The Potty is the Pits

Potty-training twin boys is seriously one of the most difficult things on the planet for me. This is our third go at it and it will be our last. As previously mentioned, they will soon turn three. Three years worth of diapers on two boys could buy a decent used car. That said, changing diapers is a whole lot easier than chasing half-naked giggling, screaming, pooping, peeing boys around the house. I keep reading these posts on Facebook that make the whole endeavor sound simple: "Little Johnny only had one accident today," "Sweet Sally potty-trained in two days," "Bobbie can hold his pee-pee as long as it takes to get to the potty." Either these people are lying or my boys broke the mold. I just do not get how this whole potty-training thing works and nothing I read helps with the details. I've followed suggestions and experimented with different methods and so far, I'm still blank. People don't seem to understand the questions I pose to them either. Are they in denial or did they sleep through their children potty-training themselves? 

At my house, potty-training is not a breeze. So far, I have to initiate potty-time. Once there, P usually goes pee-pee immediately while I struggles. While I'm encouraging I, P runs off to pee on some piece of furniture or patch of carpet. There is a lot of waiting and a lot of bargaining with jelly beans. When one twin is successful and the other unsuccessful, a jelly bean turns into the envy of the century and my head splits in two. Luckily, both boys are pretty eager to try to pee-pee on the potty unless they just woke up. 

It seems every positive has a negative for these two going potty. P actually has a dry diaper half the time, while I's is always very full. I hasn't had any accidents on the floor. He runs to the potty when he's about to go as long as he isn't wearing a pull-up. P will go on the potty and then intentionally go on the floor or anything else directly following. Reading these issues makes them seem less life-shattering, but living them puts me at my wit's end. I know they have books for this, but children don't come with individual instruction manuals. And my children didn't exactly come individually! I'm hoping that as the week continues, I will find strength and patience while the boys find bladder-control.