No more diapers

It's potty training time! If you need an excuse as to why I haven't blogged in a while.. there it is!!!

About a month ago...all of a sudden Corben started coming to me and demanding to be changed if his diaper was the least bit wet. So... I decided to start.

Am I using any certain method, No. Not that I know of any way. I've try to make it work for us and be age appropriate for Corben too.

I'm not sure I buy into all the "readiness checklist" stuff. If they don't like their diapers being messy anymore... I think it's time. Now, Corben just turned two so connecting the ideas of going to the bathroom are a little more difficult than with a child that is closer to three but I still think he's ready. The more we try, the more he is getting it.

I have to admit my heart did break a little when I put some big boy underwear on him for the first time. This is a big deal... my baby is not going to need me nearly as much very soon.

So I've tried pull-ups, bare-bottom and underwear. After trying out all of them I think it makes sense to have him in underwear so he can get used to wearing them. The pull-ups are nice if we are going out on an errand. They won't cause a mess but if we need to go potty they are easy to pull down. I do not like them for everyday use because Corben doesn't get "messy" if he has an accident hence there is no incentive to go on the potty. Corben hates to be messy by the way... I wonder who he gets that from???

So at first there were some tears and not wanting to sit on the potty but I stayed consistent and decided to add a timer to give him something to focus on. So we "try" for three minutes. Sometimes I will go longer if it is obvious he needs to go. So we are making small advances. Just today he came to me twice and said potty instead of "stinkies or wet diaper." I'm taking every small progression as a victory and trying to remember he's still young... it may take him a little while but he'll get it soon enough.

Sometimes I feel ridiculous when I talk him through going to the potty and I feel like all I do is ask him if he needs to go. I've tried several different ways of explaining it to try to get him to want to go potty. Explaining that it's messy to go in your pants but you'll be dry if you go on the potty. I even have a little potty cheer which I won't share here. :) I even tried to appeal to his sweet side... "Your pee-pee wants to be put in the potty but it needs help. Can you help your pee-pee go in the potty?" Oh the joys of potty training.

As far as incentives - we are doing the potty chart with stickers which Corben likes to do and I'll give him a chocolate chip if he actually goes in the potty. I still go back and forth about the chocolate chip idea. Will I be giving him a chocolate chip every time he goes after he's trained? When does it stop??

I ordered the "No diapers for ducky" book which I think will help the potty seem less intimidating and speak to him more on his level. Not to mention he loves books. I didn't go for any of the anatomically correct books with the step by step guide to going to the potty... I just don't think he can think of it cognitively like that yet. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe I'll change my mind and get one. Who knows. Right now I think he benefits more to relating to how things feel and sound. I talk to him about what it sounds like when he goes potty and try to help him connect that with pushing it out. It seems to be working. So this is what I've been working on lately.

Say a prayer for me! I know this will be behind us before we know it but for now it's a lot of work!