Potty Training 101...

To start off... we both survived.

We have completed week number 1. Last Saturday morning (9-19-09) I decided I'd had enough buying, changing, packing and making sure the diaper bag was in order. So... I put "big girl" panties on her and our potty training journey began.

I know my timing and methods were and are a little unconventional and most of the time my "just rip the band-aid off quickly" approach back fires... but hey, if it works it works! It was a little rocky at first... and I wanted to shoot myself... and there were several "come to Jesus" moments for me where I truly saw the graces of God. I don't say this in a sarcastic tone, I truly believe that God was was on my side and gave me the strength to hold my ground and push through.

If you haven't picked up on it yet, my daughter is VERY independent and strong willed. (I have no idea where she gets this??!!) I absolutely love this quality of hers, yet sometimes it makes for very interesting events around our house. This is one of them.

If I told you every story and thought I had through this first week, we would literally be here for an entire lifetime, so I'll only share a few that bring the biggest smiles to my face.

Saturday: Our first accident.

I had put her in her booster seat at the kitchen table. She was happily devouring a bowl of spaghetti-o's. All of a sudden she yelled at me and said: Momma, I WET, I WET! About the time I turned around from the sink I saw the "wetness" dripping down from the high chair and puddling on the floor underneath the chair.

My first thought was: oh, no... what do I do????? (this would be where I was talking to God)

I sprang into action. I pulled her out of the chair and calmly we went off to the bathroom. I let her sit on the potty and explained that big girl panties weren't like pull-ups. If you tee tee in them you will get all wet and icky. She agreed that she didn't like icky. We got all cleaned up and headed back to the kitchen to clean up the rest of the mess.

She sat in another chair and offered her support while I soaked up the mess with paper towels, bleached the booster seat and the chair it was attached too and mopped the floor.

I had just finished putting up the mop and was going to bend down and and attach the last strap of the booster seat and when I did... I hit the bowl of spaghetti-o's she had enjoyed so much earlier and it went flying... like, I could have sworn that bowl had wings... It flew REAL high. The only problem with something flying that high was the fact that at some point it had to land. And land it did.... all over the booster seat, chair and floor I had just bleached and mopped.

This would be the part where I mentioned earlier that I had several "come to Jesus" moments. This would be what I was talking about. I could have lost my sanity right then, but instead of bursting into tears in that very moment... I turned and looked into the bluest eyes (well, besides her dad's) and we both died laughing. I mean hysterical laughing. (this is what I describe as God's Grace.)

So, we cleaned again and entered that afternoon fearless of what was to come in our potty training 101 class.

Something I have learned thus far is that the child isn't the only one that gets trained. The parents do too. Here are several things I have found on our little life adventure:

-you have to train yourself to ask your child if he/she has to go potty... at least every 10-15 minutes. After about two days of this... you will wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare of "do you need to go potty... do you need to go potty... do you need to go potty... do you need to go potty... do you need to go potty... do you need to go potty????" B now answers me most of the time with "NO Momma... I not need to go potty!!!" (sometimes she even points her finger at me and says this!)

-Potty time is private time... regardless of how old you are. After a few arguments we finally found our rhythm... I help her get onto the potty and then I have to leave AND shut the door. After I finally translated her 2-year old language the first couple of times I figured out she was saying.." momma, you doe... and shut da door." I have to admit... I was apprehensive at first... You know... leaving a two year old in the bathroom... on the potty... by herself. But, it turned out okay. When she is finished with her "business" she says: O-tay Momma, you tum in now. I frew.

-Prayer is important. You HAVE to take this journey with God. Lets just face it... It isn't nearly as enjoyable if you leave him out. If you didn't have him, you wouldn't appreciate the humor.

In about 16 years... B is going to read this blog and want to shoot me.

My baby girl is growing up too fast,

Ashley