Growing up so fast

I can’t believe how fast Cailin is growing. In 2 weeks, she turns 2. One year ago, I had a little girl who couldn’t walk on her own. Her vocabulary consisted of a few one syllable words. She was still sleeping in a crib. Now, she is speaking in sentences that are 5-6 syllables long already. This seemed to start over night. She is very concerned with how others are feeling and always tries to make them happy. She has opinions of her own now, and knows how to express them (even if it is the most inappropriate time).

The biggest change that I am noticing right now is that she is learning to use a “big girl potty”. About 2 weeks ago, we decided to try teaching her to use the potty. I wasn’t sure how to go about doing this, so we used what I will call the ‘Naked Method’. I stripped her down on the bottom half and let her run around naked. Every time I would have to potty, Cailin would follow and sit on her potty too. Sometimes, she would pee pee, sometimes nothing. If I asked if she had to potty and she said “no”, it was fighting a lost cause to get her to sit on the potty and try. Within three to four days, there were no accidents on the floor. We used pull ups when we were taking naps, and a diaper when we were out and about, or when Cailin was going to bed for the night. That was it. Last week on Thursday, she surprised me. I didn’t see her disappear, but apparently she did. When I went to use the restroom, she had pottied in her toddler potty and didn’t even tell us. So much for thriving on praise and M&M’s for reinforcement.

This past Wednesday, I was in the shower getting ready to run some errands. Cailin was where I couldn’t see her for a good 5 minutes or so. When we went into the bathroom that she uses to get a brush for her hair, I noticed she pooped in the potty… again without telling me! Good job big girl!! Yesterday we hit another potty milestone. We were eating lunch. It was me, Chris, Cailin and Billie. Cailin was sitting in her seat dancing while she was eating. All of a sudden, she started to cry. I was wondering if she might have pinched her foot or something with all her wiggling. We tried asking what was wrong, but she just climbed down and came over to my chair and tried to climb on my lap. I picked her up and asked what was wrong. She says "poppy momma, poppy". She was telling me she had to potty. She had a pull-up on instead of a diaper while we were out and about. We walked into the bathroom and she immediately tried to get her pants down. I helped her and then lifted her onto the potty. With a death grip around my neck so she wouldn’t fall in, she went.... ALOT. Her pull-ups were still dry. I put them on around 9, and we ate at 1. That is a long time for her without going.

Last night, we were out celebrating a late valentines day dinner with some friends. After dinner, the guys went to Home Depot and Lowes, the girls wandered in the mall. Cailin tells me she needs to potty, and she went on a big girl potty again. An hour later, the same thing, but she pooped this time. I think it has finally clicked that it is better to go on a potty and keep those pants dry.

Dr. Hamby has told us that Most kids don’t start potty training till they are two-and-a half to three years old and not to get discouraged if it takes us a while. I am well aware that this is early and that she might get some set backs and might retaliate and go back to diapers, but for now, she is doing wonderful. I can’t believe how much she is growing up!!!