Saturday, June 2, 2012

So, potty training.

While I hate and dread it, my kids are pretty rock star.  I've followed John's mother's method with all of my children. It might have an official name, but I call it "give your kids anything they want to drink and lots of rewards for a day" potty training.  We started Tuesday morning with Emmie pumped up on all sorts of juice, koolaid, and chocolate milk.  We got books and my itouch and got all cozy in the bathroom.  It was fun I tell you.  Actually it was not fun.  But all parents have to break down and potty train at some point right?  Emmie is amazing at holding mass quantities of pee in her little bladder, but eventually she went.  On the potty.  She was so excited and exclaimed, "It working!"  And it's adorable that she still says this every time she goes.  We had (and occasionally still have) accidents, but all in all she is a rock star at peeing on the toilet. 

Pooping on the toilet is a whole other battle.  She is TERRIFIED to poop on the toilet and begs to have a diaper put on her so she can go in her diaper.  So far I've had to clean up poop twice.  I don't like it.  I'm in need of advice.  Maybe this is TMI but she is a naturally constipated little girl (most likely due to her diet of dairy and candy).  I give her apple juice and miralax so it won't hurt her to go, but she's still terrified.  It's killing me.  Advice?

Alright...Enough potty talk......

I'm kicking myself now for not pulling out the camera this weekend.  Because after 3 days of Ainsley and Owen being stuck at home for fear of not being in the general proximity of a toilet at all times, I gave them a killer weekend. And I have no photographic proof of our awesomeness.

Friday we went

*to the library
*Krispy Kreme for free doughnut day (yay for free doughnuts!)
* played in the water all afternoon in the back yard
*found an awesome new park near our house that we can bike to
*went on 2 bike rides

and

wait

for

it

We had a full on camp out in the backyard.  Complete with dutch oven cooking, a tent, s'mores, and E.T.
I was lame and came inside at midnight when it started raining.  The rest of the family stuck out a huge rain and lightening storm.  None of them even realized they were in a storm.  And apparently now I owe them all a prize. 

Saturday I let them all swim all day at my parents.  Where Emmie pooped in her swimsuit.  Luckily she wasn't in the water.  And she peed on John's leg.  So much for her 24 hour accident free record.... (sorry, I said I would be done with potty talk...apparently I just can't get enough of it.  Why do mothers feel they can talk so freely about their children's poop like it's no big deal.  It's weird it tell you!).

Did I mention that John and I are awesome.  And tired.  Very tired.  As are the children.

3 comments:

KT said...

Here is my advice......take it for what it's worth, since I haven't ever had a kid that was scared of pooping in the toilet. But we basically take our training potty with us everywhere. You get to your 4th kid and it's not like you can stay home and potty train all the time. So we take the potty that they are comfortable with, with us everywhere we go. They generally use it in the car before getting out and then again when getting in. If it's Grandma's house, we just take it right in with us. My other advice?? DO NOT GIVE UP! Never, ever, go back to diapers. It will get easier. She will have to go eventually. Give her prunes. : ) And she will finally learn that the potty is way way better than going in her undies. Whew....ok.......stepping off my soapbox now.

You can do it Jess! Hang in there! Sounds like she is doing awesome already! :)

Elizabeth said...

Miralax is my favorite. It was the only thing that worked when I was prego (TMI). Sounds like Emmie is doing well (except for the poop thing, which i hear is common)! We started with Davis on Wednesday. He went Friday and Saturday without accidents (although I did cheat with diapers during his naps--hey I have a newborn--but he did wake up dry from his nap yesterday and went straight to the potty). I bribed him with pool parties Friday and Saturday (swim in the afternoon if no accidents before his nap). He even went poop in the potty once! But today he has had a couple accidents. Maybe it is because Russ was home today (he had to work yesterday)? Russ is headed to scout camp tomorrow so maybe we'll progress instead of regress this week... Good luck! Know I feel your pain!

shellydinger said...

Hailey was the exact same way. She would be screaming and shaking as I put her on and off the potty for a long long time - and then when she couldn't hold it any longer I would literally be holding her down. That sounds awful, but after a few weeks (long long weeks) it got a little easier. I agree with never go back to diapers, and then eventually she'll get it. It'll be miserable for sure, but there isn't much else you can do. You are awesome - and I think every mom can relate to potty training consuming your life :)