Ava's Potty Adventure!

I apologize in advance if this post is boring to anyone. We had such a good experience that I just kept writing and writing. At least there are a lot of pictures to keep you entertained!
For the past week or so Ava has been insisting on running around naked after her bath and pee peeing on her potty. We decided that we did not want to miss this new found interest in the potty and we would begin potty training her. I did a lot of research on the Internet and found something called the 3 Day Potty Method. It pretty much states that you go cold turkey with diapers and that Ava would be wearing big girl panties from then on. The author tells you to throw out your diapers so you don't have a crutch when it gets a little frustrating. I'm personally not for wasting diapers (they're so expensive!) so I hid them in the garage and will give them to friends but so far I haven't even wanted to go get them out of hiding so I think I'm OK. :) I took a lot of pictures on the 1st day. I'm super pregnant and hormonal and my little girl somehow turned into a big girl and I just can't believe it. I guess part of it is that at first you have to give them ALL of your attention so you can catch them having accidents and whisk them away to the potty---so I spent a lot of time "watching" her through my camera instead. Here is how our little adventure went.

Thursday night before bed I had Ava help me put all of her diapers in a garbage bag. I explained to her that the diaper fairy was going to come and take away the diapers because she was a big girl and didn't need them anymore. We also set up her "big girl panty" drawer.

She was counting as she put the diapers in the bag. 1, 2, 3....

So long diapers! :) I don't need you! :)

Taking her diapers out of her big girl room!

Ava's note to the diaper fairy. Mommy helped her write it, but as you can see she helped decorate it.

Sitting on her diapers! :)

The next morning we took off her LAST DIAPER EVER! and put on a pair of big girl panties. I took her to the bathroom where she peed right away. I also showed her the sticker potty train I made. I told her that every time she uses the potty she gets a sticker to put on her potty train and after she washes her hands and flushes she also gets a M&M. 

So now that we have the potty protocol down, it was time to have some fun. The book says to have lots of activities ready so our day was full of crafts, trains, and playing "baseball." 

The start of Ava's flower craft. She was so excited about it she didn't let me finish before she put it on.

Playing baseball consists of holding her baseball and running around the house in circles.

Running is easier in big girl panties!

Playing her favorite new game.

Tippie Toes while watching Mickey Mouse!

Her finished flower craft----which was now a flower crown. :)

 After a day of just two accidents we were ready for bedtime. She did sooooooo amazing for her first day. Both incidents happened when I happened to take my eyes off of her for more then a minute. Bedtime went well---she was excited to sleep in her panties. Mike and I checked on her at 1am and she had peed in her bed. No worries---just took her to the potty and changed her sheets. She then slept til almost 9 with NO accidents. The author of the book says that eventually it will just "click" for them and I have to say that as soon as she woke up you could tell it had happened.

Saturday was day 2. Mike went to work for a few hours and Ava had NO accidents all day.

What? you don't put on your jelly shoes right after you wake up? Ava does!

Using her potty! :)

While Ava was doing artwork in Daddy's chair, I decided to try to french braid her hair. Of course once i started to do this she was no longer in the mood to sit, but it looked ridiculously cute while it lasted. :)

Eating lunch while playing some Mickey on the computer----in her french braids!

Trying to pick a new movie to watch...



The aftermath of the french braids. She looked like a lion. :)

Day 3 started with Ava waking up to what I thought was a dry bed. She squealed at 5am but then there was no other noise so I figured she was just having a dream...but when I got closer to her sheets I realized that she had peed, but that they had dried. :( Poor girl. I had to explain to her again that if she pee in the middle of the night she just has to call for Mommy and I'll come fix it. I feel terrible that she slept in a wet bed but what can I do. :( So moving on---she woke up and went potty right away. She had a good morning while we were home and then we decided to go out on an adventure to a couple of stores. While in the 2nd store, she wet her pants, but we whisked her to the bathroom, changed her, and washed her hands. It's a learning process---for all of us. :)

After nap we headed out to have a fabulous birthday dinner with Grandpa. No problems there except she caught herself as she was peeing the first time and got her shorts and panties a little wet. After that it was easy. She knew where her potty was and she turned into the little professional potty user she has been all weekend. :)

She is now in bed and I'd say even if she has an accident or two here and there the process definitely worked for us. I can handle a couple extra loads of laundry a week and a few more bags of m&ms, but I have a feeling that stage will pass quickly as well....

I'm one proud mama.

Love and Ava hugs,

Rachel