Rysdam Family: Becoming a Big Boy, Part 3 of 3

Well, in my blog on Becoming a Big Boy in September, I mentioned that Kaden becoming a big boy was a 3 part process. 1- chair at the big table, 2- big boy bed and new room, and 3- potty training. We've officially begun potty training over here. It's been a little over a week on this adventure and I think he's doing great with it! Kaden has been going on the potty for awhile now, just off and on, when I put him on a few times a week, etc. He's always been interested in going potty, but for some reason, last week Sunday, I asked him if he needed to go potty, and he said, "Yes!" and it all started there. I went with it throughout the day, putting a pull-up on him, and the only accident he had that day was pooping in his pull-up at night. Not too shabby. The next morning he woke up DRY, which seriously has never happened in his 2 1/2 years of life. I thought we had witnessed a miracle there. Unfortunately, that nice new habit stopped (or perhaps was a teaser to flatter his mommy), and he still wears a night diaper at night and wakes up wet in the morning, although not nearly as soaked as he used to. We've progressed since last week Sunday from putting him on the potty every 20-30 minutes, to now every 1-2 hrs. He even made it through a morning of errands on Friday with no accidents! He had a few accidents at daycare on Monday, a few piddles in the pull-up here and there throughout the week, and then 2 accidents today (although I put today in a completely different category because he was SO off today.... maybe because he woke up at 6am and normally wakes up at 7:30am?!?!?). Kaden makes it very clear when he needs to poop- the facial expression says it all. We've caught him in the act most days and can usually get him to go on the potty then. Woo whoo! Yesterday and today he decided it would be more convenient to poop in his pull-up while I was taking a shower.... sigh. I'm still waiting for that magic moment when he tells me when he has to go. At this point, most of the time when you ask him if he has to go, he says, no, but doesn't usually object when you put him on the potty anyway. He does tend to say, "I pee in my underwender" or "I poop in my underwender," which I've figured out means that he probably needs to go, and hasn't actually done the act yet. (Sidenote- yes, he calls it underwender. It's so cute!) Sometimes he says it for a good laugh because he knows it will get me all riled up. Most of the time, if he repeats it several times in a matter of 5 minutes, he goes on the potty because it's a signal to me. So, he doesn't walk himself to the bathroom yet to go when he needs to, or tell me directly when he has to go. But, most days we only use 1 pull-up or underwear (depending on where he is or what the day brings), and he stays dry through naptime. We're making progress, people!!! I know it takes time for some kids, but after a good week at this, I'm pretty satisfied with where we're at, and there's NO turning back now! :)

Oh, and did I mention I'm using the infamous "beach box" as a bribe? Right after Christmas I scored a KILLER deal on a brand new AquaMat on Amazon (We're talking $5 people), and I stashed it away for a rainy day or as something special for a holiday, etc. Well, on the side of the box are waves, and one day when he saw the box, he said, "Kaden have beach box?!?" I knew then what I would use that as a reward for. Since that day a few months ago, we've been telling him that he has to use the potty all of the time in order to get it. We haven't used a sticker chart, right now just telling him that he needs to tell us when he has to go and then he can have the beach box seems to work. I've got a reward chart on hand, though, if we need to go to Plan B to kick this up a notch.

Oh, and another mention. We're obsessed with the potty dance over here. If you watch any kid's channels, you've probably seen it before... it's in the commercial for pull-ups. Search for it on YouTube if you're REALLY dying to see it! :) We like to do the potty dance over here- it makes potty training that much more fun for Mommy, too!

Enjoy some pics of the "big boy in training" using the big boy potty.

Sitting backwards, boy style. So much easier- he can hold himself up, and the pee points down by default! :)

Trying to wipe away the "bubbles" as he calls it (I'll spare the details). Of course he can't balance himself on the toilet and use only 1-2 squares. Without my assistance, he manages to pull the entire roll out. Every. Single. Time.