Um, We’re Potty Training? I Think. Maybe?

I think you will all be happy to know that yes, I have done my grocery shopping for the week. Yes, Madeline and Luke came along. And no, Maddy did not go pant-less through the store. Thankfully, we have decided against using that strategy.

Let’s just come right out with it, I am hesitant to say that we are potty training officially, which may come back to bite me later. Let me explain.

We are going for pressure free. We know our daughter and pressuring her to do things does not work. At this time in her life things have to be her choice, or at least seem like her choice or they don’t really fly. That probably makes her sound spoiled which she isn’t, she is just a 2 year old going through a “I make my own choices, dammit!” stage. Even though we seemed to have moved through the “drive mommy crazy by throwing my food on the floor” stage the ordeal is still fresh in our memories. Can you blame me for just wanting some smooth sailing for as long as possible. So we re trying not to rock the Evolving Mommy boat for now.

Not officially calling this potty training may bite me in the ass later on if we don’t set up some sort of goal, framework or expectation for her to work with, but so far unofficial potty training has been pretty awesome. I am still looking into different ideas, tips, tricks, and props but for the most part I think we have had a very nice beginning.

I know what you are thinking. How did I go from posting about not knowing what to do to unofficially potty training in a few days?

Well, after sharing my thoughts with you last week I decided to let Maddy have some pant-less-time at home on Thursday afternoon just as a little trial run and it went really well. Zero accidents. I guess I have a modest daughter because she doesn’t like going pant-less, unless of course we need her to be dressed, so it wasn’t long before she started asking for underwear.

She didn’t ask to wear diapers she wanted underwear.

Since then we have let her decide if she wants to wear diaper or underwear and she has only asked for a diaper once which didn’t last long before she was asking to change into her underwear.

Toward the end of our first potty training try 4 months ago we had numerous “accidents” every day, which is pretty much the reason we decided to take a break from potty training. She wasn’t ready so our success rate was getting way worse by the day instead of better. Why continue to force it on her? In a complete 180 from the first time she has had 3 accidents in 4 1/2 days.

I am trying my best to go with the flow and let Maddy decide her potty fate. So far I think she is taking the job pretty seriously. Of course Luke is out of town this week so I’m on my own in potty land. Maybe I should’ve held my tongue until Saturday, it is possible that my outlook may change a bit by then.

Honestly I think whatever happens we’ll be fine…as long as she is peeing in the potty on her own before kindergarten*.

*Oh Madeline, please don’t make me deal with diapers that long, please don’t make me deal with diapers that long, please don’t make me deal with diapers that long, please, please, please, please,please…