potty training: take 2

I started potty-training this sweet boy again (a second try) today.  In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty of what our life will look like in the near future it has given me something concrete to focus on - something to do with my time.  We cleared our calendars to go to Ohio today with Adam's family with plans to come back on Monday, but with my dad in the hospital until Saturday at least and my mom's recent diagnosis it just felt like too much to do.  I wouldn't be able to be fully there.

I am so glad to be done with day 1 of potty training.  Potty training really stresses me out.  I decided I would go ahead and train him because #1 even though for a boy he is young to train I just really feel like he is ready and I know that he can do it, #2 we have an incredibly busy fall and this is truly the only time I will be at home with no plans and nothing at all to do for at least 3 days, then church on Sunday, and then a couple of days into next week, and #3 I would love to be out of diapers for a little bit before sweet new baby Dyer makes an arrival in January.

We decided to take a naked approach for the first day or two and then on Saturday we will try undies.  We started out the day with Andrew saying, "Mommy I don't want to pee pee on the potty" when he actually did need to go but he would hold it until he sat on the potty and went.  He had one accident in the morning where he went on the floor and then came and told me he needed to "pee pee potty." Later on he showed me where he went on the carpet.  He really did great though and a little later in the morning he started to have a little bit of an accident on the hardwoods and then he stopped himself and said, "Mommy I pee pee potty again" so he sat on the potty and finished.  The morning went well, especially after 2 #2 success (not including the 1 #2 accident on the floor).  He was in a much better mood after that was over.  We had planned not to leave the house at all but after his nap we decided to go see a friend who was briefly in town - we walked up to get frozen yogurt near our house.  I put Andrew in undies and shorts for the first time and packed a change of clothes.  At the yogurt place (despite the distraction of several little friends and a big bowl of ice cream) I asked him 3 times if he needed to go pee pee on the potty.  Twice he said yes and once he actually went.  Then right before he left he walked over to me (from playing!) and said, "I go pee pee potty."  We went to the potty and he went again.  I was so thrilled - I felt like that was success.  My distractable son actually left playing to tell me he needed to potty.  Hopefully he really gets it but only time will tell...

But for now - we are so proud of sweet Andrew!