Potty training

I read all about "Three Day Potty Training" and since a three-day weekend was upon us, we thought we'd give it a go. The curriculum requires that you're homebound for three solid days, and since we had a beautiful (and hot) weekend in the forecast, this was it. For several months, Enzo has periodically used the potty. In recent weeks, however, he has grown resistent and refuses to use the toilet. It's time to not drag this out any longer.

The night before we started, I told Enzo that Gianna needed all his diapers and that he wouldn't be needing them anymore. Starting tomorrow, I told him, he'd only be using the potty. It worked. He brought Gianna his diapers - one by one - and said "Here, sissy!"

We all awoke bright and early and I told him, "You get to go NAKED on the bottom today!" He was not having it. I think the only time Enzo has walked around naked is during the 10 steps it takes from his room to the bathtub. Finally, after a little coaxing - as well as a sample naked run around the house from his father - he stripped down.

Day 1:
Here's the gist: The little one is naked from the waist down while at home. Mom and Dad put potties all around the house. (And they also put blankets and rugs and towels across all furniture, carpeting for fear all will be urine-saturated and ruined forever.) When he has to go, he goes, and hopefully he goes on the potty. If he doesn't, you scoop in and carry him (peeing all over you) to the potty. And when he makes a "hit," you celebrate BIG TIME with the potty dance. The crazier, the better. Pull-up during naptime and bedtime.

Day 1 results: 18 hits and no misses. Can this be possible? Midday, as he's running around naked outside in the sunshine, we take our eyes off him for 10 seconds, and we find him sitting on the potty saying "Going ca ca now. Potty dance?!" Ah. Maze. Ing.

Day 2: Rise and shine and strip him down. "Naked?!" he asks us. Of course! Trying not to be overconfident, Jeff and I are stoked that we have only had to change Gianna's diapers during the past 24 hours. You're welcome, landfill. We are waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. Today, the curriculum requires one, one-hour outside-of-the-home excursion. To the park we go, potty and all. Oh, and shorts are fine - just no chones. Enzo is freeballin.

We spend the hour watching him like a hawk. "Do you have to go potty now? Potty? Pee pee Enzo? Now?!" As he squats down to "look at the sand," he pees his shorts. OK, what do we do? Right, act disappointed and take him to use the potty. "Enzo. Pee pee goes in the potty. This is disappointing." And change him into his spare shorts that his bomb-mom has tucked in the stroller cargo area. Not so bad for our first away from home (and wearing clothes) outing.

Day 2 results: 9 hits and 1 miss. Still phenominal.

Day 3: I don't think this boy will ever wear clothes again. We have a peeing Picasso on our hands. Today calls for two, one-hour excursions. In the morning, we head to the park and have an almost-accident. It's like he was able to stop himself. Awesome. Then, in the car to the dry cleaner and to get ice cream. Jeff preps the car and Enzo's carseat with my (sent home from the hospital with) labor and delivery bed liners as well as with shamwows. Expecting he will pee all over himself and all over the car. How do parents without SUVs do this? He peed twice in the potty sitting in the back of the Murano in parking lots before we left, and once while pulled over to the side of the road because he said "Mama pee NOW!"

"Who, me?! Potty dance now?!"

Day 3 results: 8 hits. No misses.

The post boot camp curriculum suggests naked bottoms while at home and no underwear under clothes for three months. Pull-ups during naps and bedtime. We'll see how that goes. But for now, we'll go with it. I'd say our little Enzo is on his way to being potty trained. Alleluia!