PT and I don't mean Part-Time

It is Tuesday, the day after the 4th of July. This week is going to be a slow week. Friends are out of town, we are recovering from a fun, long weekend, and I decide it is time. I stumble into her room and grab the pair with Nemo on them. A part of me laughingly thinks, "well, at least he can swim." I call her over to me and explain what we are starting today. She doesn't necessarily agree with the decision, but decides to put them on anyway.

She stays dry for a little while. I drive her crazy in the process with my constant questioning and nagging. "Emmie, do you need to go potty?" "Emmie, don't tee tee in your panties." "Emmie, do you need to go poo poo?" "Emmie....." It isn't long after one of my nagging questions that she takes off running to the bathroom saying, "I need to go potty!" I run after her, get her in the bathroom, and she doesn't make it. Nemo is swimming just as he probably feels he should be.

I walk upstairs and grab the pair with the Cars on them. I wonder if I bought the boy pack instead, but continue on. She puts them on and does really well for a while. However, it isn't long before we are right back where we started. The Cars are in the midst of a downpour and drive themselves straight to the laundry room. It is naptime, so we put on a diaper and call the process off for a few hours.

She wakes up, and Wall-E is next. Poor thing! He braces himself to be rusted in the future. However, to our surprise, she gets it! She needs to go potty and asks to go potty. I take her in the bathroom, sit her on the potty, and she actually tee tees in the potty. I probably paralyze the child with fear over my ecstatic reaction. She DID it! I throw a mini party in the middle of my bathroom. She stays dry the rest of the night and we then put on a diaper before bed.

Day 2 rolls around and Jessie and Bullseye are up. I grab them, put them on her, and they feel confident that they are in the clear. Emmie goes to the potty, stays dry all morning, we throw a mini party everytime she succeeds at her PT, and I am feeling good about the process. A friend calls and I decide to chat with her for a moment. Lainie is playing at a friend's house and Ellie is sleeping. Emmie is playing in our office and I check on her periodically. As I hang up the phone, I see her run behind our desk. I know...I know in my heart what has happened. The hint of brown that I see as she takes off in front of me give it away. I know Jessie and Bullseye didn't make it. I ask Emmie to come out from behind the desk, and my gut feeling is proven to be true. We go to the bathroom, take Jessie and Bullseye off, and lay them to rest in the trash can. The scene is not pretty...AT ALL! I explain to her what happened and she listens. However, I don't know that it bothers her one bit. On to the next pair....

We are on day 3 now and she is doing really well. Staying dry and no more characters have been put to rest in the trash can. I feel like she has accomplished something, but I also feel like I have accomplished something. We still have a long way to go, but the process has been started. There are all sorts of trials and tribulations in parenting. Potty training definitely is not my favorite. However, I would do it again and again and again for a precious face like this!