Friday, July 24, 2009

Potty-training success!!

As most of you are well aware, the Storm household has been potty-training central for the past several weeks. Sydney showed no real desire to start doing her business in the big girl potty, but I figured now was as good a time as any since I'm not working.

We started on Monday, July 6th. After chatting online and getting some last minute tips from my Babycenter mommy friend (thanks, Tricia!), Sydney and I headed off to Target for potty-training supplies. We got Pull-Ups, flushable wipes, a Dora seat for the big potty, a toy she could open when she went a day with no accidents, and a package of Chewy Spree. As soon as we got home, we swapped her diaper for big girl panties, and I waited for something to happen. I had everything set up in the bathroom: Her Dora seat on the big potty, a stool for her feet, and two sticker charts--one for good bathroom manners, and the other for going pee-pee or poo-poo on the potty.

Well I waited, and waited, and waited. Sydney had been in big girl panties since 11 am and it was now 3 pm with no accidents, but no success in the potty. She either had a bladder of steel (unlike her mommy!) or was learning to hold it so she wouldn't have to go on the potty. Finally, at about 4:30 pm, we had success!! Well, not complete success. She went pee-pee, but on the carpet. Then again on the tile floors. I was starting to get discouraged and it was only day 1. She ended up having one more accident before finally going on the big girl potty at the end of the day. The rest of the week went much like day 1...lots of accidents with some success mixed in.

By the weekend, she was starting to get the hang of it, and I was thankful to have some help from Troy! Week 2 came, and Sydney was doing really well going pee-pee in the potty. She got to open her toy for having no accidents, but was still struggling with poop. After holding it in for 4 days, she FINALLY went poo-poo on the potty and that was one of the happiest days of my life! Who knew poop could be so exciting?!?

We're now at the end of week 3 and I can say with a fair amount of certainty that Sydney is officially potty-trained (well, pee-pee at least!). She hasn't had a pee-pee accident since the end of week 1. She's finally starting to poop more regularly, but it's still a work in progress. She'll start to push it out in her panties, but stops and does the rest in the potty. She only wears Pull-Ups at night or if we're going to be out of the house for an extended amount of time. We could probably do away with the nighttime Pull-Ups, because she has yet to have an accident at naptime or overnight!

Troy and I are so very proud of Sydney. She is such a big girl, and never ceases to amaze us! Potty-training is by far one of the hardest things I've had to do as a mommy. I feel as if I can now join that elite group of mommies who have been through the battle known as potty-training, and I survived!!

I end this post with a picture of Sydney's Potty Chart. She has diligently put a star on her chart each time she has done her business. I can't say it enough, but I'm so proud of her!!



Monday, July 13, 2009

Sigh

Yes, I know I'm at home, jobless, and have all the time in the world, but I just haven't been in the blogging mood. Troy, Sydney and I are doing well, just trying to stay out of the stifling heat!

I leave you with a picture of Sydney, because she's what makes me smile!