Success!!!

Here is my Tyler, who is now "a big boy!" I usually like to potty train in the summer when it is warm, but Tyler wasn't ready. So, I planned on starting in September/October area, but he still just wasn't ready. I hate potty training! There I said it. I have only had one kid take to it really well, and the rest haven't enjoyed this fine stage of life at all. I like to wait till my kids are big enough to almost reach the sink by themselves, move the stool from place to place, be able to pull up and down their own pants. I also like to wait till they will tell me they have to go. I decided that the new year we were going to finally start the adventure. The first couple of days Ty did okay. He would pee when I asked, but never would say I have to pee. So, we had a lot of accidents, which is totally normal, but then he rarely would go in the potty at all. When it came to pooping, he was TERRIFIED! I mean seriously scared to go near the potty when he had to poop. I would have to hold him down screaming, kicking, and crying. It totally broke my heart to watch him, but once the diapers come off, there is no putting them back on in our house. The next week I really struggled to keep my cool and patience with him. The next week same thing, he would go pee okay, but pooping was still so scary for him. He would hid and hold it in for days till he exploded. It was soooo NASTY! Finally, I took a step back, and realized he needed something more for encouragement. I went to the dollar store and found Disney pez dispensers....Tyler loves Mickey, so it was perfect. I also had hotwheels for him, and they were only for pooping. I finally watched him and looked for the signs he needed to go and would sit for hours waiting for it to happen. This is not an easy task with a very busy 9 month old baby, but I would wait and wait. He would cry, but we would sing and read to try and make it more fun. Finally, he had success! He then would stop peeing, so when I focused again on the peeing we had poop accidents. He hated everything about the potty. Dilan has a stuffed dog he loves. Tyler told me he wanted a puppy, so I took this as his motivation. I bought a dog. I had him pet him, kiss him, and hold him. If he could go a week with no accidents the puppy was his. At first he still would have accidents, but I would tell him that poor puppy needed some hugs or kisses. Finally, he decided this was worth the effort. He has now gone two weeks with no accidents, and will gladly say he has to go potty.
He decided to name his puppy "chocolate" because he loves chocolate. I love how he named him all by himself for something he loves...funny kid. This picture is so sweet, because chocolate is now his bedtime buddy.

Through all this he also learned how to get dressed completely by himself (minus the socks, getting all the little piggies in one place is quite difficult..ha ha) We took him to Chuck E Cheese as a final success. He was so excited! He got all the tickets for himself to pick out his big boy prize. Two months of a lot of tears, facing fears, and a worn out mom but it is worth it to end with so much great success in this great little boys life.