We're on the Potty Train!

I've been holding back on posting about potty-training, but I think it's time. When my mom was here to visit a few weeks ago she jump-started Emily again by convincing her to actually sit on the big potty. After that she would sit on the potty for me but only went on one or two occasions. Since we were home sick a lot last week (strep throat & cold), I spent two days setting a timer and having Emily sit on the potty every 20-30 minutes, rewarding her if she had a dry "Dora" (i.e. pull-up) when the timer went off. She went along with it, but never actually went in the potty except on one occasion when I refused to give her Dora and pants back until she went because I knew she needed to go #2. The next two days I made her put on real underwear after breakfast and let her experience the consequences. Luckily, there were very few messes to clean up outside of a couple loads of laundry.

Then something clicked and it's like she turned on a switch. For the last four days (beginning Sunday morning) Emily has been almost perfect in staying clean and dry both day AND night, regardless if she's wearing a Dora or real underwear. She runs to the bathroom when she needs to go, does everything herself and only needs supervision with wiping and washing hands. She has stayed dry through church, a 3-hour errand trip to Waterloo and every single night so far. She even got out of the bathtub halfway through tonight to go #2. Her only two "accidents" have been when she happened to be wearing a Dora, and one of them has a somewhat amusing explanation (drama about the band-aid from her seasonal flu shot).

Now I'm not declaring complete victory since we haven't taken any major road trips, expeditions or even successfully used a toilet outside our house (although she has willingly sat on toilets at church before). However, I am so proud of her progress and so is she. She cheers herself on, and if she catches you going to the bathroom, she narrates and cheers you on, too. :o) It has been a LOOOONG, patient wait, but now it seems worth it. This time I'm sure I've purchased the last box of "Dora's" for Emily! :o)