The Potty Train has Left the Station

I am happy to report after tons of thrown out underwear, millions of loads of laundry, 100s of skittles, 5 trains, 2 plastic zip mattress covers, and 1 happy Mama...we are diaper free at the Stahl house.  I am sure no one likes the potty training phase...I have hated every second of it.  I avoid public bathrooms at all costs and of course Callie thinks it is her job to inspect everyone within 10 miles of us.  Every time I would start to write a post about this, we would have a set back.  C started really getting it in July, hasn't had an accident during the day in over a month and is dry almost every night.  Thank you Jesus for ultimate crib sheets, so I don't have to change the sheets on the nights that he isn't.  In Sept, we went out of town and he started school, so we needed to make sure he made it through those transitions without regressing, before I could consider it a done deal.  Little Miss started about 3 weeks ago is dry 99% at night and averages an accident every two days.  She has done really well considering her age and the fact that she is so stubborn if she doesn't want to do something(another thing she gets from her Daddy :)).  C wasn't motivated by the candy or the stickers charts, so I heard or read somewhere to get some prizes and wrap them up.  So, to Marshalls we went.  The trains are cheaper there, and I had a gift card.  I know you didn't need to know that part, but it is who I am.  He picked out some trains, screamed bloody murder when he couldn't have them, so we wrapped them up, and put them in a box in the bathroom.  He could only get one if he TOLD us that he had to go.  Those trains sat in that box for several days, but once he understood...that was it.  Light bulb went off.  I had to wrap up some old trains we had since he kept asking for them when he went.  He finally caught on and was like Mom, I already had this train.  He still has a couple of new trains in the box waiting for him to stay in his bed all night, but for now...we will celebrate potty training and save that for another day.  He will even tell strangers that he will get a train if he stays in his bed all night.  Too bad, he doesn't tell himself that.  Not surprisingly, Callie is motivated by the candy, so Skittles and Starbursts seem to work for her.  It is funny to see C pee on command trying to get candy when Callie does.  We have had some funny, embarrassing, and gross stories along the way, but I am thankful that I don't spend most of my day covered in or cleaning up bodily fluids anymore.  And I know I have said this before, but I really really miss my cleaning lady.  I am also a planner, so I did keep a pack of diapers because I am sure there is a stomach virus in our future. 

So, everyone asks me how you potty train two kids at the same time...my advice...just buy lots of laundry soap, take lots of deep breaths, laugh a lot, cry a little, try not to scream too much, and know that it will be all worth it on the other side.