Ch, Ch, Ch Changes!

I have been changing diapers every day for 6 years.  Every day.

OK, except for that week and half, total, that I have been away from my children in those 6 years.

That is a lot of diapers, friends.

But all that is changed now.

It's the end of an era.

Because Ms. Lillian joined the underwear gang!

Just check her out:

Inspecting the goods

"It's Minnie Mouse, right here."

And I have another pair, see?

Underwear make you sooo much faster than diapers.

Watch

"Fasta!"

And even fasta!

They are good for climbing, too.

Especially outside.

So now I will have 3 little people running around my house, and yard, nearly naked.
But when they are this cute, who really cares?


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How We Got Here--Potty Training Lilly  (Beware.  This post contains a large amount of poop talk)


Well really, there was no potty training Lilly.  One day, she just did it and that was that.  
I am still amazed, actually.  Because I haven't had any horrible potty training experiences.  Minorly uncomfortable, yes, horrible, no.  I didn't find it hard to potty train my boys.  They were a few months over 2.  I always began after the new sibling arrived.  (giving me 2 in diapers--fun!)


James took the longest.  It wasn't hard once he figured it out, it was just that each new step was scary to my cautious little guy.  So he used the potty seat, sitting down, for a long time.  I finally convinced him to use one of those small seats on the big toilet after I was really, really sick of dumping poop from the potty to the toilet.  Then he finally peed standing up.  Then finally sat on the toilet seat without the small seat.  It wasn't painful--just lengthy.  But still, he was a long way from 3 when it was all said and done.
I did have to use quite a lot of M and Ms in the beginning, though.  Something I said I'd never do.  Little did I know.  I would have given him a whole bag of M and Ms if he was in diapers at 3 or 3.5. 


William was even easier and super speedy.  He required M and Ms too, or jelly beans, I can't remember. He was standing at the toilet and peeing like his big brother from the first day.  It was great!
But there was a week or so of random poop accidents until he figured out he had to stop playing and go in the house to poop.  
That was a long week.  Oh how very, very, very much I hate poop accidents.  Give me throw up any day of the week.  But poop?  
I shudder.


And then there was Lilly.  She is a month shy of 2 (well she was when we started this).  I knew she could probably do it, but I just wasn't ready to face those poopy underwear days.  So I put it off.
Then one day she was in the tub.  It was after breakfast (Lil asks to take baths all day long and sometimes I comply) and so I told her, "if you feel poo-poo coming, tell Mommy, OK?)
I stepped out to get some towels from the drier.  When I came back, Lil was on the toilet, naked and dripping.
She said, "I go poop poo on toilet, Mommy."
I thought, "I guess I need to potty train this girl."


She hasn't had one poop accident and for that, I would give her 20 bags of M and Ms!  But I haven't had to give her a thing.  She just did it.  She has been in undies from day one.  She wore William's at first. But after a few days of success, we took her to Target and let her choose her own.


Her brothers were very helpful and tried to steer her toward the princess undies.  They are determined that she should like princesses.  Then they pushed Dora.  Hello Kitty. Lilly wouldn't have any of it.
"I want Minnie Mouse," she said emphatically.
And that is what she got.


People told me so much about a girl being easier.  But Lilly has been my most difficult child, by far.  She is a pistol.  Sometimes, I don't even know what to do with her.  Her independence and determination are legendary. 
In this case though, I think that is what made potty training so easy.  She decided she would do it.  She did it.  And that was that.


Lilly, you haven't made my life easier in many ways, so thanks for giving Mommy a break on this one.
I love you, big girl!


Oh, one last thing.  A few days in, I needed to go to the mall.  I decided to risk it and let her go in underwear.  After a bit, I knew we needed a potty break, so we hit the restrooms.  Lilly and I went into the stall and I prepared for the worst.


The worst like this: 
When James was 2 and newly potty trained, he was terrified of public restrooms.  He hated the automatic flushers and called them robot toilets.  He would be paralyzed with fear that one would flush while he was going, so he'd hold it and hold it until he could hold it no longer.  One time, he finally admitted he had to go and we ran to the bathroom.  
This was the scene.  
I am trying to undo his pants, he is trying not to pee, he won;t stand, he won't sit, so I am holding him above the toilet, he's crying, "Block the robot eye, block the robot eye!" so I use one hand to block, it goes off anyway, he starts bawling and pee is going everywhere.
Mostly all over my arm.
And I am trying to comfort him, and encourage him by saying, "wow, you are doing such a good job to go potty even when you are scared.  What a big boy.  Mommy is proud of you." 
Meanwhile, my arm is totally covered in pee.  
And because he waited so long he has a lot of pee.


But Lilly just sat right down  on that toilet seat, cover and all, and went.  
"I go pee pee on toilet, Mommy.  I big."


Finally, I can say, girls are easier. (at least my girl, in this one thing.  But I'll take it people, I'll take it)
Love from,
Greta