Saturday, January 10, 2009

Potty Training...


















Potty Training.

I have always had to work at it, so it is not an event I look forward to.
Don't get me wrong... I like potty "TRAINED", just not the "training" part!

I totally believe in people who potty train their infant - I just think they are nuts! I have never been tickled to stop shopping in the middle of a ginormous grocery store with a cart heavy laden with groceries AND a baby who can't walk yet, only to troop four children into a public restroom, and snap repeatedly "Don't. Touch. ANYTHING!" Figure out what to do with the baby while setting the pottying child up on the seat, then figuring out how to help wipe, and then the fiasco of washing hands without them taking a full-on bath, because by this time EVERYONE needs to wash, and the counter is always wet just at armpit level...

You get the picture, and I'm with Morgan. If it isn't groceries in the cart, public opinion means very little to me and I guiltlessly wheel the whole thing into the bathroom. In fact, I've almost forgotten that bathrooms also have "normal people" stalls, since I always beeline for the biggest thing they have at the back! Some of you even know the looks of astonishment that comes from the waiting women when you open that door, and child after child after child files out. You know it's uncanny how similar it is to like circus clowns stuffed into a VW Bug. In fact, it is rather a circus of sorts!

Anyway, I digress...

Olivia has been ready for a long time, but I haven't.
I could number the excuses, but I'll spare you. It has been my M.O. to wait until my children are older because it's less of a battle to train, and I like that they are usually able to hold their bladder a bit longer - hence avoiding the scenario mentioned above.

So...

This was the week! It took her two days to figure out how to turn her plumbing on, and for those two days, I spent some relaxing time in the bathroom discussing big girl panties, and peanut M&M's.
(note to self: even if I never needed it before, some good reading material in the bathroom might be nice next time)
Once she figured it out though, we were home free! Just a night-time incident here or there, and the real trial comes tonight, because...

We went shopping today, and the highlight of our outing was Olivia picking out underwear.
She has really been a champ this week, and I had promised her (yes - totally different from a bribe) we could buy big girl underwear.

Purple. That's what the girl wanted, so I vowed to help her find it if it existed!

What she actually chose was the princess 7 pack. I am not a fan of Disney's princesses or any other popular icon placed on clothing (perhaps especially underwear!), but I am a fan of Olivia, so that's what we bought, and without batting an eye!
I did not exactly see any purple in the package, but the princesses were mesmerizing, and I should have known.

The first pair Olivia strategically pulled out of that package were... you guessed it - Purple. (and is that princess Jasmine srtiking a rather seductive pose? We won't talk about that:-})
She was a very happy camper, and of course as was predictable, she didn't relish the thought of returning to the old fare even for sleeping.
So tonight we see just what the capacity of this girl's bladder really is. That or I may be wakened several times in the night, which may be a superior option to the alternative!

Either way, I am extremely proud of my girl! (and proud of her momma :-))
And I'd be reallyreallyreallyreally thankful if I never had to set foot (or more like twelve feet) in a grocery store bathroom EVER AGAIN!!!

(yeah right!)

8 comments:

Mommy Reg said...

Way to go Olivia! Good luck with tonight and the nights to come. :) I also allow them to pick what they want when the time comes and have let the fact that princesses are on them slide. I have one little one who is all pink and purple with flowers hearts and everything girlie and her little sister is following suite.

Diane said...

Yeah Olivia!!!!!!!! Tell her great job - and purple is my favorite color...so she found a friend in me! lol.

Momma Bug I am so proud of you too. You had a successful week. Let me know how tonight goes! Perhaps we can talk Sunday night. It's been awhile again and I am missing my Analene phone call!

Talk to ya soon.

Sis

Lady Jess said...

Oh, what a sweetheart! Good job, dear!

Anonymous said...

Oh, goodness! We have been potty training Raymond these past couple weeks! He has caught on quickly!

Sorry I haven't been around lately. I miss you BUNCHES!!!!

Jess said...

Good on Olivia! When Billy got a balloon for taking HIMSELF to the toilet yesterday, Miss Four mentioned pointedly that she ALMOST always takes herself to the toilet. I pointed out that perhaps it SHOULD be ALWAYS when you're four and maybe her next goal needs to be not needing a nappy at night :S I am not a fan of the toilet training either!

2homeschool said...

Here is my little mommy tip.

1)Potty on the way into the store EVERY time. Every body must try or they are asked to wait until after the shopping to use the restroom.
2)Pull ups for trips to stores (with a reward if its dry at the end of the trip)
3) Once they know how to pee, have them practice starting and stoping in the middle of peeing (giving them blader control)
4)Teach baby to ride piggy back while you help the other potty??? Just kidding, well sort of... :-)
5)Ask store to watch cart. Get an empty one and take it into the bathroom (I have done that one). Lots of love, Good luck.
Heather

Momma Bug said...

Check.
Check.
Check.
And check.

We do a lot of those things and you're right, they do make life easier.
Honestly we haven't had a large number of the episodes I described, but once is too many, in my opinion!
:-D

Love you!

RavenM said...

Hurray Olivia :-D

I'm with you on the potty training thing. No fun at all... Joshua was three and he just didn't want to waste the time. It was a long time before I could rely on him not to do something nasty in his britches...and I'm not talking wetting them:-( He could hold his bladder for an amazingly long time tho--sheesh. :)