Potty Training 101

My baby isn’t a baby anymore. This weekend we began the potty training that took mom 6 months to prepare for both emotionally and physically. I was all gung ho after my friend bought the Boy a potty chair for his 2nd birthday and I knew his school was going to start training as well. So…I purchased a “Potty Training in One Day” book and started my “to do list”. Good grief was I overwhelmed. Plus I can honestly admit I was becoming lazy about it all. Pull ups are so convenient…or so I thought AND the fear of my baby not being a baby anymore.

I finally decided Good Friday would be the day. The boy’s school was closed and hubby had to work. I was sort of prepared back from my initial crack at preparations so I would get my list back out and figure out a plan. Of course I am an uber anal person about planning and everything had to be perfect and go just as the book explained. The anatomically correct potty doll, the bathroom turned into a boardwalk and beach, streamers, presents galore, treats, potty books and potty videos, planned activities related to the beach all day long. I’m tired just thinking about it. Thank goodness I’m done. So…here is how the day went.

Friday morning the boy gets out of bed about an hour earlier than I had planned. This was ok since the hubby and I stayed up the previous night decorating and put the finishing touches on preparation. The hubby was great. After working extra long hours he came home and helped me and added his own “Daddy touches”.

As the book suggested the morning was going to focus on Paul (the doll) and teaching him how to use the potty. Whatever…the boy wanted about 5 seconds of that. The good thing about waiting this long was the boy was familiar with the potty and he has used it on several occasions but just not consistently. So…plans changed and mom almost had a nervous breakdown. Instead of focusing on Paul we focused on the Boy…about four hours earlier than planned.

As the book suggested I wrapped everything; Paul, the potty chair, undies, a couple of special gifts, all to generate excitement about it all. He wasn’t to keen on putting on the undies at first. I had to put them on him and reassure they were fun. He didn’t put up much of a fight once they were on. He opened his brand new potty chair that I went ahead and jumped to the 3rd step and put just the potty seat on the big toilet so he would go ahead and get used to the big potty. We were making progress and it was only 9:30.

We made hats, waves, watched videos, make cookies, read books and put stickers on his chart and a treat always followed. He did great. I couldn’t imagine potty training going so smoothly…after I figured out and accepted Paul wasn’t needed.

Friday night when Dad came home from work and we went to Ch.uck E. Che.ese to celebrate…with our big boy undies on! It was great…he even used the big boy potty. He was a little apprehensive at first but seemed to accept his fate and went like a champ. We only had one accident today…we still need to work on BMs.

Saturday came and went with no accidents and he had a BM in his upstairs potty. YES! We even went to IHOP and Costco.

Sunday I was all but out of commission all day and Dad took care of him. YAY…Dad is trained now too. Today is his first day at school and I told him he had big boy undies and to spend a bit more time with him today. I hope it goes well.

I mentioned that the Boy wouldn’t be a baby anymore and it is true. It is like he grew up over the weekend. He is much wiser to the world with his potty endeavors. I guess that solves it…we gotta have another one. See babe…I wrote it so it’s official.