Operation: Potty Pro!

Recently, our troops underwent an intense offensive attack -
Operation: Potty Pro!

The target, Lydia, had been under surveillance for the past several weeks.  We had seen signs of potty awareness as shown by an increase in the repetition of code words: "poopy" and "pee-pee".   Also, the target had been remarkably agreeable lately, perhaps a signal for this scheduled attack to be underway prior to a change in responsiveness.

The supplies had been assembled:

Traveling potty chair for sure-fire success?  Check!

A fresh gallon of juice for hydration?  Check!

New boxes of salty treats to require increased drinking?  Check!

A variety of goodies for rewarding direct-hits?  Check!

Several favorite books, toys and gadgets for incentives and focus?  Check!

iPod alarm set at 10 minute increments?  Check!

Camera charged for documentation of mission?  Check!

Mommy chocolate and caffeinated drinks?  Check!

Sense of humor for inevitable misses?  Check!  I hope ...

The troops had been marshaled:

Ashley had her marching-orders to aid as necessary and supply the needed support.

Mommy had consulted the required training manuals, cleared the calendar of all other engagements and requested the necessary air (prayer) support.

The rest of the tactical team had been sent out of the area with orders to return as reinforcements to lend support and relief.

Recorded here is documentation of Operation:  Potty Pro ~

... Thursday, 6 January, 2011 ...

0800 hours  

Preparing for day.  Diaper removed.  Lydia is going commando. :)

0820 hours

1st sit on potty.  "Curious George" book, sippy cup and troops cheering her on:  

"I can't believe she's potty training!" ~Norah

Once chocolate gold fish for sitting happily.

0830 hours

Still sitting.

0840 hours

Dancing around with her See-n-Say.  Such cute little cheekies!

0842 hours

"Pee-pees!"

Runs for potty seat ... false alarm.

0843 hours

2nd sit on the potty

Lots of squirming

Sings "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" two times through.

0845 hours

From upstairs, Mommy hears "oooh-oooh"

Lydia sitting on potty giving "all done" signs with her hands.

Direct hit!!  S'mores Gold Fish!  Boo-yeah!

0850 hours

Practicing wiping herself ... definitely a pro at that.

0900 hours

3rd sit on the potty

A little resistive, but Cheeze-Its are awesome!  

Gimli thinks so, too.

0911 hours

Lydia decides she wants to wear undies.

Sporting a pair of Ashley's Dora undies.  

Too cute.

0912 hours

Baby Pyna has to get off potty seat for 4th potty sit.  

Lydia doesn't want to take her turn.

Mommy just lets it go.

0926 hours

5th opportunity to sit.

Runs upstairs yelling, "no, no, no!"

Can't be lured down with graham crackers

Hmmm ... Mommy must follow through.

See-n-Say, Cheeze-Its and juice drink are enough incentive for a 5 second sit.

Nothing to report.

0940 hours

6th opportunity to sit.

Has to be carried to the potty seat.

Reads "A Turkey for Thanksgiving" and drinks a cup of juice.

Ought to see something soon ... or she will explode.

1002 hours

7th opportunity to sit.

Willing to stay seated as long as the little blue dog sings songs to her.

That would be about 45 seconds.

1006 hours

Now sporting wet Dora undies.

Really didn't like that sensation running down her leg.

Mommy hoping that works in her favor.

1009 hours

Hoping to keep her pink kitty undies dry.

1021 hours

Wet kitties.

Sad girl.

Re-set the timer.

1022 hours

Back to the potty on her own.

Success!

2 M&M's and a cuddle.

Into CareBear undies.

1025 hours

Starts crying and runs upstairs.

Mommy finds Lydia with pants and diaper in her hand.

Crying.  A lot.

1026 hours

Runs to potty and pees on CareBears.

More crying.

1028 hours

Lydia climbs into her bed.
Pulls up her covers.

So sad.

1032 hours

Snack time.

Quick run to potty...

Success!

1045 hours

Timer goes off.

"The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" for the 11th time.

Lydia looks worried.

Maybe working on a little something.

Up - Down - Up - Down - Up - Down

Perfecting the Undie Pull.

1050 hours

Back again.

Success!

S'mores Gold Fish - yeah!

Teary, sniffly smiles!

1051 hours

"Eww ... eww..."  #2

High five!

1052 hours

Back again on her own.

"The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" for the 13th time.

1100 hours

Number 2 #2!

Sad, happy laughs.

1105 hours

Another success!

She's fully hydrated.

1110 hours

"The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" for the 18th time.

Success for #2!

But Mommy is in the kitchen.

Poop on the stairs ... Awesome!

1112 hours

More pee?!?

How?!

1118 hours

More #2!

That kid's been storing up!

1120 hours

More pee ... wow!

This time with no crying. :)

1128 hours

Again ...

And almost happy about it.

1130 hours

And again ...

1131 hours

Really?

Can't just do it all at once, huh?

1138 hours

Sitting again.

How is this easier than diapers?!?

Mommy starts mantra:  "It's an investment in my diaper-less future.  It's an investment in my diaper-less future...."

1140 hours

More pee.

1143 hours

Time to make lunch.

Move the potty chair to the kitchen.

Pack 'em up and move 'em out!

(Imperative to have a portable potty!)

1150 hours

Up ... down ... up ... down ...

Tinkle on the floor and the rest in the potty.

1200 hours

Twitchy again.

1215 hours

Tiny tinkle.

1230 hours

Nap-time!
Whew ...

Half-way through the day.

Half-way through the roll of toilet paper.

Half-way through Mommy's oomph.

1530 hours

Up from nap and not the least bit interested.

Puts on a pull-up.

Smiles.

1600 hours

Bring older kids home from school.

We're back at it.

Lydia not convinced we should continue.

1615 hours

Insistent she wants to wear a diaper.

Sweet pep-talk from Norah.

No dice.

Remove pull-up in the midst of crying.

1632 hours

Success ... with lots of tears.

But, success, nonetheless.

1644 hours

Lydia is following Mommy around the house.

Crying and periodically sitting on three different potties.

Mommy trying to get dressed for the day.

1647 hours

Success!

Mommy hoping someday she'll pee without crying.

1700 hours

Into a pull-up.

Baby-sitter arrives ... whew!

Mommy is AWOL.

1930

Dry pull-up off.

Diaper and PJ's on.

Night-night!

... Friday, 7 January, 2011 ... 

0621 hours 

Mommy up early to prepare mentally and physically.

0725 hours

Lydia refuses to put on undies.

Throws undies over bannister.

Screams "No!"

0730 hours

Lydia is in undies ... 

With a little help from Mommy ...

And a promise she can carry around her chap-stick all day.

0745 hours

"The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" for the 28th time.

Nothing to report.

0835 hours

Eating breakfast on Mommy's lap.

Super-clingy.

Lots of juice.

0838 hours

Change of scene.

Potty seat moves to the family room.

Looking out sliding glass door while sitting.

Screams while Mommy counts to 10.

0842 hours

"Pee-Pee!" and pounds on Mommy's leg.

Runs to potty.

False alarm.

Let's Mommy count fingers and toes.

0856 hours

Counting digits and sitting happily.

0910 hours

Sitting and waiting.

0920 hours

Sits and screams.

Mommy counts to 10.

Sets timer again.

Drinks lots of juices ... it's only a matter of time.

0930 hours

Sit, squirm and count.

0938 hours

Sit and success!

0948 hours

"No thanks ... I'm busy."

0958 hours

"No thanks ... I'm still busy."

1000 hours

Comes to Mommy.

"Pee-pee!"

False alarm.

Enjoys "This Little Piggy".

1008 hours

No interest in sitting.

Wants to cuddle instead.

1031 hours

Still dry.  High five!

Sits.

Mommy counts to 10.

Lydia gets back to playing.

1045  - 1115 hours

Periodic potty breaks prompted by Lydia.

Mommy turns off timer.

1130 hours

Happily sitting.

Snacking.

Sipping.

Smiling.

1210 hours

"Pee-pee!"

Sits and success.

Smiles.

1242 hours

Sits on potty before nap.

Nothing to report.

Pull-up on.

Nap time.

1300 hours

Mommy considers Operation: Potty Pro at an advanced stage.  

Nearing completion.

Whew!

______________________________________

In all seriousness ... potty training really is a lot like baby bootcamp!  It's a commitment, you are exhausted, you want to give up, there are lots of tears, there is screaming and there is a lot of training going on.  And on.  And on.

On Saturday, we started out with more crying, screaming and pitifulness.  (For Lydia ... not me!  Mainly because Daddy was home and he took over a lot of the reinforcement ... in his calm, quiet way.  Thanks, Love!)  Lydia attached herself to my left hip and that's pretty much where you could find her much of the day.  For meals she sat on my right leg while I ate with my left hand.  I'm not left-handed so that was fun.  By Saturday afternoon, she was peeing without crying (boo-yeah!) and willing to sit somewhere else.  Anywhere else.

Sunday was great ... eating breakfast with both hands and being able to walk around the house without my little shadow.  I think that she had gained back her self-confidence and had worked through her insecurities of this new, crazy, scary, life-changing event.  It is a real joy to watch even our littlest kiddo grow up a bit ... and embrace her diaperlessness!

Even though sweet Lydia has figured out how this potty-business works, I'm still a tad bit cautions to declare Mission: Complete!  We will have to continue to ask her several times an hour if she needs to go.  We will still be cleaning up "near hits".  We will still pack the diaper bag with several sets of extra pants.  We will probably be in pull-ups when we leave the house for awhile.

But we have laid the foundation for her being diaper-free.  And that means I'm almost diaper-free, too!