ALMOST THERE!

So we are in month 2 (I believe) for "hard core" potty training Bear. Before we started hard core training we were potty familiarizing him from 11 mos old. Just at different times we would take him and put him on the potty and let him "try" to go.

Finally he got the point where he knew he was supposed to be doing something more than just sitting and playing with the toilet paper. He started going more and more when we took him to sit on the potty.

Then Moe (9 mos old) came back home when Bear was 14 mos old so the training got put on hold a bit. Working with Moe to get back on track took a lot of work but was every bit worth while.

So anyway we took back up with familiarizing/training when he was about 18 mos old... soon after his adoption was finalized. I had read in SEVERAL different articles and testimonies of boy mommies that 18 months old is mostly as young as they can "catch on". I have heard of younger BUT 18 mos was the AVG age so I figured we would pick it back up.

From that point on we started taking him to the potty more often and talking the potty lingo to him. "gotta go potty?" "poo.poo" "pee.pee" and explaining when he "soiled/messed" his diapers what he had done and where it needs to go.

About a month after that we started leaving him without diapers on during the day (and when there was no company around). When/if he would have an accident we would cheer him on.. "yay Bear you are going pee pee... we need to get it into the potty, hurry let's go" and then I would cheer him on as he would run to the potty.

**Now, we do not condone peeing on the carpet BUT when training you have to be okay with accidents. If you get angry or raise your voice at them they do not do so well in training. We have always taken the cheering on progress even in the presence of accidents but one time J was caught off guard and saw Bear peeing on the carpet... he yelled "BEAR NO!" and Bear started bawling and did not want to go to the potty. He was so heartbroken and baffled. I took him to the potty and told him he was doing a good job but he just sat there and cried. I went in and asked J to come apologize to him and tell him that he was proud of him for going potty "outside of a diaper"... He agreed that he needed to come and let him know he was proud of him. As soon as he did Bear was happy again and automatically peed in the toilet!**

SO all that to say... cheer them on and encourage them even when accidents occur. The best thing we started doing with Bear when he had an accident is getting him to help clean it up. We would tell him "okay Bear, you had an accident and made a mess on the floor. We need to go clean it up now." I would hand him a rag and I would go in there with him. he would clean it for the most part by rubbing the spot with the rag... then we would go wash his hands and I would come back with carpet cleaner and deep clean it.

Then a month after going with no diapers and a couple weeks with no accidents we started underwear training. He did amazing. He has had accidents and we have had to pack extra clothing but again we have to allow for accidents. We were leaving him in pull-ups during naps and at night. Mostly wakes up dry from naps and goes directly to the bathroom when he gets up.

He has been GREAT at not going in his underwear for the most part... BUT he would not tell us he had to go. We just took him appx every hour and he would go. So he would hold it well and then relieve himself when on the potty. Unless of course we got careless and let him go too long.

So finally about 2 weeks ago he got to where he would tell us potty for PEEING  BUT it would be right after he had gone. A bit more work and dedication to go. (I was just thankful that he was telling us potty BEFORE he went poop.)

THEN it happened... yesterday he came up to me and said "Mommy, potty" and I looked and he was dry... I took him to the toilet and he PEED ON THE POTTY!!! THEN it happened again, two more times. Today was the same thing!!! He let me know he had to go BEFORE he went. He did have an accident but luckily I planned for error today seeing it was a visit day meaning a LOT of driving time. So he was in a pull-up. But he did tell me "potty" every time he had to go. We made it to a toilet for the majority of the time. He couldn't hold it one time and from that time on he was telling me "mess, mess" thankfully it was just pee and that is always far better than the other! :)

I am so proud of our Bear. I dare say he will be potty trained before he is 2! As previously advised, I am not pushing the overnight training.... that, too, will come in time!

It has been GREAT and I am so thankful to finally see all the training going into effect! Even Moe baby has been potty familiarizing lately. He is loving it and when he turns 18 mos we will start with him as well... he already goes on the potty when we take him and he can tell us potty but only if we ask him. He on the other hand has not been great at "holding" it as well as Bear was... but he has been doing wonderful at going when we put him on the potty.

I am just thankful the 2 hour screaming fits are OVER from putting MOE on the potty! That was work all in itself!