To Potty Training & Beyond!

Day 2 came all to quickly.  II was dreading it and just exhausted so my wonderful mother came over for support.  I decided to read Pottywise to see if there was something else I could to do to encourage the potty.  My mom (and the book) said to let them sit on the potty for a lot longer, anywhere from 4-10 minutes.  Well that worked!  My mom brought over a potty chair (which I didn't want but my dad thought maybe he was scared of the big potty) but Hudson took one look at it and said "That's tiny!"  Ha ha.  She also brought over some mini m&m's.  We gave him m&m's for sitting on the potty.  He was already getting Thomas fruit snacks but the m&m's work magic for my chocolate lovin' boy!

Eventually he warmed up to the potty.  He sat there and we read books like No More Diapers for Ducky and Once Upon a Potty, boy.  I liked the boy book because it went over some anatomy in a fun way:).  We read and we read.  We were reading and reading and then I had to go potty and our master bath is on the other side of this potty so I told him I'd be right back.  LIterally I was gone 1 minute or less and he had gone.  My boy needed his "privacy" as Nanny 911 says.  Later on, I could tell he had to do his "business" so eventually I put in the DVD player in the bathroom; out it came!  My boy needed time and privacy.  The book isn't a cure all for 1 kid, I know this but when I'm new to something, I try to follow them explicitly.  

Very excited he earned a fruitsnack!  We became a bit attached to Beary during this whole process.  He helped Hudson cope through this new experience:).

So did Mickey!

In the Potty book, the boy and his mom say "Bye bye pee pee, bye bye poo poo" so we do this every time we flush the toilet.  Of course I say it as animated as possible and we both find it quite entertaining:).

Hudson saying "I'm a big boy!"

James the engine underwear, so flippin' cute!

So after an exahausting 1st day, day 2 and 3 were better.  We had a few potty successes, even a bm, but it did take until the END of day 3 for him.  At the end of day 2, I still had decided he wasn't ready but he proved me wrong on day 3.  We stayed home an additional day without leaving the house.  Mind you this is 4 straight days in a row of not leaving the house.  I don't think I've ever done this before!  Jared said we've never had so much money in checking before because I wasn't out shopping:).  

On day 5, we headed up to the lake.  Ideally I should have driven but I rode with my folks, it's more fun!  We left later (because we wanted to see daddy before we headed up for the weekend) and then had to stop half way up there at Safeway.  Well we didn't end up getting to the cabin till around 8:45pm.  Well my toddler hadn't gone potty since 4pm and he was due!  For the last 40 minutes of the drive he kept saying "I have to go potty."  Well a routine thing about Hudson is, he will only go on his potty.  So he wouldn't use the "tiny" one and he wouldn't just pee outside.  Papa tried!  I even tried to put a swim diaper on but he looked at it and said "That's a diaper" and wanted nothing to do with it.

Eventually we rolled in the lake, put on the DVD player, and off he went.  Success!  The next 3 days at the lake were successful due to the movie Cars.  Eventually Hudson ended up spending more time watching Cars then playing outside so I tried to phase out the DVD time and that reverted.  It was a long few days but he was getting the hang of it.

Mmm, m&ms!

By day 12, Hudson still wasn't consistent. I didn't leave the house in fear of an "accident" out and about. I facebooked friends asking for advice.  One friend suggested putting a pull up over his diaper so if he has an accident, its not devastating in public and he could still feel that he was wet.  Good advice!  I asked Hudson, after another accident, if he wanted to wear a diaper, and he snuggled into me very upset and he said "I'm not a big boy anymore."  I was devastated!  I had emotionally messed up my child!  I explained he was still a big boy but maybe just not ready for big boy underwear.  Well he didn't want to wear the diaper so we continued.  

The next day, I asked him if he wanted to  wear a diaper again, he said yes.  So he wore one but told me when he had to go potty and he was 4/4 for that day.  He was back in underwear and successful!  Hudson had made the choice to be a big boy and go in the potty.  Halleluia!!!  I was just worried that if we went back to diapers, he might be potty trained because he knew the difference.  

Good job Hudson, mommy and daddy are so proud of you Big Boy!