Potty Learning - Day 1 Update

Zach has shown potty readiness for quite awhile.  I've delayed this for lots of reasons, but eventually decided enough is enough!  There will never be a day/time with perfect conditions- so just GO FOR IT!  :)  And here we are.

I prepared him for today with books, videos and lots of talking about friends/family in our lives that use the potty.  We own 11 pairs of little boy underwear-  Thomas the Train and some with soccer/basketball/footballs on it.  He's been asking to wear those for awhile.  Finally, I bought some Dollar store prizes and candy for treats.  We're following the general guidelines suggested by Little Llamas.

Ready, Set, GO:

9am. We collected all Zachary's diapers and put them in a big bag.  We delivered them to Andrew's door, because baby Andrew will use them from now on.

9:30.  I took off his 'final' diaper and showed him the underwear.  He peed on the floor. :)

10:00. 2 pee accidents in his underwear. His baby monkey took several practice trips to the potty.

10:30.  4 more pee accidents. Zach also took several practice trips to the potty- but nothing happened.  He earned prizes for his 'practicing' and also for the few times his underwear was dry!  [of the Skittles, m&ms, starburst and marshmallows- Zach loves marshmallows best.]

11:00. 3 more pee accidents and I'm worried about making it till naptime!!

11:30. 2 pairs of clean underwear left. . . I asked him if he needed to go potty. He looked down as he peed through the underwear and said "pee pee."  I'm trying not to cry/scream/give up!  I think this may have been a lightbulb moment (or I'm hoping it was) as he connected the feeling of going to the wetness of his underwear.

11:57.  We are discussing lunch plans as Zach sits on the potty after a 'practice' run to the potty.  He pees!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hallelujah and thank you Jesus!  He picks a prize- a monster truck!

12:00. Lunch. I give him the goal of staying DRY through lunch and he can have another prize.  He did it!!  He picked stickers.  So, he sat on the potty and placed stickers all over his monster truck and his legs.  I was hoping for more pee, but no go.

12:30. I put a disposable liner in his underwear. He's resting/napping now.

**Rallying my patience and enthusiasm for the next half of our day! **

3:00. Up from nap with a dirty and wet disposable liner.  Got him into underwear and went to 'practice'.  Nothing.  He won a prize after playing for 10 min. and being dry.

3:30. Ate snack.  Zach won a prize for being dry all through snack.

4:10. We practiced on the potty and he peed!

4:50. Practiced after being outside- nothing.  He got a treat for being dry for so long.

5:30. Zach motioned to me he needed to go potty- we ran inside and sat down!  But, it was too late, his underwear was wet.  Changed and went back outside.

6:00. prize for being dry through dinner.

6:40. prize for practicing and being dry the entire time!

7:00. Final 'practice' with potty in upstairs bathroom.  Nothing.

I put him down in a diaper. He asked for his underwear, but I had to say sorry, maybe another time.  I felt badly about that, but he's not ready for underwear through the night.

Overall, I think we had a good day.  The morning was really rough, but the afternoon more than made up for it!  I think he's starting to 'get it' and is proud of himself.  The plan is for treats and prizes to go through Monday and afterwards, verbal praise/dancing/etc.

We're sure proud of our big boy!!!