Potty Boot Camp

I sort of decided on a whim this week to start potty training Madeline. I kept saying last year that "after the holidays" I'd get around to it. I didn't have a reason for not hopping to it after the New Year except that I was nervous. I knew that Madeline needed an all or nothing approach and the thought of not leaving the house for a few days didn't exactly appeal to me either . . .



So Tuesday we were snowed in and I kept thinking "Erin, this is the day!" but I had gotten up extra early and it was cold and . . . yada yada yada . . . One of my friends mentioned that she had sort of dedicated the day to PT so I decided to be inspired, knock off the excuses and just do it. I took off her diaper and let her roam! We talked about feeling like we needed to go peepee and letting Mommy know. She sat down once and squeezed out ONE literal drop. I still gave her a piece of candy and congratulated her. Around 4:00 she sat back down on her potty on her own for a few minutes. Then she came to me and said "Pee pee" and I was all "yeah sure honey, show Mama." So she brought me the cup (it's a little portable type potty) and by golly she certainly had gone! I was shocked!!!! We went and put it in the BIG potty, talked about all the things we do after we go, and then she got a piece of candy! She was very excited about that!

A couple of hours later before bed she sat back down on the potty again and went again! She was very excited and Daddy was there to witness it all!

The next day we did the same thing. Diaper came off and I tried not to "hound" her about it. I don't know which is worse - changing poopy diapers or asking her 300 times a day if she needs to go potty. She seemed very interested in going and I only had to ask once every few hours. If she said "no" I left her alone. I knew she'd have to go sometime and she was very unlikely to go on the floor. She went 5 times during the day and had NO accidents!! ON Thursday I decided to chance the nap. I put her down in just her shirt and socks and told her that we try not to peepee in our bed. I figured the worst that could happen is that she'd wet. No biggie. BUT she woke up dry! She also was able to do "both" in the potty that day! We also started a sticker chart. I am too retarded to make one of my own but found one online. However, it required 25 stars before the "goal" which I thought was a lot but - no time like the present to teach potty training AND delayed gratification. (Only one of which I have mastered) When she put a star on her chart we talked about how many more stars we need to get to the balloons! We also got totally rid of all the diapers in the house! Only "night night undies" (Pull Ups) are allowed! We gave all the diapers to the new baby. I have no delusions of her making it through the night without wetting, but I mention casually that we try to keep our night night undies dry. Some day she'll do it and shock my socks off! Of course this also means getting her up at the first sound of her being awake and babbling to herself, instead of giving me a few minutes to wake up. : (

Saturday was my biggest challenge because we had swim lessons that morning. We went potty before leaving the house and upon getting to the locker room. (um, ick) and then after swimming I asked her if she needed to go potty. She said "POTTY!" and I was very glad I brought her seat! She was able to go in the crazy loud, bright locker room like it was NO big deal! I had brought her chart along and some treats. That was all that mattered! I told her that since she just went potty she could wear her Big Girl Undies home. She kept them dry and was able to go potty right before her nap and have another dry nap!

Today we started the day letting her run around diaper-less and she was able to get the last two stickers to complete her chart! So after her nap (another dry one!!) she woke up to a great big Thomas the Train balloon! She got to wear her Big Girl Undies the rest of the day and kept them totally dry! It's funny how much she is "getting" the idea. After dinner she was running around and she said "cup?" and I told her that it was on the table. She kept asking and asking and then she said "I get it!" She ran into the bathroom, retrieved the cup that goes in her potty, put it in her potty, and went. Steve and I just sat there like codfish.

I couldn't be more proud of her. I'm not ready to call her "trained" as yet - but she's done so well! She's had NO accidents and done well with handling the stress of a totally new concept. At this point she almost seems "over" all the drama of getting treats and stickers and just wants to go on with her life!

Tomorrow we're going to take a short excursion to the post office, but will probably still spend most of the day at home learning the mechanics of underclothing! Meanwhile I am keeping all of my digits crossed that I maaaaaay be done buying diapers for at least a little while!