It's Potty Time... Big Boy Style!

That's right people! As of October 2011, Hayden is fully potty trained! So blog worthy right?!? Oh, he's gonna kill me one day! At almost 3 years old, our big boy no longer needs a diaper during the day! As much as I was dreading the potty training experience I thought we'd never get around to doing it, but boy was I wrong. One day it just happened. Hayden decided he was going to wear underwear. He decided, and we never turned back. I think that was the key... turning back was never an option. He did ask for a diaper once after the day he decided to wear underwear, but I told him his size was all gone and he never questioned me about it after that. If he had I guess I would have just repeated myself. I knew I was not turning back. Good thing for me I was prepared. I knew I was going to start the process soon, I just didn't know exactly when. He's one of those kids that like to be in charge, so I didn't want to push him or I knew it would be the longest process ever. SO glad I waited on him. Two weeks. We're done. It was awesome. I found this Elmo potty chart/activity book at Old Navy a while back when we were getting him some underwear for when he was ready and it proved to be the best $2 I have ever spend in Old Navy! Who knew they sold potty charts?!? I guess there's a market everywhere! Anyways, Hayden didn't just come up with the idea himself, we have been talking about it, he just hasn't been interested in being without his diaper. We have had potty chairs in the house for quite a while now, and he has even used them for a while, he just hasn't been interested in only using them! Then one day he told me "Mom, I'm not wearing a diaper anymore!" To which I replied "Great! We better go get you some more underwear!" I had a couple of pairs, but not enough for the amount of accidents I was sure we were going to have. Off to Target we went. He helped me pick himself out some more underwear, I got a pack of Pull-Ups for naps/nighttime, some "Cars" big boy wipes, big boy soap for washing our hands and to the house we went. That day during nap time I set up the potty chart in our bathroom upstairs and when he woke up I explained how it would work to him. He would get a sticker to place on that day for every time he went potty in his toilet. To say he was excited about that would be an understatement. He was thrilled! I guess he likes sticker charts! I also used other incentives like suckers, pez, etc, but the stickers worked just as good. He did have a few accidents in the first week or so, but not near as many as I thought he would have. Barely any at home, with the exception of the time I got peed directly on! Oh, and the couple of times the floor got peed on when he was too into doing something to stop!:) Just a couple when we were out which was to be expected. Most happened when we couldn't make it to the restroom in time. He knew he had to go, I just could not get him there quick enough. Hardly any in the car, but that is mostly because we bought a car potty. Best investment ever by the way. We use it all the time, and it saves us all the time. Who has time to actually stop and find a restroom when they really have to go?!? Sometimes I can barely make it, so I knew this was something we were going to need for him. It works for us! I can't believe how easy it actually was to potty train him. Why was I dreading it so much? It is WAY easier to only have 1 diaper to change!:) Oh, and poop in the potty is so much nicer than poop in a diaper! The pooping took a few days longer than the peeing part, but not bad at all. He does still wear a pull-up(which we call nap underwear and night time underwear depending on the time of day) for naps and bedtime, but other than that he is good to go. He's a pro! Needless to say, we are super proud of him! Check out his potty time pics(this is what he will kill me for one day!)...

Can you tell he's as proud as we are?!? Notice his stickers
waiting and ready on the floor! He can't sit
down without them!

He's very proud of the fact he can do it by himself!

Daddy or I help with the process of dumping it into the big potty(and clean-up), but the flushing is all up to Hayden...

Yes, he waves bye to his poop! Hilarious!

I know you are probably wondering why we don't just use one of those potty rings, but the truth is, Hayden does better on the potty that sits on the floor. We have one of the potty rings, and he will use it, but it takes much more assistance so he's not too crazy about it. He likes to do it himself! I'm sure when he's a little taller, we'll move on to the ring, but for now he likes his "little" potty! I also think it is a little more comfortable for him. Mostly though, I just use it because that is what he prefers and pottying in the potty chair(no matter what kind) is better than pottying in his diaper in my opinion!:) It' really not even a big deal to clean up. You just dump it, wipe it and go! Easy peasy!

Showing off his sticker!

During week two he started to run out of room to put them, but
don't worry... that didn't make him want the sticker any less.
He just started putting them on top of each other!

After two weeks time, this is what the potty chart looked like!

I'm pretty sure after the first couple of days he just started going potty to get a sticker. I guess I'll make him a new chart to use so he can keep going! Who knows when the chart will stop! I'm just glad he liked it. It worked for us!

His potty books helped too! Just like a man to
want to read and sit on the pot!

Yes, the Elmo book is a bit large, but he still likes it so we use it! I am not kidding you when I tell you he knows every word to the potty book. Auntie May got that for him back on Sawyer's birthday and Hayden has loved having it during this time! He asks for it nearly every time we go in the downstairs restroom! It is so funny to watch him read it!

Almost as funny as this picture! Ha!

I called his name and caught a smile!
I love how huge the book looks!

We do actually read these books at other times too, but he usually wants to read them most when we are having potty time. It does drag it out, but who cares. It makes it more fun for him, and more fun equals easier for us! Who knew potty training could actually be a fun process?!?

It sure was for Hayden! Especially when he got a sucker!:)

I don't want you to think it was all fun, because he did have his accidents, but for the most part it was pretty fun and simple. Especially compared to what I thought it was going to be! Potty training... you scare me no longer! I'm ready for you when it's Sawyer's turn!!!