In the Potty Training Trenches

Advisory: This is a boring post about potty training and what worked for me (not to say it will work for everyone).

Potty training is my LEAST favorite thing EVER about being a parent. After doing it with Logan, I had no desire to do it again. Maybe I could just wait until Sam's old enough to do it all by himself. Is 6 too old??? I've been telling Dave every time he mentioned needing to start that he better get me hopped up on Prozac first. You think I'm kidding? The constant power struggles I had potty training Logan brought me to the brink of insanity.
So, I put it off as long as I could. The final shove was that my diapers were almost gone and I'm not about to buy a months supply only to use it for a few more days. he's been interested since watching Logan for the last 6 months (this has helped greatly). Now the idea is old news and he didn't really want to start.

The plan: Put plastic sheeting (available in the paint department) all over the floor and furniture in the family room. We threw away all the diapers in the house. He knew we weren't going back. I pumped him full of Capri Suns so he had lots of chances to go. I put the "Potty Train" in the family room so he wouldn't have far to go. If he got any in the potty chair he got an Otter Pop or a marshmallow (which he LOVED; thanks Heidi). I never forced him to sit on the potty. After Logan I was afraid that if I pushed him he'd push back. By the end of day 1 he was starting to get it. He couldn't hold it long enough to make it, but he was getting the idea. By day 2 he was starting to sit on the potty seat before he needed to go. Day 3 he ditched the potty chair and wanted to sit on the big potty. Only problem is he can't turn it off and on yet. He'll feel like he needs to go and sits down, then asks, "Why's it not coming out?"

Week one, here's our stats so far:
Tuesday: Accidents-I stopped counting after 10; Made it-half way 3 times
Wednesday: Accidents-1 (all over a new roll of TP; Made it-maybe 5?
Thursday: Accidents-0 and a #2!!!, Made it-???, all I remember is 0 accidents!
Friday:Accidents-1 so far (but it was right after he woke up); Made it-2 so far

My main goal this time is to not get mad when he has an accident. I just act indifferent unless he has success and then I make a big deal out of it. I think it has been much easier with Sam since I am trying to focus on the fact that he's just a cute little kid who is trying to do his best. I also realized potty training is not just about teaching the kid to use the "Potty Train" but much of it is learning to be patient as the child master this new skill. My attitude seems to greatly effect his performance.
Now we'll see how the next few weeks go; that's the real test.