The Potty Training Blues

It is the dreaded time in a mother's life when two little words send her into a closet to hide behind last season's coats and sweaters.....those words are "potty training". I am kidding, sort of. Potty training actually went pretty easy with Cade. I am not sure why I am dreading it so with Sydney....maybe her daily drama, the stubborn streak....hmmmm....oh, yeah, that is it. My sweet, adorable fire ball is definately ready, I think, perhaps, maybe not.....oh, goodness. She tells me CONSTANTLY that she has teetee'd in her diaper. She hides in her room to do #2. These are signs...right? Well, she sure loves the big girl panties and asks for them every morning. I am giving candy for staying dry...when asked, she pulls up her shirt and pats her bottom and reports, "still dye, mommy- treat, treat!!" Then, we give her whatever her passion snack for the moment is....skittles, m&ms, the leftover sweettart ducks from Easter (her fav). Then, when she does go IN the potty, she gets a sticker on our chart. After 4 stickers, she picks a prize from her prize basket (all dollar store items that will break before we venture into our next training game of "lose the paci" - stay tuned for that one). Cade, of course, is taking his usual reaction to things. He thinks he should get treats too. I told him that he too could benefit from Syd's training, if he helped me teach and encourage his little sister. Well, yesterday, after two times of raising his arm in the air like he had a question - silently. I looked at him with my inquisitive "what are you doing" look. He reported that he was tired of saying "hooray". That raising his arm meant the same thing. Well, we had to have a talk about how a simple raising of the arm is not what I meant by encouraging.

All of this report is here to say, PRAY for me. She has tinkled on every tile in my kitchen....I think we went through 6 pair of panties in two days. Of course, she has the accident, stops herself midstream, and then makes it to the potty for the remainder of her business. Now, I think that counts for a partial success, right? All I know is I get the giggles everytime she looks down and yells, "Come out, pee pees, come out...Mommy, where they go? They won't come out".....Progress...slow progress....On we go, trudging onward....Monday's schedule of candy and stickers is looming....if you need me, I will be in the coat closet....

This was Syd on her second day of putting her tee tee's in the potty. Look at that chest poked out...so proud of herself after a perfect exhibition of her pottying skills. I did crop the picture - you will just have to imagine the cute little Dora panties, chubby thighs, and newly won purple plastic pumps. She went for a pink bead necklace and "braphlet" first trip to the prize basket but had her eye on these heels this time around......that's my girl! Now, time to calm that bed head hair...what a job!