The no-diaper vacation experiment

WARNING: The following blog entry contains pooh content. Don't read any further if you don't want to hear about it.

Starting at exactly 4:30 pm on Friday, we started our diaper-free vacation. Everything was going well until the little guy had to poop. Instead of just listening to his body and sitting down on the potty, he decided to hold it in. All weekend long. Even after feeding him a dozen or more prunes. By Sunday night he was walking around holding his butt and complaining that it hurt. We kept encouraging him to sit on the potty. A few times he sat down on it but then refused to go.

On Monday morning we decided that since we weren't in a rush to be anywhere, we would stay home until he pooped. It was a battle of the wills. Hours passed. Nothing. He got crankier and crankier. Then the moaning and groaning started. I couldn't bare to see him in so much pain so I went to the pharmacy (no, not to buy diapers!). The pharmacist recommended using a suppository. He said that because he had held it so long, his stools were probably impacted (sorry for being so graphic). I wasn't sure I like that option so I also bought some oral medication too.

When I got home I told the little guy he had two options - he could take the medicine by mouth or bum. To my amazement he chose the latter! I was really afraid that the experience would scar him for life so, before I gave it to him, I put on my communicator hat and came up with a really good story line. I told him that the suppository had to go talk to his pooh and tell them that it was time to come out. I said that it might be uncomfortable for a few minutes, but that it would be all better just as soon as they finished talking. Five minutes later he was sitting on the potty and voila! All was good in the world again. The little guy was delighted with himself and told us that he was a big boy now etc. We of course heaped on the praise and rewarded him with ice-cream.

Today, the whole scene all over again. Again he just held it and held it.

Our new strategy is to feed him tons of fiber so that he gets lots of practice over the next couple of weeks. We figure that once he gets over his fear, the whole potty training thing won't seem like such a big deal anymore. We've also told him that letting the pooh out is his job -- a job that he has to do everyday. I read some advice online that using this kind of language really helps. So far he's responded really well to us saying this, and likes the idea of having an important responsibility.

We're going camping tomorrow. I'll report back on Friday.

Two big steps back

Do you even need to guess what I'm talking about? I am officially past the end of my rope.

This morning he peed all over the bedroom carpet and refused to help clean it up. Then, tonight, he left pooh and pee piles all over the bedroom carpet again refusing to help clean it up. (Note to self - time to install hardwood). When we asked him why he didn't use the toilet or the potty he said it was because he was mad at us (presumably for not giving him a diaper).

Leading up to the pooh incident he begged me for a diaper. I told him he didn't need one because he was a big boy now. He yelled, "I don't want to be a big boy!" I calmed him down by putting his potty in front of the television and putting on his favourite Caillou video. To sweeten the deal even more I gave him a lollypop to lick while he sat on the potty. I then left the room to give him some privacy and told him to call me when he was done. A little while later I heard a whizzing noise following by the door slamming. When I went upstairs to investigate, it was like walking into a crime scene -- there was pee and pooh everywhere within a three foot radius of his potty.

I'm not sure how to deal with this type of behaviour. If I get mad, he rebels even more. If I'm nice about it, he thinks I'm giving him a ticket out of potty training. If I tell him I'm disappointed he laughs at me. Should I go on?

I have no more ideas. I've tried everything and nothing works. I'm trying to be optimistic about our diaper free vacation but it's hard. Am I the only mother on earth who has a kid that refuses to toilet train. HELP!!!

Drawing inside the lines

The little guy's artwork has evolved rapidly over the last couple of weeks. Instead of scribbling, he carefully tried to colour inside the lines. Also, his drawings now resemble what he is trying to depict. The other day he drew an amazing rocket ship with fire shooting out of the bottom. Well, amazing for a 3-year old in any case.

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His favourite new line is "For goodness sake!" I hear it at least a hundred times a day.

Like this morning when he said, "For goodness sake Mom, it's time for breakfast."

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Do you want a toilet training update? Sigh.....

Every single day this week he peed his pants at daycare. I swear he's doing it on purpose because he never does that at home. First day of school for him is September 11. Tick, tick, tick.

Our holiday starts at 4:00 pm next Friday. After that all of the diapers disappear.

30 second update

- After much anxiety, the little guy successfully pooped on the potty last night! Afterwards he asked if he could have some candy as a reward. I told him I wasn't sure if we had any candy and he replied, "We have some candy in the kitchen, in fact." And, in fact, he was right!
- This potty training success was quickly erased this morning when he peed all over the kitchen floor (and did I mention he's been peeing all over the bedroom carpet lately and not telling us? We keep stepping in puddles)
- A new stage has begun: the violent temper stage. He's like a volcano and when he blows he really blows. And you never know what's going to set him off. We've been hearing him yell the following phrases a lot lately:

"No! You're being rude to me!"

"That's not fair!"

"I'm going to knock you down!" and other statements to this effect.

- Of course hubby and I are the only ones who are witnesses to his violent temper. Everyone else reports him as being so well-behaved, gentle, nice, cooperative etc...He's the model child outside the privacy of our home. Oh well, I guess everyone needs to blow off a little steam once in a while.

- We are finally able to sleep in again on the weekends. In the morning he just trots downstairs and quietly plays with his toys. If he gets hungry he just helps himself to some crackers and fruit and pours himself a glass of water.

- This morning he drew some pictures and we said, "These are great!" He replied, "Yes, I'm a great drawing boy!"

- Our new couch suffers so much abuse. The pillows are constantly being cast around and turned into forts, water slides, dens etc...And there is no point making the bed because no sooner as the bed is made the blankets and pillows are sprawled out across the room.

- Daddy bought the little guy water pistols so when the weather is nice it's game on! Even some of our neighbours have been joining in.

- What is it with little boys and spitting? Enough already!!!!

Happy Canada Day!

It was free admission at the Aviation Museum today so we decided to check out the Canada Day festivities they had planned. Areas of the museum that are normally closed to the public were open for viewing. The little guy got to sit and "drive" some of the airplanes including one that was used to train Snowbird pilots. Pretty cool!

Speaking of the Snowbirds, they put on a show overhead. When we pointed into the sky and said, "Look, the Snowbirds," the little guy replied, "Those aren't birds, they're airplanes!" And since we got home he's been going on and on about how he saw the "snow planes." :-)

In the afternoon we wandered down to the market for a late lunch on the patio. I love people watching on Canada Day while sipping on sangria...People really went all out this year with the red and white attire, Canadian flag tattoos etc...

The fireworks should be starting very soon. Hubby and I are going to watch them from our rooftop balcony.