So we’re in the beginning stages of potty training. I’m not going to lie. I’m already NOT loving this project. To make it a bit more palatable, we just started using m&ms as motivation bribes, one for pee, two for poop. Luke has been peeing in the toilet off and on for a few months now, but the poop has only been on accident (during naked time we throw him on the toilet just in time), so the bribe is really for that side.

We can tell he’s not totally ready, so we’re not pushing it, but this morning he said he had to poop. So we stuck him on the toilet, and he peed a little, and then asked Dada to read him a book. During the reading, he stood up a few times to grab some toilet paper (“paper towels” to him) and to check his progress. He asked for a couple rereads, and in the process peed a little more during the third reading of “Trucks.”

When we realized it was a false alarm, we told him “You peed in the toilet! We’re so proud of you!!! No big deal about no poop. Next time.” As he grabbed more paper towels to “wipe my bum,” he proudly announced, “Now I get two m&ms!” After he flushed, realizing that we had ignored that comment, he repeated, “Now I get two m&ms! Come on Mama! Come on Dada! Downstairs for the two m&ms!” So we break the news gently, terrified about how this could skew our great morning so far, just moments before needing to leave for works and day care ~ ”Babe, you get one m&m for pee, and maybe you can get two later if you poop in the toilet at day care!”

Luke looks at both of us like we have lost our minds, and clearly states, so there is NO confusion, “Mama, Dada, I get two m&ms, because two pees.” We respond with “Two Ps?” And he says, “Two pees. Two m&ms.” Points at the toilet, “TWO. PEES. TWO. M&Ms!”

When we realize our error in homonyms, we look at each other and I say to Brian, “It’s hard to argue with that logic.” Brian agreed.

So, Luke got two m&ms before eight this morning. Is anyone really surprised?

I mean, how do we say “no” to this face? No, really, we’re asking! How? 😉