Oy with the Potty Training Already!

Being a parent is stressful. Period. There are times when I wonder if I'm not failing at my duties. I mean the stakes are really really high. Although I realize that the only really important thing is my children knowing their identity in Christ and loving Him, there are other more "worldly" things that consume my thought process. For example I wonder things like "I hope they don't turn out to be sociopaths" or "Maybe they could graduate from Harvard or be a professional athlete". I don't believe most of these things happen by chance, but that they are cultivated and nurtured. Here's where my mama anxiety clicks in. Am I doing enough? Am I going to ruin them for life? Don't worry, I'm not too hard on myself, but like I said, the stakes are high, and these things cross my mind from time to time. 

All that to say, there are things that are really stressful about parenting young children. Breast-feeding and sleep-training are high on the list...and Potty training. Ugh. 

A good friend of mine decided to potty-train her almost 2 year old with a tried and true 3-day method, and graciously offered to send me the book so I could try it too. Yay? 

With Holden we waited far too long. Listened to so many people tell us to just wait, it's much easier after 3. Well, it was a nightmare. Let's just say that 3 year olds are really stubborn and really strong-willed. So anyway, this time around I did want to do things differently and getting it over and done with before Adelaide was a strong-willed 3 year old seemed like a fantastic idea. 

Maybe starting a 3-day program when you only have 2 days available isn't the greatest idea, but I decided to give it a go. 

Day #1: Pump full of liquids, put on underpants and rush them to the bathroom every time they get the "look" or tell you they have to go. 
Day #2 & #3, exactly the same. Did I mention this goes for day and night? Oy.

She is the sweetest thing in underpants.

She enjoyed the joose all too much considering she gets it very rarely

In true Colleen fashion we cleaned out the toy boxes in between the big moments.

Seriously the cutest little butt-cheeks ever. So all day I tell her what a big girl she is and to tell me if she needs to go. This goes pretty well for day #1 with a normal amount of accidents and successes. Day #2 we backtrack and have a billion accidents. Day #3 my parents arrive and we went to the zoo. (Brilliant, right?) This girl held her bladder from 10am until we arrived home at 1:30. That's some serious bladder control. Meanwhile I hit up every toilet I see. Maybe I should do the 3-day plan? 

Well, with some back-tracking from company being in town, I think we are doing much better. We are on day #6...which was inconveniently not outlined in the 3-day plan. One day at a time. It's only pee and poop, right?