The Potty Wars

The Potty Wars have been raging here in the Mechling household for nearly a year. It's been Cady VS. Mom and Dad and, to be honest, we've been getting our bee-hinds kicked by a 3-year old. Cady has been going #1 on the potty since around last Christmas and that was a fairly painless process. #2, however, has been a completely different story!!

We had 2 incidents of #2 around the new year (10 months ago!!) and we've been coaxing/encouraging/bribing her to repeat the performance ever since. We've had many episodes of her sitting for 5, 10, 15 minutes on the potty, sometimes in tears, refusing to DO anything. So, it's been pull-up city, until a few days ago when Ray made the comment that diapers are for babies. Cady picked that up right away and since last week sometime, whenever I could tell that she needed to go #2, would refuse to put on a pull-up, but neither would she get on the potty. Not good.

After an accident at the park and some very painful tummy aches, I think things were finally starting to click in Cady's mind. Last night, while I was cooking dinner, I heard the usual, "Mommy, I need to show you something!" In the middle of dicing something, I responded, "Just a minute!" When Cady said,"Mommy, I really need to show you something in the potty!!" I envisioned that Maddy had unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper in the commode so I hurried into the bathroom and behold ... POOP IN THE POTTY!!

It was a very happy day!! Cady kept exclaiming "HOORAY!!! I went poopoo in the potty!!! I'm so proud!!" She was so excited so I hope that it's the beginning of the end of diapers. And I really hope it's not ANOTHER ten months before she goes poop in the potty again!!

p.s. I'm really sorry to write a post about potties and poop but anyone who has or has had a toddler KNOWS what a major part of your life potty training is!!