Let's Get Real Thursday

Last weekend we had a plan of attack for potty training. It failed. Big time! Friday was a horrible day of mess after mess with not a single potty success. By the end of the day when I was becoming a not nice mommy, I finally asked Grayson if he wanted to go to the potty or put on a diaper. He chose diaper... we are done. So a made a quick decision that he is just not ready and we'll try again in a month or so. No big deal.

But to be honest.... I'm having a hard time with it. Not because he isn't potty trained or out of diapers (it's not that big of a deal and I know it will happen in the right timing). But because my plan failed. You see with each big transition with Grayson I have had a full-proof plan of attack to help us succeed. With the big boy bed transition, we started reading an Elmo book on big kid beds a few weeks before to get him ready and wanting one. We went shopping and let him pick out his own sheets (even if they didn't match) so that he would be excited about getting into his new bed. We basically brainwashed him not to jump on the bed or get out of bed til mom/dad came to get him.... And it worked! It was the smoothest transition and my plan worked!

So I approached potty training the same way. We started reading an Elmo potty book a couple of weeks ago. He already practices "going potty" at school. We went shopping and he picked out a bunch of big boy underwear that he was excited about. He picked out all his reward stickers for when he went potty. Friday morning we watch an Elmo DVD on potty time.... And with each accident and underwear change and not a single sticker... I felt like a failure! This was the first transition that my "plan" failed. (I know now that I am not a failure and there is nothing that I could do/not do.. it just has to be when he is ready.) But the feeling was still there. The core of my type A personality of needing a plan for everything crumbled a little that day.

But amidst that feeling I received so many texts from friends and family full of encouragement and prayers for our weekend and my struggle. God was soo good to me to give me a circle of support and encouragement. And friends have told me now that I was wise to know now not to push him and just wait til he is ready. I'm glad it took just one day to decide to wait. We didn't ruin a weekend with a grumpy momma and too much laundry. We went to a birthday party and swam with friends and enjoyed our relaxing weekend together.

We will try again in a month or so...  Let's get real, he can't go to college in diapers!... though he might be the first! ;)