Ode to Potty - Potty, potty, oh thy potty.

So potty training is full steam ahead, no pun intended although...

I have found that when potty training a child, everything potty related becomes fair game in conversation with other mothers. One must muse at how causally we mention how many times our child has successfully pooped in the toilet and exactly where, or how many accidents and what type. People comment about how mothers talk about baby poops. That ain't anything compared to toddler potty training!

As for our personal "stats"; Amelia officially started last Monday and as of today has had six total "accidents".

The pull-ups "disappeared" Monday (i.e. I didn't buy more) and except for her "night-time" pull-ups, Amelia has to wear underwear. A mini temper-tantrum, two accidents and a poopy nap time pull-up later, we were through Monday! Tuesday followed with another two accidents, one which was my fault. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday - no accidents! We even managed to poop in the potty, although she will only do this in her little potty. There is something about her feet touching the ground when she poops I guess??? Another accident Sunday - Buddy's fault, I was sleeping in, and another accident today, again I was sleeping in ;)

I started using M&M's as her "reward" for using the potty. The "pee pee prize" bucket had been used on and off during our half-hearted potty training attempts and had lost its "mystique". Amelia got four M&M's for a pee, one for trying and TEN for a poop! She also got star stickers on a potty sheet for each time, although the stickers served more as a track sheet for my information. I even colored-coded the stickers (oh yes!). We celebrated her week accomplishment with a big ice cream treat last Saturday night.

My friend Emmy recently referred to potty training as a "religious experience". In her case it related to her two-year old's epiphany and subsequent proclamation that going potty in the potty "makes Jesus happy". In my case I think the religious aspect might be the "oh God help me" when Amelia proclaims she has to poop. For some unfathomable reason, cleaning out that little potty is so much worse than a diaper.