Potty Training Encore

I had been waiting until summer to potty train Kinnick (I figured more time outside, less accidents to clean up!) As I looked at my summer schedule I realized that we didn't have a week all summer that we could be home bound for 3-4 days in a row... so I decided to go for it anyway.

Two weeks ago (June 6th) I got out the Mikey Mouse undies (from his Eater Basket) and started my kitchen timer. I was more than a little bit nervous b/c up until this point my little boy had NEVER gone pee on the potty (despite me putting him on the potty every night before his bath). It didn't take too long... after 5 tries of putting him on the potty and nothing, he yelled "My pee's coming out!" and we ran to the bathroom for his first success. I kept giving him juice and water all day to try and have more potty experiences. I put him in a diaper for rest and he kept it dry. After rest, we headed to the Y for Sadie's swim lesson and I put him in a pull-up. He kept his pull-up dry and even went potty while at the Y. We finished day 1 with 5 successful potties and 3 accidents. I was definitely encouraged enough to keep going! (And for those wondering, he did start out by sitting down. I didn't really plan to do that, but when we got out the baseball potty seat, he was SO excited to use it! We have now transitioned to standing up.)

Day 2 was somewhat less eventful--2 successes and 2 accidents. We also spent a 3-hour block of time swimming (and he wore a swim a diaper.) Day 3 was our most successful day yet, 5 successes and 1 accident. Day 4 was similar, 8 successes and 2 accidents. By Day 5 I was somewhat worried that he hadn't pooped on the potty yet. He usually does #2 every day (or multiple times). So far during the week he did one poop over night and one during nap time. Day 5 was the day--he did his first poop on the potty... I loved watching him smile and show so much pride in his "big-boy" accomplishments.

I had been putting him in diapers for nap/bedtime... until he woke me up two nights in a row at 4 in the morning to go potty! I decided a pull-up would be a better option for when I'm half asleep. I'm still using pull-ups over night (and under ware at nap time) but I'm ready to let him try his under ware soon. I believe we're going on 10 nights in a row dry. He still has occasional accidents (usually when he's too busy playing to stop) but he's doing so well! He even made the 3-hour trip to my parents in under ware (I wouldn't have dreamed of trying that with Sadie this soon!) I'm so excited--between the diapers, pull-ups, and swim diapers that I will no longer have to buy, I just gave myself a raise!

I love watching this little boy... he would make this face right before he started to pee: Followed by this face:

This time around was SO much easier. I'm sure there are many variables involved: him being older, his personality, my experience, my LOW-er expectations, me being more laid-back, not having a nursing infant... I'm glad I got this easy experience, but I'm not holding my breath for take 3!

Quote from Kinnick: "When you feel the pee coming out, you have to say "POTTY!" and run to the bathroom. You have to make your pee go in the potty, not in your underwear."