strong wills are both a blessing and a curse...

So when Joshua turned three years old I began to attempt the ever popular 'potty training'... what a nightmare! I believe I blogged about it. Everyone at the time advised me to wait until the summer, that it would be easier... where are these people now I ask?! I have now been trying for two weeks... and other than one pee and one partial poop we have not had any success. We are home now from the cottage and I have access to the internet where I am reading all about boys and willfulness and different techniques. (I have tried many!). So far, no success...

My frustration is mounting but along with it is a curious wondering... will my child be the one who goes to kindergarten in diapers? Yes, I realize I am being a touch dramatic but let me tell you, I haven't got a clue what I am doing!?!?! Seriously, I can't remember learning to pee on the potty, how can I teach him to do it? The other day we sat for an hour, drinking water, playing with a car, reading books... I was determined to have ONE success so that he would understand what we wanted from him... after an hour he finally got antsy and said he was done so I gave up. Within minutes that child had peed in his pants!!! MINUTES! He knew exactly what he was doing and he needed off the potty to pee in this nappy... backwards, I KNOW!

So I am turning to my Blog for a place to vent out the potty training struggles and I am hoping that some of you wonderful readers out there can offer up some tidbits of advice for me?? I am desperate!

Let me tell you what I have done so far so as to help you  understand my desperation:

• He has picked out his own big boy pants and potty
• Going to the potty is a fun thing, we have books and cars set up for him to play with
• He has a reward system in place (bribery is good for the soul on occasion)
• He has been told that if he learns to go on the toilet that he will get a very special present (a fun new toy)
• He has been praised up and down, left and right when he has dry pants
• We have tried both regular underwear, training underwear and pullups... he notices but can live with being wet

I would really really value any advice you have to offer...