Stars and Potties

I woke up today and thought....hmmmm.....we don't have anything going on today, why not potty train Henry?

With David this process included months of planning, reading every potty training book in the library, consulting everyone I knew who had blazed this path before me and choosing the exact right moment to begin.  Of course my well researched and meticulously detailed plan immediately began to fall apart and I soon discovered that no matter what the books say your toddler probably won't be completely potty trained within a week and you probably will have at least one (hopefully private) screaming fit if you expect everything to be smooth sailing and not to be stripping all of the couch cushion covers off for a washing at least once......or maybe multiple times a day......

Henry on the other hand, like every second child destined for therapy, gets a spur of the moment decision after months and months of feet dragging.  I figured if we were going to do this before baby makes five and/or before Henry turns three we should probably get going while I'm still mobile :)

But how to keep the children occupied and off of the carpet?  Beaded pipe cleaner stars anyone?  David loved it, Henry gave up after about ten minutes and took to picking out beads for me to string for him.  Bead choosing is apparently the absolute best part of this activity.....

The potty training is going much better than it did with David.  Maybe it's because Henry is older than David was or much more compliant or maybe it's because my expectations are so just so much lower this time around.......

I gave him some undies, set a timer to go off every twenty minutes or so and just put the little angel on the potty with the promise of leftover Halloween treats for successful attempts dangling over him.  It's going well but it's going to take some practice.......

Rookie Potty Training Mistake #1:  letting a cute toddler cuddle up on your lap for stories after dosing him with copious amounts of orange juice to help move things along, noticing that he looked a little sleepy but not really caring because it's just so cute when they want to snuggle up......two minutes, there were only two minutes left before our potty timer went off but I needed a whole new outfit and I was in the process of stripping the chair cushions for a wash as it buzzed.......

Rookie Potty Training Mistake #2:  only buying six pairs of undies....really, I really thought six pairs would get me through the day?  Luckily with all of the cushion washing I had plenty of opportunity for undie washing as well....

PS David is now demanding special treats every time he goes to the potty as well....ummmm no.....but he does get a treat for *helping* Henry go--i.e. reading him stories, cheering for him, and giving him hi-fives.  What are big brothers for if not this? :)