potty-training

So, I'm pretty sure Will is potty-trained. This is crazy talk to me, as he is only 21-months old. I, being a first-timer (on the training side, not the pottying side) had very little clue about how to proceed. First of all, there are the boy parts. Do I train him to stand up and pee or sit down and pee? Food rewards vs. non-food rewards? Fancy potty chair vs. hole-in-the-ground? Naked training (him, not me) vs. pull-ups. After much research by both myself and Jason, we decided to go nearly cold turkey. Diapers only at nights.

Oye-vay. Not sure I was ready, but we were pretty positive Will was ready. How we knew:

1. He started to consistently use the potty sign we had taught him. Hand in a fist and twist wrist back and forth. He was using this as he pee'd in his diaper and our daycare lady used it everytime she brought him to the potty chair.

2. He was dry after all naps and after 12 hours of sleeping at night.

3. He didn't like being in a wet diaper (but this has been the case for most of his life).

Ok. He was ready, but were we? We decided to give it a go. To be honest, I really was not convinced it would work but was willing since our daycare lady was convinced he was ready.

Here was the plan of attack:

One Month Prior to Memorial Day Weekend:

Diapers 100% of the time. Brought Will to potty chair many times a day. Our daycare lady was awe-some. She brought him to the chair every hour on the hour. We did as well as we could on the weekend but were not nearly as consistent as she was. Daycare lady said, "When you're ready to be trained, Will is ready". Oh, this is about me. I get it. And I found out it really was a lot about training me to be consistent and patient, two things I am not great at.

Memorial Three-Day Weekend:

We planned nothing but potty-training. Stocked up on cute little boy undies (briefs and boxer-briefs, the boy should have options), no pull-ups were ever purchased. Potty chair in the living room, carpet cleaner on hand. Then we stood watch. Whenever he pee'd, we swooped him up and brought him to the potty chair, being pee'd all over along the way. After day 1 I'd say he was starting to connect the potty chair with whatever was happening "down under". Every time he pottied on the chair, he got M&M's. I did find out later (like this weekend) that Jason has been giving him about 15 M&M's whenever he went on the potty. I've been giving him, like, 3. Poor boy ;)

Day 2: same story.

Day 3: same story except by this time he was starting to walk to the potty and sit down and go. Sometimes he made it, sometimes he didn't.

From that point on, he was in undies except during bed. For the past few weeks, Will has been consistently dry after waking up in the morning and has had 1-2 accidents during the day. Two night ago, I decided to go all-the-way, baby! No diapers at night. He's been dry both mornings and has pee'd like a race horse (on the potty) right when he wakes up! He has had one accident in the past three days and continues to use his potty sign to tell us he has to go. I was anxious the first few times he used it while we were driving but he's been able to hold it.

THIS IS CRAZY! He is only 21-months old. What can I say? My boy's a genius.

Just so proud. And, honestly, I'm proud of myself and Jason, too! I can't tell you how mentally exhausting Memorial Day weekend was. I was SO ready for work on Tuesday, let me tell ya! But, I see the horizon. Not sure when I can "officially" say he's potty-trained. All I know is we're so proud....and ready for baby #2! Better get busy!