Potty Trained

While we were in Utah, Julie was working with Harper to use the potty. One time when Harper needed to go potty, she let Kelsey tag along. While they were in there Julie introduced, "the diaper song" otherwise known as "today I took my diapers off." Its a classic from the 80's and apparently the trigger that Kelsey needed. I guess all the talk about sticky tape and pricky pins that the video sings about really inspired her to give up her diapers.

When we got home from Utah, Kelsey brought me her diapers and said she wanted to use underwear. We haven't looked back.
I didn't really know what to do. There has been many times when Kelsey has asked to wear underwear but never has she asked to stop wearing diapers. See the difference? So, like all the other times I ran with it but wasn't very hopeful. I told Kelsey to gather all her diapers and throw them away. She did without even blinking.

On Thursday October 15th, Kelsey wore underwear all day, but like every other time, she wouldn't actually go.  Once again, I spent the day begging her to go potty, pumping her with fluids, and hoping that eventually she would either go all over the floor or in the potty. She didn't have an accident but she wouldn't go either. That night around 8 pm (yes 14 hours of holding it!!!), Ethan was reading to Kelsey on the potty and she went! I don't know if she got distracted or what but it happened and I'll take it. After that, she wanted to go. I didn't even have to ask her, she just went.
The few days after that I was a little hesitant but after that initial time, she started getting really excited to go. She even was so bold to tell me when she needed to go.
The other took a few more days and a lot of Miralax but eventually that happened too.

It has been roughly 10 days now and she hasn't had a single accident. She has gone at church, at stores, at people's houses, and wakes up every morning dry. Everyone told me that once it clicks it clicks but my goodness were they right!!! She just gets it and loves it. I still bring a change of clothes with me but I'm not really nervous. She LOVES to go potty. She tells me every time she goes.
" Mom, I just love to go potty. It feels so good." "Mom, I love to wear underwear and being a big girl. Its just the best." "Mom, its so fun to use the potty because diapers are gross." What feels like an eternity has finally ended and I think I can finally join the potty trained club.

Whats funny too was that this time around, she didn't need prizes. We gave them to her to reinforce that this was awesome, but she was perfectly fine to go without them. She really was just ready this time. 

As we are still working with her there have been so quirks that we have had to deal with but are willing to do them:
Always telling her that we are proud of her (the first time she asked if we were proud of her and so we say that every time now)
Helping her get totally naked so she can go
Sitting with her while she goes (the record is sitting on the bathroom floor for 28 minutes)
Singing the diaper song or a made up song called the Kelsey song over and over
and occasionally giving her marshmallows after she goes.

Like I said though, all these things are just small prices to pay for the reward of wearing diapers. I literally would do anything to get her out of diapers so I'm totally fine with sitting on the bathroom floor.

We recently had a really funny experience. While we were in Marshall's, she decided that she needed to go and it was going to be a longer trip. After about 15 minutes of just standing there holding Madison and Kelsey's dress I decided to go stand out side the stall (which she thought was SO cool) I thought I had tethered her dress so that it wouldn't get in the way, but I soon learned that I had done a terrible job when I heard Kelsey mutter "Oh no." I went in the stall and found her dress sitting in the toilet. Luckily we were done shopping, so I tried to jimmy rig a blanket around Kelsey so that we could walk out of the store. I wasn't too successful and ultimately Kelsey was sitting in the cart in her underwear. She literally thought it was the coolest experience of her life. Oh to have the confidence of toddlers!! 

Kelsey we are so proud of you and love you! What a big girl you are and what a big accomplishment. I know this is the first of many to come!

These are the things we let her pick out just to make sure she knew how proud of her we were. She didn't need them, but we wanted to make sure we understand how serious we were about this.