Potty Training is not for the faint of heart

I had been avoiding the idea of potty training. In fact, whenever anyone asked me when we were going to start, I'd just say I wasn't sure. Honestly, part of me was afraid that I'd be the failure. That I'd be the mom who had the kid in diapers until kindergarten. This isn't to say it'd be Michael's fault, but mine. I'd be the one too afraid to start potty training him that he'd just be in diapers forever.

Why? Because I grew up in a home with all girls. Besides my dad, of course. I had two sisters. That's it. No boys. No ideas on how to work potty-training with his, well, parts. I just wasn't sure I could handle it.

Well, a little over a week ago Michael had a killer diaper rash we were trying to get rid of, so he was running around naked. Granted, he likes to do this anyway, but there was a purpose to his nudity this time around. After a couple of accidents (which were expected), he ran over to me and said, "Mama, I don't want to pee on the floor, I want to go on the big-boy potty."

Can you imagine my face?

We rushed to the potty, and for a moment I hesitated. What do I do? Do I grab a stool and have him stand, or do I just let him sit on the thing? Would he be traumatized if he stood and missed and got it all over the floor instead?

He sat.

Now, Michael has a potty. I bought it one day when I was fed up with diapers... two months ago. Then, as you may guess, I whimped out and we didn't start potty training.

Well, after our one potty success (which involved a lot of cheering from me, high-fives, and a couple M&M's), Michael kept asking to go.

The phrase "potty treat" became a thing.

Before I knew it, we were potty training.

The next day we went shopping for Super Hero underwear. Michael decided that only Super Heroes wear underwear.

We even ran errands with him in his underwear with no incidents. He asked to use the potty at the bookstore. Inside I was giving myself high-fives.

All I had to do was wait for him to be ready. Maybe if he hadn't had that awful diaper rash (which is gone, by the way), it wouldn't have happened this way, but you never can tell. He's had one awful day where he was missing Clark and just kept having accident after accident where I was distraught, but the next day he was back on track.

Pooping is still a thing.

Yeah, you read that right.

He's gone once on the potty after a few hours of telling me he didn't want to go. That first time I offered him a diaper and he said no, and then offered him the chance to go to The Disney Store if he went. Wouldn't you know, it worked, and Buzz became a part of our family. He even has to sleep in our bed, or very close to it so Michael can tell him good-morning.

After that one success, he's now asking for diapers when it's time for #2, but since we have so much success with going #1... I'm not pushing it. I don't want him to feel pressured to rush this. I want him to go on his own time and be confident.

Oh, and the standing thing? Yeah... we're not there yet. Say what you like, but that's something else we will face as time goes by.

What were your potty training tricks? I know everyone doesn't resort to bribery out there!