I'm A Big Kid Now!

****Fair Warning, Potty Training Post...Lots of Talk of Pee (And Poop)...You Know, The Kind of Thing Only a Mother Would Dare Write About...Read at Your Own Risk****

Well, we're getting there!  Grayson's been showing all sorts of "signs" he's ready to potty train these days.  He's always had a lot of interest, but that's as far as it went.  Lately though:

• He's been really obsessed with going potty.
• He's waking up dry from naps and bedtime often.
• He told us he doesn't want underwear, he likes his diapers, aka, he's old enough to tell us that, he's old enough to venture into potty training.
• Instead of refusing the fact that he needs changed, he's been telling us asap.

So, I'm going to document on this post all week his progress.  Seriously, for the last two months I think most weekend, "I really should get on potty training G!"  I've been thinking a lot about it and wanted to be sure he's ready.  There's nothing worse than a long, drawn out, frustrating experience because the child wasn't ready, you were.  I knew going into it that Grayson wouldn't be my easiest potty trainee, he's a big pee-er and goes often.  He's comfortable with the potty but I know it will be a challenge to get him to tell me he needs to go.  The other challenge is we're out of town 5 out of the next 7 weekends.  One of those weekend my parents have the kids for our anniversary.  So basically, G has to be accident free by August 13th (you're welcome, mom!)  I'm a big fan of comitting to potty training.  If it's the biggest nightmare ever, cut ship and bail, I get that.  But, we go straight to undies and don't go back.  Nighttime undies (pull-up) for nap and bedtime, but that's it.  So, yesterday before nap, he went potty, got his nap undies on (Cars, of course!), napped and woke up dry.  He then went into undies and didn't have a single accident.  I take him potty every hour or so for right now since it's about practicing and resetting his mind how things go now without diapers.  In a few days, the hope is that he'll be telling us because he understands the sensation.  So, that was Day 1.  Day 2 is off to a good start.  He woke up dry this morning, went potty twice and then had an accident.  He yelled for me that he'd peed, I ran back and took him to the potty.  He was of course done, but I reminded him that this is where we pee, not in his undies.  He said okay and away we went.  That's definately the biggest hurdle to master, the telling before the accident :) 

The new underwear, Cars 2, wish they had just Cars in the store :(

 The potty treats, best thing ever, MINI gummy bears.  They're tiny and happiness inducing in 2 year olds :)  The container is large and it was $2.50.  I actually wish I hadn't introduced them because he's obsessed now.  I seriously had to go back to Walmart to get these because I left a bag.  Realized this morning, I also left the juice boxes I bought for him :(  I'm not going back for them.  One run for a $2.50 item is plenty for me.  They can keep my $1.98 Fruitables!

 The Sticker Chart

It has a firetruck and firefighter on it.  The plan is after a week of stickers he'll get a new firetruck.  He's pretty excited and talks about how he's going to fill it up and get a new truck. 

 So, we don't have a potty seat to take out with us and instead of running him in and out last night while him and Avery were out playing, I made our own :)  It worked out great and he was pretty stoked to pee in a bucket!

 The nighttime undies.  I'm normally a crazy off-brand buyer, but I had to get the kid Cars.  More than likely one pack will do us, well, here's hoping :)  I totally reuse nap to bedtime if they don't get wet. 

And, the big boy bed, with his aweseome bedding my mama bought him.  I wanted to show how pretty it was without the rail on.  I don't think G will let it come back on if he has anything to do with it.  We'll see :)

So, we'll see how all of this business goes.  In my experience, the first day is always the easiest.  I forsee today being harder with more accidents.  Here's hoping he shifts quickly from me asking him to go potty to him telling us he needs to.  

8/2/11~12:11 pm.  Have I mentioned how much I hate potty training?!?!  Rough morning.  But when I looked at his sweet little face, I remembered this is a hard skill and something new for him.  Totally different from what he's used to.  Told ya day 2 is always harder ;)

8/3/11  Okay, so yesterday late morning was a little rough but the rest of the day went great!  This morning he woke up dry again, went potty, etc, etc.  He did a doodie :), and we got a donut from Popular Donuts to celebrate.  He always stares longingly at the case at Safeway so I knew it would be a fantastic reward.  He practically peed on me outside in his "learn to pee outside" obsession and is know sitting on the potty talking on the play cell phone about how he has to pee poop.  Just trying to persevere and hope it all pays off!  He really is doing great, but he's not a "natural", which is okay.  He has far exceeded my expectations at this point though!

8/4/11  Day 4 and going strong.  Told me he had to go poop this morning and has had no accidents. He has woken up dry after every nap and each morning.  He's getting annoyed with being asked to go every hour, but he's not good enough at telling me yet, so that's what's we's gots to do.  We leave for a weekend with our church for family camp tomorrow morning and I'm pretty much dreading the weekend with him potty training there.  Oh well, we'll get through it!  At least we'll be outside a lot!  It definately puts a damper on running around like a naked crazy man as he's taken to doing over this journey :) 

Well, that's all she wrote folks, I'm sure you can't bear to read about this anymore and I feel like I've documented the beginning of this journey thoroughly enough.  Hopefully by this time next week I'll be doing a happy dance with a potty trained toddler!