Potty Training Blues Part 3

If you’ve been following our potty training journey you’ll be glad to know that I finally have some progress to report on. Some! In case you’ve missed our journey Part 1 was at the 2 year mark and then a month ago we shared part 2 when she turned 2.5 years old. Since that last update we regressed and she went back to her diapers on a full time basis. That said she didn’t like the baby potty we had for her (she was using it as a toy after all!) and she asked for a Cars themed ‘big girl’ potty seat. On a side note I had to hunt this seat downtown (found none!) and finally stumbled upon it online at Walmart (with free shipping!). It has handles on the side which she likes to hold on to and I’d like to say it has definitely helped us progress. No more whining about cold hard seats.

We had three weeks of diapers and I kept asking her if she wanted to go to the potty. Once she got the Cars seat she was more enthusiastic and would go to poop but not pee. For three weeks we got about 60% of the poops in the potty. 0% of the pees. Then I noticed that we were running low on diapers again. Noticing a pattern? Last Thursday I told her that we were running out of diapers and asked if she’d wear her regular underwear. Not even the potty training Super Undies. I figured I should just go cold turkey and test it out.

She was into it and we managed to get to the bathroom 50% of the time. Yes pee too! Definitely an improvement. I was a nagging B#@#@! and kept asking her every fifteen minutes if she needed to go. While she didn’t seem to mind my constant nagging, she would tell me ‘no thank you’ when she didn’t feel like going. Luckily no accidents on the couch. The carpet is another story. Most times my Lysol wipes were able to clean things up rather quickly. I was ready and she was totally ready. There was a good vibe going on at home. We were both pumped at the end of day 1 and she went to bed in her ‘bedtime diapers’. As it is she wakes up at 4:30 a.m. asking for milk and I couldn’t afford to lose any more sleep so we’re giving her a diaper at bedtime.

She woke up the next day with a soggy one and we spent the day in regular underwear. We got 70% of the jobs done in the potty and we didn’t go out all day. Saturday saw me out with my girls on a wine trip (read all about it here) and I was dubious about the hubs holding strong to the no diaper rule but he did great! The day was a full success! She even woke up with a dry diaper and asked to go to the potty first thing. Sunday was just as good but we did give her a diaper when we went out because the moment she gets in her stroller, she falls asleep – I don’t want any pee on the our childmobile!

The three day rule has been a 7 month journey but we did do a daytime transition within the three days. We still have accidents, especially if she gets excited or if we forget to remind her that it’s potty time. We’re doing well. We do put on a ‘going out’ and ‘bedtime’ diaper more because we’re lazy and really not in the mood to deal with mishaps on the road or in the stroller but it is only a matter time of time before we make that full transition. We also spend at least 6 daily bathroom trips where she says she wants to go but then can do nothing. Sigh. Diapers are definitely easy but I’m looking forward to our diaper budget getting cut in half! I don’t know how we’ll do with travelling and making the transition to no diapers at all but can we hope that this series only has four parts?

Anyone else on the journey? How’s it coming along for you?