Milestones Part 2

****WARNING - THIS BLOG POST FEATURES POOP (FAR MORE THAN A BLOG POST PROBABLY SHOULD****

Our second milestone of the week is one that feels like it has been a long time coming.  While it is still a bit of a work in progress...Ally is POTTY TRAINED!!!!!  Yeah!  I was starting to think that this might never happen.  Recently she started telling me that she was going to do it when she turned 4.  I seriously considered throwing her an early birthday party just to see if she really meant what she said.

However, Monday morning became the day when Ally started the morning by pooping on the potty.  She asked if she could wear underpants and I figured that we already got the harder part out of the way so why not?  I left the kids at home while I went to the gym and when I got back Ally was dry and Mike said she went to the potty 4 times all on her own.

She has been striking these 'model like' poses lately, not sure where she learned them

We decided to brave it and went out to lunch and while we were there Ally peed once and pooped again on the potty at the restaurant.  On th way home in the car she announced she needed to poop (I got worried as the previous time it had not been very solid).  So we pulled over at the first place we could, a Walgreens.  Alas, she barely peed, but still I was glad she had recognized that she needed to do something.

We did end the day with a few accidents.  I got a little less diligent when she was doing well.  I mean., she had me pause Dora so she could pee, she was doing pretty well.  It probably didn't help we hosted Bible Study, so I was a little more leinent on making her try.

Tuesday she had 2 1/2 accidents.  I count one as a half because it was as she was changing after another accident.  I think she stopped herself during the first one and didn't sit on the potty long enough.  We also had a friend over, so, once again I was a little less diligent.  Tuesday afternoon I made sure she went every hour.  She did well and even insisted on going all by herself.

Ally and her 'potty reward'

Wednesday started off rocky when she declared that she did not want to wear underpants.  But, we pulled out the old Bjorn potty and made a game of peeing on the bear.  The bear is actually on the outside of the potty, so he does not get peed on, but she didn't care about that.  It sounds like a gross game, but she loved me making the bear beg to get peed on.  Hey, at this point whatever motivates the kid works for me.  Wednesday we had only one accident!  Though I should mention at this point she still had not pooped since Monday.

Today (Thursday) she was with my parents all morning and was accident free.  She even peed at the library.  She did have an accident when we got home, but I blame myself for not being more adamant that she try.  Then, to my surprise not long before bedtime she ran into the bathroom and pooped!  That was a bit of a relief since it had been awhile and I was not looking forward to forcing the issue with pear juice.

So, while we may still need a bit of work, Ally is out of diapers!  I am saving like $30 a month or more!!!  Though I should probably put that money in a savings account for preschool that she can attend now that she uses the potty.

I have to say, I have learned this from my experience: If you have an extremely strong-willed child you CANNOT cajole them into potty use.  Begging, rewarding, bribing, charts, none of that worked.  And while I do praise and reward her now she does not expect it when she does go.  She just had to decide to do it, that was something that I could never make her do.  Even now I have trouble just making her go.  I have to give her a warning (I ask if she wants to go now or in 5 min).  Here's to hoping that Aaron is a little less stubborn :)