A Potty Training Tale...

Well, not exactly a tale, but an update if you will.  We've taken off the pull-ups and put them away for good.  And the following is a little bit about that experience!!

If someone told me that I would feel like Rocky in the classic scene where he climbs to the top of the steps cheering....just b/c someone peed in the potty...I probably would have laughed out loud. BUT oh how wrong I would have been. That first triumph...heck the next many triumphs...I bet I continue to feel that way. It's a milestone...for us as parents...and for our big boy! Ahh. Parenting is a never ending lesson in things you thought you knew about...but really had absolutely no clue!!

I will not get into all the decisions that have been made about waiting for potty training Owen.  We have tried a few times, but to try and avoid unecessary unpleasantries with all that it entales, we waited a little longer...unsure if he understood or if he was being stubborn.  

Two weekends ago we decided to take the plunge.  And Friday, March 8 marked the first of Owen's days without pull-ups.  I will not use the word torture...though some people might find it fitting to describe those first couple of days.  Those first days, there were lots of unpleasant exchanges, tears, tantrums, fear and frustrations...on the Owen side and the parental side of things. We've been given lots of advice, encouragement and some opinions we didn't want or care to hear.  But we're doing it.  We've picked out the fun underpants, made sticker charts, filled a fun basket of things he can pick from after successes.  We even bought a very special Rescue Bot toy that "disappeared" while he waited for Owen to be a big boy!  This trick actually was a HUGE motivator! 

So yep. We're smack in the middle of the potty training trenches. The basket on my toilet no longer houses my cute rolled hand towels...but instead...rolled up big boy under wear with super heros and trains on them...oh and a container of fruit loops to toss in the potty for aiming fun :) My almost four year old is still trying to figure what the heck just rocked his world...and sometimes Mommy and Daddy just plain forget to ask if he has to potty b/c well...we aren't used to having to do that sort of thing! Learning curves for ALL right??

Throughout it all, I've watched Owen try so hard to do what he knew we were asking...and I'm SO STINKING PROUD of him!!  He's come so far in a short time...and bless his heart he is trying SO very hard. He wants to be a big boy and ultimately what has been the biggest thing is getting over the fear of change. Change is absolutely miserable for him...we knew this would be difficult as well.  Just two weeks under our belt and he's telling us he has to pee, and doing so without hesitation.  Yay Owen!!

And as a side note, I'm starting to get very excited at how freeing it's going to be that we are kissing diapers and the stress/worry of forgetting to bring them...change them...the mess of it all...good bye!  I think through watching this too, Cooper is getting pretty stoked about the idea also...and it won't be long before we are taking the plunge with him too. I told Jer...2013 is our year for NO MORE DIAPERS!!  WOOT!

Owen Wyatt, Love you baby boy.  Thanks for being you...with your big giant personality...and your tender little heart and iron will.  I know in life your passion for all things you believe will serve you well!  I'm honored to be your Momma and hope you know how proud you make me on a daily basis. Potty Training is just another notch in our belt of milestones we've tackled together and I think we're passing with flying colors!!