peed potty!!

Back in October we started trying to potty train Evan. We brought him to the potty every 2 hours or so and gave him 1 Smartie for #1 and 2 for #2. It was going so well and he responded well with the reward thing. But then he began to not want to go to the potty at all. He would scream and cry when we brought him there and he would get off as soon as possible. We read him books and we played games, but nothing worked. He would fight it so much and then when we would dress him back up he would pee almost immediately. This would get me mad and I found myself disciplining him for this...he completely took control. This made it so difficult because Tyler was at the age when he would cry if I was out of his sight and so I'd be running back and forth and get frustrated.

I decided it was time to take a break because it was getting worse, not better. Daryl disagreed with me at first because he thought that since we are the parents we need to show Evan who's boss and he will learn. Luckily we had busy months ahead of us so I was able to use that to my advantage saying I wasn't going to be working on this while at my mom's in November, or over Christmas holiday's at the lake... I said I would try again in January. Another of Daryl's reasons for not wanting to put it off was that he was going to be leaving for work in January and he wanted to be home to help out with it as much as possible. But I won that discussion and we waited.

A few times in the last 2 months Evan did go potty when he asked to, but I didn't push it at all. On Sunday we (Evan, not me!) officially started going bare bum. I didn't want to do this with all the carpeting we have in the house (!) but the books and friends had all said that that is what some kids need. I also was tired of Evan asking to go, then climbing down after I would help him up...so the stool was put there so he could do it himself. I think THAT was what did it! Evan had a couple of accidents, but nothing our carpet cleaner can't take care of! Then he was so excited that he could climb up there himself and kept saying "My do it, go way Mommy!" So he did, and I did and I heard "Peed Potty!!!!" as he came running out. He's been doing it himself nearly every time since. I just remind him and send him there. He's going to be 2 1/2 at the end of January so I hope this is the start and there isn't too many hurdles along the way now that it's going so well so far.

And it's also super cute! :P