Potty Training

Honestly, I have been dreading potty training since before I was pregnant with Braxton. I have been putting it off for the last few months because I haven’t been ready, even though he’s been ready for a while. For the last few months, I have been telling him every day about the advantages of not wearing diapers, such as being able to go to school, potty training prizes, wearing cool underwear, etc. Finally, one day he turned to me out of the blue and said, “So mom, if I go potty on the toilet, I can get a truck (toy truck), go to school, AND wear underwear?” I was shocked that it was finally getting through, and replied, “Yep!” “Huh, okay” he said. At that point, I knew I couldn’t procrastinate any longer and we went for it a few days later.

The first day we had a few accidents, but in general, he knew he wasn’t supposed to go in his underwear and was holding it until the point of pain. Within two days, he had pee completely figured out and wasn’t even using the little seat. By the weekend he was going in public restrooms and even standing up. Poop was a little harder. I don’t think he could tell what that urge felt like. It was endless days of running to the bathroom with a mess already in the underwear—ten times a day—and then refusing to push the rest out once we were there. I just don’t think he ever paid attention to what he was doing before, so it took him a while to realize what the urge was and to learn how to hold it until he could get to the bathroom. So, it took about a month before we had success in that area and we haven’t turned back.

This summary makes it sound like it was easy. But, it truly has been one of the hardest things I have done since delivering this sweet boy. Potty training was hard emotionally, physically, and mentally. But, success has sweetened the deal and it has been a couple weeks now of no accidents at all. Here's a few pictures of what our life was like for a month.  No pants, blankets protecting the floor, and all.