Adventures in Potty Training, Day 1

So today was it. D-Day. I told tons of people about it, just so I couldn't chicken out. And this morning I started the task I've feared since before I was even a parent...potty training! (duh duh dunnnnnh!!!)
Jadon is 2 1/2. Apparently, to some that is old, to some it is young to start this dreaded process. To be honest, I wanted to wait longer, but he showed such interest in sitting on the potty, actually going when he felt like it, and always, always watching us go--and insisting on flushing!--that I feared my desire for convenience might make me miss the perfect window...so I decided to take the plunge.
In preparation, I read the book my mom had used with us, Potty Train in Less Than a Day. I think it's just the overachiever's version to the now-popular 3-Day Method, which I also researched thoroughly on the internet. Feeling fairly well-versed in the techniques and definitely well-armed with snacks and rewards and other supplies, I nervously set out on my endeavor at 10:30 this morning after breakfast.

We "trained" Jadon's Elmo potty doll, celebrated Jadon's new big-boy underwear, downed several choice beverages, and made the every-15-minutes trips to the potty. We were doing great...except that he had yet to actually go potty in the potty (something that he has done with no problem--when he wants to--for quite some time). I figured he just hadn't had enough liquids, but seriously?! After 4 cycles, I could tell (by his enlarging belly and other appendages), that he was just holding it for some reason. What?! The book definitely did not prepare me for this!!!
Finally, finally, he went a tiny little tinkle in the potty, and we celebrated with the best of them...and then he promptly ran out into the garage and peed all over the floor. Urg!!!
Over the next hour or so, that scenario repeated itself two more times. He'd go a little tinkle in the potty, and then within moments, pee somewhere else. In the event of accidents, the 1-day book instructed that the child should clean up the mess and then do 10 cheerful practice runs before changing into new undies. I couldn't stomach doing 10 myself, so we did 3. But by the second accident, though, Jadon was clearly getting frustrated with even that many, so much so that at one point he firmly planted himself and cried/yelled, "I don't want to go potty!"
Immediately I knew this day was heading toward failure. Apparently my child is that one rare exception the methods all momentarily acknowledged and then moved on. Knowing my strong-willed, independent little man, why was I surprised?
Finally, with Austin's amazing help (he was SO great!), we finally made it to nap time...and I was finally, legally, allowed to put Jadon back into a diaper. Ahhh, it felt so great. Up until that point, we really had had zero successful potty attempts and four accidents. I wanted to quit, but I had already committed to keep going until tomorrow night.
Relishing what I hoped would be an hour and a half of peaceful alone time, Austin suddenly informed me that he had gotten his basketball game time wrong and that he actually needed to be there like five minutes ago. Ugggh...
I successfully transferred sleeping Jadon into the car and made the 30 minute drive out to his game, and then of course, on the 30 minute drive back, Jadon woke up, alert and ready to run. So much for regrouping time! I dreaded the minutes until Jim would come home to relieve me.
Back in the house, I took Jadon's diaper off to put him back in underwear...and much to my pleasant surprise...it was DRY!!! We celebrated and ate chocolate (yes, I deserved a snack, too!), and then ran to the potty...and Jadon went...a lot!!! Oh, sweet success.
 And that was the turning point. We never had another accident. Jadon still didn't go in the potty very often, but I stopped pestering him so much, and he even managed a poop. Once Jim got home, we even ventured out to a family-style baby shower at church tonight, armed with a potty seat and several changes of clothes. We used the potty seat several times, including for another poop, but never needed the change of clothes. Woo hoo!
As a reward--for all of us!--Jadon is sleeping with us in our bed tonight (it's a reward for us, because we were too exhausted to go through our extensive cuddling-to-sleep routine (another activity we are working on, which I will probably talk about extensively in another post!)). And tomorrow is another day. I'm still not looking forward to continuing the potty training, but I'm a whole lot more hopeful than I was before nap time!

 (One of Jadon's favorite salty snacks is popcorn, so we had several batches today!)