We’re Potty TrainED!

Yep. That’s right. TrainED. Both of them. I know, you don’t believe me. Truth be told, I don’t really believe it myself.

It all started when Ben was out of town. Bad timing, right? Don’t worry, I’m not that stupid. It was not my intention to potty train while being a single mom for a week. This was something that Seth and Sam did all on their own. Tuesday evening they announced that they wanted to wear underwear. Who was I to stop them? I simply told them, “Okay, but if you have an accident, you’re back in diapers.” And they didn’t have one. Next day, same thing.

So many people told me, “When they’re ready, it will just happen.” I didn’t believe them (as was evident by the dozen failed potty training attempts). But you know what? For us, this was true. It just clicked. Honestly, it wasn’t even stressful potty training, where you set the timer and have to constantly be on edge because you’re afraid of an accident. It just happened. There can probably be a case made for “laying a foundation,” which is what all those other frustrating and messy days were.

I knew they were trained when Seth, yes the boy who kept announcing to everyone that he “wasn’t potty trainin’ yet,” woke up in the middle of the night and REFUSED to pee in his diaper. Yes, Seth has paved the way for the potty training this time, acting as our “clock” because he will tell me every time he needs to go. I simply just have Sam go after him.

And here’s the crazy thing, and it’s probably because they are older (two years and 8 months), but they are being really independent with it. I’ll hear the toilet flush on its own, meaning I don’t have to initiate it every time. It’s not a battle or me begging them to go before they have an accident. They aren’t even wearing pull-ups for naps, and I’m pretty sure probably would be okay at night too. Crazy, huh. Maybe there are perks to waiting so long :)

Thanks to the stomach flu, we had to stop doing treats for potty, which was a wonderful natural weaning of lots of candy every day. The boys and I created a cool chart together, where they now get a treat for every 10 stickers. Pretty fun.

Today I celebrated the “trainedness” by finally putting that darn, baby diaper changing pad in the closet. I had been awaiting this moment for a long time, ever since their feet, then their calves started hanging over the edge. I always remembered the day I changed my friends’ boy’s diaper, when he was like two, and was grossed out because he looked so big on that changing pad. My boys were WAY bigger than him by the end. Adios changing pad.

LOVE the dresser without the changing pad!

The potty charts: the boys helped by coloring the letters of their name!

Unfortunately I had just replenished my diaper/wipe stock. That’s how suddenly the boys decided that it was “time.”