Potty Training - Take One

If you've had children, then you know what I'm getting ready to talk about.

When I first started out trying to potty train, it felt like Colton would never understand the concept.  I've heard I don't know how many moms say that they had their children trained by age two or even before age two.  Oh my goodness, are you serious?  If you are one of those mothers, then you are one of the LUCKY ones.  You should be thanking the good Lord above that your child was ready so early to be trained.  I have to say, I'm still working on that with Colton.  It's a work in progress for us.

I sometimes think, wouldn't it be awesome if there was just a magic button somewhere that I could push and viola............he would be trained?  I think I would even pay for that button, but it does NOT exist.  Trust me, it doesn't.

I've been on what seems like a roller coaster ride with huge hills and many twists and turns along the way.  I started trying about six months ago because I thought he seemed interested.  WRONG!  He wasn't, that didn't last very long.  I then thought I would wait until he was ready and showed more interest, because I have the philosophy of why push your kids before they are ready?  I feel like they will show you signs when they are ready to learn.  Colton was NOT ready to learn.

When he had started showing interest, I switched over to putting him in pull-ups.  Every time I would change his pull-up, we would talk about being a big boy and going in the potty is one of the things that big boys do.  He really seemed interested in our conversations.  He seemed like he understood what we were talking about.  I thought we were getting somewhere.  He would tell me over and over again, "Yes, ma ma, das what bi boys do.  I a bi boy."   I would then proceed to tell him, if you are a big boy, then show me that you are.  Next time you need to go "pee pee", tell me so I can take you to the bathroom and you can go "pee pee" on the big boy potty.  We were all set, I was pumped, he was pumped...........I knew the next time he had to go "pee pee" that it was going to be in front of the big boy potty.  It was gonna happen, we had talked about, we didn't shake hands on it, but trust me on this, it was a done deal.................I knew next time, it was gonna happen.

Oh good Lord...................WHAT WAS I THINKING?  You are right, "IT" didn't happen.

Several times that conversation happened, but no different outcome........still no "pee pee" in the big boy potty.  Well a few months went by and all of a sudden, he's showing more interest again, he's wanting to at least stand in front of the big boy potty.  OK, there is no "pee pee" but he is at least wanting to stand there and try!  This is it, this is great, I am once again pumped and on the band wagon to work more consistently with him.

He now starts wanting to stand in front of the big boy potty a couple times each evening, I keep thinking, this is a good sign.  One evening he tells me "Ma ma, I hat to go pee pee."  By now, this is just another ritual we do in the evenings.  NO BIG DEAL.  I tell myself, "Jen, you have to keep being consistent with him.  Keep taking him to the big boy potty.  This is the only way he's going to get it."  So this one night, this glorious night, in which he has said the exact same thing he has always said to me about having to go "pee pee".........we go to the bathroom, pull down his pants, stand there and wait..........when all of a sudden............... I actually see "PEE PEE".  Oh my goodness, it is really happening this time.............I start screaming for joy!  I'm dancing, rejoicing, praising him, giving him stickers, offering him chocolate.  It's whatever he wants..............THIS      IS     BIG! ! ! ! !

I feel like we've passed over a big hurdle.  It's a great feeling of being so proud of your little one.  We are now finally to the point of (knock on wood) where he is consistently going to the potty for "pee pee".  It's been a long haul to get here, but we are here and it is AWESOME!  I'm not saying he doesn't have an accident here or there, because he does.  I'm not saying that he wakes up with a dry pull up after every nap time or for that matter, that he wakes up with a dry pull up every morning.  I'm just saying that he has done a wonderful job in letting me know when he has to go "pee pee" in the potty when he's awake.  He's so big that he even goes all by himself sometimes.  Then here and there, he just wants me in the bathroom with him so he can show me how big he is.  I love that and I am so proud of him each and every time.

I better stop and take a breather now while I'm ahead.  I will continue next time in the gripping saga of my potty training extravaganza with Colton.  I didn't write anything about the "poo poo" stage..........well, let me tell you, it has not yet been conquered, for that matter, not even attempted very many times.  He doesn't seem to want to do that consistently yet.  Being honest about it, he doesn't seem to want to do it at all, it's still a work in progress.  So stay tuned for the next adventure of ............."Potty Training - Take Two".