The Adventures in Potty Training

So the day has finally come... and much earlier than we expected... Doodle Bug is interested in the potty.

We decided awhile back that we were just going to wait and follow her cues to see when she wanted to start potty training. We didn't want to rush anything, and thought that we would just let nature and curiosity run its course. Last weekend we followed her cues... right to the toilet.

For about two months or so we have been concerned thinking that DB was constipated. She seemed like she was having a hard time going and looked to be very uncomfortable. We upped her Greek yogurt intake, added more dried fruit (especially raisins-- her fav!), encouraged an increase in her water consumption, and laced her sippy cup with a daily probiotic. I increased my water intake as well, and encouraged her to nurse more often, but with all our efforts she STILL seemed to be uncomfortable. What were we to do?? Well, we had our answer last weekend.

Last Friday, while at work, my MIL sent me a text message.

"Ev just took off her diaper and peed on the floor!"

I couldn't help but respond with,

"bahahahah"

Everyone at school thought that for sure this was a sign of readiness to toilet train, but I was skeptical.  I am a first time mom, and certainly 21 months is too early to know to potty train, right??  I mean, okay, maybe the girl just likes a little fresh air on her cheeks? So, the husband and I got a little laugh out of the floor peeing at Grammy's house episode, and then we shrugged it off as toddler exploration. Until Saturday morning that is...

DB likes to wake up at the same time every day. She has her set routine (one that neither my husband nor I could take credit for setting) and likes to stick to it. She has been going to sleep between 9-10 P.M. and waking for the day at around 7 A.M. since 3 weeks old (she still wakes to night nurse as well).  So, at around 7 in the morning last Saturday DB and I went to go play in her room. I left to make my coffee, and when I returned I could tell she was struggling to have a BM. Her little face gets so red, and she arches her back, and it just looks like an all around horrible experience. I was frustrated-- why was she STILL struggling after all the changes to her diet??? And then I realized something, maybe she just doesn't WANT to go. Maybe she doesn't like the feel of poop in her diaper... I mean, who would??

With my new found revelation on hand, I decided to put my theory to work. Recently (with in the past month or two) DB's communication skills have taken off. She went from saying only a few words (dada, mommy, pup, Nana, Pop, Granky (for Grampy), ball, egg, etc.) to speaking in full sentences. Last week she turned to me and said, "I'm going to go read a book." I almost cried. I mean my daughter, my "little tiny baby" as we call her is speaking-- fluently. Plus, the English teacher inside jumps for joy anytime I see her WANTING to read. I digress.

I decided to ask DB questions to see if I could get to the bottom of her uncomfortable situation. I asked, "do you need to go poopy?" She nodded yes. I continued. "Would you like to go sit on the big potty like mommy and daddy do when they need to use the restroom?" She nodded yes. Now, she knows all about the toilet because we always take her into the bathroom to flush the waste from her dirty diapers. She waves "bye, bye," and we flush. She also sometimes accompanies me to the bathroom when my husband has late track meets or soccer games. She is a wild one, and if left alone for even 1/2 a minute she will have found a way to scale a wall, or the entertainment center, or dining room table (yes, this has happened- more than once). She loves to flush the toilet and always claps and says, "yay! I did it!"

not actually using the restroom here

So, without hoping TOO much, I took her to the restroom. I sat her on the pot, and within a minute... well, it's all history from there! I was right... she wasn't constipated anymore! She was literally holding it in because she didn't want to poop her pants. She didn't have the vocabulary to ask us to go to the potty, but now she does.

I went and bought the most adorable froggy training potty for her, and we have been working on encouraging her to use it. She understands what it is used for, but has only really had one other successful attempt-- though she did need a little help from her friend Go Dog Go. **she is not actually using the restroom in the picture to the right. She is reenacting the 2nd successful potty event from Thursday night. I read her the book while she sat on the pot, and then yesterday she ran back to the potty with her book to read... haha!**

DB's Montessori Room

On Monday she asked to go "pee pee" and ran to her room. We have a Montessori style playroom/ bedroom for her, so the toilet area is in her room. I opened her door, took off her diaper, and she placed herself on the potty. About a minute later she got distracted by her own image in the mirror (vain much??) and stood up to go talk to "the baby." Needless to say, she peed on the floor. But, at least she asked to go to the potty, right?

So, the adventure in potty training has just begun in our home, but since we are following her cues  and not forcing the issue, it has not been difficult or stressful. We just take it (like everything else that accompanies parenting) one day at a time. My mom told me I was her earliest to potty train, and that I showed an interest at about 23 months and was potty trained by my 2nd birthday. Maybe big girl underwear will be in the works as a 2nd birthday present :)