Around the middle of the summer I noticed I was spending so much time chasing around a naked Aaron. He was done with his diaper and let me know by constantly taking it off. I knew it was time to potty train this kid. It stayed in the back of my mind as we were coming and going and wondered when I'd find the time. Whenever it came to the forefront I would also think he's only 22 months this is going to be rough but believe me worrying about him being naked with no bladder or bowel control was rough as well. I'd also heard that boys are harder to train than girls and some recommend waiting until they turn 3. I debated it for a few weeks knowing if I don't do it now it would have to wait until next summer when I was home and not working and I feared by then he would be too stuck in his "poop" ways. Allyson recommended an article called "The 3 day potty training guide" In the article it mentions that the best time to potty train is 22-23 months, encouraging. It is also a power free way to potty train and I like the idea of not forcing him to sit until something came out. I have bad memories of that with both Jane and Emily. Anyway I found myself one Sunday afternoon looking at my empty calendar for the week and I knew it was now or next year. That following morning it was so long all diapers and hello "3 days of hell". The premise of the advice is to keep your child within arms reach at all times, look for signs that they are about to do go and rush them as fast as you can to the potty. If anything gets in the toilet you are to celebrate like your favorite team just made a goal and bring out the reinforcers. It's all about positive reinforcement instead of coercion. Yeah that sounds like no big deal but when you have an awesome independent kid who is used to going about his business while a busy mom goes about hers it gets tough to keep him close by and I basically did nothing but watch to see if he is about to go. The first day there was pee everywhere and occasionally he'd get a little in the toliet. The second day there was pee everywhere and occasionally he'd get a little in the toliet. On the 3rd day I realized we needed to be right by the toilet, holding the pee or poop even a few steps was not happening. So I set up my camping chair next to the toilet with a bunch of toys and we stayed there almost all day. Do you know how miserable that is for this mom. He did better only because he was steps away from the toilet. By the end of the night I took a small break to make dinner and he was standing steps away from me and peed a river right on the floor. I was so done at that point. I strapped a diaper to him and put him to bed that way. The next morning I woke up resigned to the fact I was so quiting this potty training thing and that he was going to be 4 or 5 before I train him again. Aaron then called out he was ready to wake up. I got him out of his crib and he promptly walked to the bathroom took off his diaper and peep right in his toilet. In an unbelievable shock I cheered so loudly that Emi and Jane came a running and then they all got a treat. Oh how proud he was!! I couldn't give up after that. The next few days were a little better. Gradually he became "parent trained" meaning if the tank wasn't empty and I remembered to take him, he would pee on command. Yet the poop thing was not going well. I feel if you ever want to feel totally humbled in life potty training a kid will do it to you. A week or so after I started we were at Artic Circle and Aaron came running out of the play area grabbing his bum saying poop. We rushed in the the bathroom and just clockwork he went. I was feeling like the greatest parent who had done such a good job potty training this not even 2 year old boy! The next day I was having a primary meeting at my house with the presidency and all their kids. As we were in the middle of discussing something Aaron came over and handed me his clean underwear. I mindlessly took them still concentrating on the discussion and he ran off. A while later Jane came downstairs and said "Mom come quick, Aaron pooped upstairs and it's all over the place" Sure enough it was all over the place and it brought me back down to my knees feeling like a complete failure as a parent.
As the days went by he got really good at staying pee dry and I resigned to thinking that his underwear really isn't different than a cloth diaper that has to be rinsed out and washed after the daily bowel movement. What really kept be persevering was the thought of starting over and hanging out in hell. I mean sitting in the camp chair next to the toilet again all day. While we were at California however something seemed to click in Aaron's brain and just like that he started telling me he needed to pee or poop and only had a couple of, we weren't close by a toilet, accidents. Since then he's been in charge telling me when he needs to go and doing it. It's been so amazing and I know it took a lot longer that I hoped for to get this barely 2 year old potty trained but cross my fingers, I think he's got it!!!!! My testimony...... A almost 2 year old boy can be potty trained. It will however probably take more than 3 days.
P.S. This is Aaron in his underwear. He wears just them most days when we are hanging out around the house. He usually has a capri sun in hand and alternated between these funny frog shoes, his blue cowboy boots or if his Nike Jordan's. It's been so rewarding to see him so proud of himself that he is a big boy who wears underwear and not a baby anymore!!
WTG Aaron! And WTG Collette!
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