Operation Potty Train: Day 3 - the Final Day

Yesterday marked Day 3, the final day of the 3 day potty training program. I mentioned that Jacob woke up slightly wet at 5:45 in the morning so we didn't start off completely dry but it was still a good start to the morning since he came downstairs and told us he needed to go. We were feeling brave, so we took Jacob to breakfast at Panera in his big boy underwear (well, we put shorts on him too). :) :) We weren't gone long, so he didn't actually have to go while we were out but it was still a good test for us. We are proud to announce that Jacob stayed dry the whole day without any accidents and told us each time he needed to go use the potty.

The only hiccup we ran into was Jacob's need to go #2 on the potty. He hadn't gone all morning (and he usually has a bowel movement first thing in the morning) b/c he was "scared" to go on the big potty. He told us numerous times that he needed to go, but then when we'd put him on the potty he'd say "nope, no poopies" and jump off. The book says not to force it, so we just let him wait it out. We gave him some prunes to help the "movement" along and Mark put him down for his nap. Shortly after, Jacob started crying and said he needed "to go poo on the potty". Mark took him to the potty and just kept saying encouraging things (that's my super husband!) and said he'd hold Jacob's hand the whole time. Sure enough, Jacob finally pooped in the potty! The pride on his face was just priceless. He immediately had to run downstairs and tell me what he had done. We were so proud of him! So, now that we are over that hump, I'm hoping that he won't have such a fear of going #2 on the potty. The rest of the day was great and he stayed dry all day long (even through a trip to Target and Subway) and told us whenever he needed to go.

He went to bed normally last night around 8:15 pm and unfortunately, we heard him at 5:30 this morning. I'm not sure what to do when we hear him so early now. He knows to wait until the light turns green on his clock (at 6:30 am) before he can get out of bed, but if he wakes up and needs to go, he shouldn't have to hold it and wait. He wasn't crying -- he was just playing in his bed so I was hoping he just woke up early and would call for us if he needed to use the potty. Sure enough, at about 5:45 am he started calling "Mommy/Daddy, I need to go poo poo!" I shot out of bed and ran upstairs but I had already missed the window. He was dirty but he wasn't super wet, so we went straight to the potty and he peed on the potty there. He probably woke up and needed to go but was holding it which I feel horrible about. I'm not sure how to handle this piece of the puzzle, so I'm going to use the "mentor support" from the author of the book and post a question on her website.

Otherwise, I would say that Jacob is completely day-potty trained and the book kept to its promise. In fact, this morning, I took Jacob to the Doctor (b/c now he is coughing and sneezing -- I'm just spreading my illness around!) and then we went to Walgreens to pick up some medicine. At Walgreens, he told me he needed to go and he went on the potty at Walgreens which was our first test of being out in public and him needing to go. I really am amazed at how well he's done. I know there will be accidents...and night time is going to be harder to master, but I am just so excited about the progress he's made in just a few short days. We have a few challenges ahead of us -- a long car ride to Houston coming up this weekend and a plane ride to Chicago next Thursday so we are hoping/praying that Jacob continues down this path of success!!! I certainly will never underestimate his ability to learn new things in the future. He continues to astound us with how flexible and understanding he is when it comes to change. This is only something we can hope for with Baby #2!!!

This ends my Potty Training play-by-play. I promise that I won't be talking about pee and poop in every post going forward! In fact, take a look at our adorable little man laying with his Daddy yesterday on the couch. There is just something so incredibly stinking cute about the two of them, isn't there?! Jacob has become QUITE the cuddle bug and Mark and I are eating it up. When we sing him songs before nap and bedtime, he'll take our arms and wrap them around his little body. If we move an inch, he'll pick up our arm and drape it across his body, just the way he likes it. Now really, does he have to turn into a man someday? I certainly wouldn't mind him staying this way forever.