Potty training

This smart girl is potty training. And potty training is HARD WORK! Warning: this post contains discussion about kids pooping.

Emery actually semi-potty trained herself about 5 months ago--she was completely potty trained for a week--no accidents at all, but then she just stopped trying and would pee everywhere (stand by her potty chair, look straight at me and pee her pants). She was young, maybe 21 months, so I tried to encourage her at it for about a month but I got too frustrated and she clearly stopped caring so we went back to diapers. Luckily she didn't like having messy diapers so she continued pooping in the toilet and I didn't mind changing wet diapers a few times a day. But it was a frustrating time so I have been reluctant to try potty training again.

After a pep talk from some friends we started the process again last Monday and by Friday I felt like nothing was even sinking in and we weren't getting anywhere. Then all of sudden on Saturday it just seemed to click and she went the whole day with no major accidents and did it again on Sunday. We spent most of the week at home, no errands, just potty days. I talked it up for a few days and she was excited to wear underwear again. She got a sticker every time she went in the potty and I took her to go every 20-30 minutes. It was a lot of work, it felt like we were constantly either on the toilet or cleaning up wet underwear for 5 days straight. I think she was probably an easier kid to train because she already pooped on the toilet and every time she sat on the toilet she would pee so we didn't have to sit there forever. It was just difficult to get her to hold it between the trips to the bathroom.

We do use pull-ups for night/naps and sometimes if we are going to run errands. Emery doesn't like pull-ups though so she often won't wear them. Also something that has saved my sanity was a tip my friend gave me to bring the potty chair along with you in the car when running errands. That might gross some people out but it works so well! Before we go in to a store she sits on it and when we get back out she sits on it again. It takes so much stress out of running errands with an underwear clad two year old!