Last we left off, Don had yet to have a successful go at the potty.  Since then, we’ve experienced many ups and downs, but I am pleased to announce Don has peed and pooped (I’ll get to that later) on his race car potty!  

It all began last Wednesday evening when my husband, who is a self-proclaimed expert at all things related to bodily functions, advised that Don most likely needed his feet to be able to touch the floor in order to use the toilet.  Hmmm…an odd rationale, but at that point, I was willing to try anything.  I don’t know if there is true science behind it or not, but it worked!  I put Don on the miniture toilet and voila, he peed! 

I nearly threw a party.  I cheered…Don cheered.  I clapped and Don did this bizarre tribal stomp and yell that nearly made me pee my pants from laughter.  He also got a sticker and an extra episode of Backyardigans…his favorite show right now.

His peeing in the potty right before bed also reminded me of the goal here…to get him on a schedule.  I had become so preoccupied with getting him on the toilet every half hour that I forgot the basics…having him pee before bed and first thing in the morning is the goal!  Hello.  Thursday was a brand new day.  I felt good and ready to accomplish this whole potty training thing.  Don woke up, we went to the potty and peed.  Let’s just say, I was feeling pretty good. 

That evening when I picked him  up from daycare things had progressed, but Don was still struggling on two fronts.  One–he would alert his teacher too late…saying he needed help as he was peeing.  Or two–getting on the potty, but missing and peeing on himself.  Either way, he was asking to go and that was a positive.  Thursday night was when Don experienced his first poop on the potty.  Unfortunately, that whole phenomenon of holding it caused poor Don to also experience his first constipation.  Let’s just say I felt for him.  I also believe this might have traumatized him and will delay his wanting to poop for sometime. 

This weekend we went away…this was not such a good thing.  Not having his normal routine certainly didn’t help his learning.  I grew frustrated, he grew frustrated, my husband grew frustrated…and the friends we woke up at 8 in the morning with tears and screams were also probably frustrated.  I left our weekend feeling discouraged but once again had a realization.  This is a learning process.  It will take time and he will get it.  As many people have comforted me, it’s not like there are adults walking around wearing diapers (only some elderly adults). 

Being a mom is about taking it day by day.  Celebrate the successes as they come and don’t sweat the small stuff. 

…And the saga continues.