Potty Training (and some other stuff)

If there is one thing that I have truly been worried about since being pregnant, it's potty training!  I know that sounds so silly, but it's the one and only thing about which I've had anxiety!  Sidekick could have been potty trained a couple of months ago, but I'm the one who didn't push it.  Let's face it, diapers are so darn convenient.  He's been waking up dry in the mornings since before he turned two years old, so naturally the kid can hold it 12 hours, so daytime potty training should be a breeze.  I've worried about when we are out and about and he has to go potty. 

I figured since he would be home for two days this week plus the weekend with no soccer, this would be the week to concentrate on it.  Yesterday we stayed home all day (which I absolutely hate to do) so I could focus on potty training. He wore big boy under pants and stayed dry all day.  The problem is, he didn't poop all day, and pooping in the potty kind of freaks him out, and he's only done it one time.  I've even bribed with a bowl full of dollar store toys and whenever he poops on the potty, he can have one.  He just likes to look at them and remind me that he only pees on the potty. 

This morning, he told me that he wants to wear his airplane underpants to school.  What??!!  So, armed with two extra pairs of jeans and underpants, a shirt, socks, and shoes, I took him to school in his underpants.  He was so excited to tell his teacher and the director, and they were so proud of him.  So I sit here needing to take the Xanax I've never had (or any anxiety meds for that matter) wondering how he is doing.  I'm pretty much expecting to have some poopy underpants to clean tonight, but maybe he'll surprise me.  He's a couple of weeks shy of being 2 1/2, so I'd be one proud Momma if he was successful with this! 

A couple of other things... lately, Sidekick has been waking up every night crying and yelling, "I need a hug!"  I've heard from a few other people with kids the same age that their kids are waking up also.  What's up with this?  Anyway, I'll let him stand in his crib and cry for a minute until I realize that he's not going to settle back down, so I walk into his room, give him a hug, and he lays back down quietly.  That's it!  How can I turn down a need for a hug? 

We've had a couple of talks before bedtime that he doesn't wake Momma up until the sun wakes up.  Every morning since, when I walk into his room, he says, "I didn't wake Momma up.  I make you happy."  He is the sweetest little boy!  I just want to wrap my arms around him and never let him grow up.

Finally, Whistle (his Elf) hides in some fairly difficult places, and Sidekick finds him right away regardless of what room Whistle is in.  He'll walk into a room point to him and say "hi" and then go on with his day.  Lately, he's been telling me that Momma moves Whistle every day.  Really???  Can I not even stump my own toddler?  He's not buying it!  Sigh.  He's too young to not believe in all of the magic of Christmas.  Maybe next year he'll buy into it and forget that the thought I moved Whistle.  The rate I'm going, next year he might not believe in Santa (who he still doesn't like by the way).  This kid needs to let me have some fun during the holiday season!