Remember this?

Remember this picture from last August?  Five months ago?  Yeah, well, the potty-training effort never came to fruition.  We tried several times over the next few months, but even though he seemed to show signs of readiness, he was too distracted/lazy for it to really sink in.

Well, the new year brought new resolve.  I am determined to potty train this kid before his third birthday next month.  I'm trying to earn myself a short break from diapers for the first time in almost five years.  So this last week I kept Mason home from "big-boy" activities, such as preschool, library story time, or shopping trips.  He has definitely not liked staying home while Bree and I go off to do fun things.  And when he's home, his room and his toys as well as any TV are off-limits.  I'm mean, I know.  But it was working!  He spent a lot of time running around the house half-naked, and yes, there were a few accidents, and I made him shampoo the carpet himself.  So mean.  He was starting to get it, but every time we'd put underwear or a pull-up on, he'd almost immediately soil it.  So yesterday he was free as a bird all day.  That did the trick!  Not one single accident, and he FINALLY went number two in the potty all on his own.  Major breakthrough.  So he's happy earning his tiny tractor toys for his accomplishments, and I'm super optimistic now that we're on diaper-free day #2.  My boy's growing up!  Finally!