We started potty training Briar at a pretty young age. I kinda started when she was about one, but then life got a little crazy with a summer job and then a new baby so we stopped. I really committed to it when Briar was about 20 months old and now I would be willing to say that within a week she was 95% potty trained. (not including bed and nap time, because at 20 months that is just crazy!) Unfortunately, several months later, she is still only 95% potty trained. How we potty trained is another post for another day. For now I will just share some of the hilarious, gross, embarrassing things that come along with potty training.
When we leave the house we have a potty in the back of the car for Briar to use. Her favorite thing to do is take her time on the potty when we are in a crowded parking lot. She likes to sit with the back hatch open and wave at people as they push their grocery carts by. She will strike up a babbling conversation with ANYONE who walks by and will participate. Honestly they don't even have to participate - she can have the whole conversation herself. Empty parking lot on the other hand and she is done in a matter of seconds.
Briar is still too young to really communicate with us that she needs to go. This means that when we slack off and miss a potty break we sometimes find suprises. Usually the stink comes first and after that it is like a game of poo and seek. I have included some pictures in case you are interested in some poo and seek.
Just to be clear - I only take pictures of my daughters poo so I can send them to my husband and we can laugh about it. The poo and seek game from the first picture took us hours to find. We smelled it but we were looking too low, not up on the chair. Sneaky girl. We definitely lost poo and seek that day.
We always cheer and clap when Briar is successful at going on the potty. Now when Briar is with anyone who goes potty she cheers and does a dance. Everyone else in the public bathroom gets a kick out of it. If only I could get her to give me jellybeans - one for pee pee, two for poo!
I had a doctor appointment and my husband was working so I hauled along both kids. I had to get an intramuscular shot. As soon as I dropped my drawers for the nurse Briar became very concerned that she needed to get me to the potty. "Mama, potty... potty" She was grabbing my hand and trying to drag me to the bathroom. I can only assume that is what she was trying to do because she doesn't actually speak English yet. In my toddlers eyes, pants only come off for potty breaks! Hopefully this will hold true until she is thirty.
We try to let Briar be as independent as possible when going potty. We let her do as many of the steps as possible. The problem lies when she tries to wipe. At first she got too much toilet paper so we would correct her. Now she doesn't get enough. By not enough I mean she pinches a little piece between her thumb and index finger and tears just that little bit off. There has yet to be a happy medium to this goldilocks story.
We got one of those folding seats that rests on a regular sized toilet in an attempt to make outings easier. I had Briar on it in a family restroom, so I was braiding my hair while I waited for her to finish her business. I was not paying close enough attention and she tried to get down herself. She nearly took a swim. The potty seat did take a swim.
As I mentioned Briar is still only 95% potty trained and a long ways away from not needing us in the bathroom so I am sure this will not be the last of my potty stories, stay tuned.