With my mom in town during the holiday's I decided it would be a good time to potty train Ava. She's almost 2 and I have an extra set of hands so why not? Ava really didn't give me much of a choice in the matter anyway because she kept ripping off her diapers anytime she wet them. Plus I got tired of chasing her down to change her diaper. She's little but quick and extremely squirmy.
I had been reading up on different ways to potty train and started making sure that Ava was comfortable sitting on her potty. I had bought her potty chair about 6 months ago and kept it in the bath room so that when we were in there she could sit on her potty. This way it wasn't something new and scary. I then decided to do a 3 day naked process that I read about on Baby Center.
The first day Ava did great. My mom and I talked about how she was a big girl now and doesn't wear diapers anymore. She was very excited. We threw out the diapers and let her run naked, which she loved very much. Ava had an accident first thing but we recovered ok. We bribed her to sit on the potty that we placed in the living room with an M&M. She really wanted that M&M so she did it and as soon as she sat down we gave her the M&M and started to read her new potty book that Grandma Francis got her for Christmas. Ava was really interested in the book and then started to go in the potty. We were all very excited and yelled, "Yeah! You did it!" She was extremely proud of herself. After that she was amazing! We just kept asking her about every 30 min if she had to use the potty. The rest of the day no accidents. I did put her in pull ups for her nap but took them off as soon as she got up. There were times where we would bribe her with a cookie or M&M but for the most part she did great. That night I also put her in pull ups.
Day two. Ava didn't want to go on the potty right away and I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen. I finally gave up and went back upstairs to bed. I got zero sleep the night before because of Sophia. My mom said as soon as I went upstairs Ava went to her potty. Apparently she doesn't like to be told to go potty. She has to do it on her own, just like everything else. Another great day of going potty on the toilet. This is way to easy.
Day three. Ava decides that she is going to go potty on the toilet. She was in the middle of playing and says potty. She then runs to the bathroom and climbs on the toilet where she goes potty. Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?!!! My mom and I are amazed. Again, this is way to easy. We have no real accidents and it is going great. We stop asking her if she needs to go potty because it makes her mad, like she is insulted that we have to ask. After nap time, we try putting clothes on along with panties. I'm tired of seeing a half naked girl running around the house. So the chase begins. Ava doesn't want to wear clothes and now she knows that when she says potty I'll pretty much drop what I'm doing and help her. She even tried to use it to get out of time out. Now the bath room is Ava's play area. We are constantly chasing her out of there. My mom found her sitting in the sink one time. Ava also likes to play with the toilet paper. She even took the broom and swept all the toilet water out of the toilet.
Day 4 my mom leaves. Ava must have known something was up because she was trying our patience non stop. I drop mom off at the airport and we make it back home. I ask her if she needs to go potty when we get home and she says no. She does great till I start making dinner. While I was cooking dinner, Sophia was screaming the last 10 minutes. I had just given Ava her plate of food (we have been eating in the living room on the coffee table) (it's lonely eating at the dinner table, I know it's not a good habit and I don't like it, it's hard enough figuring out what to make for just me and Ava it's even harder to stare at an empty seat) I start on getting my plate ready and she comes in saying wet. Yep, she peed her panties. So I have to clean her up and her chair that she was sitting in. Get her new clothes wrestle her to put them on along with yes, a pull-up. The whole time Sophia is crying in her pack n play. I finally get my plate ready along with a glass of water. I set my stuff down pick up Sophia and start eating. Ava of course finishes before me and decides to come over and say hi. I shovel my food in my mouth because she hasn't been nice to me yet that day. She comes over says all done, grabs my plate with still some food on it and throws it in the sink before I can get to her. She then comes back and takes off with my glass of water and does the same thing. The little devil is quick. Luckily I had gotten my plate out, so I saved both pieces from being shattered. Then I figure well she's trying to help so I tell her to get her plate. She does but misses the sink and I have steamed broccoli all over the counter. Sophia fell asleep so I got the dishes done without to much trouble. I get Ava to pee on the potty again before we go upstairs for bedtime, which led to another battle of putting on clothes. So my mom isn't even gone a full day and I went for the pull ups.
I'm a little worried since now that my mom is gone I won't really be able to work with her. I decide to use the pull ups. I know I shouldn't but there are only so many times I can clean up pee off the floor and change her clothes. She actually does really well with them. We only had 1 time where she wet in her pull ups during the day. I'm still pretty excited and shocked at how well she is doing.
Now we will see how Ava does with the baby sitter. I spend some time briefing the sitter on Ava's progress with potty training and to keep an eye on her because she loves to play in the toilet. I even told her the broom story. I feel bad for the girl's babysitter. She always looks like she could use a stiff drink and a cigarette when I pick them up (wonder if that's how i look every day). Today was no exception. I walk in the door and Ava is in a change of clothes with no shoes on. Sitter said she did great going on the potty. However, Ava flooded the bathroom toilet by shoving paper towels in it. The sitter said Ava did it while she was making lunch. I'm sure she waited for the perfect time to put that plan in motion.
We are now just doing ok with the potty training. She has realized that she can potty in the pull up and just take it off once she's done. Now, Ava just brings me her wet diaper that she has so kindly taken off. The best was while I was changing Sophia, Ava drops her diaper at my feet saying stinky! Well, at least she warned me. Yep, she had pooped in her diaper. Now if only I could teach her to change Sophia's diaper. The worst was when she walks into the kitchen naked from the waist down, while I'm making lunch, with poop on her hands. She pooped somewhere in the house. Why is it when I'm trying to do something, Ava is getting in trouble and Sophia is having a melt down because I'm not holding her? So I'm searching the house asking Ava, "Where did you poop?" I can't find it anywhere. I'm checking the blankets, the couch, her toy chests. She keeps pointing to a spot on the floor but there is nothing there. I check the bathroom. Where do I find it? ON HER BUTT! Why didn't I check the most obvious place? Thank goodness I have taken up running as a hobby otherwise I would have a stiff drink and a smoke right about know.
I know her lack of progress is my fault but it's not for a lack of trying. I have decided that she knows what to do and how to do it. I will help her when she needs it. The girl is so darn independent she'll do it when she is good and ready and fully realizes that it's something she can do without my help. Till then I'll be picking up the wet and dirty pull ups she lays at my feet.
