I introduced the potty to Mady when she was about one. I did not push it on her, did not make her use it, just got her a pink potty and put it in the bathroom. She would occasionally ask to sit on it. She would occasionally use it. Basically, it was just there.
I have tried a couple of times since she turned two, to get her to use it. Again, occasionally she would. She would go through times when she would ask to sit on it and she would sit on it for LONG periods of time (by her own choice). She would get up and have a big pink ring on her bottom (should have gotten a cushy potty), but usually nothing in the potty.
Right before school started I decided I was really going to try to get her potty trained. She was not really interested. She would sit on the potty if I asked her to, but that was about it. Then, I had a reaction to some meds and got pretty sick (sicker than I already was). There were several days I could not get out of bed and when I was able to I had ZERO energy for anything, much less potty training. Daddy was so busy trying to work, take care of his normal house chores, take care of MY chores, do the cooking and taking care of the kids. Potty training wasn't really on his radar. So, potty training went to the sidelines.
Last week I finally had the energy to attempt it again. We started Monday. Something clicked with her (pretty sure it was the rewards ;)) and she has not peed in her pants since Monday (nights don't count). We went cold turkey. No diapers or pullups during the day at all. A while back we found some panties with her favorite characters (Fancy Nancy and Hello Kitty) and we bought them. She was so excited to wear them and quickly realized they were much more comfortable than diapers!
I don't know what got into me, but I would not even put a diaper on her when we went out to run errands. She never had accidents while we were out. After less than a week, she was going to the bathroom by herself. She would go do her business, then run out to me and say "Mommy, I peepeed in the potty. I a BIGGGGGGG girl! Come on Mommy" as she waves her little hand in the direction of the bathroom. She still has to wear a pullup at night, but she is not even two and a half yet so I kinda expected that. The good thing, though, is I am not changing diapers AT ALL! She gets up in the morning, takes it off and goes potty.
Yesterday she wanted to go to church in her panties. I told her she could and packed some extra clothes. I didn't know if she would go for someone else, or in a new place, or with the excitement of all the kids - but there was no time like the present to find out! I took her in and told her teacher that she was in panties and then I took her potty. I honestly expected to pick her up and find her in her extra clothes. She wasn't!
After almost THIRTEEN YEARS (you read that right) I am done changing diapers! Let's NOT do the math on the time I have spent changing diapers or the MONEY I have spent BUYING diapers. Let's just say Pampers LOVES us :)
As hard as most of the "last first" have been (with Andrew and Mady because we thought Andrew was going to be our last baby) this was not really a hard one. The hard part is seeing my baby as a little girl now. The other day she was in just her panties with her hair up in a ponytail, singing and dancing around the living room. I must say, at that moment, I wanted to run and get a diaper and put it back on her. It seems like yesterday I thought I would never have a girl, much less a girl with enough hair to put in a ponytail (her hair has been slow growing), or a girl in panties singing and dancing. I will not miss diapers, but I DO miss my BABY baby (she will always be our baby) girl!
Okay - so girls ARE easier to potty train than boys!
