Potty Training

Friday was the day. Da da Dummmmm. Elaina was out of diapers and we embarked on the dreaded time in parenting. Potty Training. I don't know if you have picked up on this by previous posts, but Elaina is a cunning, cute and smart little bug. There is nothing that she does that isn't calculated. Imagine the dread Allan and I feel knowing the time was drawing near.

Thursday morning Elaina was down to 5 diapers. I showed her the stack and said, "tomorrow we POTTY TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I was seriously proud of myself for all the excitement I could muster for something I totally hate to do. My sweet daughter informed me that she didn't want to go to school or Vacation Bible School (2 things that require potty training) and that she's decided that she doesn't want to be big either. Then she looks at the diapers and tells me that we still have 5 more.

I tried to counter with: you don't have to go to school, you will always be my baby if you are potty trained, whatever you want to do sweetie. In my mind I was going down a list of ways to motivate the head strong little bug. Ok, a list of bribes. I really was formulating bribes.

The notion of always being my baby at her convenience seemed to stave off the opposition for the moment.

Just before bedtime I was online looking at underpants and called Lain over. At first she had to go save the castle, but she couldn't resist the kissing goldfishy underpants on the screen. She picked all her favorites and then said, "Mommy, can I do it NOW? Can I potty train now and can we go buy underpants in the dark?"

"OF COURSE you can and we can go to the mall in the dark to buy underpants".

Off we run to the potty where she sat down and peed. Homemade confetti was thrown, and there was much rejoicing. Lain looks at me and says, "now can we go buy underpants...in the dark?" Phone calls made, a chocolate chip was given. The bigger bugs were left in a puddle of tears as they wanted to go on this special trip. Lain looks at both of them and says, "Emmylexa it's ok. You can't come. I have to go on my special date with Mommy to buy underpants....in the dark." Off we went with Dumbo (who also needed underpants) leaving Daddy with the sulky twins.

On the highway I hear from the back seat "UNDERPANTS HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Once we came home there was a fashion show, a bath and bed.

DAY 1: Elaina remembers her underpants and we were off. Except that she didn't want to sit on the potty. So she had 2 tiny accidents for which she told me that "thems surprised me". As she was eating her breakfast she had a flood. She looked at me and said, "Mommy it's happening again! This isn't working. Now I can't eat my dinner." We talked about just learning and that she needs to try the potty. Throughout the day we did some better and she was into it.

DAY 2: There were signs of some improvement and ability to control. However, she was all done with the training after nap since she needed to poo poo. Since she tends to willfully control that area of her life we aren't going to force the issue and let her go in a pull up. At one point we just made cookies and she wanted another snitch. I told her I only give snitches to those who obey Mommy and sit on the potty when asked. Guess who ran to the potty, sat on it and put pee pee in it within one minute???? Thankfully that was my last interaction for the day since I had to work last night. Allan was left wit h the illustrious honor of creatively trying to encourage her, guide her, bribe her all the while let her think she is in charge, which is really her favorite thing in life. By the way nothing will work unless she chooses to.

Day 3: Girlfriend really needs to go so she doesn't want to try and put her pee pee in the potty. We tried before church, nothing. She wore a Pull-Up to church, she kept it dry. She watched and entire Mickey-Mouse Clubhouse on the potty. Nothing. She drank a sippy of milk and had Lemonade at lunch. Refusal. We began to tease her (she likes that). "We will put you in the snow until you are potty trained." "No you won't because that will make me miss Ava."

"Elaina, your baby just told me that she wants you to show her how to potty train." Elaina puts her on the floor, pretends she pees and is all done.

"Elaina, your baby just told me she wants you to potty train." She hold her baby up to her ear and says, "She said no potty train."

"Hey girls I guess if Elaina can't sit on the potty and obey like a big girl then we will have to treat her like a baby." Then I explain to the big bugs what that means, including that she can't get out of the room because babies don't move. Girlfriend comes into the room with her baby saying, "watch Mommy. Watch, Daddy." She proceeds to hold her baby's hands and makes her walk. Then she looks at us and says, "See she walks. She can move."

Finally while writing this, she had a drip in her underpants and stopped the accident. Refused to sit on the potty. Then asked for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (SURE!) She sits on the potty, drinks more lemonade, lets out a dribble and oh the celebration! I told her the more pee pee she puts in the more chocolate chips she gets, so at the Mystery Mousekatool, she should try again. She runs to the potty and says she can't b/c we forgot to empty it. (Personally I think she likes to make us run around like idiots.) Fresh potty. Child sits and pee pees! 2 chocolate chips!

Playing child. "I feel my pee pees coming out." Run to the potty, false alarm. Play. "I feel my pee pees coming out." Run to the potty (times 5 Bentons). Oh the celebration!!! The Joy!!! Now we get 2 chips for pee pee and 1 for feeling pee pees and running to the potty. (It's the take care of Laina chip.)

Playing child. O, "I feel my pee pees coming out!" Run. Sit. Pee pee. Raucous Celebration. Three Chips.

Somebody is eeking out the pee pee to get the maximum chips I think. So I am left to wonder, who really is letting who think she is in charge?