So I got a wild hair and decided that this past weekend was THE weekend to attempt potty training Will. I go back to work 40 hrs/week next week and it seemed like my last chance to really have an extended weekend to give it a shot. Honestly, I kind of had low expectations. When he moved to the 2 yr old room at school they made them wear pull-ups and they take them to the potty regularly. At first he was fairly interested in this and we would get him to go at home fairly often. Then a few months in - he was over it. We had a really hard time getting him to go. The fun had worn off, I guess. So I knew I had to take a more aggressive approach if we were going to really train him.
So I had read some different methods and I downloaded a lady's e-book that was basically a 3 day plan. The first two days were supposed to be pure torture, but by the 3rd day, they are supposed to get it. So here's how our's went...
Thursday evening I took him to the store and I had him pick out big boy underwear. We also picked out potty prizes. Yes, this method basically bribes your child into going - hey, whatever works. Clearly our potty dance had worn off.
Day 1 (Fri): It was as promised - hard. We did the big ta do Fri morning about throwing away our diapers and putting on the big boy underwear. He was pumped! He was so proud of them. We watched this (awful, low budget) dvd about pottying. Then I followed him around like a hawk all day. And I cleaned up pee off the floor most of the day. He also went in the potty about 6 times in total that day. So it was about 50/50. He seemed thrilled with the prizes. He had one big meltdown when he needed to poop and he wanted a diaper. He went searching the in the closet for them. But he couldn't find them as we had "thrown them away." He napped in his underwear and I went I went in and he was wet and he immediately said - I made a mess! However, that evening seemed to be a little better. He did great after about 5pm. No accidents. I put him to bed for the night in his underwear, hoping for the best but expecting him to be wet when I went in.
Day 2 (Sat): I run in the second I hear him Sat morning expecting a big wet mess. But...he was dry!!! So I ran him to the potty and he went. Shocking! And then - the entire rest of the day he didn't have a single pee accident. Not one! Now - honestly, we have not figured out the pooping in the potty thing. He went in his pants once on Sat. But I was pretty thrilled with the pee-less accidents. HUGE accomplishment.
Day 3 (Sun): Sat had went so well and he had been telling us when he needed to go, so we took a huge gamble and decided to go to church. I packed up a bag full of extra clothes and we gave it a shot. We went to pick him up from his class and believe it or not he was still wearing the same clothes we sent him in!! What?!? Shocked. Completely shocked. There are different workers during Sunday School than church but the ones that were there during church said he went to the potty twice with her. Have mercy!
So then we really took a gamble and decided to go to lunch with our Sunday School class. We're in a fairly new church to us and seem to always miss the social events. So we wanted to go. Why not - we were on a roll. He asked twice to go the potty. The first time he didn't do anything. I think he was weirded out that he didn't have his cute little potty to go in. The 2nd time, I made him go. We worked it out - pretty tricky since he's too little to sit on a big potty but he did it! So we made it through Sunday as well with not a single pee accident. He must be holding the poop, because he didn't go at all on Sunday. That - we need to figure out. He's done so well with the peeing that we even stopped giving him prizes and he didn't seem to care.
I went in this morning and he was dry again. I really am shocked at how quickly it clicked for him. I'm thrilled. He's spending the day today with his Aunt Kayse and G.J. - so I am hoping he does okay. I'll let you know in a few days how we are progressing! I am so proud of my little big boy! (He really looks SO little in his big boy underwear!!).
UPDATE: Just got a text from G.J. and he pooped in the potty!! Holy moly! I am one happy momma! What a big boy!!!!