Monday, January 10, 2011

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!




3 comments:

  1. Makes me tired too, but it works! Sounds like "Toilet Training in a Day" method, loosely, which is what we do. I need to do the same with Bethy, I just don't know when. I think she could do it... sigh, but Mommy's not ready!

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  2. "That kid's been storing up!" LOVE. IT!! I was cracking up when I read that line. I was crazy enough to train my duo at the same time, 3-day Potty Training style, and I swear it was just like bootcamp. Loved this story, and understand exactly where you're coming. Made me laugh remembering it all again. Glad you're in the advanced stages now ;)

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  3. I started potty training this morning, and quickly realized I will be cleaning up lots of messes, I will be in need of lots of "mommy chocolate and caffeine" to get through! LOL, thanks for the post and letting me know what I'm going through is normal.

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Thanks for visiting! Your comments are warm fuzzies! (And con-crit is always welcome, too.)