Potty Training!

On Monday, August 27th Amelia wore undies to school.  It was our jump-feet-first introduction to hardcore potty training.  I say hardcore because in the past she's sat on the potty and even gone potty, but we hadn't really put any dedication into the attempts.  If she peed on the potty, she got a pull-up and one Reece's Pieces.  Looking back, it wasn't really the most effective approach as it wasn't making much of a difference.
One of her teachers suggested just making the jump straight to undies.  I was SO nervous and didn't know how well Amelia would take to the idea.  I decided I better go into the week with the something motivational.  Yup, we bought Disney Princess panties!  I sent her off to school and told her that she shouldn't pee on her princesses and she needed to tell her teachers she had to go potty. 

That afternoon I picked her up and she had had three accidents and hadn't peed on the potty once.  I decided we were in for a LONG week.  That night when it was time for bed she hadn't peed since her last accident right before I picked her up.  I made her sit on the potty and finally, success!  I made sure I did a huge happy dance and praised her with lots of positive words as I sent her off to bed (in an overnight diaper!).

The next day she didn't have ANY accidents and I was floored.  WOW, maybe it wasn't going to be a LONG week afterall.  I decided to reinforce the awesomeness a potty chart was required.  Everytime Amelia went on the potty she'd get a sticker and after 15 successes, she would earn a Potty Prize.  The next few days were a roller coaster of accidents and successes. 

On Sunday we had a break-through!  After a fairly decent accident at naptime (no, she was not asleep so it could have been avoided), she was very good about telling me she needed to go.  That night while I was gone she disappeared.  Shaun said he heard her call out, "Daddy, I peed" so he went to inspect.  There she was sitting on the potty smiling like a Cheshire cat.  All by herself with NO help!

Monday started off with another all-by-myself moment while I was in the shower. It was also the trip that earned her her 15th sticker and her first Potty prize.  Her Potty Prize was a pair of princess shoes that Amelia calls her "Fancy Princess Shoes."  They are a little small for her chubby feet, but she loves them.

That afternoon we went to a bike race for our neighbor in downtown Burlington.  She did not want to use a bathroom in a local bike shop, but luckily I had brought one of her small potties.  She had no qualms about pulling down her pants, peeing and going right back to cheering in the middle of a large crowd on Main Street.  Ahhh, what a story that's going to be when she's older!