Well, we are back on the potty train, and it is going pretty smoothly. (KNOCK.ON.WOOD) Seriously, I was actually debating on whether or not I should even write something because things have really picked up and turned a corner for Elise and her using the potty. (Roughly 2 weeks before she turns 3)
Back story---I was beginning to think that she would be one of THOSE kids who was well on her way to 4 before she decided she was ready to use the potty. And believe me, she has done everything else in her own time and in her own way. This was just so frustrating for me, as a mom, I was beginning to think I wasn't doing something right because I couldn't figure out what was holding her up in this particular endeavor.
So a few weeks ago we started really talking it up. We told her she was in Pull-ups and she should tell us when she needed to go sit on the potty, or when she went to go hide in the corner we asked her to go sit on the potty. Some days it was a 'no thanks' and other days it almost turned into a full blown tantrum...just if you even asked her to sit and try. Then the other hurdle was that even when we thought we picked a good time for her to try she could literally sit there for over 30 minutes and no result. And as hindsight is 20/20, this is frustrating for both parties. Remember- You can't make anyone go to the bathroom!
Well, the talking didn't seem to phase her at all, so we stepped it up just a little and started telling her that somethings were just for kids who use the potty. Plus, I was getting really tired of changing her pull-up as if it was a diaper. (So annoying!) I stopped buying diapers a little while ago because I had a stock-pile of pull-ups and I was hoping that moving to pull-up which yes, are pretty much a glorified diaper, that it being not so saggy she would be uncomfortable and understand that if she just went to the bathroom it wouldn't be as uncomfortable.
Fast forward a couple of weeks to this week. To be honest I can't remember if it was Monday or Tuesday (serious pregnancy brain!) I think it was Tuesday, but anyway, one of those days she woke up dry from her nap, so I pulled out some tough love and made her sit on the potty until she did something because I knew she could based on what she had to drink for lunch. Well, it worked! About 30 minutes later she comes running down the hall "Mommy, mommy I peed!!" And she did, I was so proud of her and I told her and made a big deal about it. And she actually got to have a sucker because that is the point that I had come to...serious bribery. So we did that for a couple of days. I couldn't seem to catch her at any other good times to go. But she started cutting her time down from 30 minutes to about 10! She still wasn't telling me if she had to go, I just tried to make a mental note as to when the last time was that she went and have her try about 1 1/2 to 2 hours later. Since we already knew she could hold it for some time. Whatever, I'll take what I can get!
Now, yesterday was even better. We got up in the morning and she had a wet diaper, which I expected (and not expecting to change for some time because she is a heavy sleeper), and got dressed. I asked her if she wanted to try to go potty and she said no, so I didn't push and told her we could try after breakfast. So that is what we did, and you know what, she was dry until after breakfast and peed in the potty!! She was so excited and proud. She even wanted to put in a call to Grandma, which I gladly did for her, and she was excited to tell her. Then later that day she peed 2 more times. YAY!
So the major thing that I had been dreading was seeing if she would use the potty somewhere other than home. I tried this morning while we were at The Commons playground. That catch was that she needed to poop (I know way to much info), and I don't really expect her to do that right away, I know that is a hard one to overcome. So I just changed her, and she stayed dry until we got home. She didn't stay dry during her nap, but she did still go after she woke up. Then this evening we had several errands to run and she had some juice before we left so I knew at some point we would be out and she would have to go. Well, we were at Menards and I asked her if she needed to go, but she kept saying no. So I suggested we try because I had to go too. (I guess there might be one plus to having to go to the bathroom all the time.) So she agreed she would try. So I set her on a potty and she told me she wanted to go by herself, I told her I couldn't hold her and she was okay with that, so I went really quickly in the stall next to her, and I could hear her pee in the toilet! I helped her down and that was it...she went in a public toilet. I really never thought she would do it this fast. I am glad she was so excited. She was actually so excited that she went in a different bathroom/toilet that she had to try twice at Culver's.
I am so glad we have finally turned a corner and things are looking up. I keep telling myself there will be setbacks and changes, but going from changing her diaper/pull-up every few hours to her going in the potty several times in one day in just about 1 week. I am beyond thrilled. Hopefully the weekend is just as successful in every aspect!
