Potty Training!

I've been avoiding potty training Elena, but with her third birthday looming, I knew I couldn't avoid it much longer.  I figured winter break was a good time, since I didn't have to go to school for Vivi's activities, and I could do the intensive three day method.  I don't remember this being a big thing when Vivian was little, but I also didn't have a lot of mom friends then.  The three day method is basically, you sequester yourself and your child in the house, you take away the diapers and get them to the potty until they figure out how to do it themselves.  It requires constant vigilance, and it is exhausting, but it works!

Day 1: Elena had to stay on the wood floor near the potty.  The carpet was removed, I put some towels and toys down, and I took away her diaper and pants.  She took this pretty well.

There were lots of accidents in the morning, but by the afternoon she was getting the hang of it.  I attempted to brainwash her by showing her Elmo and Daniel Tiger potty episodes. There's a version of the three day method where you can keep going overnight and do night time training too, but we were too tired, so I just diapered her for bedtime.

Day 2: She got promoted to pants, and we moved some more toys in.  Still some accidents, but far fewer.  I also discovered that Daniel Tiger has a potty app.  She was very pleased about this.

Day 3: She totally gets it, only one accident!  She is allowed to sit in chairs again.

We decided to road test her, and go to her friend's house for a group play date.

Not only did she not have an accident, she actually used the potty at her friend's house!  She also stopped going to the bathroom in her night time diapers.  Turns out, Elena's OCD translates to potty training, woohoo!