Saturday, September 8, 2012

Body Training

It's potty time!  Pah-tee!  Yup, folks, get out your hats and balloons and confetti.  We're having us a pot-tee!  Even better - we're having two potties!  Yes!

Whew.  That many exclamation points makes me tired.  I'm not naturally that perky, so it takes a lot of energy to pretend.  Back to your regularly scheduled programming now...

Before the twins turned two, they started learning about the toilet.  I change their diapers on a pad on the bathroom counter, with one little guy on the pad and the other little guy around my ankles.  Angel often has to join the party, where she remembers that she "gots to go."  The twins ignored her, then watched, then got curious about what she was doing, sitting over there.  Georgie was the first to want to sit on the toilet - and tinkled immediately.  After that I would put him on during a diaper change if he asked and he always tinkled.  Pretty soon Freddie wanted to try, too.

For their second birthday, I bought a matched set of training potties.  I knew it was far too soon to really potty train, but the three of them were starting to fight over who got to sit on the toilet.  Now we have seats for everyone - Angel on the toilet and the twins on their little potties.  Here is a reminder of a really bad potty party picture, for your viewing enjoyment:


We'd go potty for a few days, and then the novelty would wear off.  When my little guys started whining as I put them on the potty, I knew they weren't ready.  I cleaned up the potties and put them in the bathroom cabinet.  After a few weeks, one of the twins would find them, drag them out and demand to go potty.  We'd try again for a few days, then put them away again.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought we'd pull them out again, just to see what would happen.  It's still a bit early to potty-train boys, but they are asking for it, so I guess that means they are getting ready.  Some of my boys have potty-trained easily and quickly (a week or two), while for others it was a long (try over a year!) and arduous process. 

For the first little while, I give treats for the sitting.  Then you have to accomplish something on the pot to get a treat.  The older kids get a treat too, if they help a little one potty successfully.  Now I just remind them to go somewhat often, and they stay mostly dry during the day.  They want me to cheer for them and clap my hands.  Yay!  I'd much rather have little legs sticking out of training pants than change diapers.  

AND they are starting to go when they need to.  AND they are starting to figure out the solids as well.  Yay!

It's worth the effort of using exclamation marks.

And the progress is worth dealing with the accidents.  Like the one this afternoon where Freddie mostly made it to the potty before he pooped.  And the one yesterday where Georgie pooped little pellets all across two rooms.  And the one tonight where three little people were screaming in the bathtub because of the floaters Freddie made,  Good times.

Freddie calls it "body training."  I guess that works.  Happy day.  We're having a potty!

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