Adventures in Potty Training

Last Wednesday, Christopher came home from his baby sitter with a very bad rash. I’m not sure if it was his jeans rubbing his legs or if he had worn a wet diaper for a long period of time, or what. We love his new “school” and “teacher” and I know that she is very busy with a lot of kids – but it was a bad rash. Like nothing he had ever had before. Anyway, it just made mom and me sick to our stomachs. I had to be out of town on Thursday and mom was already planning on keeping Christopher that day since Stephen and I would be leaving home early – 6am – and not getting back until 7 or later on Thursday evening. So Mom decided to try out potty-training again on Thursday. I think they had accident after accident for most of the day on Thursday, but that afternoon he seemed to finally “get it” and asked to go to the bathroom twice.  Mom decided to keep him again on Friday so that they could focus on it some more.

Thursday evening at our house went great.  He kept his undies dry and told us when he needed to go. He put on special Thomas the Tank Engine underwear to sleep in (overnight) and we told him – keep “choo-choo” dry! Don’t let him get wet! Friday morning when I woke him up, he was dry and SO PROUD of himself for keeping choo-choo dry. In a matter of about 15 minutes, he had to go potty three times. When the third time came around, he was already dressed to go to my mom’s – wearing jeans and socks and shoes. When I put him up on the toilet, he wasn’t able to “spread out” the way he had been previously and the toilet seat topper didn’t have one of those nifty “cup” things on it that helps the boys out when they’re going. You know what I mean? So add those two things together and when Christopher started going, well, the pee shot up OVER the toilet seat cover and went ALL OVER Christopher’s choo-choo underwear. When he realized what was happening, he started crying, “Nooooo! Choo-choo WET! Choo-choo WET!”   He was crying real tears and so upset about it.  It seriously broke my heart. I was right there with him, about to cry. I kept telling him that it wasn’t his fault, that the toilet seat had gotten choo-choo wet. Oh my goodness… he’s got his momma’s sensitivity. Needless to say, we made sure to get a proper toilet seat for boys after that incident.

Friday morning he had a few accidents at Mom’s house, but I think the afternoon went okay. (I think.)  Friday afternoon at our house went well – as did the whole weekend! He doesn’t always stay dry overnight – maybe 1 out of every 4 nights he will wet himself. But all weekend long he kept himself dry and always told us when he needed to use the bathroom – except for going Number Two… yeah, he still prefers to go off in a corner or behind furniture and do that in private, without our knowledge. I hope as soon as he actually GOES in the toilet and realizes how easy it is -  not to mention cleaner and nicer - he’ll have no problems.

Overall – for me at least – it was a really simple process.  My  mom had to clean up most of the messes though, so she might argue that statement with me. I’m impressed though – it only took 2 days for him to really get it and I know that for some kids it takes much longer. Of course, he’s also two and a half and lots of children potty train earlier than that age so it might take longer because of that reason.  Either way, I’m super proud of him. I can’t believe that Stephen and I are done buying diapers! (At least until Christopher has a little sibling!)