Dry Weekend

We have been trying to potty train Liam and it's not been going all that well. He was doing much better half a year ago...asking to go most of the time he had to poop. Not really good about asking about having to pee. He would forget half the time, but would remember other times. He got incentive from getting a piece of chocolate when he went. But then that stopped really being incentive for him and he kind of just stopped asking. It's like he didn't care. A little bit of despair sunk in. Even when we promised that he could get a new fire truck toy (he loves fire trucks) if he went in the potty successfully enough times, it didn't seem to do it. We tried using actual underwear, hoping he would hate the feeling of the wet fabric. Didn't seem to concern him. He never pooped in them (thankfully), but would pee whenever he felt like it. Even character printed underwear didn't really give him incentive (in fact, he couldn't wait to pick out the next character after he peed. Arg.)

I didn't want to have to change two sets of diapers come April, so I was determined to get him learning. So we tried another approach. Every time he went in his diaper, or underwear, he had a toy taken away from him, starting with his favorites. This upset him when it happened, but he still wasn't really good about asking for a while. Whenever he DID ask and went, he got to pick one of the toys he had lost and got it back. Some days were good, some days were bad.

Then, suddenly, Thanksgiving he did pretty well most of the day. On Friday, he went the entire day without any accidents. We put him in underwear, and he asked every single time. He had all of his toys back, so we wanted to continue to give him incentive somehow. So we started putting hearts on a chart, telling him that if he got 5 hearts, he could go pick out a new fire truck toy at the store. And that if he messed up, we would take a toy away, and he wouldn't get a heart until after he had gotten all his toys back again and there wasn't anything to pick from. He did great most of Saturday, with only one big mistake in the evening, where he lost his toy. He promptly got it back the next morning. By mid-day Sunday he had 5 hearts, and he went to Target to pick out his fire truck toy. He was very thrilled with it, and proud, and has been playing with it non-stop. He now has one blue heart in the next row, ready for another 5. I am SO proud of him. Maybe this is where he'll suddenly just start doing well. That it will click in for him now. He has even had dry nights, even though usually it's a while before that happens while they are learning. I am not sure how many more toys we will get, but for now I am fine with getting him a few, if it serves as incentive for him.

Way to go, Liam!

The Joy of Fire Trucks

I know...the joy of fire trucks? What is she talking about? Do fire trucks actually bring you joy? Do they bring me joy? Actually, yes they do.
...Why?

Because Liam loves them.

I never thought that seeing a fire truck on the road would make my heart happier and bring a smile to my lips and even make me exclaim "Ooo look! A fire truck!" to no one at all while driving somewhere. But suddenly, now it does. Because my son loves them so much, and gets so excited when he sees one...heck, when he even just hears one. They bring him such delight. And I love that delight in him so much, that it brings me joy, too. So, yes...seeing a fire truck on the road, as I did today coming home from my yoga class, brings me surprising joy.

Updates to come

Yes, I am way behind on posting about Liam. Sorry, things have been hectic. I promise I will try to post more often. He's doing great, and it's always amazing to listen to him, to watch him. There are times when he seems so much older than his 3.5 years, and while I am proud of him growing up, I just want him to stop for a little bit. I'll definitely have to share some of his moments and quirks with you. But it will have to be another day.