The Joys of Potty Training

We had a couple of half-hearted attempts at potty training Bailey. We bought her a little potty seat before she turned two because she said she wanted one. The first time she went in her seat, I couldn't believe how excited I was. She would go a few times a day. Then Sawyer was born, and everything went on hold because the last thing I wanted to do was worry about taking her to the bathroom. A few months later, we started again, but didn't have a solid plan. She was going a few times a day again, but it seemed like that plan would take forever. So, I decided to go for a cold turkey approach. We bought her about twenty pairs of underwear. I had her throw away her pull-ups and told her she was a big girl and wouldn't wear any more diapers. Only big girl panties. Well, this got her very excited. She couldn't wait to put on her new underwear.

She used to go in here until the first time I had to clean #2 out of it. I almost gagged and that was the end of it.

The first few days, we strictly stayed in the kitchen and the bathroom. The first few times she went in her underwear and made a huge mess, she seemed so confused and upset. She didn't understand what was going on. Then after two or three days of drinking tons of juice boxes and having plenty of practice, she seemed to get it.

Potty training can be frustrating because they can be doing so well for a long time, and then just regress for apparently no reason. We had her sleep at night in her underwear, but after a couple of weeks of changing sheets ALL THE TIME, I decided to relent and have her wear a pull-up at night. She woke up the very first morning dry (weird), but never again. Then all of a sudden, she started waking up wet from her naps. Day after day. So frustrating when she hadn't had an accident in so long. So, then we started putting a pull-up in her during naps as well. She's now back to waking up dry just about every day, but the pull-up will stay for a little while longer.

I think thus far, potty training has required the most patience out of anything else I've done as a mother. It's hard when they obviously have to go but cry and insist that they don't, refuse to go, and have an accident. It's hard when they've been doing so well and then seem to not care anymore. Accidents are few and far between now, but she still gets upset on a regular basis when I tell her she needs to go to the bathroom. She will literally cry, saying, "I don't have to go!" at the exact same time she is going to the bathroom. I've tried giving her complete control, but that hasn't worked out so well, so when she's dancing around, I tell her she needs to go.

Washing her hands: she seems to either take an amazingly long time or an amazingly short time doing this.

All in all, I think it's been a pretty smooth ride, but I'm sooo glad the hardest part is over.

Best Potty Training Quotes:

"My poop is in my pee.... My poop is swimming in my pee."

"My poop lives in my bottom."

"Poop doesn't talk. I hear it, and it doesn't talk."

"Bye, poop. Don't get mad."

Little did I know what fantastic conversations I would get to have as a mother.