Potty-trained

Jamesy is....strong-willed. Others may have been potty-trained before him, but, the timing never quite right. When it appeared he may have been ready to start trying, I was sick and pregnant. When JB and I were ready, he was not. And kids win these battles.

As it is, I subscribe to my mom's approach to not really try before 3 years old anyway for a boy.  James's pediatrician at his 3 year checkup in early summer said to wait for a bit until after the baby came, to help him be settled into the change. I have potty-trained all the others while breastfeeding a new baby anyway.

Normally I hate detest and despise the process of potty-training. This time went much better. I think because we were both ready. And I did potty-training intense boot camp this time. We were getting 'er done!

On the Monday that Millie was 6 weeks old (so 4 weeks ago this coming Monday), I parked James in the bathroom with a sticker chart, tons of fun drinks and shows. Daniel Tiger take the wheel!

 

I sat beside him nursing the baby and reading books. Thankfully he prefers the toilet instead of the little potty, because cleaning that thing out is not my cup of tea.

Thankfully I have a 12 week maternity leave and not a 6 week one. I stuck by James's side for 2-3 days, pounding the drinks and praising every clearly well-hydrated drop in the proverbial bucket. We became very close.

(Happy about the praise for a poo)

By that Thursday, he refused a diaper at night and had no accidents so we walked to the snow cone shack to celebrate. JB and Ben were at the first U of U home football game so they couldn't squeeze into the picture below.

 

He still isn't 100% on poos -- he holds onto them for days (like Ben did) and needs coaxing and bribing with gum to finally get the whole thing out in the pot instead of underwear spots. But overall  I would say this was the fastest we have potty-trained a boy ever (here are some other posts on previous processes).  

PHEW!

(knock on wood)