A Potty Addendum

As I sit here and write tonight, I am feeling the best/most positive about all of this potty business than I have yet in the past 4 days.  Today has been an interesting day culminating in a mid-afternoon breakdown but then improving as the night wore on.  I have been really grateful for all of the feedback that I have received in writing these posts because 1) they have been helpful 2) make me feel like I'm not alone 3) provide insight and ideas and most especially 4) give much needed support to a very challenging task in parenting.  If you are a parent of a child with Down Syndrome and are not a part of of the "Down Syndrome Potty Training" group on facebook, I suggest you join because it's parents supporting parents.  I have been following for awhile now and have found lots of good things on there that parents have tried for kids with Down Syndrome.  

I ventured out this morning with the kids because Colin needed to have blood drawn.  They both stayed dry most of the morning, made it through the blood appointment, and then home without any accidents (about a 45 minute - hour span of time).  I tried to get them on the potty there, but Colin wanted nothing to do with it. I told them I would take them to the playground, so we ventured there after lunch and they both fell asleep on the way there.  DISASTER.  This park has a glorified porta john trailer thing that freaked Colin out, he peed all over my car seat while I was getting Kailey out and not 5 minutes into finally getting into the playground, Kailey came walking over with poop hanging in her underwear.  They cried and fought me, I cried, we all cried and then got home and things simmered down.  (I tried a portable potty chair that we bought years ago but they both hate it.)

"Mommy, take a picture of me and my baby!"

Once everyone regrouped, the afternoon actually went pretty well.  Kailey told me a few times right as she had to go and also had a few small accidents before we actually made it to the potty.  At one point, she yelled that she had already peed and just as I was saying she had to tell me before she had to go, I came around the corner and realized she made it into the bathroom, but had peed all over the floor.  

"Make sure you say cheese baby!"

As day 4 wore on, I noticed some things about Colin.  While it's not an exact time schedule, he only seems to go around the same times every day.  It has been a little helpful in predicting when it's about time for him to go.  It's been good because that way I don't have to bug him as much during the in between times and just check in rather than following him around.  

While the method had detailed NOT asking if they had to go, but rather reminding, I did  start throwing in the question here and there.  I still reminded as often as possible but I think it's necessary to give him some control over when he has to go.  

 Later this afternoon, we had a pretty good moment that made me finally feel like we were going somewhere.  I left Colin for a few minutes on the couch and all of a sudden he said "Mommy, poopies!" so I ran over, asked if he had to go (he said yes) and rushed him to the bathroom.  It's important to note he had already gone on the couch and pooped in his underwear, but he finished the rest on the potty.  Aside from when he was supposed to be getting in bed on previous nights, that is THE FIRST time he has ever said it in the moment that he had to go/was going and was quite proud of himself.

My sister stopped by after work (thank goodness for sanity sake) and she saw the best of it all.  

I noticed at one point that he gone a little drop and asked if he had to go, he said yes, and then happily went with me to the bathroom.  I had another similar moment later on.  He was excited to give Aunt Kimmy a high-5 for making it to the potty and staying dry.  

After a visit from my sister, a run, and some positive moments later, I am finally starting to feel myself again.  

I know that with Colin, we have a pretty long road ahead, but I am feeling encouraged and know that he is catching on to this whole process.  As with anything, I know that he is going to need some extra help getting to the same place that Kailey is just about there with, but we'll make it. 

Before bed tonight, I reminded him in as many ways and words as I could that I am proud of him for what he has accomplished so far.  I know this isn't easy (no one I have ever talked to said it would be) and I am sure I will have more trying days, but I am really proud of him for the progress that he has made so far (I did the same for Kailey too).  

The light at the end of the tunnel is pretty far away, but it's there....