Training the Potty

Is it just me or would training a toilet be easier than training a toddler to USE the toilet?

Oh, its just me?

My bad.

We have had some serious potty training issues. (And by serious I mean inconvenient.) You see, I missed the first window of opportunity with potty training Zachariah. I saw signs of him being ready, but I had ZERO desire to start potty training. So I ignored the signs and figured I would start when I got my act together. Well, by the time I was ready to start potty training I found out I was pregnant. And then 4 months of constant puking ensued. I couldn't potty train a toddler while staying in the bed/hanging over the toilet all day, so I put it off again.

So by the time I was done puking I had missed the window of opportunity. He was not interested anymore. But I decided to try anyway. I was actually convinced that if I potty trained a certain way he would "get it" in 2-3 days and I wouldn't have to worry about it ever again!

Yeah. I'm dumb.

To make a long story a little shorter, we tried a certain method and it failed. While it works great for some kids, it did not work for Z. We tried another method and it still didn't seem to do much. I then realized that Zachariah was not recognizing the "urge" to go. Once he would start peeing he would obviously know he was going, but he just was just not getting the whole tell-mommy-BEFORE-you-pee-thing.

In four days he peed in the toilet once. One time. And that was accidental.

Needless to say, I was discouraged and very aggravated. He wasn't "getting it" and I felt like a big fat failure for not doing this when he was showing signs of being ready months ago. I'm not going to lie... there are not many times where I feel like a failure as a mother. Quite honestly, I think I do a pretty darn good job at being a stay at being a mom. Sure, I could use some work in a few area's. But for the most part, I am rocking it. So this whole failing at potty training thing hit me hard. I was in a mini-depression for a few days because I just had zero desire to try anymore. So we stopped the potty training process. We put him in pull ups and decided to let it be for a few days/a week and then try again once I could re-energize myself.

And do you know what happened? Within two days of being in pull ups and me not saying a word about using the toilet he started telling me when he had to pee. He wouldn't catch it completely, but once he started peeing in the pull up he would stop and finish on the toilet. He then started becoming VERY uncomfortable in pull ups and diapers. (Seriously, when he pees or poops in them he waddles around like a duck. It cracks me up!)

Now, he is still not potty trained, but I am planning on starting the process again with full force in the next day or so. And you know what? If he still doesn't get it, thats ok. I have decided that I am ok with the fact that he may not be fully potty trained at age of three. As with any other milestone, kids move at different paces and I need to keep remembering that.

Anyway! As of right now, that is my potty training story. When he is fully potty trained I am sure I will be posting pictures of him in his Lightning McQueen underwear, so watch out! :)