Potty training

We are in the potty training process.

 

Cooper started going on the potty back in January when he moved rooms at day-care.  He wasn't consistent about going, but they were trying to familiarize him with the potty and the idea.

 

We would put him on the potty before bath (he rarely would go) and in the mornings when he would get up.  He did great at going when we put him on but life got busy (I was always running late in the mornings) so we weren't consistent.

 

Back in June Cooper started going on the potty more times than he went in his diaper while at day-care.  I knew this meant that he was probably ready but with Casen's arrival and our busy lives we decided to wait until after his birthday to try the potty training.

 

Then after his party we had two busy weekends where we couldn't do it....basically that is a list of all of my excuses.

 

 

So last Friday my mom was at our house to help me out and we started potty training. I decided to use my sister Melisa's idea of one M&M if you try, 3 if you pee pee, and 5 if you poop.  He loved getting to pick his M&Ms and did go pee on the potty but he also had quite a few accidents (usually just enough to dribble and make a little mess not a full release of his bladder). By the evening we had the timer going off every 18 minutes and he would go.  If I asked him to go he would say no, but if the timer went off it was no big deal.

 

I could tell that he was figuring out the process because he would say 'I feel it coming' and would look down in the potty. Sure enough he would pee. Or if I asked him if there was more he would wait and sometimes go more or other times say 'no, all done.' 

 

Saturday he went potty 3 times in the potty before we had to switch him to a diaper so we could all get ready and get out of the house for a while.  When we got home he went potty but we put him back in a diaper because it was nap time.  As he laid there for nap he said 'mommy, potty' and we ran to the potty.  Sure enough he went!

 

So this is where we cheated.  After nap I kept him in a diaper but continued the timer and going to the potty.  This way if he had an accident I didn't have to clean up our carpet and mess with wet underwear, but he was still going and working on the process.  He did great! 

 

Sunday we had another busy day with church so we continued the process in a diaper.  We went to my in-laws and even there he would go on the potty.  It is likely if we had him in underwear he would have dribbled in them, but overall he kept the diaper dry and did well.

 

Monday I sent him to day-care in a diaper for the car ride, but sent him 7 pairs of underwear (growing up in a house full of girls I keep calling them panties and have to correct myself) and several pairs of shorts since he wouldn't be running around in just underwear like we do at home.

 

I got a report at 2:00 from Mrs. Jamie that he had only had one accident all day and that was because they were outside.  They were taking him once an hour.  I am not sure why he was dribbling in his underwear like he did at home, but I am glad.

 

Unfortunately at 2:00 Mrs. Jamie leaves for the day and it went downhill fast.  He went through 4 pairs of underwear in an hour and a half so they switched him to a diaper for the rest of the day. I joked with Mrs. Jamie that she isn't allowed to leave until Cooper leaves from now on.

 

We continued to cheat with the diaper last night because we were out of clean underwear, but tonight he will go back in underwear and see how things go.

 

I really hope today goes well and that he keeps doing better.  He really seems to be getting it but the next step will be him learning to tell us when he needs to go potty instead of when the timer goes off.  I am so proud of our big boy.

 

I love seeing him in underwear, but man I am going to miss that cute boy walking around in a diaper.  This sentiment won't last long when he is potty trained and I am no longer changing or buying diapers for him!

 

So now I need some advice.  Please give me your tips for taking little boys to the bathroom in public places.  How did you handle them sitting on the potty, putting their hands on everything, etc?  It grosses me out. Also, any tips or suggestions for getting him to poop on the potty? We haven't been able to catch him in time to go.  It is probably just watching him closely and getting lucky, but I thought I would ask.  I appreciate any potty training advice. No use reinventing the wheel.