Still here....

I think fall is officially here--maybe! It was in the upper 70's and I enjoyed every minute of it. Amara is doing well with her running. She ran three days in a row getting in at least 1.5 miles each time! She needs 5 more before the big race this Saturday. She opted to take the day off today ( I don't blame her) and wants to shoot for 2 miles tomorrow!

picture from last fall-oct. 11, 2009!

Miles turned 3 and all of a sudden he is getting into his naughty stage. He is really well behaved, so when he does normal toddler shenanigan's it is sometimes hard to take! The good news is he is still dry and doing his business on the potty like a champ. I have been getting him up at around 11 pm every night to use the bathroom and that seems to be working well ( except for a weird 4 days in a row that he was still soaking wet, sheets and all!).

I want to get some good fall pics of the kids before the leaves all fall off.....maybe tomorrow.

Operation Potty Train!

We might be on the way to being pull up and consistent accident free. This has been a long ride. I won't call it frustrating either. Just long.

Miles can go to the bathroom all by himself and basically insists. Almost a full week of no #1 accidents!! We are going on 2 weeks or more ( I forget! Yay!) of going #2 at least every other day if not every day-- by his request! Success. The next step is no pull ups during naps and the night. Any tips out there?!???

Operation Potty Train!

It's been a while. Besides being super busy with stuff; our computer was out of commission for a few days. What a rough few days that was!
Update on Mr. Miles. He stays dry. He hoards his feces. That's about it. haha!
He is making slow progress, but I am being as patient as I can with him. It's hard for me to leave the house knowing he has business to take care of. I feel as if I am setting him up for failure or making him hold it in. Love that. No, I hate it!! He will come around. I know he will!!!!
He has grown bored with the rewards as well. He doesn't ask for M&M's or stickers or anything. He might every once in a while and I give it to him, but he could care less. I wonder if M&M's can go bad....I better go and eat them. I don't want my buddy getting sick!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

I called the doctor on Miles this past Thursday. It was really just to make sure I was handling everything in the correct manner. Happy to know that I have been. He has a condition. It's called Fecal Hoarding! (gross) No explanation is needed. The triage nurse assured me it was normal etc.
She also prescribed him a regimen of milk of magnesia, raisins, prunes (which Miles calls- big raisins) grapes, whole grains, yogurt, water and juice. I told her he eats all this stuff anyway(except juice-which he is LOVING!). So she told me to keep it up and then some and limit milk and bananas. Done.
We have had a bit of success so far. It's not been a week yet but have seen some action in Miles' #2 habits already. He still does not want to "go", but I think the MOM is kind of not giving him a choice. Well, he has not been taking 45 + minutes to give up the goods. It's more like 5-30 minutes. That's success in this house! We are getting somewhere. He has been staying dry for the most part..a few accidents here and there, but no consistent accidents.
Go Miles Go!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

Quick update here.
Miles wore under ware for a while yesterday and hopefully all day today ( minus sleeping time). We ventured to the YMCA as usual. I had his diaper bag with changes of clothes for when he had an accident. Well..drum roll please....he not only stayed dry for the 1.5 hours he was there, but he also told someone he had to use the potty--and then used it!! YAY!!!
We celebrated in the car with Altoids all around!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

More progress. No #2 in the potty. Just in the Pull Up...during nap time or night time! I won't complain..I just want him to GO!
We have had almost 2 full days of dryness here! Yay Miles!! He has not gotten in the habit of telling us he has to go, but when we sit him on the potty..8/10 he goes!
That's all I got!

Operation Potty Train! Progress??

Update on the boy and his potty.
He stays dry and clean for the most part! A few slip ups here and there, but that might be parent error ( not asking him or not being home etc.) I figured I would start off with the good news!
Now the not so good news. The #2 stuff. Not doing so hot there. The poor kid is still scared to go. We are not sure what to do! We have offered so many wonderful things too!! Scare tactics don't even work-- the ambulance is going to come and help him go. Nope--he called me on my bluff! The ambulance trick does work to get him to eat his veggies though........
I am still trying to be patient with him. I have had a few frustrated mommy moments, but all in all I am being laid back about it. I have heard way worse stories about potty training, so I still consider myself lucky!

Operation Potty Train! Progress!

I lost count on how many days it has been since the good old potty training has started. I am starting to go crazy. Yesterday was a long day. Miles did very, very well though. Lots of #1 and a nice #2 before bed. The #2 took while. Over an hour. Possibly 2, I forget. Lots of screaming and yelling ( him, not me..I swear) he told me he was scared. It broke my heart. So there I was hugging my son as he screamed in my ear the whole time. I ate my dinner on the floor next to him. I read books. All in the name of going #2....and he did it! No help from any meds either. Whew. I did not want him dependent on that. I know he was never constipated ( sorry if TMI, but this is about potty training!), he was just holding it in the whole time. His new reward is dinosaur fruit snacks. It might be a forbidden item in our house..so he is loving it! The M & M's and ice cream just were not enticing enough I guess. We are making progress over here. He kept himself dry for 2.5 hours today too! Go Miles Go!

Potty Talk-- of course!

Not much good news to report on the Operation Potty!
You know it's not going so well when your 2 year old repeatedly tells you he does NOT want ice cream, M&M's, TV time or french fries ( yep, I had then waiting in the wings). Poor buddy. I hate to see him not doing his business. At this point I just want him to go( we are talking #2 here). I told him to go in his Pull-Up. I don't care...just go!!
I did allow him to sit and relax ( advice from my almost 70 yr. old dad. Gotta love him.) in front of the TV, no pressure, no potty talk while on his potty seat. I let him sit for almost an hour. In that hour he had to go 3 times, but held it in. That makes me sad. The kid is in obvious pain from holding back! The good news is that when he vacated the potty it was full of #1! We had a mini celebration because of that. No ice cream to his dismay, but 1 M&M is better than none!
Just wondering any opinions....
Go back to diapers?
Is he not ready?
Thanks!

Operation--Potty Party!!

Well we had a bit of a celebration today! Miles went #2. It was not easy, but he still went!

Ice cream all around at 9:30 in the morning!! He even got to watch his favorite cartoon (Chuggington). This is a big deal in this house lately. For the past 3 weeks the kids are down to 1 hour of kid shows. There will be the occasional Food Network show on 1-2 days a week, but for the most part even Matt won't turn on ESPN as soon as he walks in the door. First thing in the morning either I turn on the TV to the Music Choice ( no videos, just music) or I turn the computer on and fire up Pandora.com and have Amara choose the music genre of the day. The kids do love their John Mayer radio station!

Back to the ice cream social....... Miles decided to even share some with his sister. How sweet!! He got 3 M&M's, 3 stickers and the strawberry ice cream on a cone! He is living it up and all before 10 AM. I hope he remembers all the goodies he gets. so the next time won't be so difficult

Operation Potty Train!

I think Miles has had enough of the potty. He has not gone and it's already after 12 noon. He has made a few attempts, but no progress today. He informed me that he in fact " don't want any M & M's or stickers" uh oh. I am still trying to go with the flow ( or in this case-the lack of) with him. I don't want to get all pushy and annoying on him. I think I have done quite well with my behavior. I do tell him that is makes me sad that he won't try. He actually seems a bit concerned about this. His big sister is getting impatient with him. She won't even sit in the bathroom with him for more than 5 minutes anymore! She's got things to do!
I have not taken out his special present yet. I let him pick it out almost 6 weeks ago. I should get it out and have it on display so he can remember why it's important to go on the potty--for presents and snacks of course! he does not seem to care at all that pull ups are expensive!

Operation Potty Train!

Well the weekend went OK. Well not really, but I am practicing having patience. I keep telling myself-" He's only 2!"
Miles was all about the potty on Friday. He went on it a lot all day and night.
Then came Saturday. The excitement died down a bit, but he gave it a good effort.
Sunday was a bust. I don't think he went in the potty at all. I don't know how many training pants I changed. ( I thought to go straight to under ware, but gave up on that super fast...as soon as he peed on me- I was done.)
Now it's Monday and it was only a little bit better than Sunday. I am a bit frustrated, but I feel I can't put him back in a diaper. Nope. I won't do it.
He tells me when he is ready to try. Yes, sometimes we only sit there for 30 seconds before he says " don't wanna go potty. Wanna get down."
So, we get down. We go downstairs. We go back upstairs when he says he wants to--yes--30 seconds later. He pretty much rules the Operation Potty as of right now. Oh well. We will see how the rest of the week goes before I do anything drastic. I don't even know what that means. Heeeeelp!

Operation Potty Train!

Well...potty training has officially started. It was not really well thought out though. Miles asked to sit on the potty on Tuesday and after 45 minutes he produced some liquid! Party time! He was pretty proud of himself to say the least. His sister was especially proud of him too--she is such a little mother!! I think we will just try to go with the flow ( no pun intended). He was all about it up until yesterday, but he still got it done. Today I tried to put him in under ware and that lasted a good 45 minutes until he climbed up on my lap and went with the flow (pun intended this time). I did use his last diaper and will try my hardest not to go back to diapers. These dang training pants are not cheap though so I hope he gets the hang of this sooner than later! Patience, patience, patience! I think I do really well. I hope so. I know he is just a little guy

After his nap today I had him on the potty for at least 15 minutes ( usually longer) and then we would take a 10-15 minute break. He would go (#1) almost every time. He tried to go #2 and then freaked out.....I was hoping that would not happen. We will get through this!!

I snapped this picture with my cell phone of him a few days ago. He was actually happy, but from the looks of this picture-not so much!

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I had to come back and write more.....I was just got back from sitting with Miles for 45 minutes! He went potty. He did great.