Potty Training

I am pretty behind on blogging. Let me explain. I am still trying to figure out how to be a mom to two, keep a husband happy and a house clean. Thankfully, I do have a husband who is helpful around the house.. but still it is an adjustment. So when the majority of the days when work gets complete, I really just want to hang out with Craig, watch TV, or puruse Pinterest, or all of the above. Then add into the equation that we have had a very hellish summer (as in extreme heat), and a VERY active 2 year old.. coming up with activites to keep him happy INSIDE.. and I have started working part time again.. I have just fallen behind. My goal is to catch up. :)

Two weeks ago, Jackson's babysitter could not watch him for a 3 day period, as she got her classroom ready for her MDO class. (We have the BEST babysitter EVER.. so when I finally got home with McKinley from the hospital, Jackson continued to go to play with Sarah during the day..so that he could still have a fun summer and I could spend quality time with McKinley and keep the house somewhat clean).

I had known that when it came to potty training, I wanted to do the Three Day Boot Camp.. I had heard that although quite awful for the first 2 days, it is (normally) very successful. Sarah had given me these days in advance, so I thought it would be the PERFECT time to start potty training Jackson. I called my mom and got those dates on her calendar as well, so that she could come and be McKinley's care taker, so I could devote all my attention to Jackson and his accidents and successes. :)

Well the day before my PLAN was going to go into effect, Sarah texted me that Jackson had woken up from his nap with a fever. My first thought was "NO WAY, he better feel better tomorrow, because we are supposed to start potty training". (Those of you who read my blog faithfully know that EVERY SINGLE TIME that I have had a plan for Jackson's development, he has a TOTALLY different idea.. so you might know how this story is about to go).

When I get him home, he is acting ok... not really sick.. but not really himself. Well that night was horrible, he wouldnt quit crying.. and when we finally were able to take his temperature (I dont know what taking temperatures are like in your house.. but in ours, it is near impossible).. his fever was up to 103. He was miserable. I finally came to terms with that potty training was not going to be able to happen the next day.
WELL.. when he woke up, he seemed so much better, so I went ahead and put him in his big boy underwear. (Sorry for the grainy picture.. it was taken with my IPhone 3). Did you also know that not only are boys clothes not the cutest.. boy underwear is super not cute. Thankfully Target had a few pairs that were decent.

We had NO accidents and he even went potty on the potty one time. I was so excited and he got to choose from his first of his rewards. Shortly after, his fever started coming back, and he kept saying "night night" which during the day means he is ready to snuggle. So, snuggle we did.

Mom still came that day and hung out with us, even though potty training was not happening. She got a phone call saying that one of her houses that has been on the market for a loooong time was being shown that night. Well, wouldnt you know that she got a deal on that house. Which by the way, is FANTASTIC, but totally went against my plan for potty training.

I dont know if you know anything about the 3 day boot camp. But basically, you take your child to the potty every 1o minutes. So day 2 of potty training, which was essentially day 1, since we didnt do it long the first day.. was. horrible. There are no words to describe that day. None. I had to plan my ten minutes out very carefully. McKinley could only take ten minutes to eat and burp and there was very little snuggle time.. I had to figure out when I could pump. And then those times would get messed up because Jackson would REFUSE to sit on the potty. Instead, he would wait til minute 11 or 12 and pee anywhere he was.. on the carpet, on the couch, on the towel right next to the toilet, etc. So then we had to do our "clean up" routine. My child is very strong willed and this was just proving itself to be one of the worst days of my life (might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much). We were all 3 miserable.

I gave up about 5 pm.. when I got the phone call that my husband who NEVER SPEEDS got pulled over and given a ticket. I knew that noone in my house would be in the mood to continue in the quest to potty train. So instead this is what happened with the potty. And the good news is, because we had ZERO successes that day, the potty was clean and sanitary as he used it for his hat.

Ugh. We will try again when I can definitely have my back up. Updates to come, I am sure.