Is It Possibly This Easy?

Jonathan may have turned three this month but we have not tried to potty train him. My mom made a stab at it when he stayed with her in April, but he was just not ready yet. When we went to the pediatrician for Jonathan's three year old visit, we spoke to the doctor about it and he told me that Jonathan was definitely ready but just stubborn.

With this advice in mind, we decided to start potty training yesterday. I know there a bagillion different ways to go about it, but we decided to do a small scale big boy party first thing yesterday morning and also, from the time he got out of bed, he wore underwear (except at naps and night, when he will use a Pull Up). We talked it up all week and he seemed into it. So at six thirty yesterday morning, I got him up and took off his diaper. He had a small breakdown when I asked which underwear he wanted to wear but it was short lived and he choose Wiggles. We had donuts, got potty gifts and busted out the M&Ms. I sat back and waited for the bevy of accidents I thought were sure to occur.

But here's the thing--there WERE NOT a lot of accidents. He had one yesterday morning and it made him quite upset. I told him it was not a big deal, cleaned him up and we went on with our morning. I reminded him every thirty minutes or so to try to go to the potty, but he also decided to try to go on his own sometimes. When he ran in yesterday and did number two in the potty, I teared up, I was so happy and relieved that he was able to do it! He liked the underwear so much that he wanted to wear them during nap time. I didn't want to push the Pull Up issue but a wet bed after nap time made him rethink his stance. The rest of the day, we had what I will call 1/2 an accident as he started to have an accident but finished up in the potty. Last night, when he went to bed, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

My mother, when I told her this, was happy about the news but also cautioned that today may not go as well. However, it's been even better. He got up this morning with a dry Pull Up. As I type this, there have been no accidents and he's been going to the potty pretty much unprompted. Infused with a new confidence, I took him to Target this morning IN UNDERWEAR (I had back up underwear and clothes in the car, of course). We ended up going to Babies R Us and Toys R Us, too. No accidents. I am elated but I am also concerned--am I missing something or was he just ready?

He wants the little potty in the living room for now and I am totally OK with it. He likes to empty the contents in the big potty himself and then wash out the bowl. Quite self-sufficient, that little guy. I didn't want to embarrass him by taking any "action" photos on the potty but here are two of him at the sink cleaning up. He is so proud of himself right now and rightly so!