Potty Training, Naptime Edition

The potty training is going pretty well around these parts.  The twins are managing to stay dry all morning, with regular reminders to go potty.  The afternoon is almost always dry as well, but we have an occasional accident in the evening.  That might have something to do with Mom being busy, distracted, and/or tired at the end of the day.  They are starting to run to the potty when they need to go, and announcing it by saying, "Yay!  Fed (or Doge - whichever boy just went) potty!" and wanting us to cheer for them.

Staying dry at naptime is a different story altogether.  They don't yet.  I put them in diapers when they head to bed.

The problem is that their idea of naptime and mine are vastly different.  We have lunch, change into diapers, read a story, sing a song, maybe have a cup of warm milk, and snuggle in the rocking chairs in the twins' room.  When they are looking calm and drowsy, we tuck them gently into bed.  We steal softly out of the room and tie the door shut behind us.  Go ahead and mention the fire marshal or child protective service -  I will readily admit to locking my children in their bedroom.  This is only just until they are quiet, however (with both their parents listening in the next room), and then I open the door.  The problem is that it takes an hour or more for them to get quiet.

They shake the bed, they climb on the furniture, they throw all the clothes out of their drawers, they pull the drawers out of the dresser, they empty the closet, they jump, they fight, they sing songs.  They do everything BUT go to sleep.

So maybe we are putting them down for a nap too early?  Nope.  This is the routine, no matter how late in the afternoon they take a nap.  And maybe they are getting too old for a nap?  Nope.  If left napless, they will be unbearably grouchy all afternoon long, then collapse into their dinner plates at the table and sleep until I'd like to be putting myself to bed.  They do take a good nap - once they go to sleep.

This naptime/playtime routine has worked fairly well, if noisily, until now.  Now they are potty training, and don't like to be wet.  So they take off the diapers.  Oh, and they haven't gotten the hang of depositing their solids into the potty yet, so they hold it - until they get their diapers on.

So whilst playing and jumping and generally not napping, they pull the diapers off.  And then play in the poop.  It's been a disaster for several days now, walking into the room after it gets quiet only to find a stinky mess and naked boys.  Argh.

I've tried to get them to poop in the potty.  We've stayed on the potties for quite a long time just before naps, trying to get the business done.  I've tried checking on them every few minutes to try to avoid the stripping.  I've tried waiting until they were asleep in my arms before putting them to bed.  Tonight, they are zipped into footie pajamas with the zipper pull tightly safety-pinned at the top.  We'll see how that goes.

Nighty-night, my little stinkers!  Mama loves you.  Please leave your clothing and diapers in the ON position.  Thank you.