Helping daddy fix the fence |
We would get up and the diapers came off right away. We had to eat breakfast before even trying the potty because they are really cranky until they have eaten (kind of like their momma). Then after breakfast they would sit on their pottys and I would read to them. That was the only way I could get them to stay on their pottys long enough for them to even think about using them. The pottys were in the playroom so any time they had the slightest urge, all they had to do was turn around and there they were. The house fell into complete disrepair. I didn't do any dishes or cleanup until they were napping. And by that time I was usually too tired to do anything...let alone care that the kitchen was a disaster zone. But that was the only way I was going to be able to have eyes on both of them all the time. The second I saw an accident they were scooped up and plopped on the potty. We didn't leave the house for about 10 days excepting very infrequent trips to the grocery store to get some essential food items. It was potty bootcamp. I even canceled a few playdates because I knew that as soon as they got it I was going to have to ensure that they didn't forget.
It was May 16th (a day to remember) the three of us were playing at the train table and Landon walked over to his potty very nonchalantly and sat down. This was pretty normal behavior but then he stood up with a big grin on his face and pointed to his pee in the potty. I was floored. I couldn't even get him to pee in his potty with all the reading and fussing and nonsense that was kind of working for Liam, there were only two occasions that I managed to get him to pee the smallest amount two times before this. But sure enough, he had done it all by himself. We had the biggest dance party celebration you can imagine. Then we all went into the bathroom and i poured the pee into the toilet and he got to flush. It was very exciting. But a fluke I thought. Then a few hours later, the same thing happened, but this time he pooped in his potty! I was picking my jaw up off of the floor as we went into the bathroom and he got to flush again. And that was that! From then on both boys have been rock stars. It was like a light switch. Since then we have been able to move their pottys into the bathroom. They know that they have to hold it long enough to make it to the bathroom. Most of our short errand runs they are able to stay dry and they know to go pee before we leave and again when their diapers come off once we get home.
The only time they wear regular diapers is at bedtime and for naps now. All other times they have nothing on unless we run errands. Then they wear either cloth diapers or training pants (the undies with a thinker pad to catch one time accidents). Initially Chase and I wanted to do cloth for naps and bedtime but I was doing way too much laundry. Realistically, it'll be months before they can stay dry at night. They are still in cribs so if they had to go potty at night, they would be out of luck. So this is what's working for us now. Our next goal is undies. I tried them last week but not wholeheartedly. The boys can pull the undies down which is great, but they turn it into a game and they like taking them all the way off. I know that when we start undies it will be almost like starting again, but we're almost ready for that step.
In addition to potty training, we are getting ready to move back to Colorado. Like really ready. Our lease is up here the end of the month and then we will be moving everything out west! Things are really hectic here these days, more so than normal. But we're still finding time to enjoy each other and all the wonderful things we've been blessed with.