Potty Training 101 (Written by mommy)

Does this happen to anyone else?

You know that you inevitably have to do something, but you just keep putting if off. Then all of a sudden the world is talking about it everywhere you go. Well that's what happened in our house with potty training. I know I need to get it done, but it's a pain and I just haven't wanted to put the time in because it's not a fun enjoyable thing. So all of a sudden I'm hearing about it everywhere...friends, friends' blogs, advertisements, books, and my daughter herself gave me some yucky clues. So I decide OK , it's never going to be convienient so lets just do it. And that brings me to this entry, sit back folks and enjoy that this isn't your life, it's mine!

Some Background (Not for those with a light stomach): Paige will probably disown me in 15 years for sharing this story across the World Wide Web, but I'll take my chances because no matter how disgusting it is, I still love her.

Last Wednesday night I had put Paige to bed and as always she was up in her room for awhile before settling down. After about 30 minutes, I hear her door opening (not a surprise lately) so I yell from the couch, "Paige go back to bed." She yells back, "No mommy stinky..." Thinking she needed a diaper change I get up as she walks out into the hallway holding her hands out in front of her. She says, "Yuck Mommy Yuck" As I get closer I realize that she has her hands covered in poop. As I'm about gagging she turns around and I notice her diaper is about halfway down her bottom, obviously how her hands got filthy. She continues to say Yucky as I take her into her bedroom to start the clean-up. At this point I'm thinking to myself, "Are you kidding, why me???" I get into her room and see even more. She has the wipes out and she had tried to stick them down her diaper to clean herself up and she had the dirty wipes all over the floor. As this point I couldn't help but laugh to myself and think ok she's obviously ready for the next step....so potty training here we come! Bet you're glad you weren't babysitting that night huh?

So that brings us to Friday...the start of our potty training! After reading about sticker charts, Dr. Phil's training in a day, using pull-ups, and every other theory I decide to keep it simple. We are going to wear big girl underwear and stay by the potty all day long. Pull-ups in my opinion make it hard because they are not uncomfortable when they have an accident so they really don't learn as fast. So.......

9:45 am - Paige wakes up after sleeping in. She is excited to put on Elmo underwear and bring the potty into her room (I'm not about to sit in the bathroom all day.) After about 5 minutes I asked her if she was going to be a big girl today and go potty in her potty. She responded, "Don't Worry Mommy."

10:15 - Asked her if she had to go potty. She responded, "No, No, No, Don't worry mommy."

10:25 - After going out in the living room to watch a train, she ran in the room and yelled, "Poop" I though we were too late, but she sat down and wemt potty. Too bad we got so excited and celebrated too early. She stood up and went some more. Oh Well..still worth a treat! 1st treat of the day, 2nd pair of underwear.

11:10 - Paige, do you have to go potty? "No, No, No Don't Worry."

12:15 - Had a small accident while daddy was home for lunch. Made a small puddle, but then ran to the potty with mommy and finished. Treat #2, underwear #3.

12:45 - I left Paige in her room watching TV while i ran to fill the dishwasher. Not gone more than 2 minutes she runs out of her room yelling "Poop." I run in and helped her get to the potty, but realized she was already wet. Looking around I don't see any wet spots on the floor. I asked her, "Did you make a mess on the floor?" "Nope" She sits on the potty and I continue to look around and find a wet spot hidden under her wagon. The kid's already lying to me, little stinker. She pulled her wagon over the spot to cover it up! Put on a pull-up and break for nap time.

4:30 - Underwear number 4 of the day. Almost makes it, but get them wet before she realizes she has to go. That's a hard concept to learn. We'll get it. Pull-up goes on to go work outside with daddy, mommy has to go to town. Goes potty once with daddy and then before her bath that night. Very successful day!

Break for the weekend at the lake...mommy's not dealing with it. She's lazy!

Monday morning!

8:30 - Start with underwear on. Before lunch she had two small accidents, but still made it to the potty in time to finish.

12:00 - Daddy is home for lunch. She continues to tell me that she doesn't need to go potty. She goes into her room as we are sitting in the kitchen. Five minutes later she comes out carrying the inside of her potty, she's going to dump it because she went ALL BY HERSELF! We cheer but she is too busy cleaning up and getting new underwear. Hers were a little wet. Two treats!

1:00 - One step forward two back. She poops in her underwear. We cut our losses and throw them away, mommy doesn't want to clean up the mess! Put on a pull-up for nap.

5:00 - Underwear back on. When she sees daddy pull up I say, "Lets go potty before daddy gets here so we can eat supper." She come with me sits down on the potty and goes. Won't let me help her, "No mommy Paige do it" Dry Underwear!!!

6:00 - Wants to go outside with daddy. I tell her she can go if she goes potty first. She goes in and goes. Still the same pair of underwear! She heads outside with underwear on!

7:30 - Mommy goes outside to get her and tells her she can got back out for a little bit after she goes potty. She sits down and goes! Yeah Still dry. We put on a pull-up because its almost time for jammies! Great DAy!!!!!

Tomorrow Daycare...we'll see if she can keep going with it a little. Wish up Luck!

Her are some pictures of her running around all day with no pants!