Potty Training

A week ago today, I watched Elsa as she most clearly, and in sure self awareness, went number two in her diaper. I had already been feeling lately that Elsa was just too big to be in diapers anymore, probably in part because she seems so much bigger to me in general now in comparison to Avie. But watching her last Sunday for some reason just sealed the deal for me. We had tried potty training twice before, once pretty hardcore, but we were going to try again.

So I asked Elsa, "Do you want to say goodbye to diapers?"

She replied, rather enthusiastically, "Yes!"

So we agreed. After coming home from Gabriela's the next afternoon, we would say goodbye to diapers. And Sunday afternoon we worked on making a potty chart, on which she would place a sticker each time she peed or pooped in the potty, and she would then also receive a piece of her Halloween candy. This seemed to entice her. But what really made it exciting for her was my promise of a potty party for her, complete with balloons and a chocolate cake, if she filled the chart. And, because I had read that you had to make these sorts of goals easily attainable, in short order, for little ones, she would also receive a cheap little something after every five stickers.

On Monday, when I picked her up from Gabriela's, she remembered our plan. "We are going home to say goodbye to diapers!" And that we did. We went home, took off her diaper, and a pair of big-girl underwear went on. That afternoon, she was able to put three stickers on the chart. She peed twice and pooped once in the potty. I was thrilled, as was she.

By Tuesday afternoon, her chart looked like this:

And by Thursday she had it filled:

She stayed dry at Gabriela's on Wednesday and Thursday. And the only accident she had was on Tuesday at the park, and that was partly my fault because I had kept her out too long after walking to go vote and then stopping on the way home to play, and it was a little too early for her to feel totally comfortable going outside on the little travel potty I had hauled along.

Since filling the chart, we have had a few other accidents, mainly involving pooping. She seems to have the pee thing nailed down. So I am not sure if we are regressing or if I just need to stay more on top of things to really get her to stay accident free. I think it is the latter, and I am hoping this next week will bring good results. She is also not yet trained at night and is wearing a Pull-Up to bed. And she is quite timid of big potties still, much preferring her Baby Bjorn version. But at this point I will take daytime training and the little potty for sure.

Yay for Elsa!!! The party is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. :)