Potty Training Success

Last fall, my then 21 month old daughter sat on the potty and peed. A few days later she did it again. And again a few days later. I was getting smug. My little prodigy was going to be using the potty by the time she was 2. What a wonderful mother I am.

And then she didn't pee on it anymore. Oh, she sat on the potty. Played on the potty. Sang songs on the potty. But she didn't pee in it.

Until now!! 8 months later!!!

Last Wednesday, as part of his "exhaust the children" summer program, he took them to the library for Wiggle, Giggle Story time and to pick out a few books. He brought this book home

It's the story of Ashley, a little girl learning to use the potty. I don't think there is anything more special about this book than a lot of other potty books but for some reason it spoke to Caroline. She wanted to read it over and over. That is the case with a lot of books though.

On Thursday morning we were reading it and Caroline announced, "I have to pee pee on the potty" and then she did.

Conquered!

On Friday morning, I got a call from my husband informing me that she had independently taken herself to the potty and used it. She walked out, announced what she had done and demanded 3 gummies (the reward for potty pees. yes, we bribe). And that was that. She has peed and pooped on the potty during waking hours every since.

Oh she still wears diapers at naps and at night, though she does wake up dry sometimes. And she wants nothing to do with the big toilet. But I know that we are at the place where there will be no going back. There may be accidents. There may be resistance sometime. But we're done with full time diapers on this girl.

I wish I could pat myself on the back for my great PTing skills or that I could tell you there was a trick but really, we just kinda dumbed into it. When they're ready they're ready and all that.

Lest I get too happy about it, this morning Landry peed all over the bed, the changing table and my husband as a reminder that I still have many days ahead of me dealing with the excrement of small humans.