Potty Training Update

Well, sadly this is just another update post about potty training.  I hope there is one soon about it all being over!  So here's where we are:

Ever since we began with the potty training, we've kept Owen in pull-ups.  I didn't want to go "backwards" by going back to diapers.  We tried to take him potty very frequently and were always constantly asking him if he needed to go.  Of course, he would always say no:)  He would still always go on command when we took him.  Of course, he wasn't always keen on stopping whatever he was doing and would sometimes throw a fit.  We started putting him in time out for this...which usually only lasted a few seconds and he would get up and walk to the bathroom.  Pooping is still the most frustrating issues of it all....because he knows when he has to go and usually hides somewhere and does it when we aren't paying attention, or does it when he is laying down for his nap.  Then he walks out, says he pooped and then goes in and lays down on his floor to be changed!  So, I KNOW he knows when he has to do that!  I questioned sometimes how well he could "hold" his pee...so I tried to cut him a little slack in the peeing department.  We offered him "treats" for both peeing and pooping....and he can tell you what he is supposed to do, but just never did it!  Very frustrating at times:)

The last week or so of summer school, he was only using one pull-up a day at my mom's house.  I was feeling pretty positive about that.  I had already decided to really push the potty training after summer school was over, so the fact that he was doing well inspired me.  Of course, it was still because my mom was taking him every so often...he wasn't telling her when he had to go.

I decided to make a chart for him to put up in the bathroom.  We had tried a plain old sticker chart, but it wasn't quite motivating enough for him.  I decided to give skittles, m & m's, and time on the iPad for peeing (which is what we were already basically doing).  I created a "special basket" for pooping which contained juice boxes, trains (inspiration from a friend!!), cars, and candy.  Finally when he had dry pants all day he got to put up a sticker to earn a ride on a city bus.  Of course all these things are huge motivators for him.  

Here is a picture of the chart.  Not the best since it was taken from my cell phone.

So, yesterday was day 1....and as you can tell in the picture, he earned a sticker at the end of the day!  He was totally dry, told me he had to pee a few times, and went poop a couple of times!  Tony and I praised him all over the place last night!  Today is day 2....and it started off well.  I think he pooped 2 times before 7:00AM!  Unfortunately, he pooped again before nap and I did not insist that he keep trying for more.  So, he chose candy and ate it....but then after laying down for a few minutes he came out and said that he had pooped:(  No sticker for today and I'm trying not to be too discouraged......here's to hoping tomorrow is better!

I will update again soon......I really hope he gets this soon!  or I may have to consider barricading him in the kitchen naked all day....

St. Louis Zoo

As promised, here are some pics from our trip to the St. Louis Zoo in early June.  Owen had a GREAT time.  He is so into animals right now, so it was really fun to take him to see everything.  His two favorite animals are elephants and giraffes.  We got to see the elephants, but unfortunately the giraffes weren't out....and if you asked him, he would definitely tell you about it!  He was mad!!:)  Anyways, we had a great time, and he was tuckered out by the end of the day.  In fact, we didn't even make it through the whole zoo before he conked out!  We were able to stop and have dinner with one of my college roomies and her family on our way home, which was fun and it allowed Owen to get out and play a little before the drive home as well:)  It was a win/win for everyone!

Riding the train....this was a huge favorite of the day!

  

Watching the rhinos with daddy.

He loved watching the hippos!  We stayed at this exhibit for a long time!

Watching the elephants.  This was another exhibit we stayed at for a while:)

Feeding the sting rays.  He let daddy do the feeding (and so did I!!), but he did  pet a few:)

Petting the guinea pigs in the Children's Zoo.

Riding the carousel with mommy:)

And, he's done!  This is how he saw the last part of the zoo:)

Long Time....No Post!

Wow...it has been awhile since I have been able to blog!  It has been a very busy summer so far, but mostly the no blogging is because I took 2 summer grad classes!  What was I thinking?!?!?!  Well, needless to say, I finally have a minute to post!  I finished one class up over the weekend and am only down to one with most of my last project almost complete, so I thought I would take a minute to post.

Things are going well.  I'm working 4 1/2 days a week with class two nights a week (although this is the last week of those classes).  My summer work will be finished up next week, leaving about 2 1/2 weeks before "real" work starts again......

Owen is growing like a weed and we are enjoying every minute of it.  We took a trip to the St. Louis Zoo at the beginning of June, so when I am home one afternoon I will try to post pics of it.  He LOVED it, so I want to make sure I give the trip post justice:)  We have another small trip planned as a family at the end of this month, so we are looking forward to that. 

We've had 2 friends announce that they are expecting, so that has been exciting.  Both of them went through my maternity clothes and took a big chunk of them, one of them bought my breast pump, and both will be coming over and going through things when I have my garage sale next month.  Tony and I have totally embraced that we will only have Owen and are ready to move on into the next chapter in our lives.  Usually when we make a decision like that, it means we are ready to purge:)  I'm so glad that we are both purgers and not savers:)  Now...that doesn't mean I won't have a hard time when I go through all of his clothes and things....and I'm sure a few outfits will be saved:)  I know there will probably be times when I will wonder "what if" or wish we had another baby, but it won't do me any good to dwell on things that won't happen!

So onward to new and exciting things.....and I promise to blog more:)