The day has finally arrived - Micah is potty trained! Or is he....we have been working hard for such a long time that I honestly thought this day would never come.
I had tried every "trick" from every well-meaning advice-giving person out there. Cherrios in the toilet, m&ms as a reward, hanging out naked (just micah was naked...), plastic "underwear", spending time with potty trained kids his own age, and on it goes! We even purchased a remote controlled CAT bulldozer and set it up high where he could see it every day and be reminded of his reward when all of his (you know what) goes into the potty - every day.
And so for weeks we have looked at the bulldozer. We have discussed what the bulldozer will do. We have discussed what must be done to earn the bulldozer. We have tried to climb (unsuccessfully) up to the bulldozer. He wanted that bulldozer. So what was it that kept him from completely potty training?
Finally, after a freak accident - one where Micah "accidently" went #2 in the potty - occurred, we told him we'd take him to get ice cream when he really, truely meant to and went in the potty. (We are still talking about #2 here - #1 had been going on for a few days before this.) We told him he could have ANY kind of ice cream he wanted. And do you know what he said?? (This won't surprise those of you who know him...) Green ice cream (his favorite color) with m&ms (his favorite candy) with green sprinkles (again - color & who doesn't like sprinkles?) in a cone.
Who can say no to that?? And so - he was on! As soon as he went for really real - we'd leave that minute and go get some ice cream.
I'm not sure the ice cream "trick" actually did it for us. It seems pretty coincidental that a day later we ALMOST made it, and two days later actually did make it to the potty. It seems WAY more like he was JUST READY TO GO. And do you know - the FEW people out there who are rational and say to you, "they go when they're ready, and not before" - they just might be right!
I've really tried not to get mad or frustrated with him - I knew that wasn't going to speed things along! But when people see your cute 3 year old (who looks older because of his size) and sees you changing a diaper, they make comments like, "Oh, still working on it, eh?" (Which REALLY means, "Hm...it didn't take me that long to potty train MY kid! You're not doing it right, not trying hard enough because OBVIOUSLY I did something right because MY kid was trained by the time they were 2!!") So it's tough when the other kids around have "been trained" - or rather have "figured it out" - a little earlier. (please note that I realize that not ALL moms feel that way!)
Why is this potty training thing such a big deal? Well - I think that it isn't. I'd just decided DAYS before Micah finally figured it all out that he wouldn't be wearing a diaper that I'd be changing when he was 35 right before his wedding ceremony. (That's right - he's not getting married until then - and then only to the right girl...that I choose.)
So I just figured it would happen when it would happen. And then it did.
So we went out, had our green ice cream with m&ms, sprinkles, and a cone...Ella ate most of the cone while Micah was chowing down on the ice cream.
He didn't seem to mind, he usually likes to share with his little sister - especially when it keeps her quiet for a bit! And a couple days later, after he proved that he had earned it, we got the bulldozer down.
And BOY did Micah and daddy have fun!
At least...for about an hour. Yep - you guessed it! That's how long the bulldozer lasted before it gave up the ghost. How disappointing - so you would think, right? Nope - that hasn't deterred him one bit. He still plays with it, tries to "control" it with the remote, and he still is going potty on the toilet.
So what did I learn? I should have saved my money on the bulldozer (bought the cheaper of the two of course) - and I should have relaxed and encouraged the WHOLE time. Not just at the end. Because he did it when he was ready, and not before. (and THEN we could have had ice cream!!)
By the way - we are SO proud of him! I don't think I've ever clapped louder or longer, shouted as happily, or laughed as much with him as the first time he got it to work the way he meant it to.
And he's pretty excited too - because now he's not just Micah ...he's Big Boy Micah Ray Nixon...he gave himself that nickname!...)
My Opera
