In case you missed the post on Potty Training 101, have no fear – there wasn’t one! Potty training started and happened so quick I didn’t have time to open my laptop and intelligently write a post. BUT, if I did, it would have gone something like this…
Brayden has been going number one in the potty for quite some time, standing up like a big boy, just like Zackery and Daddy. That part has been great. He wasn’t consistent, but when I remember (and it wasn’t too much bother for me – hey, I won’t lie, sometimes I make choices based on the pure convenience-for-me factor… don’t kid yourself, you do it too *wink* *wink*) I would make him go before bed. Both boys would be getting their jammies on, brushing their teeth and picking books for story time, and so most nights I would make ask Brayden go potty along with Zackery. He liked it; he felt like a BIG boy!
When it came time to really start diving into the potty training, it was the number two that was the hard part (no pun intended). I’m sure he’s not the only one who ever thought this, but Brayden was afraid to sit on the potty because he thought he would fall in. We have the little potty seat that goes on the big toilet, and he sees Zackery use it all the time (without ever falling in), but he was still afraid. I got out our little portable potty, and he even was afraid of falling into that one – hmmm… Okay. Think Mommy, think.
What eventually got him feeling okay to “try” to sit on the big potty (with his potty seat of course) was watching me push down on it and then finally having me put his little hands on the handles and push down on it himself. “You see, bud, you won’t fall in!” “Okay, Mommy.” Success! The little guy was willing to try – baby steps!
So, the next time I saw him cowering in the corner with his poop face, I quickly ushered him into the bathroom to try the big boy potty instead of his diaper. Two and a half hours later (yes, I’m serious, I S@#% you not – again, no pun intended) he stood up, his poor little legs almost permanently marked red in the shape of the toilet seat, and I can only imagine how numb his poor little toes must have been, but he did it. He pooped in the potty! Yippee! Yay! FINALLLY! Toy Story gummy snacks for everyone!
Yes, that was Potty Training 101 – getting comfortable sitting on the potty. 
Skip ahead now to Potty Training 202…
I have to say, overall, Brayden has been pretty quick to catch on to the whole big boy going potty thing. The first couple of weeks I was constantly on him, and probably pretty annoying with my asking every five minutes “Do you need to go potty?” I realized that he was at the point where he could tell us when he needed to go, so I stopped asking so much. A couple times I probably should have made him go, but honestly, he has been easy (other than having to sometimes sit in the bathroom with him for hours while he tried for number two… and it is MUCH better now – when he says he has to go, boy does he mean NOW!). I can count on one hand the number of accidents he’s had over the past month since we started and completely committed to just underwear (except at nap and bed times when he gets really cool glow-in-the-dark Cars or Toy Story pull-ups). It doesn’t surprise me, though. Brayden was always one to transition quickly – as long as it was on his terms, when he was ready.
I remember when he weaned himself off the bottle. It was just before his second birthday, and he came up to me in the kitchen as I was getting his milk ready and flat out told me “Mommy, no more bottle. Sippy cup.” Well, okay!
So, I’ve traded in the extra diapers and wipes I used to tote around with me everywhere we go for extra underwear, pants and socks – just in case. He’s a boy, so it sure makes going potty out in public a whole lot easier – I feel for you Mommys with girls! – and if we have to pull off the side of the road and find a tree, well I’m all for that!
This Thursday my little Brayden turns three. I can’t believe it. He is getting so big and growing up SO FAST! Last year it was no more bottles, this year it’s no more diapers. I wonder what he will accomplish next year?