Potty Time

We decided to potty train Luke the week after Christmas.  Actually, we started the day after Christmas.  We set up camp in the kitchen ... complete with an Elmo potty book, a stack of underwear and a giant bag of M&Ms.  (Chocolate is Luke's love language.)

 

As we did with Claire and David, we went with the "cold turkey" method of potty training found in this e-book.  I don't even have my copy of the book anymore I've loaned it out so much.  But I pretty much remembered the drill.  I did not remember, however, all the pee-pee I would have to clean up.  Luke had a lot of accidents that first day! 

 

 

We pretty much hung out in the kitchen for the day to avoid cleaning up any accidents from the carpet.  Luke actually went pee-pee on me twice that day while sitting in my lap.  Thanks dude!

And one month later, that little potty is still sitting in my kitchen!  (The dirty laundry in the background is not.)

 

{I did a little photo editing so as to not expose any private parts.}

 

Luke had a lot of accidents that first day.  And he did not love sitting on the potty (even for a treat).  Day 2 was a little better.  Still a few accidents, but more control.  Day 3 was better.  He had pretty much stopped having accidents at that point, but still wasn't really good about telling us when he had to go potty.  Day 4 and 5, it really started to click.  He went back to preschool on January 7th (12 days after we started potty training) and other than a few accidents with aim on the potty, he has done really well.  Our next big hurdle is using public restrooms.  We've still got quite a ways to go!!

 

Oh my cuteness!  Look at his little bottom in that BIG BOY underwear. 

 

 

As much as I would love to add a 4th child to our brood, I could not potty train a 4th.  This really did me in.  And I feel like we have moved on to a new phase in life ... a phase where no one is wearing diapers.  (Both boys still wear a pull-up at night .. David may still be wearing one when he goes to college at the rate he is going.)

 

The Elmo book was a big hit on the potty.  Lots of "potty" songs included.  A perfect Christmas gift from the grandparents.  He would ask for it when he sat on the potty.

 

 

My friend Emily was potty training her 2-year-old shortly after we started potty training Luke.  She read the same e-book we did.  She wrote an excellent blog post on potty training if you would like some encouraging words before you get started!