Clean Floors Are Overrated

I have never been so bored and so...occupied...at the same time than I am today. That's right, we are in Potty Training - Day One. After weeks of deliberation, the hubby and I made a sudden decision last night that we are potty training Bella this weekend! Well, we'll start this weekend, and since the beginning is the hardest, it will set me up for the week.

Loosely following Mckmama's potty training advice, we set out this morning with high hopes huge fears, a clean floor, and a big bag of plain M&Ms. We are lounging on the couch the very same afternoon (during B's nap) with high hopes, a not-so-clean floor, and slightly fewer M&Ms.

This is what we have done: We set the timer for 15 minutes, offered Bella unlimited amounts of juice and started this crazy frenzy of running to the bathroom. Yes, we take her to the bathroom every 15 minutes. We chose to give her one M&M each time we go the bathroom just for cooperating and sitting nicely on the potty chair. She usually doesn't go. Even with all that juice, who really needs to go to the bathroom every 15 minutes? Well except for me. But I'm pregnant so I get a break. ;-) The point is using repetition to form good habits. She normally needs to go once every...30 to 45 minutes, give or take. Of course she doesn't always need to go on the 15 minute mark when we take her. Sometimes she might start to go and lose a few drops onto the floor, but then Clay or I (whoever is on "duty) would rush her to the bathroom using our most excited voice. Because going potty on the toilet is FUN, you guys! Sometimes she would finish on the toilet, but often she wouldn't. Regardless, we always reset the timer for 15 minutes after a bathroom visit (success or not).

She went potty on her little potty chair for the first time almost immediately this morning. I got lucky. But throughout the day, I made a very important discovery regarding our young one's bathroom habits. She does not appreciate an audience during her private moments. How do I know? Oh she would sit and sit and not go to the bathroom...and then she would urinate on the floor approximately 2 minutes later. Then she'd hold it, and we'd rush her off to the bathroom. Repeat cycle several times until her bladder was finally emptied. Then one time, I decided to leave her on the potty chair alone with instructions to "wait for mommy" while I went to mop up her piddle from the kitchen floor (gross, I know). When I walked back into the bathroom, Bella loudly announced, "I go POTTY, Mommy!" Well all be darned, she sure did. And the only times she has ever gone potty on her potty chair is when her dad or I stepped out of the room. Four times we have done that today! Each time, no audience.

Then came what I believe will be remembered as the turning point of the ordeal - certainly the turning point of the day! I was sitting at the kitchen table trying to figure out how to work my new cell phone, when Bella disappeared. Since you pretty much have to stare at your kid while using this daring, bare-bottom method so you are sure to catch them if they start to wet your floor, wandering out of the room was not really an option for Bella. But I wonder if...? Yes. She's in the bathroom!

"What are you doing Bella?" I probed.

"I be right back," she didn't miss a beat. Then she closed the door, shutting me out.

It's one of those mom moments where you just kind of stand there, a little bit puzzled, and can only manage to say something like ,"Oookay...?" Still a bit stunned at her assertiveness, and not completely comfortable with my ONE YEAR OLD to shutting me out of the bathroom, I sat back down at the table to wait it out for a minute or two. Once my impatience kicked in, I walked back to the bathroom only to be met by Bella who had just opened the bathroom door.

"I go POTTY!"

Delighted, I rushed into the bathroom and called for Clay to come. That little stinker took it upon herself to walk into the bathroom of her own volition and poop in her potty chair. Naturally, I flipped out and we broke out in the potty dance (we made it up today) and gave Bella three M&Ms. And I took a picture. Yes, of the poop. :-) Meanwhile, the dancing shook some poop loose from Bella's un-wiped bottom and she sort of danced in her poop a bit. And of course, in the excitement, Bella didn't finish the job (everyone knows you have to tinkle after you poop), so she wet a little on the floor a couple minutes after that. But let's not miss the point here. SHE IS GETTING IT!

We kept setting the timer every 15 minutes, but just before a nap became unavoidable, Bella began to see herself to the bathroom before beginning to urinate. She hasn't always made it to the potty chair, but again, let's look at the big picture: in just one day, she has learned to recognize the urge to urinate and take action.

We are bored (home bound for the weekend). We are extremely occupied (she requires a constant eye). We are hopeful (having made more headway in one day than we ever dreamed possible). Oh we still have a long road ahead of us, and we are not naive to it, but I must say that I had myself completely freaked out about something that not quite as scary as I originally believed it to be.

Take courage, future potty trainers! You too will overcome.