Potty Training Fun!

so i finally decided to just try it out. my friend inspired me by telling me that she blocked three days out in calender for potty training so that she would make sure she would take the time for it. i took her inspiration and ran with it! monday and tuesday were marked in the calender for potty training. and i have to admit - as timid and fearful i was about this whole process, it has been WAY better than i could have imagined. i tried to document the experience with the following pictures:

the book that i used: Potty Training 1-2-3 by Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo

it was wonderful (in my opinion) it didn't stress me out about

trying to have jayden be perfect from the start, it had different paces that you

could go depending on your life and how your child is, it gave great practical suggestion

on food for your child, and it talked about the physiology of the 2 systems and how they

work in teaching your child

the first attempt at a training doll:

not successful (i wonder why?) jayden was suppose to feel if he was "clean & dry" the two

goals in potty training - not going in the potty - staying "clean & dry" but unfortunately

jayden was scared to death to go near this animal and so we had to find another

"doll"

the bear that worked! and the treat that jayden had picked out the night before at the

grocery store. (in the book they recommend that you take your child to the store

and have him pick out a bunch of fun, salty (thirst desiring) snacks and fun drinks)

this worked great because it caused some anticipation about the process and it was also a

great rewarder when he did stay "clean and dry" and used the potty to stay "clean

and dry"

the rewards:

(sorry not the greatest picture - for some reason jayden isn't into smiling in the camera any more - when i ask him to smile he does a really cheesy smile and closes his eyes - nice.)

so the outcome of the two days was great!

we started monday morning with two "accidents" but around noon he finally got it -

he figured out how to do it himself and ever since then he has been doing amazing!

we went to lunch yesterday (which you aren't suppose to do according to the book - whoops!) and he stayed dry (in big boy underwear), he took a nap in his big boy's and stayed dry

and then he woke up this morning and continued on with the same thing.

(i didn't have him try to wear underwear at night - b/c the book doesn't make you feel like

you need to and said that it usually comes later)

another amazing thing that happened today was that he started going by himself and

became even more independent with it. so we were eating lunch, and he went to the

bathroom and came back and said mommy "come see" (which he hadn't been doing

now that he got the hang of it) so i went into the bathroom and there was #2 in the

potty. we hadn't even worked on that because i was just trying to get one skill down at a time

(that is what the book recommends :)). so i was floored - he figured out how to do it

all on his own - such a big boy! he went again this afternoon after nap - so i am

super excited - because we all know that the #2 is way worse to clean than the other!

so sorry for the long post but wanted to document everything that happened!

i know we will have many accidents and this is just the beginning but i was so encouraged by

the start that i feel like it will be okay and the worst part is over.

be encouraged mom's! it can happen!