Friday, January 30, 2009
Ben slept 12 hours last night, and I guess the extra sleep is making me extra-ambitious. I decided to pick up where we left off with potty training Emma (pre-Ben). I thought I'd better start now in hopes that she'll be mostly done with messes in a few weeks when we leave for Mexico.
We got Emma a new potty for the downstairs bathroom. I guess I had been talking so much about potty training that she started calling it the "potty train" haha.
So this morning we started. I stripped her down to her skivvies, put down a big plastic mat and put the potty on it (the clothes didn't last as you can see in the picture). Then I covered the living room with towels and sheets (good idea, Erin) and put a pile of books next to the potty. Oh, did I mention this was in the middle of the living room? I knew that neither of us could handle hanging out in the tiny downstairs bathroom until she felt like peeing.
My method was to just get her to do it once - to watch her every move and get her to get her pee in the potty just once. Then I would jump around like a nut and praise the heck out of her, maybe give her a chocolate and some stickers afterward, and repeat. Ha.
We waited 2 hours for her to pee. She really must have JUST gone in her diaper or something when we started. At the end of the 2 hours I had to lie Ben down in his bassinet for a nap. I told her I'd be right back. When I returned, she was sitting down on one of the sheets I put down reading a book and she was pointing to a wet spot on the sheet. Ugh. I missed it. Haha what are the chances, seriously? I don't know if I have the patience for a repeat this afternoon, but definitely tomorrow morning we'll try again. At least it happened on the sheet, right?
p.s. Calling all potty-trainers for any tips/advice!
7 comments:
Wow, we just started potty training Wednesday! I guess it's the thing to do! Abby's in the "all by myself" stage so I decided to take advantage of it and include going potty all by herself. For us, I knew it'd be a power struggle if I made her go every 15 minutes. So I ask her almost every 5, and tell her I'm going to take her about every 30. If she goes pee, she gets a chocolate chip, and if she poos (has yet to happen; she waits till a diaper goes on at night!) she gets fruit snacks. So far at home she's done pretty well, but today at the park I was glad I brought a change of clothes! It's hard for me not to revert back to the diaper b/c it's so much easier, but I think (hope) she'll get the hang of it soon. Oh, and we got a little potty too, and she could care less about it. She wanted to use the real deal which was fine with me. First we started with a little seat that fits on top because she felt safer, but now she can hold on. And oddly enough, just getting a new $2.50 stool from the Target "$1" isle really got her excited too. Good luck! I think we'll both need it!
Oh, and I made her her own little place on the couch to sit with an old blanket on bottom, a good size garbage bag on top of that, and then a smaller blanket that goes over it b/c that'd be easier to wash. I like the sheet idea too.
Oh wow Michelle. Didn't know you were up to so much today! How exciting. And how great that Ben slept 12 hours, wahooo!! That picture of her on the potty looking at a book is so adorable. How cute! I guess that is nice she likes reading books, you could just sit her down there and let her read to her (or you to her) hearts content! Well, good luck with tomorrow. Did you end up having her in underwear all day? That is funny how in the one second you do leave she goes, go figure. Ya, the towels and sheets are great. It drove me crazy though having them all over my family room for forever but I think they did save a few accidents but not all. Unfortunately, there were some in various places of the house. It just happens, you can't keep every spot covered forever. And I would have to say, it actually helps if they have some kind of pants or something on to absorb some if they do start to pee. Instead of it just soaking straight out the underwear something over that kinda helps a little. But then again it also doesn't provide the ease of getting undressed quickly. So, kinda hard to say. I don't know if you ever read my blog post when I was potty training Kenner. Not sure if you are interested in that method. It was seriously what I call a potty training "boot camp" and was one seriously intense all about potty day. You give them lots to drink and treats that make them thirsty so they are drinking and having to go potty lots so they get lots of practice. There is more to it then that and what you have to do if they do have an accident etc. but if you are interested in reading the book I bought that teaches the method let me know and you can borrow it. I did one good day of it then wasn't as intense after that but it gave me a method to follow and kinda helped me. Oh I remember how I dreamt about potty training and would talk about it in my sleep for awhile when I was training Kenner. I became a nut obsessed with it and so worried about accidents on my new carpets, oh what a pain! Anyways, good luck.
Hi Shelly,
You are such a wonderful mother.. trying all different plans of action. I like the idea of giving Emma a treat when she does go.. I would think it would be a constant reinforcement.. You need the "Potty Whisperer!!! lol Have you thought of putting her name on the potty chair.. making it her special chair?! I am sure nature will run its course..Emma is bright and will surprise you soon! Also, I am honored that the Hello Kitty socks that I gave Emma for Christmas are being featured in this memorable photo!! lol :)
I like how Ben is just chillin' watching Emma!
May the force be with you! :)
Love,
Hollygram
Good luck with the potty training. It's sure been a rollercozster for Devan. some days he does pretty well and others it's horrible. Don't forget stpry time tomorowr!
k sorry about all the mistypes. something weird was going on with the comments page!
Hahaha where did Emma learn to sit on the potty like that...;)
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