Potty Mouth

Since I'm on a roll...I figured I would just post one last blog for now before I go to bed.  If you didn't already know, I've been in the process of potty training the not-so-little one.  When we went to Maui in June/July, it seemed as if we had tackled the whole bit.  Rieley was TELLING me and my parents when she had to go.  But as soon as we got back home to Honolulu, we took 2 steps backwards...in other words we were back to the beginning.  She was still in diapers at the time and since then, I've tried everything that I can think of and what others have suggested.  I've tried giving her rewards like stickers and stamps on the back of the hand.  I've since switched her over to Pull-Ups and tried panties while hanging out at home.  I've tried a Dora the Explorer chart where she puts a sticker of every task she accomplishes such as pulling down her pants, sitting on the toilet, peeing/pooping, flushing the toilet and washing her hands.  They each only worked for a short while if at all.

I've been starting to lose hope since she's already 2 1/2 and it doesn't bother her to sit in her wet panty or lumpy diaper.  I do know one thing...she doesn't like to wear a diaper anymore...it seems to irritate her panty lines worst than Pull-Ups do so she refuses them which gives me an idea.  If she doesn't go to the potty she will have to wear diapers again.  They're cheaper anyways!  Well, I'm going to hold off on that idea only because we may...or may not...have reached a breaking point!  Alleluia!

Again, when we visited Maui this last time, my mom and I discovered that Rieley...a stubborn Aries like her father...does not want to be told to go use the potty.  Instead, if we took her by the hand and walkdc her to the bathroom without saying a word, she was 95% more willing to use it.  I can't even ASK her if she needs to go because the answer will automatically be, "No."  So that is what I've been doing.  Every so often when I think that she probably needs to go or when I remember to take her, I do.  And she goes!  Number 1 only so far, though.  No biggie...baby steps, right.  Even since we've been back, the only time that she doesn't use the potty is when we are out and about and when she has to go Number 2.  She's had a couple of accidents in her panties, but the couple of times she told me she had to go before her bladder let loose more than makes up for it.  Did I mention that she's been getting mini chocolate M&Ms as rewards?!  Oh yeah...she's lovin' that!  True woman!  There is light at the end of the tunnel, too!  The day we were leaving Maui for the airport, I went to put Pull-Ups on Rieley and she threw a fit saying she wanted panties instead!  So you know what I had to do?  I put the panties on and then the Pull-Ups!  Haha!  Pray (for my sake and for our bank account) that this continues and I can finally get this child out of disposable underwear!!!

Goodnight!
Stephanie