Saturday, January 31, 2009

Adventures in potty training

Little hugs is 2 1/2. We haven't pushed potty training, our parenting style is strict (manners, behavior) but laid back (milestones, learning). We believe that each kid does their own things in their own time. The shmoo started potty training about 2 1/2 but wasn't completely done until almost 3 1/2 - there were a lot of issues and hang-ups with #2, and clogging the potty seemed to be (and still is) a big concern of his.

For about the past 3-4 months, when little hugs asks to use the potty, we encourage her and heap on the praise. Some days, she tries a lot and is usually successful (always #1) and then she may go days, maybe weeks, without asking. But, we never ask her to try. This is mostly because we don't want to push and also because we are lazy - the closer she is to being really ready and in control of her body, the quicker and easier the whole process will be. Another reason is - she is still in a crib, which means, she can't get up from a nap or in the morning, on her own, to use the potty if she needs to and I think that would add to her frustration.

I've had pull-ups for months and today, I decided since we were having a quiet day at home, it would be the perfect time to try them - she would have a lot of opportunities to be successful. I started by explaining that they were "princess diaper underwear" and before I could go any further, she lit up and exclaimed "those are pull-ups, just like [friend at daycare] has! I'm gonna be a big girl!". I guess she is ready. Then, I pointed out the flowers that disappear when they get wet and we put them on.

A short while later, I asked if she would like to try the potty and she responded, "no, I workin' on a poopie". Ok, maybe she's not quite ready. When she was done (workin' on it), I changed her diaper and showed her that the flowers were gone.

After we worked on a craft project (I'll post more about that later), she asked to use the potty. She had already gone a little in her pull-up and we looked at how the flowers had started to disappear, but she was successful. Maybe she really is ready.

At nap time, she went to bed with a dry pull-up. Fifteen minutes later, it had a poopie in it. After changing it and giving her the diaper or pull-up option (she chose pull-up), she laid down and began humming. This usually means she's ready to sleep so I headed off to take my shower, finally.

When I stepped out of the shower, I heard, "mommy, I need help to put my pull-up on". I'm thinking - ON? I enter her room to find a little girl with 1. no more ponytails, 2. no more socks, 3. no more pants, and 4. a pull-up in her hand. I spy a large wet spot in the middle of the crib and ask, "why did you take off your pull-up?" Answer: "I didn't want the flowers to disappear." She really is ready.

And I need to get moving (fast) on the big girl room transformation (much more on that in a future post) because her next comment was "I'm going to be a big girl tomorrow and sleep in a grown up bed".

Here's a picture of her resting on my bed, with Chester, while I changed her sheets.
Not the best picture but I only got one shot - Chester didn't want to be bothered by the paparazzi so he left immediately following this picture. Although, my next shot did catch him leaving.

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