Potty training!

Well we are 2 weeks in and I think it is working!  Aiden has been using his potty before bed, bath, naps, etc. for months now, but we weren’t ready to take the plunge into full on potty training.  Two weeks ago I dove head first in and haven’t looked back.  There wasn’t anything magical about 2 weeks ago, it was just the only time since his birthday that we were going to be home for an extended period of time (which actually ended up being only 3 days).  I stopped at the store the night before and got some underwear (Toy Story for the Buzz addiction and a Disney mix).  When I got home Aiden insisted on putting them on right away.

I did no research besides listening to the advice of a few friends and found Erin’s method to work the best for us.  We moved the potty down stairs and got out some potty treats.  Potty treats:  the first day it was fruit snacks, but after getting sick in the middle of the night we switched to chocolate chips.  1 treat for each success.   Number 2 was a little more difficult to and we upped the anti to watching Buzz Lightyear.  It took 3 days.  The current potty treat for 2 is a mini sucker.

He has been in underwear full time since the first day, except for naps, nighttime and 6 hour car trips.  He is even waking up from naps and nighttime occasionally dry, and was dry our entire trip to and from Idaho with two potty stops.

Is he “trained”?  Not really, he still has good days and bad days, and he will rarely tell me that he has to go, so I’m probably more trained then he is, but it is going great.  He is much better at being accident free when we are out and about, even though we did have a Costco incident, and a 2 minutes before the wedding incident.

Are we done with diapers?  besides sleeping I think so, and hopefully those will be phased out soon.

What has helped:

- Lots of cheering and praise - Aiden was so excited for his first potty #2 that he started shouting excitedly about watching Buzz Lightyear and then leaned over and tried to kiss it.  (probably tmi but I want to remember the sheer excitement)

- Accidents aren’t “naughty” or “bad” we just try to do better next time.

- Special treats “if you go you’ll get a special treat”.  Special treats go everywhere with us, but I’m trying to phase them out so that he doesn’t ALWAYS expect it.  So I’ll only give him a treat now if he asked for one.

- Aiden’s older cousins have been using the potty for the past 2 years.  So he has grown up understanding the potty process so it didn’t have to be explained.

- Cloth diapers - He knew what if felt like to be wet and dirty.

- Visiting potties - When out and about we make seeing knew potties an adventure.  “Lets go see Dr. Ron’s potty, the library potty, etc”

Another funny tidbit about #2.  He’ll say “It wants to come out of its home” or when flushed “it is going to see its babies” hehe

On our way to the lake 3 days into potty training Aiden announces he has to poop.  I tell Ryan he needs to stop.  He thinks in 3o minutes at the gas station, no now!  He gave us a few drops.  Stinker.  Me I’m annoyed that it is cold, windy and Aiden won’t go, Ryan thinks to document it with the camera phone, thankfully.