Played by a Toddler

We are at a new stage where we are trying to do the potty training thing.  It is difficult to do that when you are on a tight schedule.  With this being our first child, we are far from being professional potty trainers.  Consistency is a pretty important factor and that is one thing we are not able to provide- in regards to potty training (days and days to sit and "train").   At times, I feel like I'm walking on a tight rope.  One wrong move and everything is over.  Does that seem dramatic? It is just potty training.  I have had conversations with people about this subject, read information and asked my mom to help.  My sweet 23 month old KNOWS how to use the potty. She has been using the potty for months... but she doesn't do it all the time.  That is the tricky part for us.  If you think all that is enough- easy breezy- just add in a cunning toddler.  I have never doubted that children are VERY smart and tactful.  Let's think about this.... children can turn on the water works to get their way, right?!  So here is the dilemma we are in.  We have been strict with bed time or nap time and we have tried to be strict with potty training routines.  Our girl knows she can say "I wanna go potty" and hear her on the monitor.  We go in her room, take her out of her crib and put her on the potty.  Does she go?! Sometimes she goes. And sometimes she uses it to get out of bed.  Either play into her game to get her out of bed OR have her go in her diaper- the exact opposite of what you are trying to teach her!

There was one night the mister & I were enjoying our post bedtime time.  We have had some scares with pulling off a soiled diaper in the crib.  So on this particular night, we hear "HEY!" in the monitor.  That has kind of become a red flag for us to go check and see if we have a code brown in the crib.  We go in to check and we are told "I went caca." And we were so proud that she didn't take off her diaper and make a mess.  We get her out and get everything ready for a quick change and back to bed.  Open her diaper and there was nothing there.  And then she laughs "Ha!Ha!Ha!". She should have just said "Gotcha!"

It always catches me off guard and I think she is too much of a baby to fully understand what she just did.  But it also gets me thinking about the future.  This is just potty training... what will it be like when she wants to do something and we tell her no.  Will she be cunning and get around us?  I won't pretend I was an angel growing up. I was a schemer and manipulative at times.

One day soon Miss O will be a potty training champ! But until that day, I will have to remember to keep track of all the things she says and does to get herself out of bed! :)

23 months

Cheese! {23 mths}