Success

We put Buddy to bed tonight after having the first accident-free potty-training day. And there was great rejoicing.

"Participate in toileting routine" was one of his IEP goals for this year so his preschool teachers have been working with him, as well, over the past few months. I'm so thankful for Mrs. Karla who said about two weeks ago, "You know, we wouldn't have a problem if you decided to send him in underpants--we've dealt with this for years." I really didn't think it would go well or quickly but decided to listen to her words of wisdom and just do it. One week later and here we are.

 

Rest assured I'm under no delusions that there will never be another accident, and night-training is another animal entirely. But I'm so proud of our little guy, who I guess isn't so little any more.

No time like the present

I've mentioned before that we've been in the process of potty-training Buddy for the past several months. It's not been going well.

So, today I decided to bite the bullet and switch him to underpants (sans rubber lining) cold turkey, with the thought that maybe he would finally realize what he's doing -- and the consequences of not doing what he's doing in the proper place -- and that would spur him into telling me when he needs to do what he needs to do.

Although I'd like to report that he got the hang of it immediately, this was not the case. He did, however, at one point, come to me and say, "I'm a mess." And later in the day, after he'd again gone on the floor and not on the potty, he started waddling like a penguin and saying, "Waddle, waddle, waddle" because he was uncomfortable with his current situation (I had to laugh). So, I'm encouraged that he may be that much closer to wanting to use the potty. We'll see what the next weeks bring.

Breakthroughs

We started working with Kieran on potty training in May or June of 2011. I can't count the number of times I've said, as I'm carrying him to the bathroom while he's in the middle of going or has already gone in his diaper, "You need to tell mommy when you have to go to the potty. You need to say, '[in my best singsong voice] Mooommmy, I have to go poooootttttyyyy.'" But he just won't tell me.

My most recent incentive for him is letting him blow out a candle, something he really likes and something that also serves as speech therapy, when he goes. And, finally, the past few days, he's said (albeit quietly and in an oh-by-the-way kind of way), "I have to go potty." And I've taken him and he's gone. I'm hoping this is the breakthrough we've been waiting for on this front.

Another breakthrough that thrilled my heart today happened on his tricycle. His aunt and uncle gave him a tricycle last year for Christmas, and he's been pushing himself around on it since then. We've continually tried to get him to push the pedals with his feet to no avail.

This past Christmas, we got him a bike with training wheels, thinking maybe he would be more interested in riding on that but we weren't successful. I think part of it may be that the muscle tone in his legs is low enough that he can't move his legs as he's supposed to in pedaling. I wish now that I had kept the PT he had a year ago instead of letting her go when she thought he didn't need her.

At any rate, we've let him use the tricycle both outside and inside, so that he can keep practicing. Today was an inside day since it was a bit on the chilly side, and I was once again pushing him around the kitchen, trying to get him to pedal. And, for a few brief moments, he pedaled on his own.


And there was great rejoicing.