Chronicles of a potty training momma: What I have found successful

So since Thursday we have been hitting potty training pretty hard.

I have found a few things that have workes for us...

So I thought I would share.

1. Frequent trips.
At first he was on the potty every 5 minutes.
It was a lot of work, but when he would actually go, I'd space the timer out. It went something like 5,10, 15,25,30,35.
He was in disposable diapers before and he would pee whenever he darn well felt like it, so I think this helped with increasing his bladder control.
2. Rewards.
We use a single gummy snack for each success, and only if he remembers to ask for it after.
He has forgotten a few times, but it is definitely motivating.
I know, it's sugar. But food is an easy access, quick reward, that kids just seem to understand.
3. Encouragement even in failure.
I down play the accidents. "Bud, it's okay, we will just try again soon. Remember to try to tell mommy, because poop and pee go in the potty"
4. Naked to only underwear to fully clothed.
We started with nothing on the bottom so we could get on the potty asap when he needed to go.
Then once he started spacing out trips and telling me he needed to go the underwear went on. Finally, we did pants when we hit the 30 minutes between trips.

So far it's going better than expected for a newly 2 year old. 

Chronicles of a potty training momma: The NEW plan/an update

So M is now 2.

He is not potty trained.

So as you can probably tell I took a break.

I did say I might at the beginning. So there is that.

As interested as he was at 18 months, he just wan't ready.

He had pretty great communication skills

but couldn't preemptively tell me when he needed to go.

He still really doesn't.

But it's getting better.

The other day at the library he told me "Mommy, I pooping"

He also then refused when prompted to go with me to the restroom.

So, we're taking it slow.

Just asking him to sit on the potty multiple times a day.

And he has been doing that with success. 

Today we tried underwear.

We only had one accident

I'd say that's a success.......unless you know that after acident 1

I went back to diapers 

at first because he went down for a nap,

but then also because I'm lazy.

BUT he literally went on the potty 7x today.

So that's the real success.

Not much about my plan has changed, other than giving more grace

and also I caved and bought a potty.

Yuck.

It was a necessary evil though.

He used to scream and run from being hoisted onto the 

insert "potty seat" that fits on the toilet.

So now he has his own potty. 

He uses it regularly

and gets a gummy if he goes.

And I'm leaving it there for now

If he starts asking to go more....

then we will probably go full force into underwear.

We will see. 

Like I said in my first post, I am no expert

So don't look to me for advice.

I'm just a mom who is sick of diapers

and a kid who screams when I try to change them haha.

Things would probably happen more quickly if I wasn't so lazy

So there is also that.

I have things to work on. 

Don't we all.

Chronicles of a potty training momma: Praise for the Poop!

So potty training has been moving at a crawl.

Every once in a while M will ask to go to the "toilet"

But mostly he just likes the opportunity to wash his hands. 

Last Tuesday, he told me "poop" but with an empty diaper.

This was the first time he has preemptively mentioned something 

related to the potty.

So I rushed him to the nearest bathroom, but because we were

out of the house sitting on the big toilet was mostly

traumatic for him. Especially when it's a self flushing toilet.

Then last night happened.

I came home and Daka told me M had news.

Apparently he had told D "poop" again with an empty dipe.

So he put him on the toilet and viola!

We're still a ways from consistent potty training but I am ecstatic.

It's a really strange thing to be so excited over 

another being's bowel movements.

But as I discussed this conundrum with my brother

he helped me understand my excitement comes from freedom.

It may still be a while,,,but we are one step close to diaper freedom.

And that my friends, is worth celebrating.

Chronicles of a potty training momma: terrible timing

So, today I discovered that I have terrible timing. To help with consistency,I set a timer to remind myself to do a potty check every hour or so. I ended up changing that to 30 mins on the second go round, then gave up on the reminders all together.

M started in the big boy underpants and fortunately for us we had warmer weather so no pants were necessary. We talked about the potty a lot today. And we had our first accident in the bathroom, on the step stool to get up to the potty. An accident yes, but hey, we were at least close there!

Then came mystery accident two. The reminder timer had not yet gone off, but gavr me a ten minute warning that our next potty break was coming up. So I decided to grab him early and let him reset the timer on the way to the toilet. Upon lifting him up to press the button timer, I felt that it was too late.

So I adjusted the time. And gave up on the underwear for the moment. No mystery pee stains for me.

Later M turns to me and says "poop". I ask him if he needs to poop in the potty, and we sing "we're gonna poop in the potty" on our trek upstairs. He really seems to ejoy my potty song. When we make it to the toilet I find that he was only informing me of what had happened. He sits on the toilet seat anyway, just to familiarize himself and we dump the diaper in the potty and he flushes saying "bye bye poopy"

After cleaning up this third attempt my lazy mommy mode kicks in and we permanently switch to diapers for the rest of the day.  After donning the dipe M suddenly becomes very upset that his poo had been flushed and runs to the toilet only to cry "poopy gone!" So apparently that tactic is more traumatizing than helpful.

This toilet training is the nastiest rite of passage I have ever known.

Chronicles of a potty training mama: The Plan

When your 18 month old starts coming to you and telling you "poop" whenever he has a dirty diaper, or saying "pee" with a questioning tone outside the bathroom door, you think to yourself 'well maybe it's that time'. I never thought we would start this part of parenthood early. But the little man has hit quite a few milestones early so why not toilet training? I'll be keeping this diary as a satirical memoir of what is sure to be a journey of tears and laughter. So you know if you don't mind some good ole toilet humor join me on the path to the potty.

The plan:

I'm sure there are many ways of approaching the whole potty thing, but here is the plan. Subject to change, as I tend to give up easily. Today we started with purchasing the necessary items.
1) potty seat, the kind that fits in a regular toilet. No chair for me, because well I'm lazy and don't want to clean M's poo from more surfaces than absolutely necessary.
2) a step stool, because yeah he can climb well, but better make things as easy as possible.
3) underwear. I'm skipping pull ups and training pants because I'm overly confident or insane, maybe both.

As we wait for these items to arrive i plan to take this week slow. He is becoming aware of all things toilet but he's no expert. Mostly I'll just attempt to call his attention to when he sneaks away to the corner to squat and let him know where that junk really belongs by dumping out diapers in the toilet. Perhaps he'll receive an introduction to pantslessness, because he hates diaper changes because he gets cold. He'll soon find out that there is certainly no seat warmer on the john, and that going requires leaving pants behind. Ill let you all know how things go. Next week is sure to be filled with more "excitement".

Note: If you are reading this blog for potty training tips, stop. I have no idea what im doing.

Note 2: I may at some point I give up and wait until he's older.

Becoming Mommy

Hey bug,

It has been a little over a year now that we've been on this mother son journey and I'm willing to admit I'm mostly in over my head when it comes to you. It's a hard journey learning to care for someone so deeply and love so unconditionally.  Today I had to continually fight the urge to make you into the boy I wanted, rather than let you discover who you are. As you popped yet another fist full of dirt in your mouth, I thought of the inconvenience it would be to clean you up, I realized I was trying to change you. I'm told to train you in the way you should go, but that doesn't mean not allowing you to be a rambunctious, inquisitive, independent boy. When you throw tantrums and I lose my patience with you, know that I'm still learning too. Papa and I have a lot to learn. Know that our boundaries, while they may be flawed at times, are set out of love and desire for your good. Know that we want to help you figure out this world, just as much as you desire to understand it. Becoming your mommy is a lifetime process, and I'll always be on the learning curve. Thanks for the moments after the time outs, when you give me cuddles and kisses. Thanks for the laughter you give me when we play at the park. Thank you for teaching me that life can be dirty, and difficult, but still be good. Thanks for reminding me of grace in your own little way. I promise to try to do the same. Thanks most of all, for helping become mommy.

I hate debates, but this shouldn't be one

Debating an issue rarely accomplishes anything.

Both sides usually only cling to their beliefs even more strongly after.

But life shouldn't be a debate.

I've been avoiding talking about my pro life stance

because people are just plain mean sometimes...

but today as I watched yet another PP video where women laughed

at the thought of someone being squeamish at the sight of an intact fetal head

my heart broke. 

I can't say I've felt the same as women who've had abortions

But I have felt fear with pregnancy.

Micaiah was by no means planned

We had no jobs

no health insurance

and I was so scared

But from the very moment I read the test that said I was pregnant

I called him my baby.

He wasn't just tissue

He was a baby

I haven't told many people this

But when we first found out

I cried.

Not tears of joy.

I cried because I couldn't handle the responsibility.

We were just married

How could we possibly care for a baby

We could barely care for ourselves

But I never thought of him as anything other than a child.

And as weeks passed 

I feared that my body might reject him
eventually that fear lessened.

I felt nothing but desire for his life

We didn't deal with many of the difficulties others have

He was healthy(relatively)

I was healthy

I had support

But even if I didn't have all that, he deserved a life.

It's a beautiful one.

I sometimes sit in awe of the brave women who parent alone

Who take on post partum depression

Medical issues

financial responsibility

child rearing

all alone

They are so strong.

I am just lucky.

My heart hurts for the babies who weren't loved.

Who were thrown away because someone thought they didn't deserve a life

I know, at times women did this because they thought it was better

better for a child to die than live in poverty

better for a child to die than live in pain

But why?

Why?

Who are we to play God?

It makes me want to take all the babies home.

I've always wanted to adopt.

My heart for adoption has been to take in a child in the states

and it's growing. 

And it's scary...because I'm selfish

I care about my comfort more than a child's much of the time

I say...we can't support another financially

and I make excuses

I hope that someday we do adopt. 

But Lord help the world if we continue to view life as a choice

instead of a gift.