Three days in a row, people. THREE DAYS IN A ROW. I promise to eventually shut up about this sudden and well-received turd turn of events, but I’ll be honest with you, I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME. I truly thought my kid would be the one with the adult-sized Pull-Up under his graduation gown, all because of our epic parental fail on the potty training front, but out of nowhere a flip has been switched and now we’re spending each night cheering him on like we’re spectators at the Pooperbowl.

As promised, we had ourselves a little celebration around here last night, complete with appropriately-colored cupcakes and everything:

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And then a festive bout of dual coloring with Riley’s new crayons:

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If you’re thinking all the fuss sounds silly, you don’t understand: the last time he pooped in the potty we bought him a bike. That was OVER A YEAR AGO.

I know it’s not like we’re totally done with this or anything, but man, it’s a load (HAR!) off my mind that we’re no longer mired in the Complete and Utter Refusal stage, because it was truly getting us all down in the dumps (HO!) on a nightly basis.

Ever since Dylan was born — unlike when Riley was an infant — I’ve been thinking about how pointless it is to get too wrapped up in milestones and hope that your kid will crawl/walk/talk early because in most cases kids eventually all end up in the same basic place and in the big picture it doesn’t really matter when they first started sitting unassisted or whatever. It all goes by so fast, you blink and they’re no longer babies, and those seemingly-oh-so-important stages are just a fond but fuzzy memory. Did you really want them to learn to walk so badly, now that they can run away from you?

However, I can’t believe this holds true for potty training. I mean, do you ever miss the diapers? Frankly, this is one stage I won’t mind seeing the tail end (HEE!) of.

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Hopefully an incipient potty prodigy.

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Sarah
15 years ago

We’ve been having our own little celebrations around here since Addy has now been in underwear for six days! Not that she hasn’t had ACCIDENTS in six days- we’re looking at about a fifty percent success rate so far- but gosh darn it she has worn them, and finally ceased to CRY and BEG for her diapers. She hasn’t had an accident yet today, and I’m hoping it’s the alleged “turning point” the pediatrician keeps promising will arrive as surely as the sun will rise. We shall see.

Amanda Brown
15 years ago

This gives me hope. Avelyn is 2.5 and would rather sit in a diarrhea-drenched diaper (yay, alliteration!) than do business with the potty and I am at a loss.

All in good time. Way to go, Riley!

Heather
Heather
15 years ago

I miss the diapers!!! lol I miss never having to bring my son into a gross public bathroom, I miss just being able to change his diaper wherever we were and not running like a mad woman to find a bathroom in time. Yup, I miss the ease of diapers.

Bekki
15 years ago

Big congrats to you and I hope things continue to *ahem* go down the sewer, but more importantly. The PJs, on Dylan. I must know where those are from, as my twin boys have been mired in the Babies R Us standards, and I want some new things!

Kristi
15 years ago

The puns runneth over! Yeah for him (and you!) Isn’t it funny how little it takes to make a mom happy?

Have a great weekend.

trena
15 years ago

Congrats!!! I would be so excited if that were to occur in our household, but we also are stuck with a boy that would rather cry for his diaper and poop on the floor than make the poop go in the potty (and the toilet will even sing and make a celebratory noise should that happen). At least he’s happy about making all his pee-pee’s in the potty, right?

Congrats again!!!

Anji
15 years ago

I promise you, you will NEVER miss nappies.

Say good-bye to the sleepsuits though. Once Orion was night dry, I had to stop putting them in him because when he woke in the night or first thing in the morning needing the toilet, he couldn’t get them off to sit himself on the potty. It was rather distressing for both of us!

kalisa
15 years ago

Do you think I could get my 15-y-o to study his driver’s manual if I promised him a chocolate cupcake?

Angie
Angie
15 years ago

The poop party is hilarious. Whatever works! It reminds me of an artist who made “cakes” for milestones in women’s lives. A first period cake, losing your virginity (Welcome to McDick’s-HA!)

Eric's Mommy
Eric's Mommy
15 years ago

Way to go Riley!

I felt the same way about potty training with my son, I thought it would never happen.

I love Dylan’s PJs too!

Marie Green
15 years ago

I’m whispering this, because I don’t want to get kicked, but I… um…. *clearing throat*…. ok, I like diapers, and have been DIScouraging my 2 year old from potty training.

(I DO allow her to go on the potty as much as she wants at home- which some days is alot and someday not. BUT- I have NO DESIRE to be sitting around in every public bathroom in Tiny Town.)

(Although, she just turned 2 in Sept, so I don’t feel like she is quite mature enough to be in underwear.)

(And she needs to be able to hold it until *I* deem it appropriate to go… like in 5 minutes when we get home.)

(When she’s 3 I’ll rethink it.)

(Here ends the parentheticals.)

Joanne
15 years ago

Since mine is autistic and has such major sensory issues, he’ll NEVER feel it when he’s gone and will NEVER be trained (she said dramatically, mostly just kidding) I am VERY impressed and not a little bit jealous. But mostly I’m happy for you – potty training isn’t like other milestones, as humans in this society we’re supposed to go on the damned toilet and I’m very happy that it’s going well for you all. It’s a weird issue that can really make a parent crazy, so I’m glad that you guys are over the hump. The dump hump. Ha.

Harper
15 years ago

LURVE it! Looks like the poopie party was a smashin’ success!
Kudos to your little terd for his little terd!

Jennifer
Jennifer
15 years ago

Yay for quarterback Riley, taking the Browns to the SuperBowl, 3 days in a row.

Love how he eats the cupcake… face first into the frosting!

Kelley
15 years ago

just teach the fine art of butt wiping NOW!

Cause fecal murals on the wall are really hard to clean off once they have solidified.

And congrats!

mixette
mixette
15 years ago

In picture #2 (hey – fortuitous coincidence!) the expression and body language say it all.

Congratpoolations all around.

Emma
15 years ago

You are giving me hope that I won’t need to start purchasing adult diapers. Our just turned 3 year old has been refusing up until, like, last month to actually try using a potty. Today I actually risked taking him in a store in underwear (and we survived). Today was a couple of times he forget to tell us he needed to pee, but all poop when in the toilet. THANK CHRIST.

Jennifer
Jennifer
15 years ago

Hey man, you gotta do what you gotta do.

I wish someone gave me a cupcake every time things were working properly in the ol’ #2 department, which is oh, never. Huh. You think I’d be thinner because of this BUT ALAS.

Michelle
15 years ago

Oh happy day! I hope mine comes soon. Congratulations!

jenB
15 years ago

You know I had a hell of a time too. My little pooper was creeping towards 5 and I thought it would never happen. Ultimately she did it WHEN SHE WANTED to, which was a longer time table than we would have wanted. Easy to say now. YAY! Poop!

Shawna
Shawna
15 years ago

Yay Riley!

erin
15 years ago

Yay Riley! I think the Poopy Party is an excellent idea! Have fun celebrating!

Georgia
15 years ago

Oh my god the onesies are making my ovaries all ACHY.

wm
wm
15 years ago

I love the party. Did he feel special? He looked proud in the photo!

We’ve been using a potty since R. was five months old. We’ll see when he actually gets out of diapers. But we have caught a whole lot of poops as well as pees and it’s WAY easier to dump out the potty than to scrape the butt crack.

MichelleH
MichelleH
15 years ago

I love the pic of you presenting Riley with his cupcake. He looks so proud! With mine at 4 months old, I don’t usually even allow myself to fantasize about the diaper-free future but this gives me hope.

Sherry
15 years ago

I assure you, you NEVER miss the diapers. Ever.

Haitian-American Famiy of Three

Well we’re just about to start potty training and I am SCARED. I don’t want to be dealing with diapers forever but having to run for a restroom…there is no middle ground here I guess.

Hillary
15 years ago

The Boy turns 1 today, and I’m wondering the same thing about the milestones. All that fretting I did about his not rolling over on time, but here we are still with a walking, babbling 1-year-old. I feel like I gave birth, blinked and opened my eyes to this perfect little boy.

I’m impressed Dylan can color … The Boy, perfect as he is, still thinks crayons are for eating.

Joy
Joy
15 years ago

Excellent! Best of luck at the Poop Factory!

Ellen
15 years ago

Most excellent! We had no problem with our three year old, but my son who’s six is disabled (he had a stroke at birth, long story) and we’re still working with him on that. I swear, we will buy him a trip to Disneyworld if he does this, it is that big of a deal. It’s funny, I just did a post this week about how you have to let your kids develop at their own pace. This especially applies to parents of kids with developmental delays, but I agree, it should apply to all parents. Comparing your kids to others just stresses you out!

Jamie
15 years ago

YAY! CONGRATULATIONS! We just did away with Pull Ups completely a few weeks ago, and it’s been THE BEST MILESTONE EVER!!!

Brenda
15 years ago

My 38-month-old who has been pooping in his potty since he was 23 months old sometimes poops in his diaper for fun. I think it’s related to his being so into his toys that he doesn’t want to stop and go potty.

We tried not to give him a hard time about that, and for not telling us about it until we detected the pong. Oh the pong of smeared poop on butt cheeks and scrotum – DO. NOT. MISS. AT . ALL.

justmouse (or Chaosmomm..whatever)
justmouse (or Chaosmomm..whatever)
15 years ago

Woot! Go Riley! must be a mom thing, but when i read your post i was ridiculously excited for all of you guys! potty training is such a huge step! yay!

Alley
Alley
15 years ago

Yay, Riley! I like the idea of a Poop Party, and apparently you aren’t the first to celebrate with cake (scroll down some): http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2008/09/any-occasion-will-do.html

Melissa H
15 years ago

I was TOTALLY celebrating when my daughter reached this milestone. Potty training (esp poop) was way too stressful :(

Carlyn
Carlyn
15 years ago

My 16 yr old daughter went through the most disgusting phase of taking her diaper off and smearing poop everywhere.This went on for months everyday putting her down for her nap and usually within minutes.Ughhhhh! I even tried pinning her clothes together and nope she got out of those.My mom said I did the same thing as a baby. So ummm I guess it was in the genes.Ha,ha..I’m oh so grateful for no diapers..I love the color of your dining room (the yellow).Do you remember the paint color?We’ve been looking for the perfect shade and haven’t agreed on one as of yet.Have a great day..Carlyn

robyn
15 years ago

Hey! My son is Riley too, and we’ve had a major potty success weekend as well. Coincidence?

Kristi
Kristi
15 years ago

The problem with worrying about baby development is that so often, it does seem like a switch is flipped and WHAM!, they can do something new.

So you can’t help but worry, because you see no improvements. Which means that while I’m not looking forward to my 8 month old crawling, I’m always a little bit worried that she isn’t showing a lot of interest in it.

Hope the potty training continues to go well. I am dreading that stage! The teaching of it that is, not the end result of no more poopy diapers.

erin
15 years ago

YAY for Riley!

I’m really happy to hear this, especially since I SERIOUSLY need some happy potty training stories these day. OH MAN. It is so frustrating and exhausting and maddening and PAINFUL.

Sharla
15 years ago

Ha!

Sharla
15 years ago

(Ok, so I must have hit the submit comment button a little prematurely, because what I meant to say was:) Ha! “Pooperbowl”! That is so funny. Hooray for Riley! P.S. That chocolate cupcake looks amazingly delicious!

Amanda
15 years ago

My second child potty trained herself because everyone else in the house was doing it. I hope the same for you!!!

Ngaire
Ngaire
15 years ago

Had the same issues here – screaming and tantrums (and not just me!) but it was like a light bulb went on in his head and he decided that he’ll go fine now, thankyou very much mum. And that’s it, no more issues. 3yrs 6mths fully toilet trained (even at night) when at 3yrs 4mths I despaired of getting him out of nappies before starting school. WTF?