail

After books, before being tucked in, Freddie makes a trip to the potty. Yesterday upon arrival in the bathroom he found a puddle to splash in courtesy of a leaking toilet. Frustrated, I hurried him along, and just filed away my thought that he didn't really adequately pee since he was frustrated by my frustration.

Fast forward 30 minutes and I finally give in to his calling me from his room. I discover undies off and a puddle of pee in the bed, not completely on the absorbent pad. Ugh. Apologies and tears from him. Apologies from Mommy. Change sheets. Potty trip. Kisses. Blankets. Hugs.

Nap ensues. And off I go to the laundry room downstairs. (Please, no comments on my leaving him for a minute while he sleeps. I did it more often when he was in the crib but very, very rarely do it now that he is in the bed.)

The timer goes off indicating my sheets await. I check on Freddie to make sure he's still in what I think is a deep sleep. He's pretty restless for the last 30 or so minutes of sleep and his waking time is usually pretty predictable. Convinced he's not getting up any time soon, off I go and return in what I estimate to be 3 minutes.

Placing the key in the door I can hear his frantic calls "Mommy! Potty! Mommy! Potty!" Sigh.

Scene was the same as pre-nap. Damn it. More sheets and a sobbing boy as punishment for Mommy.

No, I'm not leaving ever again at nap, even for a minute.

Yes, there's a potty in his room at nap right now. We've had a long talk about getting out of bed to potty and getting back into bed and calling Mommy if he needs anything else.

He's been getting out of bed to "flex" his independence but never for very long and he never leaves his room. He usually does something like quickly tidy his books or closes his closet doors. I have never said anything to him about it as I watch through the cracked door and resist the urge to open that door and shake my finger telling him to get back in bed this very second. But now he's got the all clear to climb out of bed as needed, to potty of course, but where will this go?  I'm smiling today thinking about it, and hoping I can remain in good humor when he tests the waters with this.

Update:  There was no nap to be had today.  Freddie got out of bed and sat on the potty 5 times.  He called me in for the first two events and then went solo on the last three but called me in to help him put on his underwear.  I am not sure what my next steps will be, but obviously I need this "potty in the room, you've been given permission to get out of bed" novelty to wear off quickly.  I'm not sure if I should encourage the entire potty event to be without me, i.e. I will empty the potty after nap and he can sleep without undies, because I think my going into the room provides some attention/stimulation standing in the way of nap.  I imagine I'll just hold off for a bit and see what happens first.

Notes from the Potty

Taking aim

Distracted by the television...NOT good!

• I'm calling it:  Freddie is POTTY TRAINED.  
• Ok, so I think officially potty trained means there is no involvement from anyone else, which certainly is not the case here, but ALL pee and poop go into the potty.  I usually let 2 hours go by before telling him it is time to potty.  He is telling me more and more that he needs to potty.  The other day I decided to not say anything and he initiated using the potty five times and had two wet accidents.  Not bad considering one of the accidents was while we were visiting friends and he was awfully busy to stop and pay close attention to his bladder.  I'm still going to tell him when it's time if he doesn't do so first, but I am going to work on doing it less.  I don't want accidents to be the norm but I do want him to feel the need to use the potty.  By the way, he produces something every time he sits down.  There are no wasted visits.
• He has been dry every morning since I started keeping track, except this morning when Charlie convinced him to go back to sleep when he got up at 6.00am.  By 7.00 am his diaper was wet.  Wonder if he had to potty at is first wake up.  That's 2.5 weeks of dry morning diapers.  I know he's not ready for the potty hall of fame just yet, but I am shocked by this.  He's been asking for undies at night but I want to hold off on this for another few weeks.
• No accidents during nap since the first two over a month ago.
• He did have an accident while we were in NOLA, but it was after the boy sucked down 19 of the 20 ounces of my soda.  Other than that, he used the potty all the time and everywhere.
• He is *very* interested in public restrooms.  The variety in the trashcans, soap dispensers, and faucets is fascinating and can keep us in the bathroom for quite some time.
• He can get his undies off all by himself.  Back on is another story, but he insists on trying for quite some time.  He also needs some help with pants.
• He is climbing onto the toilet without the assistance of a stool, although his preferred potty is the one in the living room (see above!) because he can "pee dada."  Shaking my head.  This potty also allows for television viewing when longer visits are necessary.  Shaking my head.  I am ready to start phasing out the little potties but I suppose I need to get a bigger stool for the toilet to allow peeing like dada.  I have a feeling the other male in our household would not be opposed to installing a television in the bathroom.  Still shaking my head.  
• Pottying has allowed increased adjective use.  Are you shaking your head yet? The kid comes up with big, little, small, round, long.

Potty Note

This morning was the 4th morning in a row I made it a priority to get Freddie out of his diaper upon waking up.  I've been able to get him up and on the potty within 15 minutes of getting out of bed.  It is also the 4th morning in a row his diaper has been dry.  Freddie and I are travelling tomorrow for a week, and I hope I can keep up the pottying pace in the mornings.  He seems to be interested in the fact that his diaper is dry in the mornings so I am hoping this begins to translate to his initiating potty use as soon as he wakes up.

One other note:  He's in undies the rest of the day and has been accident free.  He's asking for the potty more often just for pee and continues to ask if he has to poop.  No accidents during nap time.  Thank goodness!

Notes from the Potty

• Freddie has been napping in undies for 2 weeks and has only had 2 accidents.  I am fairly certain both happened as he was waking up.  Both happened after leisurely lunches with lots and lots of milk drinking.
• He got some new undies so the training pants are all packed away.
• Just as with training pants though, he would rarely tell me he had to use the bathroom unless it was poop.  He'd wet, and then say potty.  Until Sunday...he pushed his undies to the floor, stepped out of them, and sat on the potty without even glancing in my direction.  Wow!  I think he's getting it.  I wondered if the extra step of needing help to get undressed or the sensation of clothing on his bottom like a diaper was standing in the way of this last step but I think he's making the connection.
• Since he wasn't initiating potty visits often enough I was asking him often.  He'd say "yes" about 15% of the time...I was asking a lot!  So I moved to if he hadn't agreed that he needed to potty in what seemed like a long time, I tell him it is time.  He'd oblige and sit, and he always produces.  I was wondering if this was the  "right" thing to do because I want him to experience the "need" to potty but at the same time he gets upset about wetting his pants and it is quite the ordeal to convince him to put on dry underwear.  I am hoping we are now moving past this.
• Since I had been telling him when to potty his undies had been dry all day long.  Each time before taking them off and putting them on I'd let him feel them to see if they were dry.  I'd make a big deal about how big boys wear dry undies.  He likes this discussion a lot and always smiles and grins when checking out the dryness of the undies.
• We've entered the world of public restrooms.  All I can say is thank god for hand sanitizer.  There's a lot of me saying "Don't touch, it's dirty." And a lot of him flushing and sticking his head in the toilet to try to get the full effect of that powerful flush.  Ugh.  Things would be a whole lot easier if he didn't have to strip from the waist down to straddle the toilet.  Taking of shoes, pants and undies and then replacing them, all while trying not to touch anything and avoiding puddles on the floor is exhausting.  He doesn't seem to have a problem being perched atop the potty while holding on to me for support.  We visited several public potties over the weekend and he took care of both kinds of business upon each visit.  We've made it a habit to go to the potty when we get somewhere and then again before we leave.  Did I mention I was exhausted.  I'm sorry I was too big of a chicken to go diaper-less on the go earlier.  I think it's made a difference in moving this process along.  I've got the backup pants, socks, and undies in my bag and just keep my fingers crossed that he avoids peeing in the stroller or I don't discover he's wet when his teeth start chattering in the 20 degree temperatures.
• Strangers have started noticing he's not wearing a diaper.  Poor child could barely keep his pants up before and now he often flashes a little plumber crack with his baggy undies.  I've had one genuine question of interest from a mother wanting to start her son "young"  and others give looks.  I've avoided any opportunities for anyone to interject disapproving "Isn't he a little young" comments but I know they are coming.  I'm prepared.  
• I think we'll stay on this course through the end of February as long as Freddie is agreeable.  After February I may begin feeling out ditching the diaper at night as well.  He's had a few dry diapers in the mornings, this morning included.  I think if I can get him to sit on the potty as soon as he gets up we'd be seeing more dry morning diapers.  I've been reading about it but honestly I'm scared.  I don't want to ruin a good night's sleep nor do I want to change sheets in the middle of the night.  I don't even have a washer in this apartment.  Sigh.  But wouldn't it be nice to be done with diapers (for now)?

Travelling Man

Charlie made the last minute decision to bring the potty seat with us in his carry on. 

Denver International Airport, Concourse B

Thank goodness for family bathrooms in the airports...and hand sanitizer.  Freddie made it through the morning and the first 2.5 hour flight with a dry diaper, and Charlie was very impressed with the family bathrooms in O'Hare.  

He visited the family bathroom once arriving to the Denver airport as well and whooped it up in there as well.  Although not completely dry, he did pretty well for another long flight.  It probably had something to do with the fact that he slept for 2 hours on the plane.

That hasn't happened since he was an infant.  I was so thankful he recognized his sleepiness and took it upon himself to lie down and drift off to sleep.  It sure made that flight a lot easier.

Side note:  He wore a diaper today, all day, BUT the diaper remained dry all day long.  All deposits were made in the potty.  I sure hope this means he's making the transition to being able to wear clothing on his bottom half.

Notes from the Potty

 

• Did you see his form in the video?  We have only had one foot in the potty so far.  I put the stool in the bathroom so he could get on the potty himself but now we are back to him climbing off to check out each and every poop he puts in.  I waited it out when we first started and he eventually moved to one sitting, and I know it will happen again, but man I get nervous watching him perched up there!
• If he's not wearing any bottoms he has a perfect potty day.  If I put anything on his rear he wets his pants.  I tried sweatpants without undies, but he still wets.  He usually says "potty" as he's going.  Is this something that will get better with more practice time?  We have a lot of practice time in the future with few outside days in weather forecast.
• He's had a few morning diapers and after nap diapers that have been dry.  The night time diapers being dry amaze me because he is only interested in his milk in the morning and wants nothing to do with sitting on the potty.  Usually after about 45 minutes of awake time he asks on the potty.  I am not sure how to get him to sit on the potty any sooner after waking up although I don't blame him for not wanting to get out of his warm footed fleece pajamas.
• There was one morning he drank 16 oz juice and 8 oz milk before 9am.  That was not a good morning.  He wet the floor more than he made it to the potty and was very upset each time.
• I am not sure when we'll go to no diapers during sleep.  Maybe once he masters wearing pants again?
• He doesn't like his hiney wiped.  He usually gives himself a quick round of applause and makes a break for it.  Ugh.

Notes from the Potty

Training pants drying on the heater last week

• I love, love, love that Freddie hasn't had a poopy diaper in what feels like ages.
• Before he was sick, we did a stint with training pants.  All 6 pair were wet before nap.  And he didn't want to take them off.  He didn't care that they were wet.  I've read that many toddlers need to go totally naked waist down because the sensation of diaper/undies triggers them to pee.
• Training pants are not widely available in sizes smaller than 2T.  I found some on Amazon in 18 months but paid a premium for them.
• One day last week he told me he needed to poop while we were on the playground.  We rushed home and he made it to the potty for poop.  He had already wet the training pants though.
• He did have some success with the training pants but not like we were having a month or so ago so I decided to take a hiatus.
• Since the weather is cold and snowy (yes, snowy...ok, its just flurries, but it is snowing!) we'll be stuck inside most of the week.  Perfect for getting back to full on potty training.
• No undies today and he peed on the potty every stinking time. I even came into the kitchen and found that potty with a pee deposit as well as the potty in the living room with a pee deposit.  So excited that he went without needing me to "whoop it up" with him.
• The little potty chairs around the house aren't my favorite place for him to make deposits.  I hate emptying them and he really would rather I didn't.  Yuck.  But I do think having a chair in the living room and one in the kitchen in addition to his seat in the bathroom has been very helpful. 
• I put him in a diaper for nap and I am pretty sure it was dry when he woke up.  It's so hard to tell with disposables, so I saved it for Charlie.  Smile.  He thought it was dry too!

Notes from the Potty

Reaching to shut the door on me

• There has been only one poopy diaper to be changed in 5 days!  All other deposits have gone in the potty.
• He's mostly been using the big potty with the seat attached but the little potty as seen some action here and there.
• Sometimes he indicates he wants on the potty and sometimes we ask.  His gearing up is pretty obvious.  Either way he sits on the potty, tells us "good bye", and takes care of business.
• He has not been indicating he'd like to pee on the potty until yesterday.  He requested "underwear" instead of a diaper so I obliged.  Twice he released some pee in the undies and then quickly asked to get on the potty and finished the job.  
• Potty training is not easy.  It throws a wrench into everything.  We're travelling this week for Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas so things will certainly be interesting.  I'm not sure I am ready to move to underwear full time but I have a feeling it won't be long before he's completely refusing diapers.
• I sure hope this is it.  But if it's not we'll slip back into diapers and wait again.

Protesting?

Touchdown!

As the week went on Freddie was using the potty more and more.  He wanted to get his diaper off at every opportunity and was eager to sit on the pot.  I was hardly asking if he needed to use the potty.  He had taken the reins and was letting me know often enough when he needed on the potty.  He even went over and sat down to pee a few times on his own without even involving me.

On Thursday he asked for his diaper off, sat down, and made the cutest poop ever.  Amazing how cute it looks in the potty.  He was so tickled with himself that as soon as that poop hit the bowl he jumped up to check it out and do the "whoop. whoop" we do for potty success.  We both did plenty of whooping and cheering. 

Friday and Saturday that kid had us whooping quite a bit.  He was making some major potty deposits.  He'd go to the potty, ask for his diaper off, and take a seat. 

Then comes Sunday and nothing.  Not one motion towards the potty.  On Monday I was back to asking if he needed to potty.  He'd respond with a quick "no" and run away from me.  This morning I asked if he needed to potty and if he wanted his diaper off while trying to yank his pants down.  I thought maybe being diaper-less would appeal to him and get him back to the potty.  Nope.  He told me "no" and pulled his pants back up. 

Sigh.

What's going on here? 

Underwear bound

 Checking out his success.  He asked for his diaper off twice this morning 

while we were getting ready to leave and both times he peepeed in the potty!

There have been a few hits and lots of misses.  It's feeling a little like having a puppy.

I am not excecuting my full fledged training plan just yet.  We're still in the getting acquainted period.

What does this getting acquainted look like, you ask?

• No more liquids 2 hours before bed.
• No more sip cup with water at bed time and in the bed.
• Asking if he has to potty first thing in the morning, right after nap, and as soon as we walk in the door.
• Pants-less, for the most part, at home.  

What did the first few days look like?

• "Do you have to pee on the potty?" He runs to the potty and usually nothing.
• Peeing on the floor and being told "Pee goes in the potty" as I bring him to the potty.  Same story for poop.

What's happening now?

• Pee on the floor while he shouts "Mess!" and he runs to the potty after the fact.
• Sitting on the potty on his own, and giving his "I'm pushing face."  He then gets up and poops on the floor a few minutes later....and the howls "Mess!"
• He asks for his diaper off pretty often and then sits on the potty.  After that it's no more diaper for the day.

Successes:

• We've had some peepee deposits.  One was made while he was in the standing position so although it was technically a success because he got to the potty before peeing, it was most definitely a mess.
• We've had a poop deposit.
• He's made the definite connection between the potty and the his urge to poop and pee.  

Wondering about:

• What is the way to handle the whole "boys stand to pee in the potty" thing?
• Will I do night training along with day training?
• Is he really ready for Potty 101?  If not, what exactly will "ready" look like?
• Am I really ready for Potty 101?  It's going to put a kink into things.  I'll be in the house with him for a few days in a row and after that outings will become more difficult.
• When will I actually mark out the dates to set the plan in motion?

Ready or not

Apparently potty training began during the Saints' game today.

 

He wanted on the potty, and didn't want his diaper back on afterwards. 

Lately he's been lying down for a diaper change, but it's empty.  And then as soon as he stands up he poops.  He knows.  He'll tell me poop after the fact. 

He gets a look and stands still for a moment, for both big and little jobs. His cues are subtle but they are there.  When I am paying attention and notice, I offer the potty, and he gives a quick "yea" and runs to the bathroom.  Unfortunately he's usually only able to squeeze out a little once he's there after the majority has been deposited in his diaper.  

I don't exactly feel ready for this.  There will be accidents.  That's just part of it.  It will mean our days will be a bit crazier.  There will be more time spent in the laundry room.  And it may not even be time.  We'll try it for a few days and if things don't improve he'll slip right back into diapers for a few weeks before trying again. 

Here we go.

Pee!

 

He peepeed on the toilet tonight!

After running around the house naked while I ran his bath, he left three puddles.  I caught him in the middle of one and told him peepee goes in the potty, scooped him up, and sat him down.  He then did his usual of checking out the penis and tightening up the stomach muscles and squeezing out some pee.  But this time on the toilet!

This isn't the official start of training, or is it?  I've got the gear.  I've read the books.  I'm watching his cues.  I just am not ready quite yet.  I have been looking over the calendar but am yet to mark an official start date.  Almost.