Epic Win

Model Charzie

Guys... guys... guys, guys, hey GUYS! (I'm using the gender neutral, casual you version of "guys" here) I have an epic win in my house and I really needed it...

After 5 years and 4 months of having from one to three children in diapers, they are ALL POTTY TRAINED! My 2-year-old Charzie worked hard this past week, earned M&M's, ice cream, stickers & jelly beans, and she's been wearing adorable toddler undies during the day (pull-ups for sleep times). She wakes up from nap dry. She wakes up dry about half the time overnight. She'll pee on pretty much any potty. She's pooped on the potty for the last three days. AND two of those days she was sick and still used the potty! Oh, this mama is super-pumped! And I'm gonna brag on her.

Kitty bath

You see, a certain eldest child was three-and-a-half before he would consistently pee on the potty or poop on the potty at all. The middle one was potty trained before the eldest. We used all kinds of rewards/bribery/calendar-with-stickers tactics, but it was sibling rivalry + "dump dollars" from my mom that got the eldest one motivated. Being naked and a poop fascination motivated the middle one (and we were totally surprised when he just potty trained himself). Mini M&Ms for everyone + the promise of a big Hello Kitty toy and lots of excitement were Charzie's motivation. I think mostly M&Ms, though.

With having three kids, I can say potty training was truly different for each child. But the one thing that they all had in common was that they had to be motivated and/or feel like it was their idea.

The only outfit she'd willingly wear to church one Sunday

 Oh, we are so excited in this house! Next, we'll have to get rid of the pacifier & bottle. But we'll let her hold onto those baby things a little while longer...