Potty Training

Day One:

1 p.m.
So, we got started a little late, but by 10 a.m. she had on some Elmo panties that she picked out herself. She had helped me wash and get them ready the day before. Together we threw away all the extra diapers in the house, and it was time to roll. I wanted to keep her away from the carpet at least at first, so we sat on the floor to roll a ball around. Her legs were wide open so I spotted the pee right away. We ran to the potty, got cleaned up and put on some flower panties (we had 30 pair to choose from.) She had 4 more accidents. A few times she would tell me she had to go pee-pee -- we would go to the potty, she would sit and then say, "All done" right away. I figured she didn't understand yet because 30 seconds later she would pee on the floor. After 5 accidents in an hour, she wanted to sit longer on the potty, and when she stood up it was full of pee. I didn't even have time to praise her because she ran off with the potty seat in her hand to play with it. For the next hour she peed every 5 minutes or sat on the potty for awhile. I think she gets it -- at least in theory. We are both really tired, and it was time for a nap. I took some old blankets and set up a bed for her on her floor. She was very passionate about sleeping in her room. I laid her down 15 minutes ago and have not heard from her. I put the potty chair in the corner of the basement because I don't know if I can carry a peeing child run the stairs. Now it is time to watch Grey's, but I don't expect to get very far into it.

5:15 p.m.
I got about 20 minutes of Grey's in plus a sandwich and some blogging. And at about 1:45 I heard a little voice talking about poo-poo. I ran down there ASAP. She was wet and tired. I put her on her chair, but she was cleaned out. And no poop. Amen. I changed her blankets and laid her back down. Five minutes later, she was up, and wet, and we started the whole peeing every 3 minutes thing all over again. I think she forgot the system at first because she wet on the floor twice right after her naps, but this time she could stop the pee and get the rest in the toilet. Nice. I was very proud. Then, I started smelling things, and I knew it was "that time." It could go really good or really bad. And since she only goes once a day, we had only one chance for a glimmer of hope. After a few small pee-pee accidents while she was workin' on the poop, she left me a wonderful gift in the potty chair. I was so proud. I gave her a little set of miniture dolls I was saving for that moment. THEN .... DEAR ME! The worst thing possible happen. Let me preface this by saying that Quinn has not had anything but beautiful poop since she was like 10 months old. So, today of all days her body chooses to give her (as we called it in my home growing up) the Hersey Squirts -- you know, farts that are liquid. What in the world?!! Worst day ever for that to happen. She was playing nicely with her new toy, and I heard a very quiet noise. She new it was bad. Her face showed it. "Oh, no!!" she screamed. We ran to the potty, and I saw the damage. It was not pretty. This is when I made a mistake. I asked her if she wanted to get in the bathtub. Of course she did!! I might as well of said, "Let's give up and put on diapers." Of course she did not want to get out of the tub. Who knows how much she got rid of in there. We got out of the bath about an hour and a half ago, and she has not used the potty since or . The exploiding fart might have ruined her forever. I also think she forgot how to go on the potty like this morning. We're sitting and watching Elmo right now, and she keeps saying, "Pee-pee." We run to the potty and nothing happens. She wants to play catch with her doggy while she sits there. She's not being very nice to me tonight, and I am really tired. But at least we might sleep OK. She hasn't really had liquids for several hours, so we might have limited disturbances tonight. We are both pooped ...

7:19 p.m.
AHH! I'm so tired. That was one of the hardest 2 hours of the day. I think Quinn started to catch on that I was tired and sort of done hanging out with her. She normally doesn't mind when I do my own thing every now and then during the day, but every time I picked up the computer tonight, she start screaming about pee-pee. I would rush her to the potty, and then she would start jumping and playing before and after she sat down. It was so frustrating. She kept trying to close the potty chair lid on herself or picking up the cushy seat and throwing. It was really annoying. I had a hard time staying positive with her especially since she had not gone once with the bath tub. Then I caught her watching Elmo and sort of moving around like she had to go, but she had just told me 10 times in a row and then done nothing on the potty. She kind of moved her panties out fo the way and peed! She didn't finish in the potty. Then as I tried to put her to bed, she would find the "perfect" times to jump up and say she had to pee. She would just start marching right up the stairs. What was I supposed to do? But then when we would get to the potty, it was the same story with the jumping and playing and being silly. I was not in the mood. Then, just as the night time routine is completely done, she jumps up again. I thought I was going to need to call in for help. I got a little stern with her when she sat on the potty ... making it clear with was the last time. Suddenly she peed while sitting at the very end of the potty and it nearly hit me in the face. Under normal circumstances that would have been infuriating, but I was just happy to see a lot of pee. Good night, Quinn. When we got back down stairs, she asked to sleep in her crib. So we moved the blankets from the floor to the crib, and although I know I'll have to change the sheets, at least for now she is contained. She demanded water. I made her wait a long time for it, but then finally took a cup with about 2 sips worth. I explained to her that this is all the water she gets. She drank it right away and did not complain. Again, Good Night, Quinny.

Debreifing: I am using the official 3 Day Potty Training eBook. I love it. The only reason I am training now is because I think this method can work for Quinn. Some people might ask me the obvious question: Why would you take on something so big when you are so big and tired and ready to pop? Well, it comes down to this. I am going to be tired and frustrated at the end of every day until this baby comes and probably after. I would rather work toward a goal for me and Quinn and be tired at the end of the day because we work on something important as opposed to being completely spent at the end of the day because I only kept us alive. Big goal is better for me.

As for the method, I can't give too many details because it has a serious copyright on it, but it is working. The most important things are to pay complete attention to your child for the whole three days. It is hard, but really good for us. There is also no punishing during the three days. It is not clear if this goes for problems relating to training alone or all broken house rules. I have been trying to stay positive about everything, and it is really good for me. Like Zoloft. A new approach, a chance to try it differently.

We went through about 11 pair of underwear, two blankets and several hand towels. Everything is washed and ready for tomorrow. All accidents took place on wood or tile (we have fake versions of both in our house, but you get the idea.)

Tomorrow I need to have more activities for us to do AND I need to go a little bit lighter on the fluids. It is important to fill them up with all kinds of juice. This really shortened the time it took Quinn to understand how to go in the potty because she had to go or have an accident every 5 minutes at one point. But it seems she has a bladder like mine, and I think she was uncomfortable for part of the day because there was just too much pee. It seemed that Crystal Light went through her the fastest, but it sort of leaked from her cups, and I was cleaning that up for half the day, too. She had a bite or two of a Fiber One bar. It was either this or the Grape Juice that caused the explosion. Not sure which, but I will leave them both OFF the menu tomorrow in hopes of not defacing Elmo again.