So Many Milestones

Pin It Now! I've mentioned that Avery has moved into her big girl bed, which is still going great!  But we also started another BIG milestone about a 2 weeks ago.  For 3 days in a row Avery would tell me that she needed to go poop and wanted to go in the potty (we've had a potty seat sitting in her bathroom for months, she's been interested in it, wanting to sit on it in her diaper and all, but not actually wanting to use it).  Each day she told me this twice.  The first 2 days she didn't make it to the potty in time the first time but she would for the second.  One the 3rd day she went both times in the potty.  


I talked to my sister (the toddler teacher who has helped potty train over a hundred kids) and she told me to start potty training.  I was in shock!!!  I mean, I knew that all the signs were pointing to it but I couldn't fathom actually potty training my 21 month old.  I mean, really?!?!  So my sister gave us some tips on how to do it.  Here is what she suggested:


- the day before we start put underwear on over her diaper so she gets familiar with them


- if possible, stay at home for at least 2 days when starting to potty training


- take her to the bathroom every 30 minutes and before and after she eats or drinks


- if she doesn't want to use the bathroom, tell her she has to try to use it before we can... go outside, play, have snack, etc. (must be things that parents are willing to push back)


- once she gets the hang of using the potty at home venture out to places where a bathroom is easily accessible


- accidents are ok and WILL happen, it's a learning opportunity, but have the child clean up themselves and the mess afterwards


- once you make the switch to underwear don't go back and forth between diaper/pull-ups and underwear, it can be very confusing for the child.  However diapers are still fine when they are sleeping


- make a big deal about everything related to going potty; buying supplies, going  to the bathroom in the potty, etc.  Be super excited about it and it will rub off on her


The next day Avery and I went shopping for potty training supplies.  First, Avery got to pick out her big girl underwear.  She was pretty excited about it and couldn't decide on just one theme, and since I knew we would need more than one pack, she got to pick out her 3 favorites (Dora, Minnie Mouse, and Fairies).  Next we went and found some potty time books to read when she is in the bathroom.  I picked out several books about using the potty and then she got to pick out 3 more books of her choice.  Avery also got to pick out a cool basket that holds her books in the bathroom.  The last few things we picked up were things for going potty when we were out and about.  We got a potty seat that folds up and fits in my bag and a small collapsable potty for in my car.


During nap that day I washed all the underwear and when she woke up she got to pick which ones she wanted to wear over her diaper.  She was very proud of them and made sure that she showed them to Nana, Papa, and Daddy when they came over/got home.  We kept talking about what a big girl she was and how she was ready to start using the potty.  We got her books and book basket all set up in the bathroom and started using it that afternoon in a very laid back way (she did still have her diaper on all that afternoon).  She went pee pee in her potty chair several times but she still went in her diaper, too.


The next day we went for it!  It was a Friday so I was by myself and it was an interesting day, frustrating at times.  I think our biggest problem was that we tried to keep her in a more confined area, one that wouldn't be as difficult to clean up (so it was mostly the kitchen, dining room, and outside).  Well, she did not like that at all and it made her very whiny and fussy.  She had several accidents but also several successes.  But by the end of the day I was exhausted!


The next day Eric and I decided to say screw it and let her go where ever she wanted in the house (but we did cover the new couch with her extra water proof bed liners).  This made her a lot happier and we started to have even more success.  She would go pee pee almost every time she went to use it.  However, she would get so excited that she went, that she would stand up after a couple little tiny drops, clap for herself, and want to dump it in the toilet.  She would do this 4 or 5 times at each sitting.  The real problem with this was that she never actually completely emptied her bladder and she would then go off and in less than 5 minutes have an accident.  We kept trying to get her to sit longer but it just wasn't working.  


The next morning (day 2 of potty training house lock down) Eric thought it might be a good idea for Avery to try out the travel potty seat here at home so that her first experience with it wasn't out in a public bathroom that is unfamiliar and possibly a little scary.  So, we put it on the potty and had her sit down on it.  She immediately went and we started telling her that we could hear her going pee pee.  She thought it was pretty cool and as she listened she kept going and going and going, until she emptied her bladder!!!  After that she had no accident.  So we tried it at the next potty time and it worked again!  We decided that instead of using the awkward travel potty seat we would go buy on that fits on the potty better.  I ran out at nap time and bought a potty seat and taller stool.  Since making the switch from the potty chair to the potty seat, she has only had 3 accidents and that's been over a week and a half!


I don't want to drag this post out too much so I'll write later about taking our potty training girl out in public for the first time and how that's go!  But boy have we had a lot of excitement at our house lately!!!