Changes

My 2 year old is in the middle of potty-training right now. I should note that this was really more his idea than mine. I have been pretty unsure of how to go about this potty thing, and early attempts failed miserably. Most of what I have seen/heard/read about has been stuff like "sit your child on the potty every 20 minutes!" and that sort of really involved stuff.

I am not in to "really involved." I don't have the physical or mental stamina to get in to constant battles of will with my son. Which isn't to say that I let him run around like a wild creature and do whatever he pleases in an undisciplined fashion. No, its really more that I pick and choose my battles wisely and trying to make him sit on a potty every 20 minutes was not an undertaking I was willing to commit to. 

Instead, he started telling me when he was "soaked" and wanted "new dopper" (new diaper, for those who don't speak toddler.) And then he started asking to use the potty. No, seriously. He'd ask me to take his diaper off and let him use the potty. We had bought his potty about 6 months ago, when he initially started showing signs that he might be ready. So he knew what it was and had become accustomed to its presence. 

Once THAT happened, I was like "well, it's now or never..." and one morning I just took his diaper off and said "Ok, when you need to pee, you go in the potty. We don't pee on the floor." My son answered "No pee floor. Pee potty." And then... uh, went and peed in his potty. 

I have been living the past week and a half in shock. He's had accidents, yes. He's peed a bit on the floor a handfull of times. But mostly? He's potty trained now, when we're in the house. I haven't exactly braved taking him in public yet.

This has been awesome. Mostly because I don't have to lift him on to the changing table 12 times a day. Nah, only 3 times a day now. (He still wears a diaper for his nap, so once to put it on and once to take it off. And then he wears a diaper to bed.) This is huge. Though I am dumping his potty out a million times a day, but at least that's less effort.

This whole experience just makes me wonder how different this went for me and if my disabilities are playing a role. My son has been following directions and simple requests for a long time now. He is frequently asked to do things for me (can you pick that up? Can you move that? Can you take this to your table?) And he's really awesome about doing the things he's asked to do. 

So he has taken a big role in his pottying adventures. He lifts his liner out once he's peed and brings it to me. Which is not always that awesome, as he has spilled a few times. But I do appreciate that he is trying to help. He puts it back once I have emptied and cleaned it. He alerts me if he has had an accident, and will show it to me. "momma, I pee floor. clean up." He'll even try to help clean up if I'm not careful. 

Part of me wonders if he's taking on too much responsibility and whether or not I am inadvertently damaging him.

But then he spends so much time in my lap, cuddling me and hugging me, saying "awww momma! mine momma!" that I figure... well, he's happy and for now, for this moment, he absolutely adores me. I must not be screwing him up too bad. 

I don't think his toddlerhood so far has been all that different. He runs and plays and talks and learns... he changes day by day. And I do my best to keep up. Even when I am very sick from my pregnancy and even when I have no idea what I'm doing.

I'm just trying to keep up. And I think I'm doing ok, so far.