Poopin' Bandit

*Disclaimer: This is a post most likely only a fellow momma would appreciate...and even that may be pushing it. So read my "crappy story" with caution.

So like most accomplishments I don't blog about them for a few days until I believe we are set on our path of success... but I believe I can say with confidence now that we have a fully pottytrained boy! Thank you Jesus! Since we had such a time of things I wanted to write down a few things that worked and that didn't for those of you embarking on this lovely pleasant journey. Also, I think one day this post will be fun to read aloud while Micah's girlfriend is at the house and he is upstairs getting ready, etc.
Micah has been teetee trained since June of last year. I had heard horror stories about boys and potty training but Micah pretty much did it himself (lest you get jealous, most everything else has been a battle in his life, thus project poopy) He started pooping in the potty then but we weren't confident that he was getting it and with Sadie Jane coming soon we postponed that half of the potty training until after her birth. Once we started back Micah seriously refused to go in the potty. He went once at school with his Mrs. Mann but other than that he would beg for a pullup and if we didn't oblige he'd hold it til he hurt for days at a time. I begged for advice, offered the child anything but he would not sit on the potty for anything. The girl who cuts my hair also cuts Micah's hair and has four children that pottytrained so early. I enlisted her help while she was cutting his hair and she talked to him about it. It seemed he was buying what she was selling and she gave me a little bit more permission to do some things Dr. Phil didn't neccesarily support...but Dr. Phil has two children and a degree but Ms. Jonie has 4 children and she cuts hair so I am thinking she has more experience with this. So, while Mick was home for a few days for a winter break I took Micah in the potty and we closed the door. We got prepared to go and then I told him he could either go in the floor or the potty but I wasn't going to put a pullup on him. The first day after much crying and pleading I compromised with if he would sit on the potty and try he could then have his pull up. He would then still have to go potty in the bathroom to at least associate that with where he needed to be doing his business. I was worried that Mick wasn't backing my hostage negotiations so I gave in but found out shortly thereafter Mick would support my total hold out. Day two I said no pullup and I meant it. I pulled up our bath mat and closed the door, fully prepared to be cleaning the floor momentarily. Micah has this strange habit that he has to jump in order to go potty so I told him to start jumping and we started chanting "poopy in the potty, poopy in the potty" After a few "i can'ts" and quite a few "please let me have my pullup" Micah got that look in his eye and I heavehoed him onto the potty...lo and behold...mission accomplished!!! I was so excited we clapped, we danced and I cried. Yep, I cried about my son going in the potty! I NEVER thought that would be on my list of special moments with my son, but it definitely is. I really was proud of him, and me for not giving up and for not loosing my cool. The first day he got all sorts of surprises for doing it but after that he has settled for m&m's or skittles. Truth be told I really think he didn't understand how it was all going to workout so he resisted...that and the fact that he is stubborn as all get out and it was one battle he thought he could win. He had an accident at Aunt Wendy and Uncle Mickey's but he was playing and I totally forgot to remind him. Since then we have had lots of successes! Today he went twice already and I am afraid he's hurt himself all in the name of five precious m&m's. So long pullups! See you in the princess variety in a few years! Thanks to all you Momma's out there for advice and encouragement! We indeed aren't going to high school in pullups like I was afraid of...