Livin' our Love Song: Do the... potty dance!

I made the announcement a few weeks ago that Mason had peed on the potty for the first time, but honestly, I was in no hurry to start potty training and really didn't think he was all out ready for it. I just thought it was a lucky try. I had planned on waiting until Mick was home, so I had some help in the potty training department, but Mason is just making it WAY too easy on me!

NO complaints here!

The past week, whenever we are home, I just let him run around naked. I don't even have to watch him and keep on him. He actually ENJOYS using the potty. He likes feeling like a "big boy". He'll be running around and playing and just drop whatever he's doing, run to the potty, do his business, yell and clap - announcing his job well-done - and then run to the bathroom, waiting for me to come and empty his little potty into the big potty, so he can do every little kid's favorite part - FLUSH. haha

whatchu lookin' at?

I started out giving him a few m&m's every time he went on the potty, but he quickly out-smarted me. He realized that if he "pinches-it-off" after a few seconds and pees 7 tiny times, he'll end up with a lot more m&ms than if he just sits down and lets it all out at once. This resulted in a sugar rush/chocolate high and way too many toilet flushes. I'm kind of afraid to see my water bill.

I decided to stop giving m&ms for every #1 and only giving candy/cookies out for #2s. Surpringly, he doesn't even care. Just the satisfaction of knowing he's a "big boy" is enough for him. In fact, he always yells "Yay!! Booyyyy!" when he's done because I always say "yay big boy!" hehe Of course, every time he sits down, he still looks at me and asks "cookie?" but even if I tell him "no, no more cookies", he still does his business and still gets the same big smile on his face when he sees his work!

(he calls ANY type of sweets "cookie". m&ms are "cookies" Even a nutra-grain bar is a "cookie" to him. I'll take it)

Today we started the next big step - wearing big boy underwear so he can get the hang of actually telling me when he has to go and learning to take his pants on and off. While he's not really coordinated enough to get his pants off by himself yet, he's done a GREAT job of letting me know, so I can help him get undressed and to the potty in time. We have had ZERO accidents the past week. (keep in mind when we leave the house, however, he's still in diapers. I haven't been brave enough to try potty training outside of the house yet)

checkin' out his new "big boy" underwear

of COURSE it's Yo Gabba Gabba underwear

My other "proud-mommy-moment" of the week is the fact that Mason can count to 10! I don't know how much kids are supposed to be able to do at this age, but I feel like being able to count to 10 before he's even 2 is pretty impressive! I'm so proud of him. He's not perfect at it yet. Sometimes, he skips #1 all together and goes onto #2, and sometimes, since he has a hard time saying "seven", he skips it too, but overall, he's doing great and is so smart! He's talking like crazy and even starting to sing songs.. fairly well!

His daddy is going to be shocked when he sees this big boy. He remembers him as the 18 month old that was barely talking, was attached to his binky and potty training wasn't even on either of our minds yet. At the beginning of this deployment, I was so scared I would end up being a basket case and a terrible mother and end up screwing our child up, but I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself! I've held it together, I've kept my head up and stayed strong and I think it shows in how well Mason is growing and learning everyday! I mean, he's hitting his terrible 2's full force and has his moments when he throws tantrums and I just want to cry, because I don't know how to deal with it, but those moments quickly pass and he's back to my sweet little boy again... asking me for "hucks" and kisses and telling me he loves me. It still melts my heart every night when I lay him in his crib and hear "bye bye mommy. ight ight. Lu Lou!"