On Potty Training

I laugh as I type the title of this post, as if I have anything profound to say about potty training. We tried for the third time with Westie this past weekend and it was not the "charm" we were hoping for. I think I made the right decision to quit early the third day as it was taking on the exact same pattern as the last time we tried when I drew it out for seven days and then felt as if we had all lost a week of life at the end.

But here is what I have concluded: This is no longer an issue about Weston learning anything about the toilet or underwear or pee and poop. This is a willful decision he is going to have to make. He knows how to do it. He can hold it FOREVER. He can also go on the potty when he feels like it. But if you put them together for too many days in a row? No dice. He's all excited at first to wear his underwear and then by day 2 something in him says, "I don't want to do this."

There are so many different takes, philosophies and advice to be had on good ol' potty training. And I don't even know where we're going to go from here. I would love to think that someday soon he'll just come up to me and say, "Let's do it for real this time!". I just don't know if that will happen. All I know is I'm done for now. And I'm sad. I don't know why. Probably selfish reasons. I don't want to have two in diapers anymore. I wanted him to be able to go to preschool this year. He has really cute underwear I'm dying for him to wear. Fear that he won't do it and we'll have to send him to some sort of potty therapist when he's 5.

But, like I frequently have to remind myself, this isn't about me. And that's that.

In conclusion here are some funny things that summarize everything:

(Before he pees or poops)..."Mom, do I have a diaper on?" (me: "yes, but do you want to go on the potty?") "No thanks." (and then goes in his diaper)

"Tell Miss Melissa (director at preschool he cannot go to this year) not to be sad. I'll get bigger and then I'll wear underwear and go on the potty and then I'll go to school." (me: Aren't you big now?") "yeah, but I'll get even bigger."

"Mom, wipe my bottom soft, and don't go fast and I have some more poop right here". Seriously?! If we're having this discussion, you need to be cleaning up your own rump!

Meanwhile, Lily has been sitting on Weston's potty all the time and looks at us and says, "poopoo" when she goes. So maybe the Lord's blessing in all of this is that it's going to be a 2 for 1 deal and I'll have both of them trained at the same time! Here's to hoping...