So I started potty training 3 weeks ago on May 21st. I decided to do the "Potty Patty training in One Day" technique. I did not use Potty Patty (she's too expensive), my friend let me borrow her DVD (thank you Karah!!!) and I bought a cheaper potty training doll, which I returned realizing Emery's dolls would do the trick. So all in all, I did it with no money out of pocket!
I talked the whole event up for a few days before, and that morning she woke up and I said "Today is the day! No more diapers! You're a big girl now!" I used one of her dolls she got for her birthday and I had Emery name her. She named her Lola (ok, so I helped with that one). First we took off Lola's diaper and put on 'big girl panties' and began the entire training process with Lola. We celebrated every time she went potty in the big girl potty. I got creative though and used a syringe and apple juice to simulate her pee'ing in the potty. I did this without Emery noticing and she was amazed every time! It was fun!
Once Lola was officially potty trained, it was Emery's turn. We ran through all of the drills and practice runs and then it was every 5 min of asking if she has to go potty or if she is dry (she feels for herself) or, eventually being more suggestive and asking if she 'should' go potty. Every... 5... minutes!!!! It was an intense day, but I felt it was quite successful! With lots of salty snacks and lots of apple juice, she went 23 times that day!!! We were 13-10 with successful pee pee's in the potty being the winner! More than half of them were self-initiated and she only had one accident after her nap that evening.
Emery teaching Lola how to use the big girl potty!!
More teaching! (don't mind the bare booty!)
Emery's first attempt that day of pulling up her own panties
Lola sits by and cheers her on!! Emery say's "Good job!" with thumbs up! (her new thing!)
I'm a big girl now!!
Day 2, however, was excruciating for me (I brought it on myself) because for some reason I thought she should be an expert by then (she should, right?! lol), but she continued having accidents that morning and I ended up in tears. But after her nap, she had no accidents. I was ready for a break by day 3 and welcomed a day at work. Tyranie took over potty training on day 3 and 4. I figured all the kids would be a distraction or they would be her biggest supporters. Luckily, Emery LOVES all the attention and so she did great with her entourage looking on and celebrating every success with her!
By Day 5, I took her for her first outing. We went to downtown Dallas, REI and Klyde-Warren Park. We played in children's courtyard, in the water fountains and ate ice cream sandwiches. We were out for 5 hours and she had only one accident. I took her portable potty with us and she went in the back of my car and also on the curb. lol It was also her first time going on the "big-BIG potty" in a public restroom. Success!!!! We had a great time!
Going potty before going into REI!
Playing at Klyde-Warren Park
She even made new friends
Going potty before driving home!
She's always so happy and proud of herself! She'll say "I proud of you" when she goes because that's what I always say. :)
We had no accidents on day 6 and she continued doing well from then on! According to experts, she is officially potty trained. But it is still a conscious effort to stay on top of her. She does have accidents once in a while and she hasn't figured out how to hold back and get to the potty BEFORE pooping in her panties, which the my least favorite of this whole thing! lol But overall she is doing so well! I put plastic covers over her panties when she naps (99% of the time she wakes up dry after a 3 hour nap) and for bedtime she wears a pull-up because 99% of the time she has a huge wet diaper in the morning despite limiting her fluids at night.
Yes, the first two days were intense, and maybe even extreme, but I think it was a great technique and would recommend it to anyone who is willing. I always thought I would just let it happen on its own, but I'm so glad I did it this way. BAM! It's done! lol
The next thing to conquer was transitioning her to a big girl bed. I had planned to do that when we moved into our house this next weekend. It would be a new house with a new room and a new 'big girl' bed! But funny thing is, she transitioned herself last week!! I have our long couch cushion in front of her crib in case she tried to climb out. I had stripped her bed that morning because she soaked her sheets. When we came home from bible study, I realized I had no where to lay my sleeping baby for naptime. So I laid a blanket on the cushion and laid her on her pillow, covered her up and she took her nap there. That night, she wanted to sleep there again. And the rest is history!! She never went back to her crib! It was way too easy! Now that she is used to it, she will play for a little bit in there before finally falling asleep. I'm okay with that. She always did that anyway in her crib. But there is a rule that she cannot get out of bed after I leave and shut the door. Can't say she is 100% obedient on this, but she still ends up back in bed and asleep before too long. A couple of times she has ended up with the lower half of her body on the floor and her upper body on the pillow. Or one morning before work, I walked in to find her 2 feet away from her 'bed' curled up on the floor... no pillow, no blanket. Po' baby! lol The thing I absolutely love about her new bed is that I can go in and kiss her whenever I want! I can also lay down with her in bed which brings back the fondest and most precious memories of my childhood with my mom. She always laid down with me as I fell off to sleep. At Emery's age, I don't do it to that extent yet because she doesn't understand boundaries and would demand it every night. But I love having the option to cuddle with her when I want. This mommy thing just keeps getting better and better all the time. Every time I think I don't want this stage to be over, she moves on to the next stage and I realize it is even better!
This weekend when we move, we will convert her crib to the toddler bed and she will officially be transitioned. I think the cushion worked well for her to get used to it before being a little higher off the floor in the actual bed. So that is 2 out of 3. Now if I can just retire the pacifer (or as she calls it... Fru-frier)! lol
First nap on her pseudo 'big-girl' bed!
First night night time! This time with her bed officially made up with
sheets, blankets and animals!
She's a pro!!!
My sweet, sleeping angel!!!
