Numéro Uno, Numéro Dos, Numéro tres

What have I learned this week…



Potty training #1 was a lot easier when there was only one.  Potty training #2 is blood-pressure raising since there is 1, 2 and 3.  When I thought about having kids, I KNEW I would have each kid potty trained before the next one was born ( I was NOT changing 2 sets of diapers).  I did this with Riley, who was potty trained 5 months before Tate was born.  I planned on doing this same thing with Tate if and when we had a third…well things don't always go to plan.  And so, I have been changing 2 sets of diapers for 6 months and no, it's not so bad.  But with Tate,  I have started to feel like I am changing a small man's diaper, so I decided... we are moving on.

I potty trained Riley by the "book" when he was 16 months and it was a major FAIL!

So we tried again with my own approach when he was 2 and he was (what I consider) potty trained in 1 month.  He was diaper free during the day and wore a diaper at night for accidents.

My approach is simple…no diapers…no training pants.

Cold Turkey Undies.

yes. there are more accidents in the beginning, thats why I make the kids play in the kitchen on the laminate floors.

yes. you have to watch that toddler like a hawk striking a field mouse. and as soon as that kid squats in silence you fire drill to the potty.

yes. you will have to invest in Elmo's Potty time and a large bag of peanut butter m&ms

yes. you will have to give your toddler tons of water…cuz you want him to have to pee

DO NOT leave that sneaky little toddler out of your sight, he will pee as soon as you leave.  and it could take hours before you step on the cold wet spot.  

I constantly ask "are you wet or dry?"  and teach him to touch his undies to feel wetness.

The first day is always amazing, you will think, "MY KID IS A POTTY GENIUS!  THIS IS GOING TO BE A CAKE WALK!"  you are fool if you think day #2 will be as successful or day #3 or day #4…and just when you start to think "MY KID WILL BE WEARING DIAPERS TO HIS PROM!"  Day # 5 comes and then things start coming together.  Pavlov's theory is kicking in and as soon as the toddler gets that "feeling" he also starts salivating for that delicious treat.

Tate is at the point where (when mommy is changing #3 diaper) he remembers mid-pee "OH YEAH!  I'm not wearing a diaper anymore!"  and hustles to the potty, slipping in his own pee and sitting down on the potty, without pulling down his undies and finishing the job.  I very much appreciate his effort.  However, if I am not changing a diaper…

i ask.
he answers.
and we RUN to the potty

…turn on some Elmo's Potty Time on the portable DVD player and wait.  He is getting quicker about peeing and has gone #2 several times (which is normally the hardest to convince them to do)  When he is done and was successful,  he gets 1 peanut butter m&m (which he calls A&As) and a sticker on his chart.

Today, we made it taking Riley to preschool and a 90 minute trip to Walmart with no wet underwear.
Also today I left the bathroom while Tate was on the potty and while I was attending #3, Tate decided to try and dump his own potty…that was a wet spot I couldn't miss.