Potty Training, part -oh heck I've lost count.

So, I've been peer pressured into trying underwear with the boys. My friend Lindsay has had her boys in underwear for a little bit and she has seen a great improvement on the old potty training front.

As we are nearly four, and still show no interest in taking ourselves, or even acknowledging the fact that we have to use the restroom, I decided, what the heck.

Let me get something clear before I go on. The boys wake up dry overnight. They wake up dry from naps. They do not generally go in their pants at school. They will go to the bathroom if I put them there. They have great bladder control, they are ready to be TOTALLY potty trained.
They each REFUSE to tell me they have to use the bathroom.

The last couple of days we have been experimenting with underwear. Yesterday was good. They both wore undies all day, and only had one accident each. POOP. Yep, stayed dry, but poop is a totally different story. No one told me they had to pee, but they stayed dry. Both boys told me AFTER that they had gone poop. (and they were clearly uncomfortable with that development)

Today, I woke up and felt brave again. Although we were going to run some errands, and we ALL know my aversion to public restrooms, I covered up those cute little bums (and golly they are cute in undies) with underwear for our few quick errands.

We needed to go to Target (for a potty seat to possibly help with the going on their own aspect of this potty training thing)

We had to stop at Blockbuster (because I NEEDed the next disc in Season Three of Battlestar Galactica)

And we had to go to the store (because I NEEDed to get some yummy ingredients to put in to bread. I would have done a Baking 101, part III however I've managed to eat nearly all of two loaves of bread that I baked YESTERDAY morning, and I didn't take any pictures. BTW, Ryan insisted on helping me and he did an amazing job pouring stuff into the mixer, and punching down the dough. He ALSO helped wash the dishes!)

We left the house at 9:30. Both boys went to the bathroom BEFORE we left. We also had a very serious discussion about wearing underwear and how it was VERY, VERY important that they let me know if they had to go potty BEFORE they went in their pants. And I suppose I should have thought this through better considering I did not have a change of clothes with me...oops, won't do that again.

First stop Target. We made it though there fairly quickly and then went on to Blockbuster. It was meant to be a run in, pick up DVD, (I know exactly were it is) and leave. Just as we get to the TV aisle, and I bend down to get that coveted DVD, Evan says "I have to go potty!" Uh, oh.
Drop movie. Run to the bathroom to find it locked. Run (dragging both boys behind) to the front counter, care not that there is a line and shout. "Is there a key to the restroom?!?!?!?!) Run, nearly trample Blockbuster employee, who to her credit was moving very quickly, as I said to Evan, "Don't go yet, hold it honey, please do not go pee pee yet." (you think is was in her own self interest? yeah, me too. Only thing worse than cleaning up your kid's pee all over the floor is cleaning up some strangers kid's pee.) Evan makes it, and Ryan is forced into a since we are here pee. He complies.

Well, since we have both just gone to the bathroom, and I'm feeling good about the fact that Evan TOLD ME HE HAD TO GO to the bathroom, when Ryan suggests we go to the pet store and pet the bunnies, lorikeets and fishes, I say sure! (They are actually parakeets, but we've been to the Wild Animal Park lots) After a maybe fifteen minute stop at the pet store I decide we should walk the fairly short distance to the store. The skies hadn't opened up completely, and it would be really good for the boys to walk around more considering the rain coming.

We get to Vons, which is not my home store, and start to look for the few things I need to make more bread. (Fresh garlic, rosemary, sun dried tomatoes, and some salad fixings for my lunch today) I had lettuce, tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic in my bag when I heard from Ryan "I have to go pee pee!!!) Now, I was inclined not to believe him since he had just gone less that 30 minutes ago, and I suspected that he wanted to get a special prize for telling me he had to go pee pee. BUT, a mom of a potty training child NEVER, NEVER should choose not to believe their child. I found a guy working in the produce department and asked "Where is the restroom?!?!?!?!" "oh" he replied, "it is all the way in the front of the store, in the far corner."

He may have caught the "thank you" I shouted as once again I ran dragging my two kids, (I swear their feet might have been off the ground a couple of times like in the cartoons) to the farthest corner of the store. I placed Ryan on the potty for the second time in less than an hour, and whew, he did have to go again.

We managed to get out of the store and home again before we had to stop at any more public restrooms.

The boys stayed dry again today, so, that is a plus. But if you see us out an about and I'm running, I'd suggest that you get out of our way, we are heading for that restroom in the far, far corner.