Potty Training!

We did it!  Against all my stubborn demands to wait, Trevor won and this week we potty trained Mr. Moose.  I was soooo not ready for this.  I was convinced diapers were convenient and that I just didn't want to do the work while Sawyer was still so small and not quite in a consistent routine.  BUT, Trevor was persistent, so we did it.  We followed a three day method that was recommended to us...that we slightly tweaked to suit us better.  I will share how we did it and what we learned along the way.

The Three-Day Method basically states that you do away with ALL DIAPERS and DIAPER PRODUCTS COMPLETELY.  You dedicate THREE SOLID DAYS to being by your child's side so that the second they start to show signs or start to go potty - you rush them to the potty.  You don't sit them on the potty for hours on end waiting for them to go, you just look for their cues.  It also suggests using a sticker chart or something of the sort.  It guarantees that by the end of the third day, even the most stubborn of children would be potty trained.  I was skeptical, but I thought we had nothing to lose.  

I'll start by saying that on Saturday, Moose was wearing diapers.

Today is Wednesday and we've had three successful outings today - free of accidents.

So, Sunday morning, we had Jackson throw out his diapers and then we put on gotch.  I will start by saying that within the first hour, he peed FOUR TIMES on the floor.  I was crying and Trev and I were fighting.  I was convinced he wasn't ready.  Trevor was convinced he was.  I went upstairs to have a timeout to regroup and change my negative attitude.  I went downstairs determined to have a POSITIVE experience (which meant breaking a rule that Trevor read in our 'method' stating that you were only to put them on the potty when they started doing their business.  I didn't care.  I knew my son, and I knew he needed something positive to go from in order to succeed at this!).  I sat him on the potty and we spent the next 15 minutes singing, dancing, chatting, and talking about the potty and what we were doing, I also reminded him that once he got 10 stickers he got a special tractor.  He peed!  I praised him loud and proud!  We celebrated.  We made up a potty dance and we went to our pre-made and pre-explained sticker chart to put a sticker on!

At nap time, I started to doubt the whole potty business again as it became an excuse to get out of bed CONTINUALLY.  For about an hour we allowed the trip between the potty and the bed to happen (one time he had an accident when he didn't get out of bed quick enough).  Then we kiboshed it.  Decided that for naps and bedtime we would use Pull Ups for now (we had been on the fence about this, but went against the 'method' and did it).  We told him he had special underwear on and that he'd be fine.  He went to sleep.  That night we used his Pull Ups during bedtime routine as his special underwear.

The next day, with exception to one poop accident that happened in the bathroom while Trev and I were dealing with Sawyer and weren't around (broke a 'method' rule for 45 seconds!!), Jackson was accident free!  By the end of the day, he was telling us when he had to use the potty.

The third day we decided we would follow his lead and wait for him to ask us to use the potty.  We would remind him now and again and if he had to go, he'd say 'yup' and take off for potty or 'nope' and continue playing.  This third day was also accident free!

Today was day four of our three-day potty training method.  It was a day I added in for us that wasn't part of the method.  Today was our attempt at outings.  We did three outings.  There were zero accidents and he peed at Safeway and at Wee Love.  It was awesome!  I'm starting to trust him more.  He has a back pack that he likes to carry that has his on-the-go potty seat, lysol spray (yup, you heard me!), and flushable wipes along with a spare outfit and pair of undies.  

We still ask him once and a while if he needs to use the potty as well as making him at least sit and try before we leave the house - but other than that, I'm really trying to trust him!

So...Here's some pictures at the (almost) end of day four :)

His Loot.  We used tractors, as nothing is more important than tractors, and we've bought them over the past couple months when on sale knowing that we'd be using them as special prizes.

I told him to show me his bum...this was evidently funny!

I love these toes - toe jam and all!

This is the sticker chart I made.  One sticker for a pee, two for a poop!

This is what almost every toilet in our house looks like right now!

 Things We Learned...

We had WAY more success with the actual toilet.  Jackson insisted he'd rather use it, and that suited us fine as we found that the 'splash guards' on the small potties didn't quite cut it for protection from messes.  He either likes sitting on his McQueen seat or sitting far back on the normal toilet seat so he can see what's going on. 

DO NOT use the cool sensation Pull Ups for sleep time in the beginning!  He woke up at 6 am when he peed the next morning, which sucked for everyone!  We switched that day to the night time ones and it seems to have done the trick.

He needed some leverage when doing his #2 business on the big potty.  I turned a laundry basket upside down as our step stool was too short, and it did the trick right away. 

He actually didn't care about the stickers after a while.  The bigger incentive was flushing the toilet and celebrating.  We don't let him flush the toilet unless he's actually done some business.  Sometimes the rotter sneaks in a flush or two.  

We got an 'on-the-go' potty pot that is small and self-contained/sealed for the car and to throw in stroller when we are places like the park, etc where potties aren't available.  I know he's a boy and has the luxury of 'convenience'; however, I know a few people who have struggled with their boys going potty anywheres outside on a whim and I want to try to avoid that - so potty business will happen in a potty - unless it is an EMERGENCY! 

For about a month before we knew we were wanting to start, we talked all the time when changing his diaper about poop and pee being gross and that it belonged in the toilet.  This prep work seemed to have helped and was recommended in the method.  After about a week he was telling us how gross everything was before we had a chance!

I can't think of much more, but I hope this helps some of you as I've been getting lots of questions about what we've done, what's worked, and how it's gone.  Here it is!  Now it's in writing so I'll remember when it's time for Sawyer!  Haha.

I'm sure that there are accidents to come - but I can't tell you how surprised and proud I am that things have gone so smoothly!  I couldn't imagine potty training without going cold turkey on the diapers!

If you got to the bottom of this post YOU DESERVE A STICKER - hahahaha!  I know some of you will find it useful, as will I in two years when it's Sawyers turn!  So I hope you enjoyed!