Potty Training

Camden is our first born and although I now have 2 kids, I know that each new thing with him will always make me feel like a first time Mom...because, well, I will always be a first time Mom with him.

So potty training is definitely something I have never done. This is a territory I was very afraid of. Not only did I grow up with all sisters, but I am still getting used to having boys and taking care of their, ah hem, jewels. 

Anyways...Camden is just your typical 2 year old boy. Very busy, on the go, never stops, and doesn't like to be told what to do. In my mind, the last thing I wanted to do was tell him to stop what he is doing and go potty. So we decided we would wait until he was ready (and not a moment sooner), to start potty training. 

We bought him a potty chair from Ikea a while back. We thought we would just have it on hand for him to try every once in a while. When he was about 18 months he started to show interest in the potty when he would watch Wes or I go. We would let him sit on the big potty, or his potty chair, (whichever he preferred), before bath time. A lot of times he would sit, pee, and get all excited. We would get excited for him, but that was where it would stop. We never tried during the day to have him go. 

That was until about a month and a half ago. 

He was 25 and a half months old. 

I was in the bathroom getting ready for the day. Camden came running in saying "potty potty". I clearly assumed he wanted to play in the potty next to where I was getting ready. So I said, "No potty, please, do not play with the potty". Then I noticed he was tugging at his pants. He told me "diaper off". At this point I was in total shock, no way am I letting you take off your diaper and play in the potty. Then it hit me, oh my gosh, he wants to go potty. So I took off his diaper and sat him on the potty and he peed as if he had done it a million times before. I cheered for him like a crazy Mom. I asked if he wanted his diaper back on and he said no. So I went to the stash of underwear that I had waiting in his drawer and asked if he wanted to wear it. He did! I couldn't believe I was putting him in underwear.

We spent that day at home letting him run around in underwear. We had a few accidents, but we also had great success. Since I hadn't prepared myself for this day, I just went with the flow and didn't push him to actually potty train. He is a bit stubborn and I knew if he didn't want to go potty on the toilet, then he wouldn't. We spent a few days just playing around in underwear but as soon as bedtime came around or we had to leave the house, I would put his diaper back on. He didn't mind, and it was the only thing I could think to do since I was afraid of this whole potty training thing. 

I know a lot of Mom's do rewards for going potty, but I was not about to let him know he would get a treat when he would pee. He is a smarty pants and I know he would pee 45 times a day just so he could have a skittle each time. Instead, I made him a potty chart and every time he went we would let him put a sticker in the box. He loved it for 2 days, and after that he could care less about the stickers. All he really wanted was to go potty and then get back to whatever he was doing. Such a man!

So after a week or two I realized this was serious. I told Wes that from now on, once he wakes up in the morning, we put him right into his underwear and no more diapers. The accidents were very few. At the beginning he would pee just a little in his underwear and stop himself and come running to tell me he had to go. This was a good way for him to learn what it felt like when he had to go. He no longer does that, and we haven't had an accident in a long time.

I haven't made him stay in his underwear yet when he is sleeping. He has never woken up dry, so I don't want to push him. We are hoping to finish the pack of diapers we have and never have to buy another diaper for him. Once he starts waking up more dry, we will switch him to underwear and just let him wet the bed a few times to learn. 

We are so proud of our smart little guy. We can't believe he is already potty trained. I had mentally prepared to have him in diapers until he was 3. I honestly didn't want to rush him, I wanted him to be completely ready. 

This is the face he made the first time he pooped in his potty chair. Yes, we were outside and we now have the potty chair out there because that is where he prefers to poop. Its ok with me, at least it is contained in the potty chair and doesn't stink up the house. 

I know he will love this picture someday! Sorry buddy, your proud Mama couldn't help it!!

Now that he has been going potty for over a month he has become an expert. And let me tell you, boys going potty is literally the best, easiest thing ever. He runs to the bathroom, pulls down his underwear, stands on his step stool and pees, then runs back out. No wiping, to touching, no flushing (yes, we do sometimes flush, but not every time), and it takes like 3 seconds. When we are out in public I just lift him up, and he pees, then we are done. Sometimes he even pees in the grass or in a bush. Hey, I can't stop it, it is one of the perks to being a man!

We are hoping Grayson will learn just as quickly as his big brother!! This potty training thing was not nearly as scary as I imagined. Even if I did stepped in his poop one time on the way to the potty!!! Oh, another story for another time.