Battle of the Wills

Yes, this is the third blog on potty training... Why? Because it is consuming all of my time, thoughts and energy. I must say that this could be the least enjoyable aspect of parenting thus far...(note the emphasis on 'thus far'... I know the teenage years will be a doozie too!) So.. starting on a positive note, Brayden is doing absolutely fantastic going pee-pee (excuse the politically correct "stay-at-home-mom" term) in the potty. He has not had an accident in 2 days! He has been to school, the grocery store, friends house, etc and has gone to the bathroom by himself at each location... with "by himself" meaning no assistance... don't panic, I didn't let him roam Kroger by himself to find the bathroom. :) I am very proud and is such a blessing to not have to change his diaper all day... (here it comes... do you feel the "but" coming soon...?) ... BUT...pooping in the potty has yet to be accomplished! Last night, Brayden was in underwear all day.. no accidents... yet no poop. He started getting ancy around 5:30 in the evening... he would tell us he had to poop but would get to the bathroom and say, "no, I don't want to" and walk away. I never made him try for fear that he would regress and have no desire to do either in the potty anymore. I just encouraged him and said, "it's ok... we'll just keep trying, let me know if you have to go ..." It became inevitable that Brayden was becoming more and more uncomfortable and really had to go... he even commented several times that he had to and that "it was coming". In the past, he has waited until bedtime (knowing he would get a diaper for overnight) to poop... And I knew that this is what he was doing... but I was bound and determined to wait him out... and he was bound and determined to wait me out. Well, I lost. After several trips to the bathroom, short attempts to sit on the toilet, and outbursts of "it's coming"... IT CAME. And boy did it ever. This was probably 2 days worth of containment. Right on my tile floor... all down his leg, and on the bathroom rug. Oh well, better luck next time. Today, I lost again. At naptime, I put a pull-up on him because he still is soaked when he wakes up and today, he came downstairs after his nap and had pooped in his pull-up. He wised up on me. Tomorrow is a new day... he's winning the battles... but the war is not over...