I had decided several months ago that after Disney, we would try potty training. So when LC woke up on Monday, I dressed her in a long sleeved shirt, a dress, a jacket and nothing else. Totally bare bottom. The plan was to watch her carefully until she began to pee, then whisk her to the one of two potties I had set up in the house. So I followed her around for an hour and a half, with no action. I was also watching the son of friend of mine while they were moving into a new house. He needed a diaper change, so while I was doing that as quickly as possible, she pees. Ugh. An hour later she pees again, but I catch her and take her to the potty. Thinking I had time, since she just went, I took my eyes off her for a few minutes to make lunch. She poops in the corner of her playroom. Positive that I had time now to make lunch, she pees in the same corner 5 minutes later. Strike 4. She eats lunch and I put a diaper on her and she goes down for a nap. During nap, I make lunch and dinner, and do all the other little things that I need to do during the day, because I can't get anything else done while following her around.
I'll save you the play by play of the next day. Twice, she had to pee so bad, she was wiggling around, would sit on the potty for 10-15 minutes, but would NOT go. Then she'd get up and start peeing. Day two we have a stand off in the bathroom. She is crying she has to go so bad. But NOT in the potty. An HOUR later, I finally realize that she HAS to go somewhere. So I let her outside, she runs to her little playhouse and immediately pees on the floor. During nap I reevaluate my plan, and decide that now is not the time to try and potty train Leyton. Though she has peed in it several times before, she is NOT going to pee on that pot. Victory - Leyton! But make no mistake, she may have won the first battle, but Mommy will win the war. It may take years.... but I will win.
We are instead taking a more gradual approach. She had some trouble getting used to nothing on her legs and bottom, so now we will let her run around and get used to that on occasion. And she loves to sit on the potty and read and watch You Tube Disney videos. So now we'll go in and I'll pull off her diaper and let her do that until I am bored out of my mind. She also needs to expand her vocabulary to include words for poop and pee. This time whenever she went she would just say 'Uh Oh.' This is helpful, but Uh Oh can also mean 'I dropped my sippie, I can't reach Do Do, Someone left a door open,' etc. So we will work on that.
A few positives from the experience. I have a new appreciation for when she will entertain herself and I can do simple things like hang up laundry or brush my teeth. And I have a new respect for her will - as frustrating as it was, I can't help but be impressed at her resolve to NOT go in the potty. I am certain this will not be the last time I get such determination and stubbornness from her. But I know how to choose my battles. And when to call in reenforcements. Grammy will be here for 3 weeks in September to help out when Baby C 2.0 arrives. I can't think of anything that would be more helpful than teaching Leyton to use the potty :-)
No bare bottom pictures to post. Here is a cute one though.
I'll save you the play by play of the next day. Twice, she had to pee so bad, she was wiggling around, would sit on the potty for 10-15 minutes, but would NOT go. Then she'd get up and start peeing. Day two we have a stand off in the bathroom. She is crying she has to go so bad. But NOT in the potty. An HOUR later, I finally realize that she HAS to go somewhere. So I let her outside, she runs to her little playhouse and immediately pees on the floor. During nap I reevaluate my plan, and decide that now is not the time to try and potty train Leyton. Though she has peed in it several times before, she is NOT going to pee on that pot. Victory - Leyton! But make no mistake, she may have won the first battle, but Mommy will win the war. It may take years.... but I will win.
We are instead taking a more gradual approach. She had some trouble getting used to nothing on her legs and bottom, so now we will let her run around and get used to that on occasion. And she loves to sit on the potty and read and watch You Tube Disney videos. So now we'll go in and I'll pull off her diaper and let her do that until I am bored out of my mind. She also needs to expand her vocabulary to include words for poop and pee. This time whenever she went she would just say 'Uh Oh.' This is helpful, but Uh Oh can also mean 'I dropped my sippie, I can't reach Do Do, Someone left a door open,' etc. So we will work on that.
A few positives from the experience. I have a new appreciation for when she will entertain herself and I can do simple things like hang up laundry or brush my teeth. And I have a new respect for her will - as frustrating as it was, I can't help but be impressed at her resolve to NOT go in the potty. I am certain this will not be the last time I get such determination and stubbornness from her. But I know how to choose my battles. And when to call in reenforcements. Grammy will be here for 3 weeks in September to help out when Baby C 2.0 arrives. I can't think of anything that would be more helpful than teaching Leyton to use the potty :-)
No bare bottom pictures to post. Here is a cute one though.
