Potty Training Bootcamp: And so it begins...

We were planning on beginning our potty training bootcamp Saturday morning, but ambitiously decided to sneak in a little training after work this evening. We basically only really had three hours before Grayson's bedtime, but we all actually learned a lot in that short amount of time.

Our initial plan included replacing Gray's diaper with big boy underwear covered by pull-up training pants so that he would feel wet when he had an accident (and would hopefully not like it), yet we wouldn't have a mess everywhere. Our plan also included pumping him full of liquids so we'd have lots of opportunity to practice and setting him on the potty every 30 minutes.

Here are a few shots he's going to regret when he's a teenager:

We also stocked up with books next to the potty so he would relax and get comfortable.

Of course, he couldn't help cheesing it up a little for the camera...

After three hours of training we learned:

• This is going to be a very, very long weekend.

• While Gray loves sitting on his training potty, he expressed that he REALLY wants to go in the real toilet. Unfortunately, we were not set up to put him on the big toilet (without constantly holding him), so I had to make a run to the store after he was in bed to get an insert so he can sit on the real toilet without falling in or needing to be held.

• He doesn't seem to mind his underwear being wet (darn!), so I also had to pick up a different kind of training pants that turn cold once they get wet. Hopefully that will make him a little more uncomfortable tomorrow so he'll be motivated to stay dry.
  

• I think it's going to be easier to train him to go #2 than #1. Tonight he dribbled urine twice in the potty only to stand up a few minutes later and urinate all over the bathroom floor. That said, he rushed from his room to the bathroom yelling "poo poo" prior to actually doing it, so I thought that was positive. He ended up only having a little gas, but since he's just now learning the feeling of having to "go" I gave him an Elmo sticker.
  

We burned through six pair of big boy underwear in a three hour period. Wowser. I'm washing that stash as well as an additional package we picked up so that we'll be ready to go again tomorrow.
Even though we unexpectedly started out with a mini-training tonight, I think it may have been the best way to start. We all got a taste of what was to come (and were all exhausted by it), but it wasn't a full day of training. And I must admit, even though this is all very tiring, he is pretty stinkin' cute in his big boy underwear. Just check out those muscles...