Slowly But Surely

We have been trying to potty train Emerson for about six months. Obviously we haven't put a ton of effort into it.

A few months ago, we got hardcore. We had a Baby Bjorn potty in each bathroom, we got the Potty Power DVD, we talked it up. Emerson at first got super psyched about it, once even took off her pants and sat on the potty (though nothing came out). She carried the potty everywhere. We got her to sit on it before her bath each night, and in the morning. She never went in the potty, but she was enthusiastic. And then something happened and she hated the potty, and asked for her pacifier and blanket 24/7. We saw it as a sign that she wasn't fully ready, and let it go.

Well she's turning 3 on January 8th so I feel she better get 'er done ASAP. So I went hardcore. She seems to hate the BBLP so I got the Baby Bjorn seat that sits on the adult toilet, and the Baby Bjorn stool. Yesterday it arrived. I set it up, let Emerson go in the bathroom and check it out. She was really curious, but when I asked if she wanted to get up she spazzed. So I let it be. Twice again she went into the bathroom to check it out.

This morning I showed her a pair of Dora underpants and she was so excited. She wanted to put them on right away. I told her how they were underpants, not diapers so she couldn't go pee in them. I told her to let me know when she had to go pee. She sat in her Dora underpants and a tee shirt and watched Dora. I kept reminding her to tell me when she had to go potty. After Dora was over (and her breakfast consumed), we put her back in her diaper so we could run errands. As we were leaving the grocery store (last errand) she said, "Mommy I want to use the potty." We got home less than five minutes later, went straight to the bathroom. She pulled down her own pants, I helped them off her feet and pulled off her diaper. She got up on the stool, but wanted help turning around and sitting so I helped her.

AND SHE PEED! She had such a face of joy when doing. "Mommy I go pee on the potty!" And yes, I teared up. I showed her how to wipe, she saw the pee in the potty, and helped me flush. She was so proud and I told her how proud she was. She asked to put back on her Dora underwear and then scampered up the stairs to tell Daddy that she went pee pee on the potty.

It was time for her nap and I said for now we'll put her in a diaper and she said okay. "But I wear Dora underpants when I get up." Yep Emerson, that's the plan.

We'll see how it goes...