Sydney's Success

On a more positive note we starting potty training Sydney the Sunday before Christmas. We started with showing her the baby that goes potty and she thought that was cool the first time but after that she didn't care. We kept asking Syd if she had to go potty and she constantly told us no (she has been telling us no since she turned 2). We tried forcing her on the potty b/c we thought she was just being a stinker and that definitely did not work. So we followed grandma Peuler's advice and put her in panties thinking that she would hate it if she got them wet. She opened up one of her Christmas presents early to find Madagascar panties and she was SO excited. We set the timer for 20 minutes and everytime she was still dry she got 2 skittles. After about an hour and a half we coaxed her onto her little potty. She and I sat in the bathroom for about 45 minutes - played chutes and ladders, colored, etc. - and she finally went #1 and #2! What a success for her first time. We were so happy. As a reward she got to open up a stocking stuffer (those really came in handy). We continued the 20 minute timer and hour and half potty attempt all day and she went #1 3 more times with no accidents (and mommy went to the store to buy more stocking stuffers). She even took a nap in her panties and did not get them wet. We had no idea she would do so well her first day. We continued the timer strategy the next day but lenghtened the time to 30 minutes and she had another successful day. She had one accident but we blamed that one on daddy b/c he forgot to get her on the potty within an hour and a half. We discovered that an hour and 45 minutes was too long. Sydney has been in her panties now for 12 days (wearing a pull-up only at night) and has been going on the potty regularly. I think we have had 4 total accidents - one being a #2 that I wanted to kick myself for. I know she always has to go after a meal and I got distracted with Easton and didn't notice her sneak away into her bedroom. I am so excited. It was exhausting at first spending so much time checking her, rewarding her, sitting with her in our tiny bathroom but now we just set the timer and get on with our day. We had our first outing today that didn't involve going to another house. We took the kids to the mall (along with the potty) and convinced Syd to go in the back of the van before we went in. It took a little longer than usual but she went and did not have an accident at the mall!!!! We are so proud of her. She still does not tell us when she has to go but I figure that will come in time. We are celebrating one step at a time.