potty training: days 3 and 4

Well, yesterday went really well; Jacob even woke up with a dry bed this morning! (and I thought that was going to take a lot longer to correct, since he's such a sound sleeper). But, let's talk about 3 steps forward 2 steps back! Today has felt like we're back on day 1 with all the accidents.

Lora Jensen recommends potty training at 22 months, and Jacob will be 2 in December. I've wondered if Jacob is too young because it has been much harder for him to learn than it was for Laci. How I wish I had trained Laci at this age! She would have been well under way before Jacob was born. (It's a lot more difficult trying to potty train when you're nursing an infant.) I think she was around 28-30 months old, and she picked it up in an hour. So, age may contribute. More importantly, however, I think that personality is a huge factor in each child's development. Laci loves a new adventure, loves learning about anything/everything, and she jumps in with both feet - whatever it is. Jacob couldn't be more opposite from Laci; he is very cautious and hates change.

On the other hand, I know he understands what is expected of him or he wouldn't have been doing so well yesterday. So, I need to stay on top of the reminders to use the potty. And, that may be why today has been more difficult for him. I was babysitting 2 little girls and 1 infant today for about 4 1/2 hours, which means I had 5 kids under the age of 5! That makes for a long day. (Thankfully, Laci had preschool for two of those hours, and when she came home she played outside most of the afternoon.)

I'm just keeping my eye on the ultimate prize:

that Jacob will be completely potty trained before our next baby is born...

Yup, I'm pregnant! (and we found a heartbeat this time). These last few months have been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I surprised myself at how well I handled the miscarriage, but let me tell you, I would not want to relive the hormonal ups and downs! Poor Jason has had to deal with a lot of mood swings, and he's been so good about it. Let's just cross our fingers that we don't have any mishaps this time...

My due date is May 13th.