Some may consider us crazy to start potty training our toddler when we have a 5 week old, but we had to take advantage of Grammy being here and having an extra pair of hands to hold the baby while we wiped up poop. So, that is the adventure we embarked on this past week and the focus of this blog entry.
Warning - if potty talk is offensive to you, you may not want to continue reading this particular post. I am capturing certain details because it's amazing how much I've forgotten from Andrew to Addison, and I want to be able to remember this when it's her turn to board the Potty Train (Andrew thinks there is a train somewhere). If you just want to bypass the details of our potty training escapades (some of which are pretty funny if you ask me) and just see cute baby pictures, scroll to the bottom of the post.
My first impression when Andrew put on the big boy undies was - my little boy is all grown up!! He looked so big! I've been thinking that a lot lately. I'm not sure if it's because I'm staring at a 10 pound infant most of the day, but there's no doubt my first baby is growing up before my eyes.
Andrew has actually been peeing on the potty for awhile, but only between diaper changes. So, after making the decision to "give it a go", I went to Target and bought the supplies: 14 pairs of Planes and Mickey underpants, 8 pairs of new pants, Gummi Bears, Peach Rings and $1 toys. Yes, I bribed him... and so far it's working.
At first, Andrew was very excited to wear big boy underpants. But then, he got the undies on and seemed kinda nervous. Well, after successfully peeing on the potty at our suggestion twice, and stopping himself mid-accident another time... he told Grammy he had to go sit on the potty and then did! By the second day, he was consistently telling us when he had to pee and had only one other accident. We are now at the end of our first week, and he has less than one accident a day... except, for pooping. We are told this comes later, but we are still wondering how much later.
Day 1 (Sun) - As I mentioned, Day 1 started out great. Andrew was a little uncertain, but quickly gained confidence in his ability to use the potty. He got a Gummi Bear for every time he peed at our suggestion and a Peach Ring every time he went on his own. He also got a sticker for his potty chart (courtesy of Gram and Pop, who gave Andrew "Potty Training Elmo" for Christmas).
The day was not without event though... Andrew managed to lock Grammy outside while I was nursing Addison, and then announced he had to pee. What fun! Shortly after we let Grammy back in the house, he pooped his pants.
Then, Andrew woke up from his nap (which was in a diaper) by falling out of our bed and getting a black eye by hitting his face on the nightstand. He was so worked up, that he refused to put back on his undies. The thing that finally worked after much pleading, candy bribes and putting Blue Bear in his undies, was a bribe of a "backpack ride mini" (his term for piggy back rides - we have no clue why) from Grammy.
Day 2 (Mon) - Andrew did NOT want to put on his undies in the morning and had to be bribed with gummy bears to wear them. He did very well with only one accident, but he did not poop (which is abnormal for him... uh oh).
Day 3 (Tues) - Same thing in the morning... major resistance to having his nighttime diaper removed and putting on new undies. I wanted to give up because I did NOT want potty training to be a negative thing for him, but just when I was ready to give in, Andrew sat on the potty, peed and let me put him in big boy pants. Yay!
That afternoon, Andrew napped on the couch without a diaper and stayed dry! (I was planning on putting a diaper on him first, but he fell asleep while we were cuddling on the couch and I didn't have the heart to wake him.)
After his nap, he had some minor regression. He was acting very unusual, running around like a maniac - and had two accidents, in addition to pooping his pants (while I was busy changing Addison's poopy diaper, of course). Yes, "poop" is the most used word in our house right now. Or maybe "potty". Anyway, in hindsight I think the regression was because he knew Grammy was leaving that night. We all were very sad to see her go... having her help for the two weeks she visited was much appreciated, and Mike and I were definitely nervous - we have no more help lined up to rescue us anytime soon! Andrew will miss his Grammy very much and asks us when we are going to Pennsylvania to see her almost every day since she's left.
Day 4 - Andrew's first day at school in big boy pants. Yet again, we had to bribe the kid to put on his underwear, but once in them, he did great! I called school at lunchtime to check in (yes, I'm turning into one of THOSE parents) and they said he went a couple times on the potty and had one accident. When Mike picked him up that afternoon, we were told the "accident" wasn't a "real accident" because he was sitting on the potty, but his pants weren't down all the way. Yay! Luckily, one of Andrew's friends is starting potty training this week as well. He keeps giving us reports that she pooped her pants. Andrew on the other hand, has refused to poop today.
Day 5 - Andrew did great at school without any accidents today! Unfortunately, he peed in Mike's car as soon as Mike pulled into the development. He finally pooped that evening - in his pants - 3 times.
At this point, Andrew either runs and hides to poop, or tells us he has to poop and then stands near the potty. So, we know he knows when he has to go, he just refuses to try and sit on the potty. We had offered up yet another bribe for pooping in the potty - "Chug" the fuel tank from the movie Planes. Chug sat and sat on the mantel staring at Andrew's potty, until finally, on Day 10, Andrew went on the potty. Unfortunately, it was the first and last time he has gone on the potty since then. UGH.
Again, sorry for all the details... I promise this is the last post that will center around potty talk!
As promised, here are some cute Addison pictures!
