Success!!!

Tad pooped in the potty yesterday!!!

Woo-HOO!!!!!!!!!

I owe it all to C-3PO and R2-D2.

One of the potty training strategies that was suggested at the seminiar I attended a couple of months ago was to have “potty” toys – toys that never left the bathroom, and the child could only play with them while on the toilet.

Strangely enough, Tad prefers to sit on the potty seat on the toilet, instead of the toddler potty. Not sure why, but since it’s one less thing for me to have to clean, I’m fine with that.

On Sunday, we introduced a couple of toys I had been holding out on Tad – the Star Wars Galactic Heroes figures. We gave him C-3PO and R2-D2 (which did NOT come in the same package, so we are holding Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca in reserve for a later date). He was thrilled with them. He sat on the potty for a half hour, and after a few tears the first time we took them away, Tad quickly figured out the terms on which he got to play with Threepio and Artoo. And after that, simply suggesting the potty would send him running to the bathroom, demanding to sit and play with “Pee-pee-oh” and “Ah-too.”

Yesterday after lunch, I was just about to shuffle Tad off for his nap when I smelled gas. From him. And where there’s smoke… there’s an opportunity, since there was nothing in his Pull-Up. So, I took my new library book into the bathroom, sat Tad down on the potty, handed him Threepio and Artoo and waited. I read Rescuing Sprite (see the sidebar) as I sat on the lip of the bathtub while Tad played with his toys. A half hour later, I wondered how much longer I should let this go on. And then… a look of intense concentration crossed Tad’s face, and he actually set his toys down on the counter to focus.

And then… SUCCESS!!! (Cue Hallelujah chorus)

I was excited. He was excited. I hugged him so hard I made him burp. Really. He got to flush the toilet, and after washing up, we headed into the kitchen for a special treat. Candy corn. He LOVES the stuff. I praised him to the skies. I read him three different stories at naptime (including the potty book). I called Daddy and Grandma to share in the good news.

Considering that the last time he used the potty, he was in a Spica cast and had had an enema, this was a HUGE step forward. For Tad, it’s a very big deal. With the potty toy system now firmly established, as well as a reward for success, I hope that he can repeat this feat again very soon.

Potty training for Tad is going to be a long process. But he’s finally taken that first step forward, and I am so proud of him.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 at 1:54 am and is filed under Children, Mommyhood, Speech Therapy Saga.
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