We're 3!! and Potty Training!!!!

My Dad and Laurie found the perfect gift for a Seuss fanatic with triplets!

I know it's been a while, but things have been getting pretty crazy around here (more so than usual)!  The kids are all so active that by the time we finally get them settled down to bed at night, we aren't too far behind!

As usual, I am enjoying my summer break with the kids...we have had two big adventures so far: our first sleepover at Grammy and Poppo's and our annual trip to Casco, Maine.  An old friend got married the end of June, and there were a lot of people from college that Dave and I hadn't seen in a while.  Since we knew it would be a big celebration, we decided to ship the kids to my mom's for the night.  They got shiny new cots and sleeping bags to go along with the trip.  They had a blast!

Our trip to Maine was also wonderful...although the unseasonably HOT weather made parts of it hard to enjoy-mainly sleeping.  The first night we tried putting all three kids in one "bed" (two twins pushed together) but between the heat and flailing limbs none of us got much sleep that night.  The next two nights Sophia slept with me and Daddy slept with the boys and an extra fan.  Much better!  We love it there, and are so grateful to our dear friends Jim and Hannah for their hospitality!

Sophia is my little artist...maybe that's why girls seem "easier" than boys.  Give her an arts and crafts project and she's occupied for hours!

Got Power Wheels for our birthday!  The pink jeep was supposed to be for Sophia, but she is much more interested in the boys' big blue one!  That's my girl!

I signed Sophia up for ballet.  She was so excited, loved meeting all the girls, and has participated in one class!  The other two classes she spent by the door, crying for me.  Arggghhhhh!!!!!

I told Missy-she doesn't get this from my side! ;)

Evan is Daddy's new caddy!

Happy Birthday!

Their birthday party was a week before their actual birthday, so I decorated the living room on their real birthday. 

Birthday Princess

Cam the Man.  So grown up!!! :(

Got our new backpacks ready for preschool in the fall!

Having some fun in Grandma and Grandpa's pool!

We love to jump!

Sophia's first "makeup kit"...just chapstick and nail polish. 

Cam and mommy on the dock at Coffee Pond, Maine. 

Evan jumping to Daddy at Lake Pocotopaug (Grammy's lake)

Our little Diva

Enjoying a tea party in the shade!

And so we have begun...Potty Training.  We have been in Pull-Ups for about a month, and being very nonchalant about using the potty so far.  Well, with preschool starting in the fall, it's time to bite the bullet.  I have researched the "3 day" method that many of my triplet mommies have recommended, and decided to use it in a way that works for us.  I'm not expecting them to be trained in three days, but am using her recommendations about language and positive reinforcement.  Basically, the kids wear nothing but a t-shirt and undies all day, and you NEVER let them out of your sight while constantly repeating what I refer to as "The Mantra": "Let mommy know when you need to go potty.  We need to keep our undies dry/clean!".  The idea is to catch them in the act of peeing/pooping or right before, then taking them to the potty saying, "Oh no!  You're not dry anymore!"  You don't scold or punish for accidents, but you do heavily reward when they "go".  You don't ask them if they have to go potty since they may or may not know the signs, and having them tell you instead puts the power in their hands.  You don't put them  on a schedule or timer so that they learn to recognize their body's own signals.  Here's a quick rundown of how it's gone for us (TMI alert):

Sophia the one and ONLY time she has pooped on the potty (this was before the actual training took place).  At least I know it's possible!

Excuse me mom, can we have some privacy please!?

Day 1
 I washed all the undies that Grammy had stocked up for us...sadly the boys have 3X as many as Sophia so I ordered more for overnight shipping (you're not supposed to leave the house for a few days so you can focus all attention on training).  The kids were super excited about their new undies, and each picked out a pair to wear.  We ate breakfast and played quietly in the playroom (hardwood floors) instead of the living room (carpet).  Poor Dave was an anxious wreck and kept repeating The Mantra over and over-probably more for his sake than the kids'.  Cameron went through three pairs of underwear before breakfast and Sophia went through two.  I think they were getting used to the sensation of wetting themselves without a diaper.  By lunch, they had managed to stay dry most the morning.  Evan, my little warrior, was still in his original pair!  They were playing with water outside so I'm not even sure if he was wet from that or pee. The program instructs you to NEVER put them in pull-ups or training pants, but Cameron is the only one who has ever woken up dry, so I am bending the rules for nighttime and naptime.  At naptime Cameron and Sophia both woke up dry, so we may forgo pull-ups or trainers all day.  By the end of the day, Cameron and Sophia were telling me they had to go potty, and only had a few dribbles in their pants.  Cameron had poo in his pants, but told me he had to go (while he was going) and "finished" in the potty.  Evan had some bigger pee accidents, but went poo in the potty so I think he's starting to get the concept.

Day 2
Much better today...I called in Grammy for backup since Dave had to work.  No pee accidents for Cameron AND Sophia!  I told them if they stayed dry all day they could get a toy at Target (their favorite place besides Petco).  They did it!  A few times their undies were slightly damp in the crotch but it was right after they told me they had to go potty so they are definitely making the connection.  Evan  is another story.  He had numerous accidents...one big one while sitting on my lap!!!!!  Ewwwww!  I think he may need more "gentle" reminders than the others.  If I tell him it's time to go, he'll go and most likely would be dry all day.  However, the idea is to allow them to figure out their own bodies cues, so I am not pushing the issue.  I have a washer full of hot water all day and just keep adding the undies!  Sophia seems to be scared about going poo on the potty...she says it hurts her bum. The only accident she had today was poo. This is very common, and many friends and family have gone through it with their children.  Some kids need to take laxatives or get extra special rewards, so I am trying not to push it, and will take further measures as needed!

Day 3
Woke up today feeling much more confident.  It is certainly exhausting, though, since they never sit still and are at the age where they get into EVERYTHING you don't want them to.  Add to the fact that I'm not supposed to let them out of my sight while repeating "Tell me when you need to go potty" a million times, and I feel like I haven't slept in days!!!!  Cameron and Sophia are both accident free (pee)-and both even woke up dry!!!!  They are consistently telling me when they have to go, and Cameron is making the connection for poo as well...he had a small accident in his pants but told Dave he had to go and made it to the potty in time to do most of his business!  Evan is coming along.  He still needs a lot of reminders, but he is definitely aware of when he has to go...he just doesn't seem to care enough to get there in time or doesn't catch himself in time.  He has not had a big accident,  but is still waking up SOAKED from nap and nigttime.  I have resorted to putting him in a pull-up at nap over his undies.  He will still feel wet, but I won't have to change the sheets so many times.  Do what we gotta do!

Day 4 and 5
I would not consider myself a superstitious person, but I admit I am VERY afraid of jinxing this.  Ok.  Here it goes.  This potty training thing is going pretty well...and not at all as hard as I anticipated it to be.  Cameron and Sophia are essentially trained-we are just working on getting Sophia to poo in the toilet.  The pediatrician prescribed some Miralax, so that should do the trick.  Cameron has amazed me with his ability to hold it, tell me when he wants to go, and stay dry for over 72 hours!!!!!!  Even at nap and overnight!!!!  Evan is a work in progress, but is getting much better.  Oddly enough, he will tell me when he needs to go poo, and get there in time, but not 100% with pee.  Usually it's the other way around.  Anyway, I am expecting some setbacks, but we have started venturing out of the house, and aside from one accident at the doctor's office (after waiting very patiently for over an hour and half) we have been accident free!!!!  KNOCK ON WOOD!  

Last month, we celebrated the kids' 3rd birthday in style.  For you fellow Pinterest addicts, you may recognize some of our decor.  It's what I do when I am on bedtime duty! Pictures to come in a separate post...there are many!