Elijah jumps out of bed, his brown hair tousled and blue eyes sparkling with excitement for a new day. He rushes to play with his toy cars, giggling as he races them down a ramp. His mom peeks in, holding out his favorite superhero underwear, but Elijah is already busy stacking blocks and doesn’t notice. Time to get dressed and put on your big boy underwear! Elijah is excited and scared. Potty training can be hard.
Elijah sits on the floor in his room playing and singing to his toys. When his mom suggests a potty break, he frowns and shakes his head, determined not to miss a single second of play time."But I’m still playing! I don’t want to go now," he protests. His mom gently reminds him that big boys use the potty, but Elijah squirms in his seat, wishing he could just play instead.
Elijah feels a funny pressure in his tummy but tries to ignore it, focusing on making his tower as tall as possible. Suddenly, his face grows uncomfortable, and a wet sensation spreads beneath him. He freezes, staring at the mess. "Oh no… I didn't make it," he whispers, a lump forming in his throat. He forgot to listen to his body again and use the potty. Accidents make him sad and frustrated. Dad helps him clean up and change his clothes. He’s not in trouble but he feels bad for not going in the potty.
Later in the day he is snuggling on the couch with his mom and dad and dogs and it’s movie time and he starts to feel the pressure in his tummy again. This time he listens and rushes to the potty.
Elijah takes a deep breath, remembering how uncomfortable he felt earlier. He tells himself, "Babies wear diapers, but I’m not a baby anymore. I can do this," as he marches to the potty before the movie starts. His heart pounds with nervous excitement, and he sits down, determined to try his best.
Elijah grins from ear to ear, his dimples deepening as his mom hugs him tight. "You did it, Elijah! You used the potty all by yourself," she exclaims with joy. Elijah feels proud and happy, knowing that even though it was hard, he never gave up. As he snuggles into his mom’s lap, he whispers, "Tomorrow, I’ll try again. I’m a big boy now!"
