So it begins....

Just when you think you've got this parenting thing down...you get smacked in the face with the reality that you will NEVER get the "hang of it."  My smack in the face has come in the form of potty training.

Oh yes...that's right....I'm potty training my Hunter.  My baby...my little peanut that can't grow up....I just won't let him.  But he is gosh darnit.  I decided to start for a number of reasons.  The first being that he can talk and has the motor skills to pull his pants up and down (mostly down.)  The second being that he is very interested when Sonny or I go to the bathroom.  He likes to follow us in and he yells "Potty!  Pee Pee! (as he points to his wang)."  He also like to call attention to his bodily functions such as farting and burping and pooping.  It's obviously a nature thing with men...not nurture.  And the last being that his older cousin Mia is pretty much fully potty trained and he likes to imitate her.  So...diapers be gone....I just figured lets give it a go.

I hate it.

I loathe it.

Don't do it.

No seriously.  Stop thinking about doing it with you;re child and just keep him in diapers forever.  Invent a size 7. 

Ugh. Of course I searched all of the interweb to find out the best ways of going about this...and the one that seems to work for most moms was either ditching diapers cold turkey and just going to underwear...or going stark naked around the house. That's what I decided to do.  Why, you ask?  Because I'm a masochist and highly enjoy carpet cleaner.  That's why.  The real reason?  Because I didn't think Hunter knows what he's doing when he's doing it.  He feels that he is doing SOMETHING....but I didn't think he knew what was actually coming out.  So I figured if he saw it/ felt it...something would click.

PPPLLLEEEEHHH!!!!!

The first day (Friday) was...ok.  To be expected.  Lots of accidents...one minor success (which included a great spinning touchdown-style dance that Hunter made up himself).  There were a couple things happening: I would put him on the potty every 20 minutes, but he soon became irritated with that.  He humored me the first 3 or 4 times...but then just started getting irritated and running away.  So I brought the potty out to the living room so he could play and I could sit him on it without really removing him from the action.  I know...potty should be in the potty.....but I just wanted him to get the point of pee goes in potty.  So we had that minor success.  YAY!! We high-fived, spun, danced, and cheered! Literally one minute later he peed on the floor.  I didn't get mad...but as I was cleaning that one he peed again. Uhhhh....then 2 minutes after that he peed again. What the? I'm guessing it kinda freaked him out a little and he kept stopping the flow...but still needed to go more.  Makes sense right?  He never told me he had to go, though. And I never caught him at the right time the rest of the day.  Bless you Resolve!  Bless you!

Saturday was a tad better.  One success, still mostly mistakes, but he graduated into saying "uh oh" either as he was going or right before he went (like seconds before he went).  But it didn't make it any easier.  One time I knew he had to go...put him on the pot...he refused...and you know they say that you're not supposed to force them to sit even if you know he has to go.  Well he was fighting so I let him go and started making his lunch and wouldn't you know it.....he peed in his chair.  And played in the puddles.  I was just so grossed out that I started crying and called Heather and Sonny in despair.  Being the good friends and hubby they are...they said stick with it, it'll get better.

Well Sunday was glorious.  We had 4 successful trips to the pot (all with Sonny....none with me) and only 2 half accidents/  Wahoo!  He's learning!!! He's getting it!  Glorious!!!!!

Not so...Monday was pee everywhere but the potty.  Fabu.  It was also get-out-of-my-face-bite-my-lip-so-hard-it-bleeds-cuz-i'm-too-busy-to-sit-on-the-potty day.  Hooray!  I need a beer....

It's tough, and it's going to be a hard road.  I'm giving myself 3 solid weeks before I put the diaper back on and officially say he's not ready.  I'm hoping the accidents get fewer, the successes get more frequent (whether or not he "asks" to go), and that I don't have to revert back to diapers.  Until that time, I will be investing in carpet cleaner....