Monday, January 17, 2011

Potty Training

Today was the day. I decided I was going to potty train Lincoln. I'd read articles, researched methods and even bought a little toilet. The time had come for the diapers to disappear.
This morning I woke up and gave Lincoln a bath and after he was all dry I put a shirt on him and left his bottom half naked. Then I waited for him to pee so I could put him on the toilet. After an hour we watched his favorite movie "Toy Story 3" and every few minutes I would sign "potty" and ask if he needed to go potty.
"NO!" was always his response and so I continued to wait.
After another hour I heard a trickle and I threw him on the toilet while I sweetly said "Pee goes in the toilet". He was petrified and stopped peeing immediately. So I let him off the toilet and he began peeing on the floor! So I grabbed him again "Pee goes in the toilet". He looked at me and said "No, ouchy". I let him off and he started playing with his cars. After a few minutes I figured he had gotten it out of his system so I relaxed and started folding laundry.
Eventually, he walked down the hall. I figured he would be fine on his own and I would check on him while I put the laundry away. Minutes later I hear him screaming and crying frantically. I knew he was hurt by the sound of his cry and I ran to my bedroom. He was standing in the closet crying and pointing at what was unmistakeably poop while screaming, "Ouchy! Ouchy!"
"Are you hurt?" I asked searching his body frantically for scrapes or cuts or any kind of injury. This seemed to make him angrier and his cries become louder. I picked him up and took him out of the room and tried to calm him down. I can't figure out why he is crying so much.
"Mom doesn't know what is wrong! Use your words!" I wipe him up, I get his blanket, his sippy cup, his ball, his truck, marshmallows and crackers. Nothing can get him to stop crying and so I resort to my only coping skill, I start crying. Together we sit on the floor bawling while he continually screams. "I'm the worst mom ever!" I cry while trying to pick up his kicking body. After a half hour I figure a nap will do us both some good and I stick a diaper on him. That's when he stopped crying.
"You wanted your diaper?" I ask half shocked and half relieved, then I start laughing.
After that he was as happy as he ever was. I cleaned up the mess in the closet and made lunch. Before sitting him in his chair I asked if he wanted to go potty in the toilet and he started crying. He pointed at the toilet and cried "Ouchy". That's when I grabbed that stupid toilet and threw it in the garage. I never want to see it again and I don't care if my child is in diapers until he is ten.

4 comments:

Nancy said...

Haha. Sorry, that it didn't go very well. I've want to start potty training Charlie but I've decided that I'm waiting until he's 3 to try. Or whenever he tells me that he wants to go on the toilet. I ask him randomly if he wants to use the toilet and he yells "NO" at me. Personally I figure diapers are kind of nice, for now, because I don't have to worry about him having accidents while we are shopping when he can't hold it long enough to make it to a bathroom.

Nicole said...

hahahaha Oh Heather, I love the stories you post on your blog! :) Thanks for the laugh! Good luck next time.. Whenever that is! We haven't had any luck in that department here either.

Maria said...

Aww, sweet little Lincoln. I think you are right Heather! I always wait until my kids are ready not when I am. I kept trying with Isaac and it was a nightmare. Pee and poopy underwear everywhere! BUT as soon as he was ready he just did it and I didn't have to do anything (it was a month before his 3rd bday)!

The Hargrave Clan said...

Oh my gosh, Heather, you are the best mom EVER to even attempt that at this age! You make me so happy!

P.S- Thanks for the good example on what NOT to do! Haha! :)