It Damn Near Took a Village but

We have poopy on the potty! For those not fascinated in scatology you might want to skip this post. It is a too much information one.

As I think I have mentioned, I have been potty training Beau. All is/was going fairly well. He is completely pee trained and about 50% poopy trained. Didn't know there was a difference did you?

I didn't either because Carmella, when I trained her, just did both all the time. However, I have discovered that going poopy on the potty is infinitely more difficult than I ever could have imagined. I guess Carmella was just some sort potty genius because lots of kids, apparently, have this problem.

As of last week Beau was doing okay with the poopy on the potty. We have only been training for about a month now so I didn't expect him to have it perfected, though that would have been nice. The point here is that he was going poopy on the potty not in his underwear-- however, I should add that he would go in his pull-up if he had to go and had one on. For the most part I avoid pull-ups until bedtime.

All was progressing as it should until last Sunday. It was then that Beau had the monster of all poops and it hurt and I guess he decided that "I am never going to do that again."

And he didn't, at least not intentionally. He did go poopy in his pull-up while he was asleep Monday night. We had a discussion about where poppy goes--in the potty-- and that was that. Then on Tuesday afternoon I took the kids to the pool and Beau pooped in his swim diaper. Now that he does get in trouble for--especially if I had just asked him to sit on the potty and he refused. Punishment was leaving the pool and going home. This was way more devastating for Carmella who also had to leave but had done nothing wrong. It just seems way too early to have the Hey, Life's Not Fair; Them's the Brakes talk with her.

Once home, Beau and I had the discussion about where poppy goes--in the potty-- and he had some time to think about it in his room. Then he watched an informational video and we read the companion book about where poopy goes--in the potty. He seemed to understand and we moved on to an enjoyable evening with no more potty discussion.

I think this is when Beau decided he was never going poopy again. Ever. Because he didn't go again for 3 days. After one day I didn't really worry. It will happen, I thought. When it didn't happen on the second day, even in his pull-up or at the pool or when he "tried", I started to worry. At the same time though, I admired his ability to hold it. On the end of day 2, as an extra measure to ensure pooping success, I fed him a dinner of black beans and rice, steamed broccoli and carrots and baked chicken. Nothing. Not even in his sleep when surely that little sphincter muscle could have relaxed a little.

So on the morning of day three I called the pediatrician, who told me maybe I should stop potty training. I was stressing him out. Uhm, no way. We've come too far and this has nothing to do with the actually potty; just with pooping in general since he would not go on the potty or in a pull-up. He didn't matter where or how to him he was flat refusing to poop. Really, they were not very helpful as they seemed unable to fully understand Beau's situation but they did recommend to use a glycerin suppository at the end of the day should he not go. Well, I promise you neither me nor Beau wanted it to come to that.

After sitting Beau with his blue (blanket) and his baby (pacifier--only used at naps normally) on the potty and reading him a gazillion books and trying to talk the poop out of him I gave up and called the village.

I got tons of great ideas from my mommy friends: wheat germ sprinkled on everything, prune juice, oatmeal raisin cookies, mineral oil, Karo syrup in milk and so on. Stephanie advised maybe some vasoline around the butthole might help make for an easier exit. So armed with all this new knowledge Beau and I headed to the store.

We came home with vasoline, prune juice, mango juice and Craisions-- which were eaten in the car. I gave him a cup of prune/mango juice and then some milk with a teaspoon of fish oil--gross, I know, but he drinks it. I "lubed" him up and put him down for a nap. Two hours later I woke him and we tried the potty. Nothing. He wanted lunch so that was PBJ and oranges and lots of water.

We picked up Carmella from school and hung out at home for a few more hours. Nothing. He "tried" several times. He even admitted that he needed to go but was scared it was going to hurt his butt. I tried to explain the longer he held out the worse it would be. I gave him more prune/mango juice. He really likes it.

So around 5 we headed to the gym. I explained to Heidi and Noni, the nursery ladies, about our little problem and instructed them to come get me off the treadmill when he decided to go. I was just finishing my 5th mile when I saw Heidi come out and give me the thumbs up sign. So I hopped off and went straight to the nursery.

The nursery was all a buzz with the news of Beau's victory. Beau was so proud and he of course told everyone and anyone about it and even showed a few of the kids his masterpiece. I asked him if it hurt and he told me, quite excitedly, if not a bit surprised, no.

He then went poopy on the potty three more times at home. Apparently prune juice is the magic pooping elixir.

We celebrated by going out to Mexican and letting him eat lots of cheese dip and tortillas.