The Sweetest Words

After a false start with potty training a couple months ago, we began in earnest this week as Alexander had orientation for pre-school and they must be potty trained to attend. So, out went the diapers and in came Thomas the Train, Cars and Diego undiewears; and also three pair of training pants, soon to be more. We had a rough start with two accidents on Monday, but improved with only one accident on Tuesday and then none on either Wednesday or Thursday. Today, he got just a little bit wet so all in all, a successful week in the potty training department.

But, wait! That was only between the hours of 9 AM and 11 AM while at school. The remaining hours of the day and into the evening were a different story. I believe my breaking point came Wednesday evening when I had changed his clothes no fewer than 5 times. With three sets of spare clothes at school, we were scraping the bottom of the barrel just to clothe the kid. By Thursday when I encountered the fourth pair of poopy undies in as many days, I decided I needed a breather and put him in a pull-up. There was just something about poop smeared down both his legs that sent me right over the edge. That and four days in a row of laundering soiled clothes and shoes and washing an almost 3-year old's skinny little heiney and legs in the kitchen sink. (The unfortunate consequence of this method of cleaning him was that he liked it.)

I'm pleased to say that the pull-ups are going quite well so far, as he seems to consider it underwear, rather than a diaper as the girls did when they were training. I'm getting good at identifying his non-verbal signals and have been fairly adept at getting him on the potty in time, but I don't really consider that being potty trained. Our goal here is for him to identify when he needs to go, get there on his own and get his pants down and then back up by himself; all which he has got to be able to do by September. Which is why I am tickled pink that just a little while ago he uttered the sweetest words in the English language: I got go pee pee. Hooray! We're on our way!

He's worth it.