Sgt. Mommy Reporting In...

Welcome to the end of our first week of...

Potty Training Bootcamp.

First, let's have a picture of my Lieutenant.  He's been super helpful by being...himself.  Laid back and sitting up just watching.

Then a picture of my big girl.  Who refuses to look at the camera.  

Now.  I read approximately three posts from other moms about potty training.  All three had different approaches.  I sort went with all of them and none of them at the same time.

Here are the points with which I started:

1.  Aubrey Kate is three months shy of 3 years old.  Ancient by today's potty training trends.

2.  Girly announces when she needs to make a poopy.  And is obviously uncomfortable in it because she won't sit down.

3.  She is one smart cookie.

4.  Bribery does work.  But not as much as words of affirmation.

So with that knowledge, I made a semi-plan.

Here are the tools of bribery:

And here is what the living room transformation looks like:

Yes, that is a heater.  Girly's running around in just a shirt and panties.  I want her to be warm.

Underneath the blankets is the plastic drop cloth we had on our bed this summer in case my water broke.  Thanks, Mom, for saving it!  I would have totally thrown it away.

We started the first day with Minnie Mouse.  I put a pair of AK's big girl panties on her and then had her go potty all by herself.  Via a bulb sucker filled with water.  Then I went all nutso about Minnie being such a big girl.

Then I proceeded to fill Aubrey Kate with as much junk food and horribly un-nutritious drinks so she would have to go potty.

A.  Lot.

Started with popcorn because the salt would make her thirsty.

Worked like a charm.  She drank fruit punch kool aid, my DDP (caffeine also makes you need to go potty) and chocolate/strawberry milk.

Then we waited.

But not long.

When she had an accident, she was responsible for cleaning it up.  She threw her panties in the washing machine.  She washed her hands.  Then we talked about how she needs to remember the feeling.

And she would cry.  Because Super Sensitive Sally does not like to do anything she perceives as wrong.

The one day training method that I took most of the first day's plan from wanted the leader to make the child walk from the site of the accident to the potty ten times each time there was an accident.  There was a warning this would not be easy and would likely end with lots of tears.

Mine cries regardless.  No need to shame her more than she already feels.  So I DID NOT punish her.  Cleaning up was enough.

And trust me, she's very used to cleaning up stuff.

After each successful potty trip, she got a treat of her choice and she got to pick someone to call and tell them.  The grandparents were alerted she would be calling and they needed to be over the moon excited for her.

They did an awesome job.

The entire time, I was telling her all the people in her life who go pee-pee in the potty.  Both kids her age and big kids like me and daddy.  The goal is to encourage her to step on up and join the bid kids.  She loved that part.  Kept asking for more names.

So if you're reading this, I very likely listed you as a successful potty goer.

You're welcome.

By nap time, she had it down.

The next morning was another story.  She cried when we put on panties.  Refused to eat the salty junk and refused to drink.  All in all, she was 50/50 for the day and really only went potty maybe 6 times all together.

Dehydration will do that.

Wednesday was a wash.  I sent her to school in a pull-up.  Lots of folks strongly recommend against using these.  We went with the ones that let her know she's wet.  It's supposed to get cold even (haven't tested that out).

Since she is so sensitive and was crying with an accident, I had no interest in making her feel bad at school.  The teacher did take her potty a couple of times.  Once her pull-up was wet but no the next.  She didn't go at school though.

We also use pull-ups for nap and night time.  So we got home from school, took a nap and left us with only a few hours before bed.

Today was okay.  She only had one accident and that was first thing this morning.  But today I insisted she sit on the potty to try about every fifteen minutes.

She HATED that.

Cried.  Threw Stripes.  Whined.  Did the general carrying ons of a toddler.

And I am exhausted.

But the good news is, only one accident.  Tomorrow, she's wearing big girl panties to school.  I expect her to have an accident but she has to learn how to remember to go potty even when she's distracted with play.

Soooo...that's where we are.  In the middle of the process, maybe?  

If you see my number pop up on your phone, go ahead and answer.  It's just Aubrey Kate waiting to scream "I WENT PEE-PEE IN THE POTTY!"