Let the dancing in the streets begin

Are you sitting down?

You really ought to be sitting down when you read this, because what I'm about to say might come as a great shock.

My son...

... is using the potty. I don't mean he's using it right this moment, but he's actually using it. And not only is he now using it, sometimes he's even going with any prompting from mommy or daddy. It's like a miracle, I tell you.

{insert trumpet fanfare here}

The husband called the pediatrician's office at the beginning of August, when we were at the ends of our ropes (Well, I was at the end of my rope. I'm not sure the husband was at the end of his rope quite yet, but let's not talk about that.). The nurse at the pediatrician's office told us that during the day, he should be in regular underwear. Keep taking him to the potty at regular intervals, but make the focus for him keeping his pants dry, not putting the ... stuff in the potty. If he has an accident, make him help clean it up. After just a little over three weeks using this approach, he goes to the bathroom now without a fuss; no more dragging him in kicking and screaming. For about the last week he's gone mostly on his own, with no prompting from either mommy or daddy, and he hasn't had an accident for two days now.

Perhaps I'm biased, but there's nothing cuter than my son in a pair of tighty-whiteys. I'd post a picture of it here, but there are many things about doing that that don't seem prudent.

I don't know if it's this new approach, or if he finally decided that he'd tortured mommy and daddy long enough, or maybe a combination of both things. I don't really care, to be honest. I'm just giddy that we are finally on the downside of all of this crap (pardon the pun).

Of course, though, with all good things must come some... not so good. Along with the glory of discovering that he can go to the potty, he's also discovered the glory of his... equipment, let's say. I know, I KNOW!! This is completely natural. All children do it, it's not a big deal, his fascination with having his hand on it every five seconds, pulling it this way and that will, eventually, end. I promise I'm being a good mommy. I'm letting him explore and discover. I'm not smacking his hand away or telling him to stop.

But the voice inside my head really just wants to scream, 'You're going to twist it off it if you don't LEAVE IT ALONE!!'