How does a person...

...get through the time of potty training their child?? It's a mystery to me. It's SO hard! I just had no idea how much of a chore it was to start potty training and actually stick to it! So yesterday after church I was having a brave moment and decided to start potty training Claire. I've started many times since she was 18 months but always quit after a day because she would just not get it.

Yesterday she still did not get it. I put her in panties because when I use pull ups it feels like a diaper to her so she pees in them without any thought. She peed in them all day. She never once would tell me she had to go. I was not a nice person to her, nor was Kev, when she would pee on the floor. We went through all 3 pairs of panties in like 2 hours so we just let her go "free". She still continued to pee on the floor.

So I was laying in bed this morning NOT wanting to continue because I hate being mean or upset towards her. Kevin called me though and asked if I was still going to try, so I decided to keep going. I figure if I don't stick to it then she definitely won't ever get it. It was hard to get her started. I continued to let her go without anything, diaper, pull up, or panties. She peed on the floor a lot, but would tell me once she peed. So I would rush her on the potty, and she would finish on the potty. I would still get frustrated so I talked to my cousin about it. She just reminded me to be nice, even when she peed on the floor, tell her that she did good for going pee. If she went in the potty though give her a treat. My cousin, Stacey, went to the store and bought Claire some Tinker Bell soap that she gets to use if she goes in the potty and not on the floor. She was super excited about that.

I also made her a Princess Potty Chart to put stickers on if she goes in the potty. She also gets a disney sticker to play with if she goes. So she started out today just peeing on the floor, then she would start to pee and tell me she was peeing so we would run to the potty to finish.

Then when I was on the laptop it got quiet to I looked around for Claire and she was sitting on the potty going without even telling me she had to go. She did it all by herself! She's done it 3 more times since then without peeing on the floor at all! Maybe there is light at the end of this long looooong looooooonnnnggggg tunnel! I hope it continues to go well. I know there will be set backs and accidents. I just hope I can keep my cool until she's fully potty trained! Wish me luck...I need it! ;)