She Went

Since July 2009, we've been muddling through the oh-so-fun task of potty training.  There have been ups, there have been downs, and there have been countless dollars spent on Pull-Ups.  I should have bought stock in Huggies.

The Princess never "got" the potty chair idea in the beginning.  It didn't click, so we started her on the Big Girl Potty, you know, the one Momma uses.  For nearly two years now, we've been plopping her on it and she's been sitting there looking like someone who is waiting for a bus.  You know the look: a vague middle-ground stare that's not quite bored but not quite engaged.  Sometimes she goes, but most times she doesn't.

I've often wondered if she understands it at all.

Back in May, The Princess and I went into the Big Bad City with JAK, Nana and Grampy for Walk Now for Autism Speaks.  On that trip, I was impressed by the JAK method of road-trip pottying.  They bring their little potty chair with them, and when K has to go she tells them.  They stop and get out the potty, she goes, and it's taken care of.  No foreign toilets, no fruitless search for a rest stop, no waiting in line...and - best of all - no loudly echoing toilets to scare anyone.

After the Walk, K proclaimed her need for the potty before heading home to Nana and Grampy's house in the suburbs.  The Princess watched and looked at me.

Why not?

When K was done, The Princess took her turn.  And went.  I was so proud of her, and we made a big deal out of it.  There was much giggling and grinning involved.

Back home, the battle has continued.  We think to put her on the potty only after she's gone, or if we happen to catch her with a dry Pull-Up, nothing happens when she's on the throne.  Inevitably, we all give up just a smidge too soon, and she ends up going in her Pull-Up mere minutes after sitting on the pot.

And the Pull-Ups aren't the only things getting soiled around here.

She's figured out that she doesn't like the feel of a wet Pull-Up, so she disrobes and goes.  In her room.  On her bed.  Wherever she may be.  I'm proud of her for taking that one step in the right direction - pulling off her bottoms - but The Hubbs and I haven't been able to help her understand that she needs to let us know when she has to go.  She just does it.  There have been days where she's gone through 2-3 sheets on her bed, simply because she's gone when she's had to go.  And number two?  Don't even get me started on number two.  I'm shuddering just thinking about the messes we've had to clean up from that.

Oh, what I wouldn't give for the gift of language.

Recently, The Hubbs and I began talking about getting a new potty chair, similar to the one K had at the Walk.  The Princess had used it properly, so maybe if we got one like it, well, it couldn't hurt, right?

Turns out that particular potty chair is a bit out of our price range, but we were able to find one similar.  And - bonus - The Grumps offered to get it for her this past weekend.  It certainly couldn't hurt to try, right?

On Sunday evening, The Grumps stopped by for dinner (flounder, Spanish rice and broccoli -- pretty stinkin' tasty, if I do say so myself!) and brought this little guy with them:

We put her on it a couple times Sunday night with one teeny-tiny success at the end.  Could it be?

Last night after work, I put her back on the pink froggy, and she went again.  I made a big deal about how awesome she was, and I let her flush the toilet after dumping the cup from her potty.  She was ecstatic.

You think that's cool?  Keep readin'.

And then (drumroll, please), while The Hubbs and I were reading on the loveseat, The Princess quietly walked into the living room and began to disrobe.  She freed herself of her pants, then her (dry) Pull-Up.  She stood there for a minute, seemingly unsure.  I told her it was okay and helped her down onto the seat.  Where she peed.  Full-out peed.

She knew she had to go, so she stopped what she was doing and walked into another room, took off her bottoms, got on the potty and went.