Potty Talk

One day last week I decided it was time to give potty training a try.
Austin has been "interested" in all things potty for awhile, just not when it pertains to him.
He has actually been known to cry when someone won't let him follow them into the bathroom.
If he does manage to follow you into the bathroom he is very helpful. He will get you toilet paper (though sometime too much), flush the toilet for you (closing the lid of course), and even remind you to wash your hands.
He has the routine down.

A couple weeks ago we went to Target and picked out underwear. He was so excited he tried to take off his pants in the store so he could put them on "right now."
However, when we got home and we put them on he said, "too tight...off...I want a diaper."
We were just trying them on for size, but it seemed to me that this was not going to be happy transition.

So, last week I starting talking to him about it one day and he agreed to wear the underwear.
Until he saw them that is.
At that point he said, "Nope, nope, nope. I'm good! I wear a diaper." (He really said that.)
So, being the good and fair mommy that I am, I bribed him.
I told him I would give him ONE M&M if he would wear the underwear.
He agreed!
Progress.
So, then I told him that I would give him TWO M&M's if he would go pee-pee on the potty.
He agreed!
So I went about my mommy duties and about 5 minutes later he came into the kitchen and said, "Mommy, I go pee pee in my un-duh-way-uh."
Sure enough.
So I asked him where he went pee-pee, because it sure didn't stay in the underwear.
"Down duh stairs"
"You went pee-pee downstairs?"
"Yes!"
"Where downstairs?"
"Down duh stairs."
"Show Mommy."
We begin walking down the carpeted stairs to the basement, and he points.
Sure enough, he peed "down duh stairs."
As in, from one step down the riser to the other step.
Now that is one tough place to clean up pee-pee.
He begged for a diaper and I caved because I wasn't sure that I was ready for potty training.

That brings us to today. Austin was supposed to have playdate with his friend Gavin this week and we had to cancel because Mia was sick. He has been asking about playing with Gavin ever since.
Mark mentioned to Austin today that Gavin was a big boy and didn't wear diapers anymore, he wore underwear.
Austin said, "I wear underwear too!" and proceeded to walk himself upstairs to get them.
Mark followed him, and so began our impromptu beginning to potty training.

He put the Diego underwear on and Mark gave him his first M&M.
He went to the basement with Daddy to play.
15 minutes later he starts coming up the stairs to the kitchen saying, "Mommy, I pee-pee on my chair." (His cloth Pottery Barn chair of course!)
So, Mark took him upstairs, cleaned him up and put on another pair of underwear.
We explained the process to him again and decided that we needed to maybe ask him a little more often if he needed to go.
Every 15 minutes we asked him.
He finally said he needed to go.
But he didn't.
Then about 30 minutes later he told Mark he needed to go pee-pee.
AND HE DID!!!!
He earned his first M&M for going potty and suddenly he was a pro.
30 minutes later he told me he had to go again.
I took him to the bathroom, helped him on the toilet and he asked me to close the door, which I did.
But, I had misunderstood.
He wanted me OUT of the bathroom.
What???
Privacy...I don't get privacy.
So, I peeked through the crack in the door and watch my baby go potty for the first time.
I could not have imagined how my heart would swell with joy and pride about pee-pee.
I opened the door when he was done and clapped my hands.
He was so proud of himself.
He finished his bathroom routine with a huge smile on his face and got his second pee-pee M&M.
He didn't have another accident all day.
Could this really be happening?
I know tomorrow is another day.
But, today my oldest child was potty trained!