Finally, potty-training is accomplished!

Avery did it... she decided to accomplish potty training! We started last Monday, July 20, 2009. I decided we'd go "cold-turkey"... no pull-ups except at bedtime. She had a few accidents on Monday, but only one accident each day from Tues-Thurs. Thursday's accident just happened to be in the middle of Target, but at least she didn't leave a puddle! We stayed home all week until Thursday to really focus this time around (this is our 3rd attempt over the past 6 months). I think the trick this time was being able to stay home and truly focus only on potty training. We were just too busy with school and other activities during the school year to be able to stay home and focus. Avery seemed to learn very quickly. I think she finally was willing to do it; she IS a bit head strong at times! I did also change on other aspect of the training this time... "positive reinforcement", a.k.a. bribery! I tried to avoid it the first 2 times but this time is was inevitable. I bribed her with skittles. Every time she used the potty without an accident, she received a couple of skittles. It worked! She is very much like me though, in that she would rather 'hold it' forever than use a public bathroom. It has been one week since starting the training, and I think we can call it, mission accomplished!

So, it's official... I no longer have a 'baby'! No more diapers, she calls me 'mom' now instead of mommy, she's become a 'chatty Kathy' with so much to say, she wants to pick out her own clothes each morning, and she is sprouting upward like a weed! But, she is still my little cuddle bear who loves to hug and sit in my lap.

Avery's self-started potty training and first pull-ups

I believe Avery is potty training herself. I find her multiple times throughout the day in the bathroom on the potty, or washing her hands after taking herself to the bathroom, or running around bottomless after she has been in the bathroom and taken her diaper off. Avery even pooped in the potty all on her own without even telling me. Luckily I noticed while she was still in the bathroom. So I introduced her to pull-ups this week which she was very proud of wearing and thought she was such a big girl. Now she insists on wearing a pull-up and has decided she is too "big" girl for diapers.

1st Pull-Ups 11/14/08