Lillian is 3!

How's it going world? 

Since I use my blog as my journal I wanted to post pictures of Lillian's birthday.  But what I really wanted to talk about is potty training and since I don't have much energy these days (you try potty training two kids while pregnant...) I'm combining the two posts.  So, here is my Worst-Mom-of-the-Year confession in hopes that it will make other moms feel a little bit better about potty training.

Samuel posing with the awesome strawberry cupcakes.

I hate it.  I'm quite convinced it is of the devil.  It is the one thing I've been dreading since we had our precious Samuel 4.5 years ago.  October of 2011 we tried potty training.  After reading countless books and asking the advice of experienced moms out there, I decided to try the 3-day method.  This is where you ship off your other kids to family or friends, shove tons of juice down the potty-training kid and then stick by their side 24/7.  This works the best if you have tile/laminate type flooring or it's summer and you have a backyard.  When the child goes pee you exclaim "Oh look!  You're going pee!" And you pick them up and take them to the toilet.  every. single. time.  Until they get it.  This might possibly have been the worse method for me (who has been known to be OCD about the cleanliness of her house) to choose, but I did it.  I rolled up the rugs, put layers of towels on the couches and moved the majority of toys to the dining room.  Halfway through day 2 we had success.  Samuel was potty trained (#1 not #2, that comes later).  I rejoiced and thought to myself "Yesssss!  I CAN do this!" 

Lillian was so excited she kept trying to blow-out the candles before we were done singing.

And then we hit the regression period.  I had been warned this would happen.  I calmly took it in stride.  The number of accidents increased.  And increased.  And increased.  Soon Samuel wasn't going to the potty at all and I was going crazy.

And I mean crazy.  It got to the point I wanted to shove his nose in it like you do a cat or dog.  We took a little breather at that time and switched to Pull-ups.  (Don't worry, no need to call DHS).

I've tried EVERYTHING since.  Seriously.  You name it, I've done it.  With both kids, because Lillian wants to be just like her big brother.  I've done sticker charts, rewards, little treats every time they went, setting up a movie in the bathroom, making a big deal out of it when they went, being encouraging, calling Grandma, promising they could pick out any toy they wanted if they would just go in the potty.  And I was serious.  I was so desperate I was willing to spend ANYTHING to get my kids to potty train. 

Oh and what about making them clean it up and change themselves? 

Yep, I've done that too.  Lillian enjoys it a little too much and gets excited about putting clothes in the laundry.  I've left them in the wet clothes too.  Samuel doesn't even notice 95% of the time.  Not even kidding. 

Uncle Mitchell, Aunt Heather, Jenny and Nick (who aren't technically related, but we consider them family).

The only thing I hadn't done was put the potty chair in front of the TV.  But I wasn't going to cross that line.  I just couldn't bring the bathroom to the living room.  Besides, seeing how (not) successful the DVD in the bathroom was... I was pretty convinced it wasn't going to work.

Grandma W and Uncle Ben

Samuel started preschool last fall and went in pull-ups.  It was just the way it was for our family.  Samuel has had a rough couple of years with hearing loss and what not and the teachers knew what was going on with him.  But then I got a phone call from his teacher right before Christmas asking where we were at with potty training.  I told her we had never really backed off, we still asked him if he needed to go, encouraged him, and gave him little treats and high fives when he did do it.  She said to start sending him to school in underwear after the new year.

I said okay... but I had my doubts.  I went and checked out a bunch of picture books and movies from the library (I'm pretty good about knowing where all this stuff is now...) and we really started pushing it again.  I made the kids watch the movies and every day we read the potty training books.  I had decided to send Samuel to school in underwear this past Monday.

Lillian was very insistent we have birthday hats.  Sadly, Daddy's head was too big.

Monday morning came and in my most enthusiastic voice I explained to Samuel that today was the day he would wear his big boy underwear.  Failure.  He screamed and cried and kicked.  I gritted my teeth and forced the underwear on him.  He ran away and changed back into the pull-ups.  I told him he could just be naked then. He sat down and cried for an hour straight.  I walked away.  Next thing I knew he was fully dressed in pull-ups and all the underwear was mysteriously missing.  He had hidden it behind the recliner in the living room.

Even Grandpa joined in on the fun (sadly we never got pictures with Grandma and Ben in their hats).

I sent him to school with a note explaining how the morning had gone.  He came home wearing his big boy underwear and a smile on his face.  A few minutes later he had an accident.  And then another.  And then another.  He had managed to stay dry at school, but it wouldn't last at home.

Tuesday morning went a little easier.  He wore his big boy underwear and Lillian insisted on wearing her big girl panties.  Oh the amount of accidents I was cleaning up that morning!  By the time lunch hit and Samuel was off to school I had gone through my entire stash of chocolate (for me, not the kids).   He came home from school dry and then promptly had an accident.  It was looking grim.

An hour later I heard the toilet flush and a very proud Samuel came running out.  "Mommy!  I went pee-pee in the potty!"  What?!  I couldn't believe it, but he was dry and remained dry for the rest of the evening. 

Samuel wanted to do everything Uncle Mitchell did...

Yesterday he had one accident and that was it.  Today, so far so good.  I'm holding my breath hoping it actually sticks this time.  I've been praying.  A lot.  Maybe the Lord is getting tired of hearing about potty training and is answering my prayers.  Lillian is half-way there.  If it keeps going like this I will have two potty-trained children before the baby gets here in May.  And hopefully no regressions. 

So there it is friends.  My 1.5 year battle with potty training.  It is true what they say, kids potty train when they are ready.  I'm just afraid mine might not ever be ready.  Keep your fingers crossed for me and remember, if I can do it you can definitely do it. 

One last picture of the yummy cupcakes...