Potty Training Update

Since I like to be a woman of my word I decided I should update this blog, as I said I would. But, the update is not a celebration of using the potty but rather an explanation for why there is no potty celebration. :)

It's my fault! I have been purposely putting off the potty training. I have been reading the book, "Toilet Trained in Less than a Day" and it's great! But first it talked about spending about an hour with a doll that wets to show Emer how to put the baby on the potty and watch it pee pee. Then she would be responsible for dumping the pee pee into the big potty. So I decided that since this is such a big part of this process I would have to wait until I get a doll that wets. Day One - Avoided!

I still have not found a doll that wets, mainly b/c I haven't been looking! I need to do that, I know. But I did move the potty into our bathroom and have been showing Emer what we do on the potty by talking about it and using Elmo to demonstrate. She loves to sit on the potty (both her little one and our big one!) but she hasn't wet in it yet. She just says, "pee pee?" and this means she wants to play on the potty. I'm a little worried that the longer we play like this with no pee pee in the potty the harder it's going to be to get her to sit on it and go! Day Two - Playing Around!

I decided I would go ahead and potty train her this Sunday and Monday, even without the doll that wets. But now my grandma just moved from a 2 bedroom apartment to a 1 bedroom and my dad wants me to come take a look at some of the furniture to see if I want it. Since the whole potty training thing should be done in a full day I have to commit to be home ALL day. I'd like 2 days to do this b/c I'm thinking Day One will be for Training and Day Two for Reinforcing. Well with Sunday now occupied with leaving to check out furniture, that doesn't leave me 2 days in a row. Day Three - Over-committed!

I am now considering whether or not I want to do this Wed. and Thur. I would be home the entire time until I go to work Thur. evening. That's nearly 2 whole days. We could make sure she uses the potty before we leave for the Y on Thur. then use it as soon as we come home. It might work...I'll let you know! Day Four - Coming up!

Big Things are Coming!

August 1st - Emer used a regular cup, without spilling anything, by herself, for the first time today. I know my mom has helped her use a small regular cup, but I have never been able to get her to drink from a cup without dumping it on herself. So this was a very exciting development! She was so proud of herself!

August 2nd - I went back to work for another year of counseling the primary students in Greencastle. I'm excited for school to start, but as I was driving home one day I started thinking about Emer. I wonder what kind of student she will be like...I wonder if she'll make friends easily...I wonder if she'll like reading or math better...I wonder what she'll look like. She's changing slowly, but you can see it when you look closely. (Of course she's still nearly impossible to capture via photograph!)

She's only 2 but I was having trouble remembering what I used to do with my time before she was born. This is usually a romantic thought many people have when they are thinking about a new boyfriend or girlfriend. I never understood it. What did people mean they couldn't remember life before that person? How ridiculous! We make our own lives and don't need someone else to make our lives for us. Geesh. But it's different with a kid. My tiny wonder has given me someone to be with all the time. I can teach her things, show her the world, play in the little world of our backyard, and watch her run around like a crazy person. It's so much more fun than I ever thought! And I know she's not perfect. She has her (my) temper. When she doesn't get enough sleep she gets CRABBY! And who knows what she'll decide to eat when we sit down to a meal. (Hmmm, that also sounds a lot like me...)

Random side thought - do you think my love for Emer makes me a narcissist???

August 4th - I was able to put a french braid in Em's hair for the first time! It stayed in all day as well, I was so excited :)

August 8th - Let the potty training begin! I will update this blog next week with our progress. But for now, please wish us luck!!