The Potty Train Has Finally Arrived at the Station...

I'm happy to announce that Rory has graduated from training and is now officially potty trained! Hallelujah! I have to admit that a few weeks ago I thought this day would NEVER come. Rory would go a couple times in the toilet every now and then (and we would shower him with praise, treats, etc. in hopes that THIS time it would stick for good!), but then when it came time to "go" again, he would cry for a diaper. And I mean CRY. Heart-wrenching, big crocodile tears crying like he was dying until I finally gave in and put one on him. And then he would go sit on the toilet. IN HIS DIAPER. It was starting to drive me crazy. Okay, BEYOND crazy. I had tried every trick in the book and nothing worked.

So what finally did it? Actually, I had almost nothing to do with it! Here's how it went down: About two weeks ago, I took him to Babies R Us and let him pick out the potty seat of his choice. Not that we didn't already have two different kinds at home already, but I thought maybe if he chose for himself, he might be more motivated to use it. I let him sit on every model they had, and he chose the one he thought was most comfortable. I talked it up all the way home in the car ("Aren't you excited to use your new seat? Isn't comfy? We won't need those diapers anymore, no siree!"), and he seemed pretty enthusiastic about it...until it came time to actually put it to use. He went back to begging for a diaper - and my friends, I was begging for mercy.

A few days later, however, we had some friends over who have a daughter a year younger than Ro who also doesn't like to use the toilet. When Rory came up to me later that evening and asked for a diaper so he could go potty, his little friend looked at him and said, "You still use a diaper? But you're a big boy!" Now I know that he really likes how his friend looks up to him as the "older kid", so I could see the wheels of his brain turning as he realized that he was about to lose some face. So he thinks for a minute and then says, "Nope, I don't need a diaper! Come on, I'll show you!" and he took her in the bathroom and "showed" her how he can poop in the toilet. She was totally in awe of him, and he was so proud of himself - I think that was the real turning point.

The next day, when he said he needed a diaper, I just popped him on his new potty seat and reminded him of how proud he was of himself the night before, and next thing I knew, he had gone again! I think even HE was suprised! We made a sticker chart so he could earn a trip to Chuck E Cheese and I just kept putting him back on the toilet every time he asked for a diaper. He would whine a bit, but he wasn't hysterically crying like he had been, and once he went, we were both estactic.

This week has been AMAZING. Wednesday, he came up and instead of saying, "Mom, I have to go poopy in my diaper," he actually said, "Hey Mom, I have to go poopy on the toilet!". ON THE TOILET!!!! WOW! I put him on his potty seat and got ready to read him a book, but he just said, "That's okay, Mom, I need my privacy" and he kicked me out and shut the door! I almost fell over!! A few minutes later, he yelled for me and he had gone ALL BY HIMSELF! I practically cried with joy.

But the crowning moment was definitely yesterday, when we were at a park. He came up and said the magic words again, "I have to go poopy on the toilet, Mom!" and so I grabbed my little fold up potty seat (which we've never used before)and he actually went and willingly sat on the toilet. And then HE POOPED AT THE PARK! Pooping while we're out at a public place - I couldn't believe it. I never thought this day would come!!

We have now gone almost two whole weeks without using a diaper to poop...
and I am ONE PROUD MAMA!

Way to go, Ro!