PottyTraining

the hat just completes the outfit

She loved showing off her new undies

Keeping herself busy.  We soon learned to move her potty away from her toy basket

Brooklyn was acting ready to begin potty training just about 6 weeks ago but I didn't want to start then because we were going to be going out of town for a few weeks.  So we started last Saturday, Feb. 14th.  Since I have plenty of time and Craig always has 3 day weekends, we decided to do the 3 day method.  Saturday morning Brooklyn helped to throw away her diapers (except I really kept them so she could wear them at bed time) and she opened a present that had her Minnie Mouse undies.  We started and ended the day with accidents, but other then that she did really well.  She loved her treat, Mike & Ikes, that she got each time she peed.  We would sit her on the potty every 30 -45 mins and sometimes it would take her 30 mins to go potty, but we had nothing else going on so it was just fine.  On Sunday she didn't have any accidents, but she also only peed 3 times during the day, yeah she would go like 3 hours in between peeing.  We had the sister missionaries over for dinner that evening and she spent a good majority of it sitting on her pink lady bug potty in front of the t.v. watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  By Monday I was getting a little worried because she hadn't pooped since Thursday morning, which even for her is a long time, especially since she had been drinking a lot of apple juice and eating a ton of blueberries (both things that keep her very regular).  By this point I was getting very frustrated and losing my patience quickly.  I was getting very tired of sitting with her for what seemed like forever, she refused to sit by herself, and to top it all of we had an ice storm and we were stuck inside all day, meaning I couldn't even go to the gym, which is my lifeline. On Monday she had one small accident, which was more our fault because we forgot to bring her potty upstairs with us and I had been pumping her full of juice all morning since she only peed 3 times the day before.  Monday evening we decided to give her some milk of magnesia, hoping to help with the poop situation.  I don't know how she was holding it all in, because she sure was eating a ton.  Craig luckily got Tuesday off as well because of the ice, it was so nice having him around so much, i'm sure I would have given up if he wasn't there.  Tuesday morning I filled her up with oatmeal for breakfast.  After she finally peed in the morning we all headed off to the gym, she kept her undies dry the whole time.  Finally after the gym she pooped in the potty!!!! Hallelujah!!  It was huge.  Some how she was still happy this whole time, even though I was grumpy, but after she pooped and we called Grandma to share the big news, she just went crazy running around and dancing. I'm sure she felt like a new woman. She didn't have any accidents all day.

Wednesday we went to the gym (where she went pee on the potty at the child watch) and ran a few other quick errands while Craig was at work.  She also pooped again on the potty and she had to come to a meeting with me at the church and went potty there.  On Wednesday she had a major break through...she could pee quickly.  If she had to go, she would sit down and go, it wouldn't take her forever to pee.  if she didn't need to go then she would sit for a few minutes and then say all done and we would get off and try later.  That was the most amazing thing, i felt like I got my life back, it no longer revolved around her sitting on the potty all day.  Thursday was much the same, no accidents.  She did tell me for the first time that she needed to go pee, instead of me having to ask her all the time.  Friday again no accidents and she told me when she needed to poop.  The first few days were not fun at all and I'm glad I told Craig beforehand to not let me give up, because now, just a week later, she is potty trained.  It....Is...AWESOME!!!  She is still wearing  a diaper at night and I think that she will for a while, but 1 diaper a day instead of 6 is just fine by me.  I know that she will still have accidents and that she won't be perfect, but I am so proud of my smart girl.  I love watching how proud she is of herself.  She cheers for herself and does a dance after she goes in the potty.  She might be turning 2 tomorrow, but I can say that she was potty trained before 2.