Growing Up So Fast

T-man is really growing up before our eyes. He is inching closer to age 3 and while, yes, he's still a toddler and wants his way and gets upset when I won't give him more fruity snacks, he really is an agreeable kid.  We make "deals" to accomplish what needs to be accomplished.  I'm betting he'll be a good negotiator one day when he's much older!

The biggest change in the past few weeks is with potty training. T-man is only wearing a pull-up at bedtime; the rest of the day is spent wearing big boy underwear.  As mentioned in one of my recent posts, Tommy went #2 on the potty at daycare. Last Monday, he did it again, and the teachers sent home a note that if we wanted to send in 4 pairs of big boy underwear and some extra clothes, they would start working with him on potty training during the day since he seemed to be "ready." While I sent him to daycare wearing a pull- up (I was nervous he'd go in the car!), when he had to go #2 around 9am, he sat on the potty.  And when I picked him up that night, he was in the SAME UNDERWEAR AND SAME PANTS! No accidents!  I think everyone at school knew because the teachers who were left came up to me, excited about how well Tommy did that day!  He ended up having 2 accidents at home that night, not for lack of me asking if he had to go, because I did!  I think he got frustrated with me constantly asking perhaps and ended up having the accidents!

The rest of the week went really well, with maybe 3 accidents in 3 days, and this week so far, he only had 1 accident yesterday. I was told that 2 of the accidents last week were not his fault - one time, the teacher could not get the bathroom door unlocked in time for him to get in the stall.

This weekend, he took both of his naps in his big boy underwear, and we even took a trip to the grocery store without any problems. Sunday we visited with some cousins and once again, he was such a big boy about using the potty, and lasted an hour + in the car without a problem. So far he is very good about not waiting until the last second to tell someone he has to go, which is great. Sometimes I'm fiddling with the button on his jeans or to get the toilet seat unlocked (Yeah!!!  We can finally take the locks off our toilet seats!!!), so I get nervous about him having an accident, but he has always been able to hold it until we're set up.  We still use the little potty on occasion; he does like to stand up with the little potty a lot.  At daycare, they say he stands up when he goes.  But if we're using the big potty, he prefers to sit using the seat insert we have.  Not sure if this will get old, but I laugh every time he gets on the potty and he tells me, "I need to point it down, Mommy."

Of course, I now have about 40 pairs of underwear in the drawer in size 2/3T, as I figured we needed a good supply to handle accidents at daycare, as I don't have time to be doing laundry every night...that's a once a week task for this working mom. Both Meema and Oma helped the cause because I could not find any Toy Story or Cars underwear last week when I went to get some extras, having to settle for Superheros. The grandmas both informed me they'd found the size we needed and had picked them up.  So if he were in college, it'd be ideal for him from a laundry standpoint to go over a month without doing laundry and still having clean underwear!

I do realize that there may be some backsliding or setbacks with the whole potty training thing. It's still VERY new, as in, it's only been a week TODAY, Tuesday, that we have been doing this. But in the morning we do put big boy underwear on instead of a pull up. Before we leave to go anywhere, we ask Tommy to go on the potty.  Usually he'll refuse, then as soon as we are walking out to the car, he suddenly has to go, so of course we run and go. I'm not ready to give up the overnight pull up yet.  Someone told me when he wakes up 2 weeks in a row dry, then we can go to underwear.  We'll play that by ear...but I did officially cancel the diaper service we were paying for through daycare!

I am so proud of my T-man for hitting this milestone, and adjusting so quickly.  He is so proud of himself too!

Here are some shots of the Tomster from the past few weeks...since I didn't feel it was appropriate to take any potty pictures!

Tommy caught Tails stealing some warmth from the fresh out of the dryer sheets

Tuxedo took a liking to the just laundered  Easter towels before I had a chance to put them away

Tommy working on his potty chart

Spent some time at the beach a few weekends ago with Mommy

Growing braver, walking further away on his own from Mommy at the beach

Here are some pics from Sunday, when we visited my cousin Patrice and her family for her youngest, Gracie's, 9th birthday. As for the cage below, it was set up for the bunny to be in, and all the kids insisted on getting in there as well...I think there were 7 of them PLUS the bunny at one point!


I love Tommy's expression in this...he looks exasperated with all the girls; meanwhile, it's mostly girls in his class at daycare!



Tommy finally gets a chance to get close to the bunny

Here's all 7 of the young cousins caged in

Tommy blowing bubbles for cousin Molly

I think he figured he could wash his hands in the bubbles

My handsome boy

At first Tommy was practically eating the bubbles as he tried to blow them, but he finally did get the hang of it!

And to remind myself that although Tommy is growing up, I wanted to share this video to remind myself that he really is just a little boy who is ticklish like his Mommy and has THE BEST LAUGH on the planet!