She's a big girl now!

 Back in March I talked to a neighbor about potty training.  She'd just successfully potty trained her 22 month old daughter, their sixth and final child, and after hearing about the three day method she used I was excited to get started with Lyds.  I read through the reading materials that night and we dove into it bright and early the following morning.  That was March 17th.  What I loved about it was that Lydia started realizing how her body worked much more quickly than I think she would have had we continued just trying to get her to go on her own.  And by day three she was recognizing needing to go number one almost immediately every time things got flowing.  I'd ask her if she was still dry and she loved telling me yes, though the idea of trying to stay dry didn't really sink in.  She didn't want to sit on the potty unless she knew she needed to, and that meant that she was no longer completely dry.  Anyway, she was positive through it all.  She and I were like two peas in a pod and didn't go anywhere unless we were together.  She'd suddenly shout out, "I'm peeing!!" and I'd rush to carry her to the bathroom to finish things up.  She even woke up at 4:00 a.m. a couple of nights to let me know she needed to go.

We had these bright potty charts she filled much more quickly than I had anticipated with stickers and earned herself a book and stuffed animal from Kohl's within the first few days with all her successes.  Put me in the Zoo was the book and it came with the spotted zoo guy (for those of you who are familiar with the story).  In the beginning she referred to him as Rudolf, but that quickly changed to Zoo-Keenie.  We had just planted zucchini for Family Night and that must have left an impression on Lyds because the next thing we knew, she'd changed his name.  He was our Zoo guy.  Cute, right?  I thought she was pretty clever for coming up with Zoo-Keenie on her own.

Look at all those stickers!

She loved being called a big girl, knowing that Dad uses the potty, and Mom too.  She reminds us that she's a big girl and that Sophie's not as big as she is yet.  She really wants to be as tall as her dad.  She's doing her best to get there!  We'd make up little songs about Lydia's a big girl now! And how she'd earn her stickers and get a prize.  One of my favorite things about her potty training journey was the phone calls she'd make to various family members.  She'd get so excited to call and tell them that she was potty training and how things were going.  I loved watching her pace as she talked on the phone and even when she left messages.  I was dying when she kept Uncle Tophe on the phone for what seemed like For. Ever!  I'm pretty sure it was at least a half hour.  And she was definitely doing most of the talking...

Always reminding Sophie that she's still little

I loved that she'd choose not to wear a pull-up if given the choice, and she'd always wake up dry.  In the beginning we were really good to encourage her to hydrate earlier in the day so that she didn't make up for it later in the evening and need to go in the middle of the night. even though she'd proved herself very capable.  Lately we haven't done so well...and believe you me when I say that it makes a tremendous difference.

She took him with her everywhere!

I should have posted how awesome Lydia is ages ago.  I can't believe it's July!  She's amazing and has impressed me with her efforts and positive attitude from the beginning when we started this potty training business.  She loves wearing big girl undies and staying dry.  I think I drive her nuts asking her if she needs to use the potty.  A little trust here please!!  But I imagine I'll continue to ask just as a reminder.  I know how irritating it can be to interrupt play time with a trip to the potty, but I also know how much worse it is to forget to go and have to clean up an accident.  No fun. No fun at all.  Not for anybody.  Lydia really is a big girl now!  I love that she's growing up and so excited about it!  And I really love when she wants Sophie to be a part of it all.