Adventures in Potty Training

For the past two days (Monday and today, Tuesday) we've been potty training. Complete with a half-naked toddler and lots of treats and a potty in the living room and one in the playroom. Why am I choosing to do this now? Because it's August and we don't have anything going on this entire month. And it's so hot outside. And I'm tired of buying diapers for two kids. And it just seems like a good time - before school starts and before life gets busy again. I think it's going pretty well (so far). She had two accidents yesterday and then one today. She does not want to have a BM in the potty (her nighttime diaper and her big-girl underwear work well for that, apparently). We'll get there, I hope. Ben and I plan to bribe her with a new pink horse with a sparkly mane, a Polly Pocket and some accessories, and a new Barbie doll. We are not beyond bribing! Today, she went potty by herself three times (without me reminding her). She has also managed to keep her pull-up and big-girl underwear dry when we've left the house for brief periods of time. She is still sleeping with a diaper on, and probably will continue to do so for some time. So, all in all, I think we're doing okay. I WELCOME any tips and suggestions from any of you other moms. Or Dads or Aunts or Uncles or Grandparents. :)

In our house, potty training is accompanied by a few negatives. First, our daughter is consuming a LOT of candy. The candy serves as a great incentive for her to use her potty and she loves picking out her treat. For now, that's gonna work for us. There's been a time or two where she hasn't asked for one after she's gone potty, so I think that's a good sign that we don't have to do this until she's five. Also, she's watching a bit more TV than recommended. This makes things easy because she will sit on her potty, watch TV, and eventually will use the potty. Another thing that has been a challenge for us has been staying at home. While I'm generally okay hanging in our house, it's been hard knowing that I can't really go too many places. It's about a billion degrees outside so I guess that's a good reason to stay inside. We've gone out a few times, and each time, she's stayed dry. Yay for Lainey! Another downside to potty training is that sometimes, like when she wakes up in the morning or when she wakes up from her nap, she just wants to wear her diaper and cries for it. I think she's just tired...hopefully we'll get her in the habit of going potty when she wakes up and she'll eventually forget about wanting her diaper. Not sure about that one. At times, she'll also just adamantly tell me "no" when she doesn't want to sit on the potty, even though I'm pretty sure that she'd go if given the opportunity. I'm not sure when kids get the hang of the whole "control" aspect of potty training. And finally, sometimes I am the one who gets tired of potty training. It's kinda exhausting being a cheerleader all day long and there have definitely been times when I've wanted to give up and try again at another time. I look forward to when she sleeps because I know she'll wear a diaper and I can get a break! :) I'm going to keep pushing onward, though...in hopes that we're successful in our potty training attempts!

Lainey - in her big-girl princess underwear - likes pretending to be a doctor to her babies. Each of her babies goes to the doctor because he or she has thrown up. (Someone is still a bit scarred from that experience. Well, honestly, make that two someones. Possibly three or four someones.) Lainey checks each baby from head to toe, and diagnoses each one with a tummy ache. She knows that her doctor is "Dr. Eastman," and she even called our friend Danni's baby "Eastman" (his name is Ethan, but Lainey continued to call him "Eastman"). :)

The next step in becoming a big girl: getting her bed set up in her room. We're converting her crib to a full-size bed. I need to tackle that pacifier issue at some point...but I am just not ready because I need this girl to take naps and sleep well at night because I need at least one child who can and will sleep peacefully (and who will sleep all night long)!