Monday, August 3, 2009

Potty Power

Have I really sunk this low? Has it gotten so bad that I go over a week without writing a blog post and then when I finally write one I resort to bathroom humor?

Apparently I have.

My sweet little mischievous Ryan is 3 1/2. When we received Ryan a mere 12 months ago, he pottied and poopied in the toilet. We came home and he didn't. No surprise, this happens to most toddlers just adopted. But a year later and we were no closer to that Potty Trained Goal and I was becoming frustrated.

(Lucky for you, Ryan just had his 12 month post placement visit last week so I'll be including a bunch of photos we took to send to China.)

Sure the boy can read but he couldn't pee in a toilet. Of course I was frustrated. (No, he really can't read. But doesn't he look smart-- and cute-- holding that book?) You have to understand, I'm pretty laid back when it comes to potty training. I've learned the hard way that they ain't gonna pee in a toilet until they're darn good and ready. But Preschool was looming in the not so distant future and being potty trained was a must. I decided that potty training need to be jump started.

(You would think Gauge would be a positive role model, or at the very least exhibit some positive peer pressure. No such luck.)

So about a week ago, I decided that "today was the day" and I put Ryan in a pull up and began to set the timer on the microwave for 20 minutes. Every 20 minutes he peed on cue and his pull up remained dry. After about an hour and half, we moved to 30 minutes. When the timer went off and I took Ryan to the bathroom, his pull up was wet. I was beginning to wonder if he had some bladder issue, maybe his bladder was mini sized. Or maybe it was just too easy to pee in a pull up. Time to pull out the underwear.

(We needed a photo of just Ryan and I but he has started winking whenever the camera comes out. So I started making silly faces with him in hopes of getting something that didn't make him look like he'd just had a stroke.)

Yeah, that thought made us cringe, but I learned with both Julia and Jenna that sometimes pull-ups enable them to not go in the toilet. So that very afternoon, he started wearing panties, uhm, I mean underwear. (Sorry Ry, but Momma is so used to saying "panties" that I hope I don't scar you for life, or at least in the school locker room.)

He had one accident soon after putting his underwear on but it was only a very small one and he was dry after that. In fact, the next day I took Ryan and Emma to Lowe's with me and as I was almost there, I realized that Ryan as still in panties underwear. But the trip was uneventful, in that he didn't leave a Hansel and Gretel pee trial throughout the store anyway. Since then, he's done pretty well. He's had a few accidents. Once last week when I took him to the gym's Kid Club (child care)-- he didn't know where to go. The other time was at my brother's house. He was outside playing and perhaps too busy to stop and go inside to pee.

(My absolute most favorite picture of Ryan and I together. I love it so much I had a 5x7 made.)

I would consider his potty training mission to be pretty successful. He still needs a pull up at night and has had a few accidents at nap time, but that's to be expected. Five down and one to go. (Oh, I made a pun!) Now if Emma would just realize that the potty chair is for peeing or pooping and not her royal throne.

16 comments:

Kristin said...

I too love the last picture!! Very cute! Yay for Ryan for ditching the pull-ups. And yay for mommy too!!

April said...

yay ryan!!! my almost three year old has ZERO interest in the potty. i have to admit, it's giving me some serious anxiety lately.

p.s. LOVE LOVE LOVE that picture of you two!

Kristin said...

Yay! My Lily will be 3 on Sunday and she wants nothing to do with using her potty. I think the only solution for me too is to pull out the panties. Her Dad thought he was going to be so smart the other day and put her in panties (like he was going to show me how easy it was) and she promptly pooped right in them. LOL! I was like, yeah, it's not so easy is it?! Ha!

I thought her sisters would influence her too, but I think she likes being the baby. I am so ready for her to start using it though, and I want to put her in a preschool program too, which I can't do until she learns to potty.

I just LOVE that picture of you and Ryan too! That is so precious!

Jami said...

Congratulations! Love the picture of you and Ryan at the end. It is precious!

Jesse, James and Lindsey's mom said...

Good Job Ryan!! Lindsey is just a few months younger and just was potty trained this summer. Her first day of preschool is just around the corner!

Unknown said...

Just spent an hour of my life reading through old posts and I have to say, I think I love you now. Your awesome :)

Kristin said...

We are doing the whole potty training thing here also. We were attempting to potty train for almost a year and I had all but given up. A.J. is nearly 3 1/2 and last week just did it all on his own. He hasn't had an accident since and only does pull ups at night. I guess it was just time for him. Congrats to Ryan on a job well done.

The Fab 5 said...

I LOVE that picture of you and Ryan it is so sweet!! I have been doing the same thing with Baby B. She will go every 30 minutes as soon as I say "you need to go potty?" If I don't ask she doesn't go!! I need to try the big girl panties!! I am on the other side now and saying panties verses unders!! Good to have you back potty post and all!!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Potty training. Madalyn was very difficult. She went on the toilet for my mom when she was 2 1/2. And then every time I asked her to try again, she said she already did. Been there. Done that. Didn't need to repeat.

That picture of the two of you - gorgeous.

Tiffany said...

stopping by from SITS, and I totally get the potty training. I dreaded doing it each time. He is an adorable kid and that last shot it priceless.

Brandy said...

I love all the pictures but the last is the best. Betcha it would be awesome in black & white...but then again I'm partial to B&W so what do I know.

Now you only have to buy diapers for Emma & that is cause to celebrate all by itself.
GO Ryan!!

wingepr said...

That is a great pic of you and Ryan. He is such a cutie.

Tricia said...

Eric gets sooooo aggrivated with me for calling his boxers, panties. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one.
Way to go Ryan! He is adorable. I give my girls a potty party when they are fully trained. I take a picture of them "reading" on the potty and I get the picture put on a cake. Everyone brings panties as a gift. This does cause us to have an over abundance of panties, but it is fun.

Kay Bratt said...

Potty stories are so fun. I have my own 'potty nightmares'. For one insane moment in my life, I decided opening a home daycare was a great way to bring income in as well as stay home with my youngest. So I happened to get FOUR 3-year-olds. Add ONE more [mine] and that made FIVE. I then decided we were going to potty train. And it was a potty-TRAIN. Yes, this was years ago and now that I think of it--and only have teenagers--- wasn't 3 kinda old for potty training? How old are they supposed to be, anyway?? My feeble mind betrays me....

The Johnson 5 said...

I'm so glad he is doing such a good job.

That picture is so GOOD!!

LOVE IT!!

Jill from Killeny Glen said...

Sweet, sweet Ryan...gotta love him!