To start off, I hope this isn't too graphic.
This blog is for my babies ...
so I must tell the story how it is.
It has been eight long, torturous days ...
Two words:
Potty Training
Just the sound of it sounds awful doesn't it ...
But awful might not quite describe it exactly ...
Depressing ... Discouraging ... a Nightmare that never quite ends ...
... and then, all of a sudden, hope - a breakthrough
and the world is right all over again.
According to Sophie's preschool, she needs to head to school completely potty trained ...
She starts pre-school summer school in August ...
and has to be well on her way.
I was procrastinating - 3 weeks to go!
Terrified?
I definitely am.
Still am.
At least slightly am.
I have never potty trained anyone in my life ...
How do I do it?
What does one do?
Can't I just tell her to sit on the potty and pee or poop?
It's really NOT that hard ... right?
My fear is that Sophie will be the only preschooler who isn't potty trained.
A very, very realistic fear.
Thank you to all who encouraged us ...
and reminded us that everyone learns to use the potty ... eventually!
Don't lose hope - I nearly did!!!
We have tried to Potty Train 3 other times but (I have been saved) Sophie has gotten sick.
It's almost like she or her body knew about the changes to come.
In fact the week before, when I had planned (again) to potty train, both Sophie and I caught the stomach flu. It wasn't going to happen then ... and I was saved again!
My mom and dad, Pau Pau and Gung Gung kept asking when the day would be ...
and really, I was just scared. I kept putting it off.
C'mon, you can't potty train if there is even a trace of sickness right?
Do colds count???
But last Thursday, the day had come.
It was time to potty train.
Blake had a doctor's appointment that morning ..
by the way - my little guy is not so little anymore.
He was nearly 11 pounds and now, a week later, he's probably almost 12.
Blake was born at 7 lbs. 3 oz. ... what in the world happened???
I hate to compare but Sophie was small forever. I liked that.
Blake is growing out of all his clothes ...
A 7 week old baby in 3 month clothing.
I don't like that ... anyways ...
10 lbs., 11.6 oz.
Unbelievable!
So, I came home from Blake's appointment all energetic.
Trying to excite Sophie that this was the thing to do ...
Pee on the potty.
It was going to be easy ... I have a feeling.
Sophie is a smart girl.
I was armed with stickers and gifts ...
and she likes that kind of stuff.
Potty equals rewards.
And who doesn't like rewards?
Sophie loves rewards!
Easy-peasy ... right?
Not. So. Much.
I never quite cried.
But I was definitely close.
And before this, I've never cleaned our floors so many times.
I think they must be squeaky clean by now.
The first day was terrible.
Sitting on the potty for the first time ...
Well, first time seriously potty training.
Distracted by reading her favorite tiger book.
The second day was just as bad.
But thankfully I had Andrew (who was home for the 4th of July weekend)
who coaxed Sophie to pee on the potty for the first time.
I swear, my husband is a saint with the patience of an angel.
I am lucky to be married to him.
Opening the "Potty Gift"
This is literally the pee and poo doll.
It announces when it has gone either and demands a clean up
The funny thing about this doll is when we opened it up, I thought we
had bought the Spanish speaking doll instead of the English one.
It's first words, so we thought, where "A tu Mama?" but all the other words
seemed to be in English. We couldn't figure it out until Andrew
had the realization that the doll was actually saying,
"Bottle Mama" ... I still don't believe it.
The third day we realized we were so anxious about the whole situation,
that we might have scared Sophie from the potty.
We have officially up-ed the bribe gift to M&Ms.
It seems to be working.
The fourth day, Sophie pooped on the potty.
I was so excited to give her the bubble maker - the poop gift.
She didn't seem to care ... but she sure did care when I pushed the on button!
Opening the "Poop Gift"
Day five through seven were downright discouraging.
I completely felt like I had done something wrong and it seemed like nothing I did,
could stop Sophie from having an accident.
I bribed and bribed with M&Ms until I was possibly eating more of them than Sophie.
Shouldn't my potential weight gain be enough to get her to potty train?
I was ready to give up ... Sophie would just have to wear diapers ... forever.
But then, today, Day 8, finally ... a breakthrough.
Wait for it ... Wait for it ...
We had NO accidents today.
Not one single accident.
In fact, as Andrew was putting Sophie to bed, she asked to
"Sit down potty" ... and she did her thing and went to bed.
Are you amazed?
I certainly am!
Could it be?
Our little girl is potty trained?!?!?!?
Andrew and I are going to bed really proud of our little girl tonight.
Really, really proud.
And if there is a lesson out of this experience,
I have learned patience and perseverance.
Because that's what potty-training takes ... patience and perseverance.
I can't believe that I have to do this all again with Blake in about 2 years.
UGH.
so I must tell the story how it is.
It has been eight long, torturous days ...
Two words:
Potty Training
Just the sound of it sounds awful doesn't it ...
But awful might not quite describe it exactly ...
Depressing ... Discouraging ... a Nightmare that never quite ends ...
... and then, all of a sudden, hope - a breakthrough
and the world is right all over again.
According to Sophie's preschool, she needs to head to school completely potty trained ...
She starts pre-school summer school in August ...
and has to be well on her way.
I was procrastinating - 3 weeks to go!
Terrified?
I definitely am.
Still am.
At least slightly am.
I have never potty trained anyone in my life ...
How do I do it?
What does one do?
Can't I just tell her to sit on the potty and pee or poop?
It's really NOT that hard ... right?
My fear is that Sophie will be the only preschooler who isn't potty trained.
A very, very realistic fear.
Thank you to all who encouraged us ...
and reminded us that everyone learns to use the potty ... eventually!
Don't lose hope - I nearly did!!!
We have tried to Potty Train 3 other times but (I have been saved) Sophie has gotten sick.
It's almost like she or her body knew about the changes to come.
In fact the week before, when I had planned (again) to potty train, both Sophie and I caught the stomach flu. It wasn't going to happen then ... and I was saved again!
My mom and dad, Pau Pau and Gung Gung kept asking when the day would be ...
and really, I was just scared. I kept putting it off.
C'mon, you can't potty train if there is even a trace of sickness right?
Do colds count???
But last Thursday, the day had come.
It was time to potty train.
Blake had a doctor's appointment that morning ..
by the way - my little guy is not so little anymore.
He was nearly 11 pounds and now, a week later, he's probably almost 12.
Blake was born at 7 lbs. 3 oz. ... what in the world happened???
I hate to compare but Sophie was small forever. I liked that.
Blake is growing out of all his clothes ...
A 7 week old baby in 3 month clothing.
I don't like that ... anyways ...
10 lbs., 11.6 oz.Unbelievable!
So, I came home from Blake's appointment all energetic.
Trying to excite Sophie that this was the thing to do ...
Pee on the potty.
It was going to be easy ... I have a feeling.
Sophie is a smart girl.
I was armed with stickers and gifts ...
and she likes that kind of stuff.
Potty equals rewards.
And who doesn't like rewards?
Sophie loves rewards!
Easy-peasy ... right?
Not. So. Much.
I never quite cried.
But I was definitely close.
And before this, I've never cleaned our floors so many times.
I think they must be squeaky clean by now.
The first day was terrible.
Sitting on the potty for the first time ...Well, first time seriously potty training.
Distracted by reading her favorite tiger book.
The second day was just as bad.
But thankfully I had Andrew (who was home for the 4th of July weekend)
who coaxed Sophie to pee on the potty for the first time.
I swear, my husband is a saint with the patience of an angel.
I am lucky to be married to him.
Opening the "Potty Gift"This is literally the pee and poo doll.
It announces when it has gone either and demands a clean up
The funny thing about this doll is when we opened it up, I thought we
had bought the Spanish speaking doll instead of the English one.
It's first words, so we thought, where "A tu Mama?" but all the other words
seemed to be in English. We couldn't figure it out until Andrew
had the realization that the doll was actually saying,
"Bottle Mama" ... I still don't believe it.
The third day we realized we were so anxious about the whole situation,
that we might have scared Sophie from the potty.
We have officially up-ed the bribe gift to M&Ms.
It seems to be working.
The fourth day, Sophie pooped on the potty.
I was so excited to give her the bubble maker - the poop gift.
She didn't seem to care ... but she sure did care when I pushed the on button!
Opening the "Poop Gift"Day five through seven were downright discouraging.
I completely felt like I had done something wrong and it seemed like nothing I did,
could stop Sophie from having an accident.
I bribed and bribed with M&Ms until I was possibly eating more of them than Sophie.
Shouldn't my potential weight gain be enough to get her to potty train?
I was ready to give up ... Sophie would just have to wear diapers ... forever.
But then, today, Day 8, finally ... a breakthrough.
Wait for it ... Wait for it ...
We had NO accidents today.
Not one single accident.
In fact, as Andrew was putting Sophie to bed, she asked to
"Sit down potty" ... and she did her thing and went to bed.
Are you amazed?
I certainly am!
Could it be?
Our little girl is potty trained?!?!?!?
Andrew and I are going to bed really proud of our little girl tonight.
Really, really proud.
And if there is a lesson out of this experience,
I have learned patience and perseverance.
Because that's what potty-training takes ... patience and perseverance.
I can't believe that I have to do this all again with Blake in about 2 years.
UGH.
Char! I'm so scared of potty training too!!! I'm debating on training them both at once or one at a time. I don't know! I'm so happy to hear that Sophie did it. I know all kids do, eventually and I don't know where my irrational fear is from. Good job momma!!!
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