Potty Training

Oh begeebus! Potty training sucks! Attempt 1 failed and maybe 2 will too. Yesterday was attempt 2 day 1 & it was the most frustrating experience of the year. I wanted to scream, cry, throw things, etc. I tried nice momma, mean momma, give up momma. 1 success & like 8 fails/oopsies. I prayed for a calm mind & an understanding mind & apparently the big man up there came through. Today was way better mentally for me & more successful. 4 successes & yeah, about 8 oopsies. In the last 2 days she's peed in the bathroom by her potty about 6 times. Today it was directly in front of her potty right after standing up. There is a sticker chart, I have a sticker chart(see Katie, mommy gets a sticker, don't you want one too), I've bribed with candy, phone games, playing outside, etc. Bribing doesn't really work but you know, maybe one time it'll work. Haha. 4 successes! That's awesome! We spent hours in that bathroom, sadly maybe as much as 2-3 hours when you add it all up. All for a fighting chance of potty training.

Some may say I'm doing it too young & yeah, it feels like I'm trying young. It really does. But then I heard about 12 month olds training, 15 month olds, 18 month olds. I really really hate those with 12-15 months old that it was uber easy. Then I hear about the 3 year olds still in diapers & 4 years old. Oh hells to the no to the 4 yr olds is diapers! It seems with a lot of people/their kids that their kids just one day decided ok, I'll use the potty and by "a lot of people/their kids" I mean the people here at Ft. Campbell. Those whose kids decided it was time were mainly 3 yr olds, almost 4 year old. Good for them & awesome it was easy, though I know most tried potty training before & it just didn't work. Awesome the kid wanted to do it & did it but I don't think I have the patience to have a 3 yr old Katie in diapers. Though she is tiny & would probably still be in size 4 diapers at that time. :) She's in size 3 now at nearly 2. ANYWAYS, trying to get away from diapers.

Will this attempt at potty training work? I don't know. She's not even 23 months & I do admit part of it is because of my in-laws coming which honestly is stupid because when they're here I won't be able to give her my full attention to prevent accidents as much as possible. Today I realized that she gives me a certain look when she needs to go. She looks scared a little, frantic kind of. She'll deny needing to go but now I know that means go time. She'll get really close, leaning against me, & grab my sleeve or something, that usually means pee is on the way out. By the time it registers what she's doing she's already had a least a little accident and we run to the bathroom. She gave me the signals yesterday but when she told me "no" to "do you need to pee" I believed her. WRONG! :) So, I paid attention more to her signals today. Poor kid is scared to pee on the potty. I turned off the music but still she fights peeing in the potty. There were many tears shed today, many frustrated at mommy moments. She hated me for making her stay on the potty or get back on the potty. She knows it's wrong to pee on the floor because she'll say "Oh No..." or "Uh oh". We're doing naked method by the way, because I think panties would be too much like diapers for her. She might realize oh no the first time or two but then she'd not think twice about it. Using panties would be cleaner that's for sure. Man am I tired of cleaning up pee! I know I have a few more days to go. Mike doesn't really support my potty training methods. He doesn't want her peeing on the floor & he won't watch her or pay attention like I do. He needs to get on board but I'm not sure he'll get that way. He's always put a diaper on her as soon as he got home from work. Part of me wants to not be potty training either. Diapers are so easy, so effortless. Put them on, send her on her way. I don't have to worry about her having an accident because I'm in the other room doing dishes or laundry or picking up whatever it is that needs to be picked up. I can't pay attention to her when I'm cooking dinner or making lunch. Seriously, at least for us (katie & I), I need to be able to see her face & her demeanor/body language and be able to respond right then & there.

Potty training sucks but I seriously hope this times the charm. I don't want to fail & I definitely don't want to start over a 3rd time. Day 1 of Attempt 2 was as bad or worse than Day 2 of Attempt 1. I'd end up in a nut house from Day 1 of Attempt 3. We can not fail, we can not fail! We will do it!!!

In all honesty, if it fails, which I plan to give it an honest try. I gave it 2 days last time, I gave up quick. This time I plan to try for at least 3-4 days, hopefully a week but I know the weekend will be tricky. We have cleaning to do & shopping to do. So anywho, I really need to give it a real good strong try this time. But IF it doesn't work, she's not even 2. She is still young, quite young, so I have time. A full year before we're pushing 3 & oh heck no, you better get out of diapers. :)

I'm sure I've babbled on & on saying the same stuff over & over. Probably boring or frustrating to read. Oh well. This is more for me to be able to come back & read some day, in a few years or 16. Tell me my baby girl isn't almost 2! Geesh! :) Bye!