Mozi Esmé: potty training

Showing posts with label potty training. Show all posts

Friday, July 10, 2009

7 Fragments...

Esmé's Mommy here...

We're procrastinating on our "E" Adventures post still, so I've decided to play along with

and

again and give you 7 fragments of STUFF...

I've been reading up on potty training again, and am reassured to find out that it typically takes 4-6 months to get the potty training thing done. Though technically Esmé is completely trained. She knows what to do and how to do it. She did it perfectly for three days straight. She just chooses not to at this time. And we've got plenty of power struggles going on without making this another one...
So we're using Pull Ups, which are way expensive. And tell me who on earth decided it was a good idea to put two varieties of designs in one package? Because Esmé refuses to wear the Pull Ups with only 1 princess on them. She MUST have the Pull Ups with 3 princesses on. Why settle for 1 when you can have 3??? So we're stuck with half packs of expensive Pull Ups that we can only sneak on when she is too tired to notice...
Remember me saying I'm curious about ARCs - Advance Reader Copies of books that get distributed free in exchange for reviews? And I LOVE free books. So I've been researching how to get these, and you'll start to see a few book reviews on this blog from time to time. These will generally be children's, parenting, and/or Christian themed. I've got three reviews lined up already and have been blessed with three excellent books - one picture book, one pre-teen book, and one written from the perspective of a 15-year-old. I'm excited about getting Esmé involved with book reviews already (yep - she's been interviewed for the picture book!), building up her library for future years, and being exposed to different genres and types of books that I wouldn't normally pick out myself.
I just got 3 new books in the mail today! And 4 free magazines. And a free activity booklet. And a free DVD. And some free microwave steam bags. My kind of mail day!
After some pipe cleaners stuck into an outlet and a burnt out fan, we've finally put in the outlet safety covers. I fear it's too late, however. Esmé has been fascinated by them and "helps" me by taking them out for me.
Is it possible that Esmé is outgrowing naps already? I've been pushing her bedtime later and later (like 10 or 11 p.m.) to keep her from getting up before 7 or 8 in the morning - I kinda like a little sleep myself. On Tuesday she didn't really get a nap, so she went to sleep at 8:30 p.m., but then she was ready to go for the day at 4 a.m.! Help! And I treasure that naptime so much!
Ahh - the challenges and joys of motherhood! As much as I complain about all the new stages and dangers she puts herself into, I am so proud of my big little girl who smiles and chatters and argues convincingly with everything we say! If we call her a monkey (or anything else), she insists she's a "girl." But if we call her a girl, she insists she's a "boy." Anything for a good argument. Now we've just gotta learn how to work with her to get things done OUR way!

Have a blessed weekend!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I am EXHAUSTED. (Mommy here...)

We're on Day #2 of potty training. I am now chucking out Toilet Training in Less Than a Day (by Nathan H. Azrin and Richard M. Foxx) and pulling out Potty Training for Dummies (by Diane Stafford and Jennifer Shoquist).

Yep, that 2.5 hours of potty training didn't do the trick. Day #1 had 6 accidents (8 if you count the 2 pees in the bath that I chose to ignore) and 1 accidental success. Day #2 has had 4 accidents and 1 success. At this rate, if we keep reducing Esmé's liquid intake, we might get down to 0 accidents in a few days.

We HAVE learned a few things.

Esmé far prefers candy treats to salty treats for her rewards.
She doesn't like soda - it "bites."
Chocolate soy milk is the drink of choice, even when given a dozen alternatives.
She knows all the steps. We have practiced them over and over, especially after each accident.
She can sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while washing her hands for hours.
And that's when several of the accidents happen.

And we've all kinds of potty tiny talk. Like this conversation:

Mommy: "Does Esmé wear diapers?"
Esmé: "I not wear diapers ANY MORE!"
Mommy: "Does Esmé pee in the potty like a big girl now?"
Esmé: "I not pee in potty."
Mommy: "So where does Esmé pee?"
Esmé: "I not pee ANY MORE!"

Or monologues like this:

Esmé: "Don't pee pee on the chair! Don't pee pee on the floor! Don't pee pee on Mommy! Don't pee pee on blocks! Don't pee pee on elephant! Don't pee pee on drum! Don't pee pee on train!"

You think that'd cover it, wouldn't you?

Or debates over whether you can use the same piece of toilet paper on your bottom and then on your nose...

Other not so nice statements include: "I WILL touch my poopy!"

Just for a relief, here are some non-potty tidbits, too:

After reading a book about a pig: "I NOT girlie any more! I pig!"

"Ten little piggy toes in Mommy's nose" as she sticks her foot in my face.

"Mommy snowman" after she applies lotion liberally to my face.

And reciting her memory verse at night: "Jesus cares for you." She adds to that: "Jesus cares for Pappa! Jesus cares for Mommy! Jesus cares for Pooh! Jesus cares for Tigger! Jesus cares for big toes! Jesus cares for ankles!" And just about everything else she sees.

Since the last few days have been with minimal dress and little time for cameras, here are a few photos from our trip to visit the Portland cousins a week ago.