Adventures in Potty Training

Oh, my word. I have a really smart toddler on my hands.

Yesterday I mentioned that I started potty training. Well, my girl has me all figured out. She found a way to work the system. Already.

By 11 a.m. yesterday, she totally figured out that the incentive of 3 beautiful M&M's for sitting and trying were DA BOMB.  So she sat.  And sat. And sat. And sat.

Seriously, she barely left the kitchen. All morning. And into the early afternoon. And again after nap time.  She would walk over, lift her little tee, and sit. For about 12 seconds. Then she'd pop up and say, "I ready treat now, Mommy."  She'd munch her 3 little morsels of incentive. And go right back to the potty, sit down, and say, "I trying Mommy. Watch me."

I let it ride.  My philosophy of potty training is to make it as rewarding and positive and fun and productive in these first two or three days as I possibly can. We sing, we cheer. We clap and and give knuckles, high fives, and hugs. I even have a potty dance for the occasion.  So I let it ride.

However, between the copious amounts of chocolate consumed by my darling girl and the distinct lack of physical exertion she experienced (ya know, due to all that sitting she did), there was precious little napping going on.  Instead, she talked to all her toys, threw bunny out of the crib, played peek-a-boo with her blankies, chewed on doggie's ear. And sang random K@ren H*nley songs. At the top of her lungs.

After dinner (on the kitchen floor, n@ked and eating her nachos) she finally couldn't wait any more. She panicked a little and asked for a diaper. But I declined and went to watch The Boss mulch while listening to her as she tried to figure out what to do. Again, I knew she was smart and going to figure this out on her own. I just had no idea how it would play out.

LadyBug came running out to the front porch, "Guys, she p##ped! She p##ped!"  And at first, Li'l E was pretty excited and showing off her end result proudly. (Don't worry, I'm not gonna pull a K@te G*ss#lin and share video. That's way beyond even my personal boundary issues!!!!) We cheered, we clapped, we hugged and I danced.

Until it was time to dispose of it. Then.  Oh, then.

She started crying and screaming and asking for a diaper. "I no potty tain. I all done. Nee' die-pah."  She wouldn't stop. She was so freaked out about what had just happened. EVEN after I gave her TEN M&M's, in an effort to help her see how big this really was. And to distract her from the pitiful wailing and despair.

For the next hour and a half, she would. NOT. sit. on. that. potty.   Would. NOT.

I have to say, I'd heard of kids who were afraid to p##p anywhere but their diaper. But this is the first of my kids to actually experience it.  One in five. Not bad odds, I'm sure. But odd for us. I have a feeling this one is going to be giving us lots of these kinds of firsts :)

Finally, I sat down on the floor with her (I had to cut my conversation with my mom short, she was so upset!), hugging her and wiping her tears and telling her that diapers are only for night-nights and naps. I coaxed her to the potty seat. And promptly rewarded her with three shiny M&M's. Tears and chocolate-y drool flowed.

Then she pee-pee'd again. It all felt safe again. Nothing bad or scary happened. And she got 3 more M&M's.

See?  Smart, that girl. She's smart. And now highly caffeinated and sugared up.