The second week of potty training went better. I wasn’t using the timer any more, trying to give her more responsibility, but would ask her often. Potty breaks were still not her top priority, but she was trying. She wasn’t really having very many accidents during the day, I was not even worried about night time yet. I didn’t feel confident enough to let her go places in underwear just yet. On Wednesdays I pick up Noah and Caleb from school so we decided to let her try the underwear away from home. We are only gone for about 20 minutes max, so I thought we could handle this little trip. And we did. The minute I would celebrate an accomplishment though, Makaela would have a small accident. I sometimes think that she has been brainwashed by all the boys in this house, either that or potty training is just a pain no matter the sex of the kid!
While my family was around that weekend we did have an accident, but I also tried letting her go to church with underwear on. Makaela fell asleep on the way to church and stayed asleep through part of Mass. I had stepped out with Eli, who couldn’t hold it, when Makaela woke up. Rachel brought her to me and we tried going potty. Nothing. We went back to our pew and as Mass continued Makaela was playing around and I asked her if she needed to go. She said she did, so we were back to the bathroom. I was starting to wish the speakers in the bathroom were not broken so I could actually hear what was going on in Mass. We made it through Mass with no accidents. Thank God! We even were able to go out to eat and still no accidents. I was starting to think maybe this wasn’t too bad after all.
Bed time was another challenge. Makaela had been having some issues about going to bed when it is time without adding potty training. This has been going on since about Thanksgiving. She will cry and fuss when we tell her it’s bedtime, but we put her in and let her cry a while. Then she seems to get the idea and fall asleep. With the introduction of potty training, she saw an escape. Through the weeks I had gotten really good about jumping when she said “potty”. She realized that I guess and when I put her to bed she started crying saying “potty”. So, of course I would let her out of bed. We would go before even getting into bed, but I didn’t want her to not try if she thought she had to go. This back and forth between the bathroom would stop if I got frustrated and asked John to try since every time we went into the bathroom she would smile and say “not working.” I know the game she was playing, but I thought it was the game we needed to play so she would learn to get up when she needed to go in the middle of the night. By the end of the week, I was worn out and John had convinced me we didn’t do it like this with the boys and she would learn the same way they did. So, we were back to crying and bed time, asking to go potty again, and having to tell her to go to sleep.
On the third week of potty training we were moving in the right direction. She was making it through naptime with no accidents and rarely had one during the day time. John and I decided it was time for a big reward. So, we were at the store grocery shopping that week we let Makaela pick out a toy of her choice. She picked a Ariel Ballerina Barbie. When we got home we explained she wouldn’t get the doll until she could go a day without any accidents. I made up a little chart to help her keep track of her progress. “Makaela’s Potty Princess Chart.” Basically it was a sheet of paper with her favorite colors pink and purple, a picture of the Ariel doll, and some steps. I also printed out a mermaid Ariel and glued it to a magnet to use as the marker. During different times of the day we would move it if she hadn’t had an accident. If she had an accident she had to go back to start. I also put a hook over the toilet and hung Ariel there to motivate her.
She has had a few accidents here and there. Mostly when there is a misunderstanding about what she is fussing about. She is still trying to “use” the potty as an excuse to get out of things she doesn’t want to do. We somewhat fixed the bed time issue, but the last time I took her to the store she decided to use it then. It was a well played move on her part to get out of the shopping cart. Crying and fussing in a store about having to go “potty” makes Mommy look bad as we walk past people, so mommy is more inclined to give into the fussing. Until I take her into the bathroom, tell the boys to stand right outside the stall and Makaela stands right next to them. I ask her if she needs to go and she says very chippy “nope.” Yep, done, game over for mom! That shopping trip was NOT a good one, but we survived with no accidents and only a few more than normal judging stares from other shoppers.
I sent a card to her Aunts via text message about the big news. One of them in the past had made a comment that once she was potty trained they would take her shopping with them. Must have been Mary, since she responded that as soon as she was more consistent she would take her. Lauren said it would be an excuse for a new outfit. I told Lauren NEVER to let Makaela know that or she WILL have an accident.
I guess after four weeks of potty training, we can call her the Potty Princess. Won’t she love that title when she is about 13?!