The Crackdown or Breakdown, You Decide

It is now my midday break while both kids are napping and I thought I would give a summary of my morning of full on potty training. Let's just say, I now accept the fact that I am a crazy woman and should be locked up forever, for deciding that the woman who wrote, Potty Training in 3 Days, must be knowledgeable. In her book she states that 22 months is the perfect age to potty train. I'm highly doubting that at this moment. We started off with a bang and did both duties in the potty first thing this morning. We had our morning rush of sugar, peanut butter mega m&m's for our reward, and I was ready for the day. I say "we" because I decided I needed to be rewarded too for raising such a brilliant child. WRONG!! Note to others who are about to jump on the potty training bandwagon, don't buy a treat that you enjoy or else there will be no reward for your child, due to the fact that you have no self control and decide that you need to eat the bag of m&m's instead of your child. Sad, sad, sad.....I know. Ella was doing great making more trips to the potty than having accidents, but as soon as it was time to feed Mr. Hayden, Ella's bladder seemed to go on overdrive. I think it was easier potty training our dog Gibson than it has been with her. She would start to go somewhere on the tile and then I would grab her and sit her on the potty, always using positive reinforcement, and then she would stop. Yes, she would go enough in the potty to get her reward, but then 2 seconds later after the new underwear was on, the rest of her bladder would empty. She's tricking me!!! Everything I have read has said that getting your child to have a bm on the potty is alot harder to do, however that seems to be the only thing we are able to do. She ran to the potty and went a second time this morning and made me very happy. I helped her get there, but she wasn't afraid to go. Kids give a little bit better warning that they are going to do that duty. Eyes glassing over, jaw starts to grind, and they begin to shake. I think I've figure out that potty cue. The wetting thing though seems to come out of nowhere. I actually sat on the floor and stared at her waiting to see if there is any twinkle in her eye or raise of the eyebrow to indicate that something was about to take place. NOPE! So, maybe after her nap we will have better luck. Oh, the other thing that messes everything up is that I only have 14 pair of little girl undies and I've already had to do a load of laundry so she has some when she wakes up. UGH! I need to go shopping except for the fact that the book states that I'm not suppose to do anything other than focus on my child. So, shopping is out, talking on the phone is out, feeding Hayden should be out, but we know that can't happen. It even says that diapers should be thrown out and pull ups. I'm scared. If by the end of 3 days we are potty trained I will applaud this book and tell you all where to get it if it works. I will be ecstatic!! However, this has also got me thinking......what is so great about being potty trained. Yes, it is cheaper and no dirty diapers to clean up or throw away, BUT, now you will have to be in search of a public potty everywhere, kind of like when you were pregnant. Ha. Plus, extra clothes have to be packed at all times in case of accidents, oh, and back to the public potty........THOSE ARE GROSS!!! How am I suppose to hold a baby and a child above a toilet so that she doesn't touch the seat or fall in for that matter. I have found this crazy thing online though, but how weird is it to hang your child on the back of a bathroom stall?? (I could not stop laughing at the photos. This thing is called The Babykeeper.) I'm really starting to wonder if I should let this potty thing fall to the wayside and let her decide for herself when she is in 3rd grade. Just kidding. I need encouragement!!! I'll be back with more on our potty crusades later!