Potty Time!

It's time to party again at our house. Grace's 3rd birthday was a great party, but so was today! She actually used her potty chair today for the use it was intended for the very first time. David and I really began to wonder if it would ever happen. I bought the potty chair almost a year ago, just after we moved in and got settled. I thought 2 years old was a great time to start, but I wanted to wait until she felt secure and comfortable again after months of uncertainty and moving around. The potty chair has graced our bathroom for the past year being used mostly as a step-stool. In hind-sight, it was a good thing I bought the one that matched the bathroom and that also could be used for something else, because it has been in there much much longer than I ever planned.

Grace, for all her intelligence and physical abilities, has absolutely, completely resisted anything to do with the potty. We have tried every trick from threats to massive bribery to pretty panties to "waiting for her to be ready on her own." Nothing has made a difference to her. Every article and book I read on the subject emphasizes "DON'T FORCE THEM!!" So, I've backed off each time she's resisted. The only difference to me now, is that I'm desperate! I have a baby coming in less than 2 months and I really really don't want to buy 2 sizes of diapers and change a large child next to my tiny infant for the next year. I know that once Harriet arrives, I will be too busy and Grace will have too much adjusting to do for either of us to have what it takes to do the task. So, I made an executive decision today. With 4 diapers left and a half package of pull-ups, I resisted the temptation to buy the size 4 diapers that were conveniently on sale at the pharmacy. Instead I bought a package of newborn diapers for Harriet and came home and just put panties on my little darling.

To Grace's credit, she has come a long way in the last few weeks on her quest to become a big girl. She's been working really hard at just sitting down on the potty (something she would throw tantrums over before) and she has risen to the occasion of sleeping in her new big-girl bed and giving up her toddler crib.

David made a pretty big promise to her if she learned to use the potty. Immediatly after her victory in the bathroom today, she asked when he was going to come through on it. He really meant that he would treat her when the potty training was all done, but to her, today was a big enough day to deserve it. So, he's coming through with his treat in the hopes that she will continue her trend this week and be absolutely diaper free very soon.

If nothing else, we are learning to be less judgemental of the parenting skills of others. David and I use to cringe at people who were still changing the diapers of their 3 year-old kids and vowed to never have anything like that happen in our family. Yet, here we are with our 3-year-old. We realize we still have lots to do to finish the potty party, but we are definitely basking in Grace's golden moment of the day for now.

Yay Grace!!!! Go Gracie, go Gracie!!!!