"To Pee .... or Not to Pee"

I have been consistently purchasing diapers from Costco since September 2003. When April of this year rolled around and Ty turned 2, all I could think about was, "When can I start potty training this kid?!" It is my new goal to be diaper-free by the end of the summer. My mother-in-law thinks he is ready, my mother says, don't force it. So what's a mom to do?

2 days of waking up in the morning "dry" and I decide, it's time. I dig out Josh's old McQueen and Elmo underwear and a few miscellaneous boxer briefs and I'm ready to go. 10 minutes later, he wets his pants - ON the leather couch. Rats!! I smile at my concerned looking Ty and assure him that mommy will clean it up (of course) and we get another pair of underwear, do a few drops on the potty and forge ahead.

This time, I set the kitchen timer for 15 minutes. Getting ready for lunch, he asks for a drink. I give him the teeniest bit of lemonade. I kid you not, 5 minutes later he is yelling "uh-oh!" as he pees on my kitchen floor. Again I smile and take him by the hand (as Maddie is yelling gross! from the dining room). Back to the potty, and another pair of underwear. This time I let him choose which ones he wanted. He chose the boxer briefs, "Josh" he said. Smart kid! He wants to look like his big brother.

The next few accidents were minor, both occurring outside while playing with Maddie. But now I have Maddie enlisted as his "guardian". She is constantly asking him in her "I am the mommy" voice, "do you have to go pee pee?" So cute!

Now don't think that this first day was filled with merely accidents (well, 75% of them were) but there were a handful of times he actually had dry underwear and went on the potty!! Those were times he got a reward of 5 M & M's (great bribe tool for Ty). Then there were the couple of instances he cried kicking and screaming, "no pee pee!" And I thought, maybe this is not the time ... However, when he woke up from his nap DRY in his pull-up, I thought, this is IT!!

So today is Saturday ... and when he woke me up with a full diaper (of #1 and #2) a small part of my thought again, I don't want to do this!! So I changed him and was preparing to let him choose his underwear, when he says to me, "Momma, pee!!" We ran to the potty and lo and behold, he went!!! And not a just a few dribbles, he went A LOT!! Hoo-ray!!

2 hours later, he has gone again, and is still in the same pair of underwear. I know that today won't go perfectly, and I am ready for the ups and downs of getting Ty out of diapers. (Think of how much money we will save!!) Independence is a good thing. I'm ready and I think he is too!!