Adventures in Potty Training

I think I would probably enjoy getting kicked in the shin every day more than I have enjoyed potty training.  Ethan turns 3 in a couple of months and I have been very anxious to be done with diapers.  I had originally planned on having things taken care of before Elizabeth came along so that we only had one child in diapers, but that was just wishful thinking.

We have tried to take things slow and follow Ethan's lead.  I know a child won't potty train until they are ready and Ethan is so independent/stubborn that I knew it could only happen when he wanted it to.  Well, after months and months of gently trying to encourage the idea he finally peed in the potty.  For months he would sit on the toilet but nothing would happen and then one day in July he finally went.

He has done really well at peeing in the toilet (very few accidents) but we have yet to poop more than a small nugget.  We are on our 5th week of potty training and he still won't poop in the toilet!  We have done the potty chart with stickers, we have promised him a baskeball hoop, we have gotten bribe toys (rewards) from the dollar store.  Nothing has worked!  On a positive note, for me at least, this last week Ethan has stopped pooping in his underwear.  He now waits until bedtime when he is in a pull-up.

A few days ago Ethan decided he was done using the toilet and refused to pee/poop anywhere but in a diaper.  When we took him to the bathroom he would throw a huge fit.  Fast foreward two days, I am trying to put Elizabeth down for a nap when Ethan knocks on the door to tell me he pooped.  While playing downstairs he pooped in his diaper, he then tried to change his diaper by taking it off and putting it in the garbage, then put on pants and came upstairs to let me know.  Thoughtful, but I had to clean up a lot of poop.

Still no pooping in the toilet but Ethan is now back to peeing in the toilet but only if he can stand.  This is totally okay with me because I get sprayed far less often.