Diaper Free!

Now I don't want to speak too soon and jinx myself...but I think we may have done it! I think we may officially be free of diapers forever...or at least until I have my next kid~which now that I am diaper-free may never happen! I'm thinking it might be hard to go back once you've been to the other side!!!

Last Wed we went shopping and I was down to one diaper, so I asked Harrison if he'd like me to buy more, or if he'd like to try wearing Big Boy underwear. He looked me in the eye and in a stern voice replied, "No more diapers! Big boy underwear!" I decided not to tempt fate and thought I'm not asking that question twice! "Big boy underwear it is then, for my big boy!" is what I said, as I gave him the world's biggest hug! Wow...what a breakthrough moment that was! Then I began to kick myself for not having asked that a year ago...although I do have a vague recollection of asking that very same question several times, only to be met with a glare, a pout and a defiant NO and the beginning of a power struggle and a battle I just was not prepared to fight for the sake of diapers! However, last week his decision was made by him, and he alone. He had taken back his power, and as long as he feels in control of what is happening to him, both of our lives are easier!

So there you have it! I came home from shopping, took off his diaper and put underwear on him and told him to use the potty, then went into the bathroom and placed the stool I bought quite some time ago for this momentous occasion in front of the toilet and waited...and waited...and waited! Not sure what I was waiting for...I guess either for him to go on the toilet or for him to pee his pants...either way it would be a learning experience he would need to endure! I was pleased and proud as he ran into the bathroom himself, pulled his pants off and climbed up on the toilet and peed!!! Hooray Harrison! Who would have thought I'd be SO thrilled about pee?! He even made it through my whole afternoon run on the bus in underwear without peeing his pants~now we were getting somewhere! Since last Wed, he has only used a pull-up at night and worn his big boy underwear all day, everyday, with very few accidents! He even woke up Sat morning totally dry, and did a big pee on the potty for me as soon as he got up! I couldn't be happier!

We had one major setback Fri afternoon, about 5 mins before it was time to go on my afternoon run on the bus~of course! He knew he had to poop, but couldn't hold it and didn't want to go on the toilet, so he took his pants and underwear off and pooped all over the dining room carpet! Lovely! I didn't get mad for fear of turning him off this wonderful new experience of potty use! So I stayed as calm as one can with poop all over the floor, down his leg and all over his hands, with only minutes to spare before rushing out the door to work, for a job where being on time and keeping a strict schedule is imperative to keeping your job!!! After a deep breath, I explained to him that next time he feels the poop coming, he needs to tell me and do it on the potty, not the dining room floor...or any other floor for that matter!!! He promised me he would, but had not done so until he made good on his promise today by pooping in the potty like a big boy for the first time!!!

I am elated! Proud of him and his determination and willingness to co-operate. Proud of me for being so patient and allowing this to happen on his schedule, making it easier on both of us. Pleased that we have reached another milestone in the long line of many, that we as parents get to check off as a testament to our success! And although he is not what I would consider 100% potty trained, as we are still experiencing accidents and ups and downs in the whole potty department, since I am no longer buying diapers, I can say for certain that we are indeed 100% diaper-free!!! (it's all semantics!)