potty training....

Potty training has been somewhat of an up and down struggle as of late. William has been doing so well and then all of a sudden, these last 3 days, he has had 2 accidents. One of those has been more of a not wanting to go more than an accident. He was given the choice today by grandma that if he has one more "accident" he can lose all of his big boy things and be treated like a baby, in diapers, taking 2 naps, drinking from a sippy, etc. or he can be a big boy and use the potty every time. He's chosen to use the potty, which for me, is great because I am not buying diapers or pull ups. He has overnight pants, the ones for big kids who still wet the bed, but he doesn't like those all the time. Several times he has asked why he has to wear those at night and not his underwear. Trust me, if I wasn't opposed to washing bedding more than once a week and I had more bedding for him, I wouldn't mind a crash course in overnight potty training. However, I understand we are going to have accidents, we are going to have times where he doesn't want to go. My frustration is over these "accidents" that aren't accidents. He is going to be going to preschool in September and granted they are wonderful, they aren't requiring these kids to be potty trained, they have pull ups, etc. there and ask for a change in clothing in case of accidents, but I want him to be potty trained before going. His teacher, the one we met during a visit, has said that it's amazing how many of her kids go in not potty trained at 3 years old and within a few weeks of starting school they are going regularly. It's like peer pressure in a good way, I guess.

I just wish that he would be more consistant, I guess that's the word I want, more self-reliant in that area. He for weeks has been going consistantly and had been rushing to the bathroom when he felt he needed to go and only had slight accidents (damp underwear when trying to pull down his pants, or starting to poop while running to the restroom), but had always managed to get there and finish without it being a big deal. I know that potty training is a journey and it can take a long time. I am in the midst of this long journey and while he's been a handful at times and I've heard over and over again the excuse, "cuz I didn't want to!". I am hoping that all this frustration, laundry, and the toddler urge to be independent & his stubborn need do things themselves, will all end soon and we will be through with this long transformation!

I guess this is just one more long, but temporary journey, in William's transformation from baby to toddler to my big kid! One more journey that reminds me the changes that have transpired from his birth 3 1/2 years ago and the changes I have made in those 3 1/2 years from just being me to being someone's mommy! It's amazing being this person called Mommy.