My Personal Experience w/ Potty training my DD - PART 1

[mommy2bunny]

 I just started potty training my 18 month old daughter.  So, I will post my experience with it all.  I will try to post on a daily basis.

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*Please note that this post is NOT my "Potty Training Steps" post.  That is completely separate.  This post is just my personal experience with my daughter.  If you're looking for the steps, please CLICK HERE 

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DAY1 (5/20/09)-        It didn't start off good.  In the morning, my mom, the "queen of potty training" came over to help.  THANK GOD!  Ava had 4 accidents.  Each one of those happened within 5 minutes of her getting off of the toilet.  But, alas, she FINALLY went in the toilet.  So, then, she was starting to understand and giving signs that she needed to go.  One time, she made eye contact with grandma and ran down the hallway, so my mom followed her and directed her to the bathroom.  Another time was in the middle of lunch, she was squirmy and whiney in her high chair.  So, I got her out and took her to the bathroom.  Another time, she grabbed her krotch.  So she went 3 or 4 times in a row.  Then, once she got tired, it was all accidents.  Not to mention, whining while on the toilet wanting down, but we wouldn't let her for a few minutes.  She finally went to sleep and slept for over an hour.  I guess we wore her out since this is a kid that doesn't nap.  LOL!  After her nap, we started having more success.

There were a few on the carpet in the living room, but most were in the bathroom on the floor.  We went through 9 pairs of panties.  They're in the wash right now so we can have them for tomorrow.  She went potty right before her bath and that was it.  I tell you one thing.....this girl definately knows how to hold it because she would hold it while on the toilet, then go pee on the bathroom floor once we got her off of the toilet.   

It's really hard to let her cry.  But, when she wants off the toilet after being on there for only 10 seconds, she needs to sit there for at least 5 minutes.  So, she just had to get over it.  We read books to her, which she loves.  We also sang songs and played Peek-a-boo.  So, whatever helps.

Anyway, my mom said not to worry about night training at this moment and to just focus on the day time.  Fine by me!  LOL!  My back is killing me (I have a bad back).  I'm exhausted.  She's such a big girl!  And a good sport.  I'm so proud of her.  Well, we'll see what tomorrow brings us.  Good night.

Here's a pic of Ava and Grandma:

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DAY 2 -      Well, I missed her morning pee.  Either I'm too slow, or she's too fast.  I swear, the second she squeaked, I was out of bed and running to her.  LOL!  So, anyway, this morning hasn't been successful yet.  She's had one small accident, but that was it so far.  Do you know how hard it is NOT to eat her M&M's?  LOL!  Although, I get to reward myself when I go to the bathroom.  So, that's a plus.  :-)

Well, she just had an accident.  But, that was my fault.  I was in the middle of going to the bathroom, myself.  She stood at the bathroom doorway and went.  I feel so bad.

My back is killing me!  You'll probably hear this a lot. 

Ok, so she hasn't gone in the toilet at all today.  Every time has been an accident.  BUT, they're either on the way to the bathroom, or just after getting off the toilet.  So, she knows and she's showing me that she has good control over her bladder.  I think these accidents are because she's having a pissing contest with me.  No puns intended.  :-)  She doesn't like change and fights it everytime.  She gets that from me.  She does fight me on going into the bathroom.  Every step.  But I'm taking her anyway.  She's very strong willed.....again, like me.

So, the last accident happened when we got off the toilet and I walked into the kitchen to set the timer.  She whined a little as she peed.  So, that wasn't even 30 seconds after getting off of the toilet.  This is getting really frustrating and extremely exhausting.  Ok, I just gave my 18 month old DD a pedicure.  LOL!  While she was sitting on the toilet, I clipped her nails and painted them.  Then, I handed her the brush and let her paint me.  I have the nail polish everywhere but my nails.  LOL!  But at least she spent 15 minutes on the toilet in peace.  The time before that, she talk to grandma on the phone for about 20 minutes, while on the potty.

Well, talk about bladder control.  She hasn't gone pee in 2 hrs.  Yes, she has had plenty to drink.  I'm preparing myself for the flood gates to open.........well, the flood gates opened less than a minute of coming out of the bathroom.  All over the carpet and some of her toys.  She knew.  The second I said "Ava", she looked up at me with that look of "I just did wrong" and she took off running to the bathroom.  My head hurts.  Ok, so after that accident, she went 3 1/2 hrs without going pee at all (no accidents or in the toilet).  It was close to 9pm and she still needed a bath.  I even tried running her hands under warm water to help her go.  I even had her laughing really hard at one point.  So my DH and I gave up and put her in the bath, then got her ready for bed and laid her down.  So, she's not fooling anyone when she holds it this long.  We went through 7 pairs of panties, including the ones she had on during the night and at nap time.  Well, we'll try again tomorrow.  Good night.

I forgot to add:  One of the times my DH was sitting in the bathroom with her, they opened the nail polish to pass the time.  Well, he came out of the bathroom with painted nails.  LOL!  What a great daddy!  He said he didn't mind since they were having a good time.  But he had to remove it before work today.  LOL!

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DAY 3 -    Geeze, I'm slow.  I missed the morning pee again.  Well, aside from the morning pee, she hasn't gone at all.  She's been awake for 2 hrs now.  Grandma just got here to help out.  My back doesn't hurt as bad....it still hurts, just not as bad.  So, hopefully, today will go better than yesterday....it's still morning though.

I really don't know how to describe this day.  Ok, so after almost 4 1/2 hrs of pumping her full of water and juice, she FINALLY went!  And she went 4 times in an hour.  She does start going in her panties, but then finishes on the toilet.  BUT,  she knows how to control her bladder because when she does start wetting her panties, she stops, then starts again in the toilet.  She has mastered the tinkle a little bit in the toilet to get a candy...then wait.....then tinkle some more to get another candy.    She doesn't like going in the toilet, and she's the most stubborn kid I know.  She has 2 stubborn parents, so, she didn't stand a chance.  LOL!  She's usually fine while sitting on the toilet, but when she has to pee, she starts having a tantrum and wants off of it.  But, we've been keeping her on so she can finish.  Grandma went to the local library and got a few potty books to read to Ava while she's on the pot. 

Now, she's taking a nap.  My non-napping child is worn out.  :-)  Ok, so when she woke up, she was dry.  So, I put her on the potty and she went a lot.  But, right before she did, she started to throw that tantrum.  But she stopped when she was done going pee. 

I do need to add that most of the time when she's sitting on the potty, she's happy and reading books, etc.  The only time she starts throwing a fit is when she has to go potty and is trying to hold it.

Ok, so she had about 7 accidents today, but it was very light tinkle in her panties, then the rest in the toilet.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.  Good night.

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DAY 4 - Well, today was a good day.  She woke up this morning with a full pee pee and poo poo "night time underwear".   My DH let me sleep in this morning and he took care of Ava.  She didn't have one accident, but she didn't go in the toilet either.  This kid can go 3-4 hrs without having to go.  She also took a 2 1/2 hr nap (I can't believe it).  When she woke up, her "night time" underwear was full again with both.  Otherwise, she didn't have one accident today.  So, we only had 2 wet panties today.  YAY!  We're getting somewhere!  She's such a big girl.  We're so proud of her!  We'll see if tomorrow goes just as well.  Good night.

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DAY 5 -  This morning, Ava had 2 tinkle accidents, but managed to go in the toilet.  I don't why she refuses to let her pee go in the toilet.  She can sit on the toilet and look at her books, but when she's trying to hold it, she gets fussy.  She's like that until she can't hold it anymore and just releases her pee in the toilet.  She's the most stubborn kid I've ever had trained.  Whoever said that boys were harder to train?  All the boys I've trained have been a hell of a lot easier than my DD.  ANYWAY, she wound up falling alseep while sitting on the toilet.  Her head was laying on daddy's lap.  LOL!  It was too cute, so I took a pic.

Well, when she woke up, her "night time underwear" were wet.  I sat her down on the toilet anyway, but she never went.  So, later, she started to tinkle in her panties, but finished in the toilet.  So, she eventually went for daddy....a lot.  Then, about an hour later, she hid behind her toys and made a huge puddle.  Then, about 1 hour after that, she was playing and looked at me with a funny face.  I felt her and she was dry.  She went about playing for another minute.  Then, she did the same look and I knew then that she was pooping.  I rushed her to the bathroom, but, once again, I'm too slow.  So, that all got taken care of.  After dinner, she walked back to the bathroom, so I followed her.  She stood in front of the toilet while she waited for me.  So I took her panties off and sat her on the toilet, and about 2-3 minutes later, she peed in the toilet (a lot) without fussing or anything.  Actually, she had a smile on her face.  YAY!  We couldn't have been more proud of her!  So, we went through 6 pairs of panties today.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.  Good night.

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DAY 6 -        Today, she's had 2 accidents (so far).  BUT, the first one was my fault.  She ran to the bathroom and was standing in front of the toilet waiting for me and that's where she went.  So, I rewarded her anyway.  She shouldn't get discouraged because I'm too slow.  I feel so bad.  Anyway, the second one was on the way to the bathroom.  She didn't quite make it.  So, she knows and totally understands, we're just too slow.  Poor baby.  Anyway, she's napping AGAIN!  I can't believe it.  I guess we're wearing her out.  LOL! 

So, she went in the toilet for daddy (a lot), then had 2 accidents shortly after.  There was a time when she was sitting on the toilet for a while, but I removed her because I had to go.  But when I was done, I put her back on the toilet and she went.  A lot.  Without fussing! 

She started dancing, so I rushed her to the bathroom and sat her down.  She went pee within a minute of sitting down.  With a smile on her face!  YAY!!!!!!!  We're FINALLY getting somewhere!  That's how it should be!  Geeze, I'm exhausted!  But it's way worth it.  There was a time when she was sitting on the toilet and I got up to get my phone in the other room.  When I came back, she was clapping and pointing to her M&M's.  I didn't want to discourage her, so I rewarded her.  I figured she's not deceitful and wouldn't lie to me just to get M&M's.  She was excited about peeing in the potty.

A little while after that, she started dancing with her legs squeezed together.  I knew she had to go, and I asked her if she had to go potty.  So, she ran to the bathroom and I put her on.  All of a sudden, she looked like she was grunting.  I asked her if she was going poop and she could only look at me with that grunting look.  She pooped in the toilet!!!!!!  She smiled and clapped when she was done.  It brought tears to my eyes!

After counting her wet panties, we went through 7 pairs today.  Hopefully, we had a breakthrough tonight.  We'll see what tomorrow has in store.  Good night.

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DAY 7 - Well, today is a better day, I think.  She keeps running to the bathroom, but not going.  It's kind of wearing me out.  However, she's had 2 tinkle accidents on the way to the bathroom.  Both of those times, she finished in the toilet.  She clapped and squealed "Yay", then points to the M&M's and says "yum yum".  LOL!  She's so cute. 

Ava took a 40 minute nap today.  When she woke up, she was dry.  She was crying and shaking, so I sat her on the toilet because I thought she was trying to hold it.  She screamed even harder.  So I picked her up and tried to love on her.  She didn't want that either.  After about 10 minutes of trying to figure out what's wrong, she started to pee on the floor.  I rushed her in the bathroom and she finished on the toilet.  Then, she snuggled with me.  Another time she had an accident on the floor, was when she was trying to open the bathroom door and I was too slow.  But, she, again, finished in the toilet.  The majority of her accidents have been tinkles and on the way to the bathroom.  She's been finishing in the toilet, clapping her hands, and squealing "YAY".   So she is showing progress.   We went through 6 pairs of panties.  Good night.

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DAY 8 -   We were brave today!  We ventured out for our first outing since starting this potty training.  I did NOT put any pull ups on her.  I'm not lazy or a chicken.  I trusted my DD and it worked.  I kept panties on her the entire time, which is how it should be.  I had an optomitrist appointment.  My mom drove and then watched Ava during my visit.  They dialated my eyes, so it's hard to see right now.  Anyway, SHE DID GREAT!  Absolutely NO accidents!  Yay!  Actually, she didn't go at all, but that's still better than accidents.  After we got home, she went potty.  She had a couple of tinkle accidents after that, but managed to finish in the toilet.   Clapping each and every time.  There was a time that could've been prevented though.  She was playing while my mom and I were doing something.  I blinked and Ava was standing at the bathroom door trying to get in (the door was closed).  Since neither of us got to her in time, she made a big puddle on the floor.  I wished I was paying closer attention to her so she wouldn't have that accident.  I felt so bad.

She took a 2 hour nap and woke up wet.  Uncle Steve came over to play with Ava for a while.  They had fun.  She showed him what a big girl she is by going potty.  He was very proud of her.

During dinner, she had an accident in her high chair.  But, after dinner, she ran to the bathroom and pooped in the toilet!  Woo Hoo!  She was so proud of herself too!  But, a minute after we went into the living room, she peed a big puddle and didn't seem to care.  Then, again, about 10 minutes after that.  She just had another puddle accident, but actually ran to the bathroom this time.  I don't know what's going on all of a sudden because we had such a good day!  Well, tomorrow, I babysit.  My attention won't be 100% on Ava, so we'll see how she does.  We went through 7 pairs of panties today.  Good night.

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DAY 9 -     All she's doing today is having one accident after another.  BUT, they're just tinkles and she does finish in the toilet.  She's had 4 and it's only lunch time.  My mom and I were thinking that she could be allergic to milk fat, since that allergy runs in the family.  What happens is when they drink whole milk, the milk fat in it numbs the bladder so they don't know they're going pee until their underwear is wet.  But, 2% milk is ok.  So, I will try this and see how it goes.  I just won't give her any more milk today so it gets out of her system.

Well, I'm starting to think the milk fat is the problem.  As the day goes on, she's having fewer accidents.  If she makes it on the toilet before she starts going, she makes a cute little face, then starts to pee.  So, now, I can tell she feels it coming.  We'll see if that truly is the problem though. 

We decided to go to Walmart, once my DH got home.  Ava was really good.  While we were in line at the customer service counter (to return some items), she started squirming.  Well, since I was taking care of the items, my DH took her into the boys bathroom with her cute little Tinker Bell fold up potty seat.  He told me that before he put her little seat down, he first put a toilet seat cover on the toilet, then her seat.  LOL!  He's so cute and very protective.  Anyway, she wound up going potty.  Yay!  So throughout our trip, she was very good.  When we were in the car, we were about a block or so away from home and she starts squeaking and squirming in her carseat.  By the time we got home, she was soaked.  So I took her inside to the bathroom where she finished.  Poor thing.  She tried so hard to hold it.  I'm very proud of her. 

I'm looking fwd to Ava not having as many accidents.  I'm tired of washing her panties all the time.  We went through 6 pairs today.  Tomorrow is, yet, another day.  Good night.

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I guess I'm only allowed so much journal space.  So, I will be creating "Part 2" for the rest of our potty training experience.  For PART 2 - CLICK HERE

 

[AmyConnor]

May. 21, 2009 at 9:53 AM Glad you're posting this! I'm about to start training my 20 month old daughter, so this is very helpful. Keep posting!

[bsboopnana]

May. 21, 2009 at 10:27 AM

way to go girls !!!! it will be great when it is done see u this morn

gram

[mcgee3394]

May. 21, 2009 at 12:20 PM

My DD's name is Ava and she is 18 months old too!! Can I borrow your mom when we start training next week?? j/k Good Luck!!

[BlueRosesMama]

May. 26, 2009 at 11:25 PM

Yay for you two! Good job Ava!

[cag4nyg]

May. 28, 2009 at 12:56 AM

Shes doing great. I got DJ down to no pee issues during the day at all. We are still trying to get him to go poo in the potty though but he will get there. Nap time is is always dry now so only bed time and poo then we are good here. =)

[tanyab281073]

Jul. 2, 2009 at 12:58 PM

Wow, this is great.  It reassures me that we are doing all the right things.