10.02.2014

potty time.

I guess we're potty training.

Or potty trained, actually. It all happened so quickly.

All I know is after screaming, crying and pitching a fit at the mere suggestion of using a toilet instead of a diaper, on Monday afternoon Ethan asked to wear undies. "Shorts-undies, like my daddy." Out of mere curiosity, I took him to Target and let him pick out whatever boxers he wanted. He settled on a five pack of Ninja Turtle boxer briefs. He came home, requested that his diaper be removed at once and instantly urinated in his small potty. After that, he refused to even entertain the idea of putting on another diaper. I pleaded for him to try a nighttime pull-up at bedtime but he refused. "I need undies now. Not diapers. Underwear." And so it was.

By the 2nd day, I braved it in public -- well, his My Gym class. I debated not going. I lamented over how guilty I would feel if my kid's urine stunk up the carpet. On the other hand, I wanted Ethan to know I trusted him and that using the potty wasn't a punishment, which missing My Gym would be. So we went and had zero accidents. He actually hasn't had an accident in a couple of days now. This morning he woke up dry and and as if he had been doing this his whole life.

No tears, no stress, no fuss. He simply decided it was time and so it was.

Tonight my husband was folding laundry and pulled out a pair of Ethan's little Ninja Turtle undies. They're so tiny. They're so cute. The sentimental part of me thinks back to that diaper I put on him Monday morning. I didn't even consider the fact it would be his last diaper, but it was. I would always joke how he'd be in diapers until college. As of Monday morning, he still woke up wet, refused to tell me when his diaper was dirty and expressed no interest in being remotely near ready for the potty. Within hours, it all changed and suddenly he just decided, on his terms, he was ready. I'm grateful for his guidance and he leads me through this parenthood gig. He makes the hard parts a little easier.

There's the part of me that thinks back to that Monday morning diaper and wonders if it was the last diaper I will ever change. It feels like this was a milestone that came at me a little unexpectedly even though I should have known it would eventually come. But there's also the part of me that sees the pride in Ethan's face each time a trickle of pee falls into the toilet and he screams "I DID IT!" to anyone who will listen, the pride in his face when he pulls on a pair of those Ninja Turtle boxers and goes about his day.

Before you have kids, you swear you won't be that parent who is taking over social media with your immense pride in your kid's bowel movements and urination habits. Hell, you swear you won't have pride in their bowel movements or urination habits. But, guess what? You do. Just another way that parenting is totally (not) glamorous.

And, just like that, diapers are done.

Here's to the next stage of parenting and pulling tiny boxer shorts out of the laundry.

2 comments:

  1. I am so impressed with him! I hope when it's my turn to potty train Dylan, he's as willing as your little cutie.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh and congrats!!!! Major milestone

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...