…but there is a certain blonde-haired three-year-old girl living in my house who may or may not have finally mastered something that may or may not have to do with a certain porcelain plumbing fixture. We are still having the occasional accident (including one this weekend on a very expensive sofa in a furniture showroom! Lovely!) but our successes are outweighing them.
And maybe I’m just unusually uptight, but I had forgotten how much power the potty habits of a little 25-pound person can have over my entire outlook on life. When we go a day or two without an accident I am skipping around like a schoolgirl ("We did it! We finally did it!"). And then an accident can send me to the brink of despair ("But we were making so much progress…"). I think Hubs is ready to send both Corrie and me to a hotel until this thing is done.
This weekend I found myself sitting with my grandmother, telling her at length the differences between potty training a girl and potty training three boys, and the boys were more eager to poo-poo but Corrie prefers tinkling, and the differences in the mechanics of wiping, and I had to stop and think OH MY STARS WHO IS THIS STRANGE PERSON I HAVE BECOME?
But that’s okay, because The Deed is mostly done. This Thanksgiving I’m thanking my lucky stars for Princess panties, Princess stickers, and Skittles in a Princess bowl.
(You know what’s funny? The first time I typed that I accidentally wrote "Princess bowel." Heh, heh.)
Rocks In My Dryer 
Any chance you’d have some tips when it comes to potty training those boys?? My little tow-headed 20 month old is very ready, in his mind, to use the big potty, but Mama is a li’l bit scared and has no idea where to start, really… I’m hoping to have some “Yay! We did it!” moments in the next year, but at the rate we’re going…
Well I think EVERY mother can relate to your excitement and joy!…well at least the mothers who have children of or past potty training ages.
It IS a big deal! After 2 or more years of buying diapers, changing diapers – it is a time for celebration. Good timing with Thanksgiving just around the corner…one more thing to be thankful for.
I have three children and every time it was time to potty-train it was as if I had never done it before.
So, did *your* grandmother tell you how all of her dc (er, children – my grandmother isn’t up on Internet abbreviations) were potty trained by their first birthday, or is it just *my* grandmother?
It was my Grandmother-In-Law, thank you very much.
We are almost there with my 33 month old son. Keepin’ my fingers crossed that it sticks! (For both of us!) 🙂
Wow…have I experienced the oh so highs of success and the utter despair of ” What…another accident? NOOOOOOO! How can this be? We’ve been clean for a week now!” My Mom once told me that somehow it just “clicks” when they are ready. After 3 kids potty trained ( only 2 more to go) it seems so true!! I will be praying for a quick click for the princess! 🙂
Yeah! Although I am a little discouraged to hear that your boys were more eager to poop…my three year old (early July B-day) will not poop on the potty. He is currently in the living room with the door shut…a sure sign that there will soon be a DISGUSTING diaper for me to change.
My little two year old grandson is just starting to pee pee in the potty. I had to go buy a potty this weekend to keep at our house. It is very exciting!!
Well, it sounds like you’re just about at the finish line! I’m just about to start that journey, in the next 6 months. Right now, we’re just playing with the potty, ya know, practicing sitting on it in the living room, etc. Once she and the potty are friends, I’ll start emphasizing what you’re supposed to do in the potty.
Funny to read this post b/c I just posted about my trial with my three year old boy. I would have never thought that I would have written a post or talked to so many people about potty training! Isn’t funny how something like potty training can take over your life and become such a big deal to everyone in the house!
LOL! Congratulations to both of you…I’m just thrilled when I get down to one in diapers! It’s been, um…20 years since we were a diaper-free household.
“Bowel”. Just the word sent me into gales of laughter this morning. Don’t know what that says about my warped sense of humor, but it did. I guess it doesn’t need explained. Laughter is good no matter the impetus.
So thrilled for you that this milestone is almost crossed!! Woo Hoo, miss Corrie!!!
Does Hallmark make a “Congratulations on reaching the pee-pee and poo-poo goal, Mom”? Because they totally should. It’s one of the biggest reasons to celebrate I know of.
(The second biggest is when you end a sentence with a preposition purposefully because it’s Thanksgiving week and you haven’t seen your high school English teacher for 15 years anyway and what the heck, you used to be a journalist, for cryin’ out loud, so you can break the rules all you want if you’re a professional.)
Yay!
I also wanted to let you know if you haven’t heard about Nov. 20 for the Children, a grassroots push for fundraising for Mike Huckabee (of course all actual donations should be done on the official website). I saw you support him, so I thought I’d pass along the info in case you wanted to join in!
Congrats on the almost victory!!! That is such a huge deal. Can you imagine going out with no diaper paraphernalia? Way to go, Corrie!!
I still believe there is no thrill quite like the moment when everyone in your home is potty trained. It’s enough to make you want to praise dance!
My fantacy world involves my DS being potty trained before my DD is born in March. It’s possible you say??? Nope… He’ll only be 15 months old at the time… I fear I haev a long stretch of multiple diaper wearers in my future. But a girl can dream right???
Wow, I thought I was the only mom with a 3 year old that had an accident in a furniture showroom. Thanks for sharing!
Woo hoo!!!
This is my first experience potty training a girl, and I thought is was going to be easier!! Boy was I wrong, but I think it might have to do with the fact that Mama isn’t very motivated either. By the time you get to the third, there are so many other responsibilities tugging at you!! Ugh!
So the secret is Skittles in a Princess bowl? I’ll have to try that…
Congratulations to you both.
What a great feeling that is, no? LOL Congrats!
We have taken a “potty break” in this house. Emma is really good about telling us she has to go poopy (it’s been months since she’s had a poopy accident), but she won’t tell us AT ALL when she has to go pee-pee… sigh.
Congrats on having that light at the end of the tunnel get closer and closer!!!
Congrats! I know it is a great feeling. I thought our 3-year old would never get the hang of going on the potty. Now she tells us she has to go at all the embarrasing times….like yesterday at Borders. She announced VERY loudly: “Mom, I have to go poop!”
Please come visit me sometime….
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Ok, so what did you do about the accident in the furniture store? Sounds like that could be a post in itself!
It’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t it? And just in time for the holidays!! Sweet!
UGGH I potty trained one but that was 10 years ago. I know have the privilage of doing it again this year. And guess what?? yes one more time next year! Oh boy!!!
I’m throwin’ a big potty, er, party when we’re through with diapers. I’ll serve potty favors. And green koolaid. Then I’m burning the diaper genie in the front yard.
I can’t wait.
I’m glad to be far removed from those days! My ‘baby’ is 21 now. But I do remember the potty training struggles with both kids. Son took FOREVER and daughter took a couple of days. I tried everything with son who was the. most. uncooperative. kid. ever. I began to think he’d start kindergarten still in diapers when one day he just decided it was time to use the potty like a big boy. Aaargh!
Oh to be without the every trusty diaper bag. Those will be the days! We are just embarking on this adventure w/ D-Man (28 months old). Wish us Luck!
Oh, just rub it in. A certain 4 year old here is still fighting me on that issue. Grrr.
🙂
And that’s all I have to say…
Congratulations!! As one who has trained five so far, I know how glorious this day is for you… fancy sofa incident aside, I know you have ’rounded the corner’ on the journey to potty freedom! Woo Hoo!!
Oh the potty training roller coaster! Its a fun one. I would be so mortified to have had to deal with a potty accident on a furniture store’s couch!
I empathize with you. I am in the midst of potty training my almost three-year-old son. It consumes my every thought some days. I can’t wait to be done with this. It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do as a mom so far.
I’m jealous. We’re nowhere near that point yet.
Oh, we are joining you on this journey this week. My last one in diapers….can I admit I cannot wait???
ahhh…I remember those days…now with an 11 year old and a 6 year old…I’m glad we’re done. No more diapers for you! Yay!
I am so surprised at the ages of children who aren’t potty trained. Maybe there is something to be said for cloth diapers and diaper liners. The kid “feels” the wet and the poop and decides the big potty isn’t such a monster at all. I am not criticizing anyone here. I am just wondering if the marvelous new diapers that wick the moisture away might be the cause of later potty training. What do you young Moms think?
I am old. We had the early versions of Pampers with my last child. The perfume gave her a terrible rash. So, it was back to the cloth diapers.
NEVER FLUSH THE TOILET WHILE THE CHILD IS STILL SITTTING THERE!
Cloth diapers are hard to find now (they make WONDERFUL dishtowels,hint, hint, hint for Christmas ;)).
As always, love and hugs from Gego
I can totally relate! I’m currently training my second (out of three) and it’s just so great when you have a good day! I tell everyone who will listen that she’s almost potty trained- it’s crazy! The funny thing is how excited other moms get when I tell them.