Potty Training

I knew Jacob was ready to be potty-trained for a few months now, but I kept putting it off.  While I thought Hannah trained easily, I also remember it being extremely exhausting for the first few days.  So I felt like we needed a few days with nothing on our calendar.  It took awhile to find the time and the energy to give it a go.  But since Jacob started telling me a few months ago whenever he needed his diaper changed ("I poop my 'haaants'"), I knew it was time!

I'm not into gradual potty training.  My advice is to go all in, and if it gets frustrating, put it away and try again later.  The first day we started, I gave Jacob a bag of goodies (underwear, treats, potty books, and lots of juice!).  I sat him on the potty and read for a long time.  Nothing happened.  We finally gave up, and a few minutes later, he wet his pants.  I scrapped it for the day and got back at it a few weeks later.  I did the same thing again.  I sat him on the potty and read to him for nearly an hour, until he went by default.  I cheered for him and gave him m&m's.  Then I put underwear on him and told him not to go potty in them because that's yucky.  He said ok.  He instantly started telling me when he needed to pee.  I didn't have to set timers or remind him or anything.  It's been 10 days, and he's only had one accident!  We didn't have a successful #2 until day 7, but he seems to get that now too.  He's even gone to the bathroom without me a few times! I was a bit intimidated by "boy potty-training" because they're notoriously more difficult.  But in true Jacob fashion, he was a piece of cake.  I'm so proud of my big boy!   

Aww, he's so cute in his 1st pair of big boy underwear!  He's not sure about how they feel.

Reading the Elmo potty book while waiting to go potty.