The Potty Training Cronicles..

Oh the tales we tell. Well my son originally started potty-training at 16 months. This was not forced, he wanted to, and so Mommy and Daddy went along with it, buying the Elmo potty and Mommy even making a neon yellow chart & using stickers. From 16-18months things went well until we got the call in Germany that my DH's Father was critically ill and probably wouldn't make it and so we all hopped on a plane and took ER leave to FL. Before we could get there Lance's Father did pass away. So, we grieved and spent time with family all the while celebrating the Father who was now in heaven with Jesus. This couple with stress from losing our daughter, Arianna, four months before that, and finding out we were moving to North Carolina, as well as pregnant, and subsequently moving created a revolt within my son and he stopped going cold turkey.

So, last fall,I just took my Husband aside and said we would stop until we moved and indeed we did. As I have posted before, potty-training is a battle of will and not just a child's will. I have come to realize it is also parent's will as well. Things get easy, comfortable, you know what to expect - both child and parent(s.) And we are an on the go family, such is life of a military family. But finally last week after being yelled at by my 2 and 1/2 year old that he was "pooping," and also finding him in the church nursery hiding while he was going "potty," this Mommy found her resolve and I told myself," We will be going nowhere next week and doing this training thing for real!"

Well today is day:3 of the serious training and previously my son had two stars on his chart, mainly because Daddy had got him to the potty in mid go. So, last night knowing I needed to keep to motivation going we went out and got candies and various plastic toys and stuck them in what I fondly call,"The going Potty jar," and as his chart has things in rows of 10 we decided that after every 10 goes we would let him get in the prize jar. So, as of today, there are 9 stars on the chart to go with the 2 from the entire month of April. That equals 11 starts, 9 in 3 days and Logan got his first prize. He chose a piece of candy and was more than thrilled as he "high 5'ed" me. I am just amazed and happy this journey is finally on it's way. I know my son is thrilled and is even noticing his body's signals. What more can a Mom ask for? Not much! : )