Potty Training

So Chris took the week off after he came home and I had every intention of using that week to potty train Finley together. I had done two kids already and was adamant that Chris help me out with the last one! Well, the more I thought about it, the more I decided I would rather spend his week off doing fun stuff instead of being stuck at home potty training. Plus, he bribed me with is spending money and that just sealed the deal! We suspected that Finley was ready for quite some time but after potty training Rylan, I wasn't ready!

Two weeks before Chris came home, I got down the potty chairs, and stocked up on juice and bribery treats (don't judge). His treat of choice was mini oreos...I'm not sure how he ended up getting to choose but after two kids, you really have to let go of a lot of things. The other two got a chocolate chip for going pee and this kid gets a cookie. Whatever works, okay? You know I never stock that kind of junk on the regular anyways.

Quinn was in summer camp and I sent Rylan to his school for aftercare hours so I could have uninterrupted time with my semi-naked baby and the quacking timer that went off every 3 minutes. It started out like this:

He was furious to have his diaper taken off and left for naked. He was crying for about 5 minutes wanting his "Mickey" back on. I had to bribe him with a mini oreo just to sit there....as you can see his mouth full of it. After about an hour and the first successful "pee-pee-in-the-pottay!" he was good to go. We stayed off the living room rug and he got to sit on his potty or on a folded towel for about three days. He refused underwear and pull-ups and I had to fight to get some cotton shorts on him to go pick up the other two. 

The first day he only had 4 accidents and even pooped in his potty. He didn't expect Oreo payment by the second day either. It's been almost 4 weeks now and he has yet to wet his bed during nap or bed time or in the car. He has no problem going on a regular toilet in public places too. This kid was more than ready and basically handled it by himself. Hallelujah to an easy experience and no more diapers!! Does that make me sad....NOPE! 

While the Husband is Away

Usually when Chris is gone, I find ways to busy myself and that usually involves something creative. I added touches to the kids' rooms including doll bedding, hanging dress-up organization, a basketball hoop for Finley, and book cubbies to the wall. I also took on a reading challenge for myself to read again...a luxury I haven't enjoyed really since Rylan was born. I have been on a classic literature kick. It's amazing how dull your vocabulary becomes when in the company with toddlers for 6 years and it has been so refreshing!

I forced myself to participate in more kid-centric activities on base to break up the monotony of indoor play and TV watching during this awful heat. I took the kids to the indoor pool a couple of times, to the movies, made some cookies together, and took the boys to the fire station ice cream social (Rylan refused to have his picture taken- as always).