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And besides, it gives me an opportunity to post about something that I have been meaning to write about for a while. Normally I don't like to post without pictures, and Clayton has refused to let me take any pictures of Oliver going to the bathroom, so these pictures will have to do. I can't say enough how happy I am that we waited until Oliver was ready to do any SERIOUS potty training.
As I have previously posted, Oliver came to us on the day he turned three and told us that he needed to go poopy, that he wanted to do it on the big boy potty, and that he wanted to wear underwear since he was now a big boy. I can't deny that there was A LOT of preparation for this moment: I purchased his first potty when he was 18 months old. We sat on the potty for a long time clothed and then finally he would actually sit on it bare bummed before bath for at least a year before he wanted to do it during the day. The first time we tried going without diapers during the day was because of a diaper rash. He was NOT ready, I think we had six accidents in just a few hours. The only other time we tried, he was willing to sit down on the potty every 30 minutes, but that seemed like way too much work since he never told me he needed to go and then he had an accident 2 minutes after he got off the potty. He was still NOT ready. His birthday was a couple of months away and we had a vacation coming up, so we decided we would try again after his birthday. During those two months we would often talk about it and he would tell me that he was going to be a big boy when he turned three and wear underwear. He turned three, and boy was I surprised that day when Clayton told me what had happened. The wonderful thing is that Oliver has never looked back! I could maybe count his day time accidents on one hand and those have all been because he was too busy playing and didn't want to use the potty. I do have to remind him to go often, so we are still working on that! :)
For a few months he still wore diapers to nap and bed, and this was mainly because of me. He was/is still in a crib, and I didn't want to have to interrupt his sleep for bathroom breaks. When we returned from Salt Lake in January, I thought it might be time to try no diapers at nap time. We got off to a wet start within twenty minutes of the first nap time, but we persevered and in four months, Oliver has only had two accidents at nap time.
For a couple of months we were having a severe problem with his diapers leaking in the middle of the night. I tried a bigger size, a different brand, and finally the only thing that kind of worked was limiting his fluids after dinner. Oliver often complained of comfort issues with his diaper, and once even told me that his diaper was "driving him cashews" -- which was HILARIOUS, and actually gave me a good laugh during a time when I really needed one. He wanted to wear underwear to bed really bad, but I kept telling him that as soon as he woke with dry diapers for a few nights in a row, he could wear underwear to bed. Not too long after limiting his fluids after dinner, it all started. I can still remember how excited he was the first morning he woke up dry; we all were. Well, we waited five days and despite my own hesitation, the first night went off without a hitch. In fact, we went another five days before he had an accident in the middle of the night. But since then, he may have only had two or three accidents and he has been in underwear 24 hours a day since the 25th of March. Oliver doesn't sleep in as long any more (which being pregnant I really miss!). He used to go to bed at 10 and sleep until 9 or 10. Now he wakes up right around 7, which means we have had to start pushing his bed time up earlier. But I certainly don't miss leaky diapers, and I now I can say I was without diapers for a few months before the baby arrived! :) And besides, an earlier wake-up time will help with preschool in the fall.
So it took three years and almost six months, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Way to do it yourself Oliver! I am seriously one proud momma! I would be happy if Oliver's little brother's potty training progresses in much the same manner.
And finally, we tried to take an impromptu family picture outside this past weekend and this was the best we got: Clayton squinting, and my hair covering half of Oliver's cute little Elvis face he is pulling. Oh well, better luck next time!
