Potty Training!

Savannah is most definitely, officially, a full grown "big girl" now. On Friday, November 4th, Savannah announced that she wanted to wear her big girl panties. (We've tried potty training twice in the past, with no success. I think it was more my laziness and unwillingness to stick with it.) So my mom obliged and it was quite the messy Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. But by Wednesday, November 9th she was doing so well. During that day, she'd only had two accidents...with both being near misses. On Carl's birthday, Savannah had her very first full day dry. She was dry all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday...and that even includes the overnights! She was also telling us when she had to go, not just us asking her every hour.

On Friday night, I started to think about our travel coming up...and how Savannah had been going well, but refusing the "big potty" at stores. I brainstormed some ideas to ease her into using the big potty, but hadn't told her anything. (I was thinking about some big reward, like 6 jelly beans or something.) We were downtown, awaiting the Veteran's Day Parade, and we had stopped in at Subway for dinner. About half way through dinner, Savannah said she had to go...so I asked if she wanted to use the big potty...and she said yes...so off we went. Carl couldn't believe it when we came back to the table and she'd gone. She really sat on the big potty (I hold her under her arms so she doesn't feel like she'll fall in - plus she doesn't touch anything with her hands that way.) and used it. I was so amazed and surprised!

So all weekend we had success...with everything potty training related. She was doing so well...until we went to IKEA. That store is honestly a nightmare for a mother with a potty-training toddler...especially a pregnant mommy. So we got there, and after the 90 minute car ride, I was desperate for a bathroom (even though I had gone right before we walked out the door). So Savannah and I headed in immediately, she tried to use the potty, but no luck. So we walked through the store...for a long time. Carl had gotten a fountain drink - which Savannah of course drank a lot of too - and at the worst possible time (when we're in the kid section and she sees all the toys) she says she has to use the potty. Well - that store is a maze...it's awful! So after a few wrong turns, she tells me she wants to go play with the trains and not potty. I was going to force her to go with me to the potty, but she was tired, hungry, and cranky...and honestly, so was I. And we were lost. In a store with a million other people. So instead of fighting her (YOU trying carrying an angry toddler through a crowded store, with a pregnant belly) I told her okay, we'd go back. Well, not 5 minutes later she told us her pull-up was wet. Of course, it was.

So this time, I made Carl trek back through the store with me to find the bathroom. We told his mom to continue on without us (she was the inspiration for this trip - she wanted to look at beds and tables for her new apartment - I will get to that later). When I finally got her to the bathroom...I of course had to take her shoes and pants off...so we went into a handicapped stall. So I had to squat down so she could use my shoulder as a balance point. She had to take her shoes off and stand in a dirty bathroom in her sock feet (I hated this, but it was better than have her sit on the floor and touch it with her hands!). Then I got her pants off...then the pull-up thank goodness had easy open sides so I could rip it off...but then I had to have her step into her new pull-up...and then back into her pants...and then getting shoes on a toddler is a lot more difficult than getting them off...so I did all of this while squatting. And remember what I said about my belly, it's right where I bend?! Well, this had to be one of the most difficult positions to work in. So I finally get her all changed...and we get back to where we were in the store...but by now we've been there 2 hours...walking...and I'm tired, hungry, and cranky...just like Savannah. So we hurry through the last part...alas my favorite part of the store too - I was bummed I missed it with Carl, but he was with his mother.

So near the end I mentioned something about being tired...and Savannah was definitely showing the signs of a cranky toddler. And someone had the gall to tell me I needed better shoes!! I decided at that point that Savannah and I would go refill our drink and just sit on the couches just past the checkout lanes.

SO - on the trip home of course Savannah had another accident with her pull-up...but she was exhausted and had drank who knows how much at the store...so I know it was just a bad day and a difficult situation, but I still feel bad. I think she'll be fine, and today she'll get back into the swing of things...but I hate that she got so off track....but potty training isn't perfection right away...some kids take months. I'm just fortunate she's taken a week!

SO - the whole going to IKEA thing. On Saturday, Carl and I sent Savannah to spend the day with my parents so that we could get all our Christmas decorations up. Well, the original plan had been to do the inside stuff on Saturday and the outside stuff on Sunday. That way we could split up the work and it would be a little easier on us, and we could do both, together. Well, I guess Carl felt that his mother really needed us to take her to IKEA. And that it had to be on Sunday. So we started the inside decorations as planned on Saturday morning...and I was in the attic handing down all the bins of stuff...about all 20 of them! Then we start on the tree, but he starts saying things about getting the outside stuff done that day too...that his mom really needed to go to IKEA. I countered with the whole thing that I had planned this weekend and if IKEA didn't happen, it just didn't happen. Well, of course he tells me I just don't want to do things with his mom...long story short...I end up in tears, decorating the inside of the house, alone....for the first time in our married life. He ends up outside decorating. I woke up yesterday extremely tired and sore, with headache too. I overdid it on Saturday...I did a lot of standing up, sitting down, reaching high, climbing low, crawling in the attic, etc....but it had to be done, and if I didn't do it, obviously it wasn't going to get done...since we had to go to IKEA and all.

So our house is decorated...the bins are back where they belong...and we went to IKEA. So as anyone can see, the trip to IKEA didn't start out the best...and then the whole potty training thing...and me starting out tired and overworked as a 23 week pregnant lady...and telling me to get better shoes...well...needless to say, I was so happy to come home last night and go to bed!

I do realize I'm being a really complain-y pregnant lady today...and I will say Carl woke up with Savannah on Sunday morning and they went to Starbucks before I got up and brought back a Peppermint Mocha. But it still was a rough weekend - emotionally and physically. I'm happy Savannah is well on her way to being potty training...and a big girl.