Potty Training report...

Back in March, I wrote about how we had started Potty Training. I knew at the time that she was still young and that it may take a while for her to catch on. Every time that she had an accident Heath swore she was not ready. I insisted that she was.

She is still not potty trained 8 months later. All is not lost. She has gotten a really good introduction to potty training. A few months ago I decided that we needed to stop with the girly panties and switch from diapers to pull ups. I was afraid that she would still think of them as diapers and it wouldn't make much difference but she seems to like that they go on and off just like her panties do. Still no interest in potty training. I tried the reward system of stickers (she LOVES stickers) But I don't think she saw the stickers as a reward, just a nice suprise every now and then.

I spoke to a friend that potty trained her daughter this year at the age of 3. She gave me some great advice. She said to keep taking her when I can and to stay with the pull ups for now, but not to push it until she is 3 years old. So I decided to take her advice and stop expecting so much from my daughter. When she is ready she will let me know. These last few weeks, I have noticed an increased interest in the bathroom. When we are out at resteraunts or other public places she always begs me to take her to the potty. We get in there and she wants me to go potty and then we for both of us to wash our hands. I always make her go to since we are there. I thought well she not ready for potty training, but she is expressing interest in that direction.

Last night Karston's cub scouts meeting was at the Police Department for a tour. Of course Alyssa begged to go potty. I took her just before the tour started. Then half way through the tour she started to beg again. I had to tell her no, so she started getting louder. This time she was saying "I GOTTA PEE!" It was the first time she had ever acknowledged it! I still had to tell her no and try to get her to be quiet. Then she tried again loudly "I GOTTA POOPIE!"

When I checked her at the end of the tour she was neither wet nor "poopie." Was she playing me? Was she just trying to get away? How did she know those phrases so well? Is she ready now? This has not been an easy thing, but I am learning to be patient with her.