Two Words For You....

"Potty Trained!" That's it!

Sporting her new underpants which she proudly displays...a little too often.
Finally! I thought this day would NEVER come. I first introduced the process when she was two. She's 2 and a half now. After many months of starting and stopping upon coming to the realization that she just wasn't ready, the kid finally decides she'd rather wear dry pants than fester in her own wet, gooey stink.

Her using the potty was much like her finally walking (which she did VERY late). She knew how to do it much earlier, but had to come around to actually doing it in her own time. So, when she finally decided she'd rather walk than crawl, she just stood up, and off she went like she'd been doing it for years. No fumbling, no falling, no tripping, no bumbling. She was running within days.

Same case here. The kid went from "trying" to use the potty to getting up from the table unannounced, going into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and doing EVERYTHING by herself in 2 days. TWO DAYS! And when I say she does everything, I mean everything...light on, clothes off, up on big potty (no chair for big girls - "potty chairs are for babies"), does her thing, gets down, wipes, gets dressed, washes hands at sink WITH soap and NO MESS, dries hands, turns off light, closes door behind her and sits back down like it's no big deal. I got so excited I think I had an accident!

So I guess she was paying attention all those times I tried to model and teach her the steps. She just had to do it when SHE wanted to. Man, I'll tell you. Nothing teaches you just how little you actually control in life like a toddler learning to use the potty....learning to do ANYTHING for that matter. She's a stubborn, strong-willed one, she is. Hmmm....wonder where she gets that?

Anyway, I'm gonna' go count the money I'm saving on diapers. Oh wait...no....that money's going to the preschool that required her to be potty trained. Damn. Parenthood. Can't catch a break.