This TWO Shall Pass

We here at Casa de Sloan are four days in to potty training. Four short {but looooooong} days. Under the recommendation of my sweet friend and fellow mom to four potty trained children, I am using Toliet Training In Less Than a Day by Nathan Azrin and  Richard Foxx. It's concise; it's no-nonsense; it's exhausting  {or maybe it's your kids peeing all over the place that about does that}; BUT it works.  After just two days of training, both of our boys have been accident free with the exception of the daily #2 from Abe {you're welcome for that little TMI gem!}. Anyway, we are just trying to ride that one out under the advise of lots of friends and family who assure us that it will happen and that it just takes some kids longer to figure it out.  Man is that a principal easier said than lived out, though!Right now as I type, two little ticking time bombs are running and frolicking about about, completely ignorant as to why I am unnerved. Neither boy has done his business this morning and I am on them like white on rice. These poor chaps cannot even scratch an itch without me practically walking them to the potty. Alas, just as a watched pot never boils, I'm sure the same will ring true with them. As soon as I turn my back to tend to the baby or answer a phone call, the inevitable will happen. It's Mom Law.

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As an added measure to help ensure our success, we  also enlisted some of our favorite friends around here. In fact, not one of them was excluded from the party! Our buddies candy, chips, juice and popular t.v. personalities all showed up and totally brought their A-Game. They did such a great job, however, we had to switch gears a little after one particularly smart boy cracked the code and started stopping the "flow" of things so he could get a treat and then go back and finish for another one. Told ya' he was smart!

Meet said boy, Benjamin "Whatastinker" Sloan. Seriously, this boy is so desperate for candy that I think he would sell one of his brothers to a band of gypsies all for the sake of an M&M.

MUHAAHAAHAA!

 And then we have our reserved boy. Our number two child who will not do a #2 on the toilet and who kindly says, "No Dan-Du, Mommy" when he's offered a treat for trying. He also prefers that I not sing a song or do our "Potty Party"  dance complete with obnoxious, "Ooooh-Ooooh" after he does go. He is just sooooo not motivated by  conventional  rewards. Thankfully, there is  one thing that will make this boy grin ear-to-ear. After he uses the potty he likes to ask me, "Are you happy, mommy?"  and then  he waits for the exuberant "Yes!" and a big kiss and hug! I'll tell you what, a little lovin' goes a long way with this boy! I guess the occasional fruit snack doesn't hurt either :)

So while still have quite the hill to climb {i.e. learning to undress while wearing clothes, actually leaving the house, accidents in public, pooping IN the potty, wearing underwear during naptime and nighttime, transitioning to standing, no longer being reminded to go} I  am CLINGING to the promise of those who have gone before us that these things will come and not just once they're six! 

I am also trying to remind myself that for every accident that we do have, it's just one less in the however many that are still to come. But it is hard, people! Especially when  that involves scrubbing a pair "Melmo" tighty-whities in the sink, all the while contemplating if they really can or should be saved.

Ah, sweet potty training! But if there's anything I have learned in my short time and experience of being a mother, it's that this TWO shall pass!