Potty Training Again - Moving Along

Potty Training - now 18 months, Day 10 - Moving Along

Today was our first day without an accident. Tomorrow we are sure to have one and that is what I have prepared myself for. However, I will hold on to the success of the day. Consistency and consideration seem to be the key. The schedule has really helped and she knows what to expect just as I do even the other kids know. Though it is our first day without an accident, I can't help to be excited about the imminent conquer!

Forgot to mention... or wanted to forget... :) Day 8 was a day where I needed some extra motivation to stay on track so I showed a couple of friends how cute her little bottom was in her tight pants (without a diaper to fluff it up). Her sweet daddy went to her when she woke in the morning, and a couple moments after I heard... "Mama, oh Mama..." I am sure he was thanking God I was home. She had her first poop without a diaper in her bed... which really wasn't that bad. I figure it could've been much worse and it made me feel important to ease her and him- or that is the road I was graced to take :). We simply cleaned it up and explained to her what she can do when she has to poop. (say "Mama, Potty" or sign "potty" for me - the sign is to wave your fist in the air with your thumb between your fore finger and middle finger) She showed me that she knew. We'll see if it sticks.

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Potty Training - 17months, Day 7 - Evolving Schedule

This past week has gone well. Much of me learning what motivates her and what my tolerance is. She has only had pee pee accidents. Seems she just understands the impending poop feeling.

We have switched around Day 3 or 4 asking her to go every 1/2 hour. She would start to get irritated and began to fight it a bit, so I put more effort into thinking about how much liquid she consumed and set up a mental schedule.

If she goes at 6:00 when she wakes, the next time she has to go is usually around 8:30 or 9 if she has some milk in the morning. This is usually just before we leave for the day's activity, working well for our schedule. Then just before lunch or nap (11-12). Depending on lunch fluid intake and how much she went before nap, we go for just after nap about 2 or 3. Before dinner and before bed are next.

At this stage, we have been taking the potty with us in the car. Shouldn't be long until we switch her to the big potty, but for now it is less stress on me and her.

Today's Bonus - I found telling the other kids the show (kid TV show) will start as soon as the little one went potty. Next thing I knew she was sat down on her potty by the kids who started singing the wheels on the bus go round and round. Everyone earned a show and MnM's.

Today's Loop - Watermelon! Ha. Who knew mothers had to be such detectives! I forgot how much you have to go until I was up in the night thinking about when I drank so much water?....

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August 9th - Potty Training - 17month old, Day 2 - Today Crazy Mom

I am so pleased that I didn't write yesterday. The day was so wonderful (only one pee pee accident) that if I would've stopped there anyone reading would surely think my kids and I were born with a "silver potty".

Today, reality hit. We are potty training. That is a main focus for the day at least until she completely understands the goal enough to follow through. With 5 pee pee accidents, one might think I would cave but that is not what this process is about. Once it is time (where I am sure she can understand expectations) we will continue to move forward. The accidents were my fault. I assumed she understood the process better. Although she is capable, she needs more guidance. She now gets one MnM for sitting on the potty and another one for peeing. I will also be more conscious of when she has a full bladder, and be more diligent about sitting her on to go, not letting other things hold my attention. Every 1/2 hour.

Here is where I got my "Go get em" energy today after our 5 accidents. God Blessed me with the wonderful naptime stalling tactic taken on by my daughter. Just before putting her in her crib, she threw her potty sign up and I let her sit on the potty, letting her also know that as soon as she got off the potty we would head straight for nap. She was content to stay on until dinner if I let her. Here is where the great blessing comes in. She pooped and peed! That means, we are good on poop until tomorrow at least. (based on my observations. :))

Still accepting prayers for "nice mom" as I didn't fully realize the 5 accidents were due to my own poor assumptions until pondering the process after the fact.