Sorry to “bore” you with more, but I promise this will be the last post on potty training. So today, DAY 8 (exactly one week ago today we started with teaching bear to pee pee) I think we hit the rest of our milestones. Now we had a couple accidents along the day, but…McKinley used the “big louwd potty” TWICE today while we were out (I bought this for her assistance) then we came home and while she was using the potty before nap, she pooped! All by herself! Lastly, tonight, she told us she needed to go, then she ran to the potty and went all by herself then told us when she was done. So I think that does it, while I anticipate more accidents to come our way, I think…my child…just might be officially potty trained!?!?!?
P.T. Scorecard: Days 5-7 July 1, 2007
Well, I stopped keeping “score” these days since she’s done so great. Days 5&6 she had NO ACCIDENTS! She went when she needed to go once I finally got her in there, she still cries sometimes “don’t lyke it.”
BUT BY DAY 7 – the child today has told us everytime, “need go pee pee” then we’d take her and she WENT! WHEW WHEW WHEW! Chris said today, “I think she’s got it!” I think so too! Still working on “number 2″ – it’s not that she refuses I just don’t catch it after naptime in time.
Here’s to you kid…Mommy’s so proud!
P.T. Scorecard: Day 4 June 28, 2007
AM: 3 pee-pee’s
PM: 2 pee-pee’s, 1 accident (which I found later), 1 near-accident (cause I never found it?)
Today was really great! I had a great half-day under my belt yesterday so I expected nothing less today. While she doesn’t tell me (I don’t exactly give her time or opportunity yet though) and she sometimes goes very unwillingly, when I sit her down IF she needs to, she does within like a minute. I’ve just found she needs the privacy to either motivate her or make her relaxed enough. But all-in-all I’m feeling good. Tomorrow is our first “outing.” I have a dr. appt. and McKinley’s going to Aunt Janie’s house (note to self: DO NOT forget the potty OR extra undies). I’ve got my fingers crossed on the poop, I’ve missed it the last two days after nap. First day may have been a lucky fluke, however I KNOW she can do it, so I’ve got hope! Thanks to those who’ve checked in and kept me sane this week – what would I do without my mommy friends?
P.T. Scorecard: Day 3 June 27, 2007
AM: 4 accidents, 0 pee-pee’s
PM: 1 pee-pee pre-nap, 2 accidents & 6 more pee-pee’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Random notes from Mommy:
1) I really wanted to give up today. I was so so discouraged this morning. Had I chosen the wrong method? Had I picked the wrong time? Did I do something wrong? She resists all trips to the potty and tells me she’s “scayard pee pee” and “don’t lyk’it!”
2) I decided mid-morning we had to live our life. I turned the tv back on and I tried to CHILL OUT. Tried to give her more time in-between all the questions. Even went outside and we both agreed we’d like a stroll down the sidewalk. Something went a bust though, two houses down she had a complete freak-out. I had to carry her home on my hip while she cried “be gud gurl mommy!” I put her straight in her bed and I went straight to my bathroom where I had my very own meltdown. Then we hugged, we kissed, we just decided to press on as best we knew how.
3) She was still refusing to go again this morning and like yesterday her first “action” was after lunch (and ALL the drinks and sneaky morning snacks). Oh how I’d had enough by the 4th accident. I mean don’t get me wrong, she’s not in trouble when she has one. And I can totally handle accidents when she’s GOING. But this…this was almost too much. I was very frustrated and I took her little crying self to the bathroom and told her to basically sit there and pee pee. I told her do NOT get up while I went to put the last pair of wet underwear in the wash. When I got back you know what I found? (HAAAAAAH) She was standing there pointing saying “pee pee Momma!” My world instantly changed! I helped her pour & flush, which she loves. Then we did the best rockin’ pee-pee dance I could pull-out. Wow was I pumped!
4) Naptime didn’t happen today for some reason. She talked for 2 1/2 hours in there, which is not totally unusual for her from time to time. (Note are my “treats” back-firing? But she couldn’t have had more than 10 m&m’s?) She finally started crying and I knew my “break” was over. I found her “bare,” where’s her night-night panty? Oh, it was wet and off, lying in the middle of the bed!
5) Cue’ing from our only positive result of the day, I spent the afternoon leaving her in the bathroom telling her to STAY basically. Low & behold every single time, two minutes or less we had pee-pee! “WhooWhooWhoo! High-Five!” I think we turned a curve today, and I feel like we just might make it!
P.T. Scorecard: Day 2 June 26, 2007
AM: 0 pee-pee’s, 0 accidents (yes you read that right)
PM: 2 pee-pee’s, 3 accidents (first “action” of the day, she waited til 12:20 to go!)
Random notes from Mommy:
1) I do realize it really IS better than yesterday right? YES I remind myself.
2) So frustrating though, today she was just not interested. “No!” she’d cry. “Scared pee-pee,” I’d hear. Wasn’t interested in any of her FOUR drinks I would offer! I was so frustrated! But then we finally got that little trickle after lunch. Then 15 minutes later the flood gates opened.
3) Twice today she cried, “Pee-pee panees” – once we made it to the potty and once not. I was thrilled that she actually told me, I mean she’s recognizing right?
4) What’s up with it not being ok that I’m stressed out and think this is one of the hardest mommy challenges I’ve had. I mean all you young moms out there understand right? Just let me own my frustration without trying to “but she’s sooooo precious” it away…or “your making this harder than it is.” Oh yeah girls I got that one!
5) I told Laura today that there are so many questions we have as new moms regarding, feeding, nursing, crying, etc. etc. etc. We have the physical care, the moral implications, the schedule, the habits, etc. etc. etc. that we’re always trying to juggle & find what is right? But this…something is different about this potty training business. Is it because she’s older and (somewhat) reasons with me? or verbally challenges me? Is it because there’s SO MANY WAYS to do it? Maybe it’s pregnancy a bit too.
6) Besides my (normal) frustrations of her (normal) disinterest or unwillingness to participate, I am just physically exhausted. Yes I will say aloud, she does not get my full undivided attention everyday all day. And these days she has. I mean potty every 15 minutes or so, asking if she’s dry, running to get a treat, jumping with excitement, being the cheerleader by the potty, still trying to make her obey, not to mention meals to make, and the SEVENTEEN phone calls I got today (guess who SIX were from?) it just doesn’t stop (except for lunch, I treat myself to a little tv and a bologna-tomata sandwich & pickle while we sit at the table) – by nap I’m zonked right along with her. Then to get up for the second shift, by 5:00 today I was just a noodle waiting on Daddy. And for whatever reason she’s ALL over me! Touching, jumping, sliding, reading, sitting, just squalling all over Mommy. What gives?
Whatever…we’ll figure it out together. And I give her full credit as still being the most amazing baby girl a mommy could ever have! Stay tuned, we’ll see how tomorrow goes.
P.T. Scorecard: Day 1 June 25, 2007
AM: 2 pee-pee’s, 1 poo-poo, 1 accident
PM: 1 pee-pee, 6 accidents
Random notes from Mommy:
1) Wow, Mel was right this is much harder than I anticipated. And boy am I thankful for those mommy friends I can call!
2) Our morning was slow, taking nearly 2 hours before getting the first bit of “action.” But the poo-poo, WOW! I thought, “this is downhill from here, we GOT IT!” What happened this afternoon?
3) Well I admit the pediatrician did put some pressure on me, but could he have been, I don’t know, right? I mean would this have been more “fun” for her two months ago, was she really ready at 21-22 mos? And how much time have I wasted wanting to yack my insides up the last 8 weeks?
4) Or is it too early? I mean from what I hear around the mommy world, two is pretty awesome to be trained already.
5) Actually I think we’re probably just normal for what we’ve experienced today.
6) This is definitely one of those days in motherhood where I had to ask God to forgive me for blowing it.
7) But tonight all my frustrations from our afternoon melted away as McKinley ran back to me after she went off to “nite-nite” with her Daddy…thinking, at first, it was her last minute “hug” that she needed, I realized she wanted to tell me something. She nestled under my chin and said, “Tank-q Mamma.” I said, “Thank you for what Boo?” She said, “Tank-q poddy Momma.” I thanked her right back and gave her lots of hugs and kisses and said “We’ll try again tomorrow Boo Boo, deal?” “Deeyal!”
“I pee-pee poddy” June 24, 2007
At her 18-mos. checkup McKinley’s pediatrician asked me if she was saying 3-4 word sentences yet, which she was close but not quite. “When she does, that is two year old talking skills and she’ll be ready – you need to have her potty-trained by her two year checkup,” he said. “WHAT? She’s just a baby I thought!” OK whatever. Well she was saying 3-4 word sentences within two weeks so all spring I thought when it warms up, I’ll give it a try. Then I got pregnant and anticipated sickness, which did come so I’ve since been waiting to feel better to give it a try. All the while, aiming at her two year birthday next month as a good goal.
So, brings me to today…we’ve had a potty in her bathroom for a few months now and she often asks to sit on it, with or without her diaper. Today, like any other request, she asked “Need go pee pee poddy?” I was tired and didn’t want to fool with it but I knew I should never discourage so I said ok. A friend told me yesterday to try books and since McKinley LOVES her books, I asked her if she’d like to read some books on the potty. “Uh-huh!” she said. I grabbed three and we went through them, first she just tossed through them reading her precious little version aloud of the pages. Then I read through each of them thinking, “this might actually happen today.” All the time she’d stand up and I’d ask her to sit back on the potty. I asked her if she could push the pee pee out in the potty like she does in her diaper, she’d say “uh-huh.”
Finally at the third book after I’d told her potty time was almost over (it’d been a good 15+ minutes). I was in the middle of The Perfect Picnic when I saw her head go between her legs, I just figured she was checking herself out. But then she stood up and THERE WAS PEE PEE IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!!!!! Yippeeee!!!!!!!!!!! We called Daddy in and showed him, then we all did the pee pee dance and gave lots of kisses & hugs to her.
Guess I know what I’ll be doing this week….
Playgroup at the Pool June 18, 2007
We were thrilled to have more friends join us at the pool this week. This was our second playgroup day of the summer, sorry gals I’ve been sort of slow on the planning! But we have so much fun every time we’re together with these other mommies & kiddies.
Here’s Nikki, Zoey & Samuel up front with McKinley and I. That’s Baby Sophie, Julie, Lori & Baby Roma Lee behind us. We broke from the pool a bit to enjoy a nice packed picnic lunch under the shade. Then it was more sun & fun ’til the sleepy grumps creeped in.
Usually we spend our time in the big pool with McKinley in her “boat.” But we really enjoyed the shallow kiddie pool. Mommy even got in cause it was H-O-T!
Happy Father’s Day My Love! June 17, 2007
THIS is the kind of Daddy he is! (Look carefully) Incredible, loving, reliable, FUN & much much more! “Tank-yu Daddee! Happee Fothersday!”
Happy Birthday Grammy! June 16, 2007
Last weekend was Grammy’s 60th birthday. To mark the milestone occasion, Chris, myself, Laura & Josh threw her a surprise party.
Laura and I both dug out our old wedding guest lists to find her important peeps and I worked up some rather cute invitations if I do say so myself. Actually what made them cute was Aunt Tootsie’s rhyming surprise invite, so I can’t take that much credit actually. Grammy thought she was coming over to babysit McKinley while we were going to a wedding. Everyone got here, promptly I might add, around 5 and Grammy showed up, luckily on-time & not early (due to a little scheme I put together that included putting balloons on the neighbors mailbox and telling her they were having a party, sneaky huh!) [Note to Chris and Brea - I know how to work a surprise fyi!] So Grammy gets to the door and McKinley and I greet her as would be usual. Everyone was hiding in the kitchen & living room, I looked down that hallway & I surprisingly couldn’t see a soul sticking out! Well McKinley’s a little anxious with all the pre-Grammy activity so when Grammy tried to take her from me, she cries. This makes Grammy continue to stand in the doorway and NOT come in! I finally made up something about new toys to get them both in. We walked down the hall and everyone popped out, “Surprise!” Grammy was absolutely blown away! Hard to believe but the woman was actually speechless!
I loved that there was such a mix of folks here – many siblings & in-laws, co-workers, clients, childhood friends, and dear friends as well. For the third time this summer I ordered chicken & bbq, though I must confess it’s for no other reason than their homemade white sauce, whew-hew! There was plenty of food, the weather was great. Folks were inside, folks were outside. We had cake (kudos to Laura for making it gorgeous & delicious) and then lots & lots of presents! I hope Grammy enjoyed it as much as I did – it was a pleasure to give her this gift. Again I say publicly, I am truly blessed to have this woman as my friend and my “other-mother.”
More pics for your viewing pleasure: this is Sandra’s only brother, David; friend Karen’s husband Archie & “smilin” Uncle Wayne; here’s Alice’s hubby James & Lisa; son & granddaughter Chris & McKinley; as McKinley calls this one “sweet boy” (cause he drove w/his mom FIVE hours to be at this party then turned around and went home) Gunter & Nell; thanks for all the pictures Aunt Janie & Gunter; friend Lacey & sister Shirley; from what I hear she’s “the smartest woman alive” matriarch sister Peggy; second grandbaby sweet sweet Harper; & not a great picture I know, but girlfriends Jackie, Alice & Billy;
