The Princess and the pee

I told you I would get to this potty training post.

(Sorry that we've been on vacation from blogging, our summer has been jam-packed with tons of weddings, all kinds of shower planning & throwing, a trip out to YonderWay Farm, and an extended stay at Mimi's. Just to give you an idea of how behind I am in the blogging world, my GoogleReader has 389 unread posts...and I normally only have 10-15 unread posts at a time.)

If you've ever talked to me about potty training, you know that I will brag all day on the 3 Day Potty Training method. I love it. I completely believe in it. I recommend it to everyone. Most everyone I know that has stuck with it (over 15 toddlers that I can think of right now) and followed the plan precisely, has had success with it...in only 3 days. 

I'm sure I sound like an infomercial.  But, it really did click for Asher on Day 3 at 27 months old.

WARNING: The 3 Day method is NOT for the faint at heart.  Let me warn you now.  You clear out your schedule for 3 days, so that you can be by your toddler NONstop.  You're under house arrest and no cooking or cleaning (other than the accidents) allowed.  No checking email.  No phonecalls. Nothing, while your child is awake.  It is worth it, but it is hard.  I really can't imagine doing any other method- some take months!

So...I say all that to let you know how devoutly we believe in this method.

We had a difficult (yet insightful) 3 (which turned into) 6 days of potty training McKlayne.

I never thought that potty training would teach me so much about her.  It was difficult...but good for this momma to learn a few things that she hadn't seen before.

McKlayne was doing great with the 3 Day method.  By Day 2, we really thought she was starting to "get" it.  Her bladder control was impressive.  Not once during the whole potty training period did I have to change her sheets because she'd wet the bed during naps or at night.  She stayed dry all night long.

I'm telling ya, the girl could hold it when she wanted to....but that was the key, it was when she wanted to.  We were on her terms.  And she could care less about pleasing us.  (This was just so opposite than Asher, that I never saw this coming.)

By the evening of Day 4, I was very discouraged....wondering where we'd wandered from the plan.  Then a sweet friend discernly asked, "Do you think McKlayne is strong willed?" 

"Ummm...not really," was my response as I pondered about how laid back she was most of the time.  (Later this same sweet friend, told me she already knew the answer to that question...and that I had answered incorrectly.)

As I began to watch McKlayne closer with a fresher perspective, I began to realize how stubborn she was being...and how much control this whole potty training thing was giving her.  (How hadn't we seen this?  Was it because she was "the baby" and so we let her get away with so much more than we'd let Asher at her age?)  She totally knew when she had to go, she was just refusing.  It was no longer, "if" she could...it was a battle of the wills with her.

On Friday evening, (Day 5) McKlayne told me, "I want a sucker."  I told her that she could choose the flavor she wanted, but that it would have to go on the potty and would be her reward for tee-tee-ing in the potty.  She marched over to the sucker jar and chose the one she wanted.  Then she put it right on the back of the potty and told me, "I need to go tee-tee."  Sure enough, she did.  A ton. 

To celebrate, we went to Spoons and let her choose her frozen yogurt with any toppings she desired.  We really wanted to make a big deal out of it, since it was the first time she had initiated it.  She loved the celebration.  We told everyone that we saw that we were celebrating that McKlayne was a big girl with dry panties. 

Afterward we went to Target to let her pick out a few prizes for going on the potty.  And while we were at Target, she eyed this princess potty seat:

Desperate and worn out, we consented, even though it wasn't much different than the Elmo seat she'd been using all week.  And you know what happened next?

As soon as she got home, she ran in to go potty on the "princess potty".  Three weeks later, she's only had 2 accidents.

Could it be?  That all that the little princess needed was her throne?