Potty Training Diary - Days 1 thru 1 1/2

I love documenting moments like this because #1-  I want Layla to have a GREAT guide when she grows up and decides to have children. #2- I like to look back on stuff like this and laugh hysterically. ;o) So for the next few days (hopefully this will be a nonevent VERY soon) I thought I'd keep a little Potty Diary.

Let me just start by sharing why I think Layla is ready for potty training. First of all, she's 2. I know plenty of people that have trained their girls before two and even some around 18 months! Second, she hates to have a wet or dirty diaper. Third, she has been hiding to go potty in her diaper. Fourth, she's smart and independent enough to get this.

Now for our known roadblocks - there is no rewarding L with food. She hates eating. She also hates sitting for long periods of time, gets bored pretty easily and things get really old, really fast. And again, she's 2...enough said!

Day 1- This first day is just a summary because I had NO time to write anything down. We started off the day by having all her new underwear out and diapers put away. All her potties were out and ready to be used. Plus we had plenty of flushable wipes and towels on hand. Whew...this was hard work already!

Our philosophy was to not make a huge deal out of this, no rewards, no punishments...just talking her through everything until it clicked. By 8:30 PM we changed our method 110 times. No rewards turned into Oreos everytime she even looked at the potty. No big deal became a parade when the tiniest drop of pee hit the potty. And no punishments turned into "Layla NOOOOOOOOOOOOO" when we carried her from one end of the house to another with pee dripping down her legs, our arms and all over the floor.

Here are a few things we learned from Day 1:

- Two drops in the pot = success!

- Layla has already learned that she doesn't like to be wet and now holds it

- Layla spent 90% of the day crying. It was kind of heart breaking but everyone has to learn sometime right?!

- No diapers, no pants...just undies and socks (socks help absorb excessive liquids running down legs)

- We own 21 pairs of Dora, Hello Kitty and pink underwear. ALL of them were washed yesterday.

- Layla peed in the potty 7 times, but mostly just drips. We lost count of accidents.

- At 9 PM we were ready for bedtime. She cried at 10pm and said "I peed"...changed a soaking wet diaper but I think this is progress!

- We spent the evening looking up professional carpet cleaners and a divorce attorney. (Just kidding about that last part...although there were a couple of minutes that I walked out of the room so I don't know what Bryan was doing LOL)

Now for the first part of Day 2:

 - Daddy went to work today, we are still happily married.

- L Woke up at 9am happy, sat on potty with no tears first thing!

- Spent the next few hours on and off the potty. She'll sit on her toddler potty or on the big toliet and likes to play with water, puzzles and watch pirates as she thinks.

- Went until 12:00 with no accidents but no pee in pot. She's holding it...is this a good thing?

- After lunch we had our first success. Layla sat on potty in her room while Mommy took her big stuffed monkey and hit moose across the head with it. No harm was done to moose, and Layla laughed a little pee out.

- 10 minutes later we had a visitor at the door and soaking wet underwear. Why does she wait until its embarrassing to have an accident?

- 10 minutes later another accident, this time on the kitchen floor, all through the dining room and living room. Not a single drop made it in the potty.

- 2 minutes later while talking to Aunt Ash, Mommy discovers some very wet undies. No idea where the puddle is.

- 20 minutes later, 3 drops in the potty while watching pirates. Mommy explains to Layla that pirates a love to pee on the potty. She rolls her eyes.

- Put Layla in her room to read a book before nap. Went to grab her potty, came back to an accident. Put her on potty and we got 3 tinkles. Put her in diaper for nap, left room to clean out potty and the dog pukes in the hallway. I hate my life, must find a job to pay for carpet cleaning.

- Finally naptime!! Time to take a shower and do laundry, get thank you cards designed, feed the dogs...oh wait, Layla's been talking for 20 minutes, I better go check on her. Sure enough, Layla pooped in her diaper.

Are we going to survive potty training? Yes. Are we going to give up? NO! Is this the hardest, most frustrating thing I've ever done in my life?! Not quite...the eating problems are MUCH worse, but this is very high on my list. I think we have made some progress today. Now I am just trying to cope with the fact that I will never be able to leave my house again (at least until she goes to Kindergarten).