"Gimme some PRI-vacy, Mama!" Warning, may be TMI!

I always thought I’d have to potty train Michael and it would be a long, drawn out, difficult and messy process. But as it turns out, though it was messy at times, he taught me the lesson of waiting until HE was ready. He just wasn’t interested and I saw no value in forcing the issue, slightly frustrated though I was.

I call our process pottying, because it really hasn't felt like training, it’s been fluid and easy really once we started focusing our attention in a relaxed and fun way. I started reading Michael’s potty books to him more often. Then we had a naked period, where we stayed home mostly and Michael was naked most of the time, then he went commando style (clothes but no diaper, no underwear). And then graduated to underwear, where we had a few accidents.

One day while going “commando” his buddy Morgan was here and the boys were playing outside. All of a sudden Morgan came running in so seriously, screaming “Michael is pooping, Michael is pooping!” I went running out hoping to get him to the potty, only to find a large “cow pile” and a squatting, smiling Michael. This story ended in a shower.

The best thing about our pottying process was Morgan was often here and they, having their potties side by side stopped to go potty whenever the other one would. You can imagine that they were on their potties quite a bit. They loved it! It seemed to make the process so much more fun for both of them.

The thing that cracks me up most is when Michael, on the potty, waves his hands over his head and says, “Gimme some PRI-vacy, Mama” I always oblige but remembering the days of having to put him in a bouncy chair in the bathroom while I went (lest he cry), or balancing him in the sling (lest he cry), or as soon as he could walk having him follow me in (lest he cry), or still at 3 ½ following me in (you get the point). I’m wondering, when do I get PRI-vacy!?!

Our next step is to get Michael used to going on the big toilet with out a small potty seat over it. The other day he got up on the toilet without the potty seat and I thought cool, he’s not scared of it, he’s going to try it. I turned my back and then suddenly heard a little gasp, followed by “uhhh!” Yes, folks, he fell in. For a brief second I contemplated leaving him in the toilet to run and get the camera. But sadly my better judgment won out so I don’t have a picture. I tried to get him to do it again but to no avail. That story ended in a shower as well.