A case of the gout

Actually it is not Gout we all are suffering from here, but the nasty cold that all of the S L Valley has passed around. We just got over it a few days ago and then there was the flu...hopefully it is a quick virus?

I will post about sweet Simon and his 1st birthday very soon!

Ian the great!

So, potty-training Ian has been anything and everything but simple. We began working on it around Thanksgiving and he was doing pretty well. After Christmas Ian totally regressed and refused to even go near the potty. He even went so far as to bring me one of Simon's diapers and laid down so that I could put it on him saying, " I just want to wear a diaper Mom." At that point I just backed off completely.

And cried a little too.

It was the best thing I could have done! (the backing-off part) Apparently, backing off for a couple of weeks did a world of good because he has now gone almost two days peeing and even pooping in the potty. He still cries a little when he poops, it seems to scare him a little. But it is getting better every time!

If you too have found yourself are in the midst of a potty-training nightmare, then let me share with you some of the things that seem to be working for Ian.

First, find a role-model. I enlisted Gabe. Every time I take Ian to the potty, which is every hour or so, Gabe comes with and also uses it. Bingo! I should have thought of this sooner, Ian pretty much mimics every word and movement that Gabe makes all day long. In order to get Gabe on board, I had to resort to bribery which leads me to...

Reward System! I am usually not a fan of this, I believe that the sense of accomplishment should suffice as a reward in most cases Blah Blah Blah. This works for Ian!!! I created a sticker chart with ten boxes on it. Each time Ian goes in the potty and has a dry pull-up or underpants he gets to put a sticker on the chart. If he forgets or get's lazy (this sound harsh but believe me, Ian just sometime is lazy about it) and has an accident, no big deal but he looses a sticker. When he completes the chart he gets a present from Mommy and Daddy ( think: dollar store special). I believe this also really works because Gabe has a sticker chart too, but his is for staying in bed all night long and not coming into Mommy and Daddy's room 3 times per night. This also has worked like a charm!

Finally, potty treats. Hey it works for dogs, must work for humans too right? After Ian successfully remembers to keep himself dry and pee in the potty, he get's two fruit snacks. Not whole packages, just two little snacks. He actually hasn't even gotten through an entire little package yet because sometimes we forget to get the treat, but it always serves as great motivation to try on the potty. Gabe also gets a potty treat, yeah you better believe he's milkin' this situation! We also celebrate every little drop that goes into the potty, high fives and dancing bring for lots of giggles and excitement!

I am hoping that if I can keep this up consistently for at least two weeks, it will become habit for Ian mentally and physically. I not asking for much here, just one boy in diapers!

Sticker chart, $1.00

Fruit Snacks, $2.00

Dollar store toys, well...$1.00

A Potty trained 2 year old? PRICELESS! (oh, and about $10 less per week in pull-ups!)

Just wondering...

So I fell off the blog-wagon as of late and was wondering if anyone cares if I get back on or not? Leave me a comment...