Adventures in Twin Potty Training: Red Choices

Editor's Note:  I wrote this post in real-time, though I've waited a while to publish it.  Why?  Check out this recap.  Now, cue the time machine and let's back up a few weeks...  

Day 12

Today was so intense, I can't summarize.  So here goes...  

I haven't had one of "those days" in a while.  So I guess I should have been ready.  But no, I woke up today thinking about a play date, an errand, and getting stuff done around the house.  Here's what actually happened.

I woke up to a ticking clock.  The fact that I could hear that "tick" sound meant that the kids' rain machine wasn't on.  (For the record, it is no small miracle that it has lasted this long playing twelve hours a day.)  It may have officially bitten the dust, but Travis will have to make the final assessment after he gets home.

Our play date cancelled, which turned out to be a real gift.  Because my day started tanking immediately.  Caden had 4 "accidents" before lunch.  It's in quotes b/c he looked at me and smiled after he announced it.  And it's not like before where he starts, stops, and makes it to the potty to finish.  No, these are full out messes and THEN he tells me.  Did I mention, with a smile?

It's been 2 weeks since we officially started potty training, and I feel like they've had enough time to "get it" conceptually.  So it was time to call these "accidents" what they were.  Red choices.  No-nos.  Rule breaks.  Baaaaaad ideas.  And around here "Green choices bring good things, red choices bring a consequence."  So it was time to dole them out...

When he had the first accident, off came his Thomas underwear and his not-so-faves replaced them.  AND I took a toy away and put it up on the shelf where he could see it.  It was BOB and Wendy.  Du-du-du-duh!!!  I know, big deal for him.  So I thought.

He soon had another accident (I took away Clifford and his car box).  This seemed to make an impression because right quick there was a successful independent trip to the potty.  He won back Bob, then had two more accidents.  And it wasn't even lunchtime.  The boy is now inventing a whole other BOB cast b/c I have all of his favorite things.  (Of course I know enough to know that he's probably acting like it's no big deal right now...  time will tell.)  By lunch time he had no drawers on at all, which became really funny when he kept spilling food and saying "Dere's tomatoes on my private parts!"  And I had run out of counter space on which to pile the toys I was taking.

To add more rain to this little black potty training cloud, I should note that I ruined dinner amid all the action.  Can't imagine how I was distracted enough to add 6T of minced garlic instead of onion!?!?!??  So on top of the above fun, and my ruined batch of dinner, the house STINKETH.  Very.  Much.  Bad.

But here's the silver lining, no let's call this a rainbow...   Addison disappeared twice today and things got very quiet.  What was she doing?  Going to the potty.  ALL BY HER SELF!!!  No prompting or fights, nothing.  She just needed to go and she did.   Now, if she could just influence her brother a little bit, we'd be in business!!