I now feel that I can FINALLY write this post. We just turned the corner in the long journey of potty training the twins...well, actually only Gardner was on the "long journey". This post contains language and descriptions that may not be suitable for all readers. If you do not want to hear about the details of Gardner's bowel movements, you can skip this one. I thought I had better document it while it was fresh in my mind just in case I ever get amnesia and tell someone that it was "no big deal" getting my kids potty trained or in the off chance that this post might provide insight to someone in the same situation.
This all began a long, long time ago on Labor Day weekend. I was not in any rush to get the twins trained. They are still in a pre-school class where they are allowed to wear diapers. They do not need to be potty trained until the end of August 2014 (or the beginning of the summer if I want them to attend drop-off camps). Kyle and Malloy went out of town to see Georgia play Clemson. This left me and the twins home alone for a long weekend. This is the amount of time it is supposed to take to potty train a child (according to a ridiculous book that you can download from the internet). One of the most important techniques listed is to stay home for 3 days and keep constant watch over your potty training toddler. Since it just so happened that we were going to be home bound for 3 days, why not give it a try??
Everything went well with going tee-tee. I was so impressed with their weekend behavior that I actually sent them to school in underpants the following week. We had a handful of small accidents, but everything was going pretty well considering they were only 2 1/2. Maisey got the hang of things more quickly and was pooping in the potty after about 2 weeks. After getting caught in the act a few times, or just barely making it to the potty, she figure out what it felt like when she needed to go. She was so eager to go poo poo (and get Kit Kats) that she would go 2 and 3 times a day! When I would try to bribe Gardner with a treat for trying, she would tell him to get off the potty and then sit down and produce poop on demand. She even tried to explain her technique to Gardner by telling him "You have to say uhhhhh!"
So, they have both been in underpants for over four months and JUST THIS WEEK, Gardner finally voluntarily went #2 on the potty. I thought it was NEVER going to happen. This being said, he has been wearing underpants to school all year, and I don't think he has had any poop accidents at school. I know he had a couple at home in September and Grandma did not appreciate cleaning them up. I would say there have only been 2-3 poop accidents in underpants over a 4 month span. There have been lots of skid marks though! Gardner would hold it in until he simply could not. He would strategically wait until he had a pull-up or diaper on (at nap time or overnight). It was really becoming a problem. He would hold it for a week and then, of course, it was rather unpleasant when it finally did come out.
I tried everything - bribes, rewards, threats, punishments, MiraLax and even some rather unorthodox ideas. I had given up on sitting in there with him, reading, iPad, etc. because he never even looked like he was trying. He just like to hang out with me in the bathroom. I was really getting frustrated. So, over the past few weeks I decided I was not going to play around anymore. When I knew it was coming (there are many obvious signs), I put Gardner in the bathroom with no pants and told him he could not come out until it was done. He cried and looked terrified, but I was playing hardball. I just stood outside the door. and told him he was not coming out until there was poop in the potty. Well, this actually worked the first time. Hooray!! I thought that was the end of it. He saw how excited we were and he promised he would go in the potty from now on. About five days passed and nothing happened. He obviously needed to go again. I tried the "no pants, lock down" technique again. The stand off went on for a long time and after the regular crying I heard some screaming. HE WENT ON THE FLOOR. Mommy was not happy and I let him know it. (Another technique that was recommended to me was to make him clean it up. I tried that, and it did not work).
A few days later, same scenario, lock down again, him screaming, me yelling from outside the door, etc. Kyle is feeling sorry for him and says, "I really don't think this is working", 30 seconds later SUCCESS! Yay Gardner! Next time let's just get down to business and avoid this 30 minute screamfest, okay? Five days pass. I am about to leave for work and I see the signs. I put him in the bathroom and stand outside. The babysitter approaches and can hear him screaming from outside the house!! I explain the technique to her and assure her that it was worked before. She is skeptical. We have another 30 minute stand off and SUCCESS. Seriously, Gardner, let's just do it without all of the drama??
We made a chart and drew some stars on it. My mom suggested we offer him a reward of sleeping over at Grandma and Papa's all by himself if he fills up the chart. Back in September, I had offered the reward of me sleeping in his bed with him all night if he went, but that must not have been enticing enough. My parents arrived last Sunday, and my mom got Gardner to sit on the potty and try to go. I heard some whimpering coming from the bathroom (no screaming) and then TA-DA, he did it. I guess something just clicked. Now he is pooping on the potty like he's been doing it his whole life. He got to have his solo sleep over with Grandma and Papa on Wednesday night. He is telling everyone (yes, even strangers at swim lessons and Chickfila) that he is a big boy because he goes poo poo on the potty! He doesn't even ask for Kit Kats when he is done. I think I can now, officially say, he is potty trained. Whew!
Below, Maisey struts her stuff in her new panties. She has become an underwear bandit. and we have resorted to putting decoy panties in Malloy's underwear drawer for Maisey to steal. Malloy's "real" underwear are safety hidden in an undisclosed location. She is completed disgusted with the idea of sharing her underpants with Maisey.
