Potty training under way

I've put off potty training Noble for long enough.  With the other children, when they turned 18 months, we tackled potty training and everyone learned quickly.  Noble is 21 months and not getting any younger.

Noble certainly didn't want to sit on the potty after the initial curiosity.  I had to make him sit.  And sit.  And sit.  It's good that he drinks a lot.  We usually don't have to wait long after he sits before he'll pee.  Then we both clap.  After awhile, he caught on that clapping meant that he did well and could get up so he tried clapping too soon, before he peed.  And wanted to get up.  He was quite unhappy when I wouldn't let him up.  We've had accidents, here and there, but all downstairs because I've purposed to stay downstairs with him without his pull-ups on these past few days.  I'm so glad we changed out the carpet in the living room.  Even when he pooped on the floor, it wasn't a big deal.  Today, he actually sat on the potty by himself and pooped!  I was so thrilled.  He got a Kixt Kat chocolate.  I haven't been rewarding him because he seemed to be peeing regularly in the potty but I'm going to make sure he knows how wonderful it is that he's going number 2 in the potty.  This really hasn't been that hard.  His siblings felt sorry for him when I first had to make him sit and he'd wail but now he doesn't.  He's learning self control, I believe.  It's only been a few days and he's certainly not potty trained yet, but I'm encouraged that we are having fewer and fewer accidents.  I now take off his diaper first thing after he wakes up and I'll put him on the potty directly.  We are down to using only 1 diaper for the night and one pull-up during the day.  Wished I'd started earlier.  Potty training is really the parent being committed to not putting a diaper on the child and consistently using the potty.  I really don't mind that it seems that we're occupied with the potty all day long.  Better than changing diapers.  And so much better for his skin.  It's amazing how much joy a little child can give just by going in the potty.  It's so nice to see him happy with his own accomplishment and clapping with delight.  I am so happy that I can have the privilege of being the one to coax all these milestones.  That I don't have to find out about them happening to my child.  That I get to be one to experience the fullness of my child learning a new skill.  God has given me such a good life.