Adventures in Potty Training

**I would warn any and all who don't want to hear potty stories about the contents following, but I really hope the title did that for me!**

Oh my! What an adventure we embarked on yesterday...and how quickly we came running home to familiarity!!!
On our shopping spree for the girls, I asked Richard if we could get Raegan a potty chair, undies and snacks to start warming her up to the idea. She has started to take off her diaper a lot, tell us when she has pooped and generally gets uncomfortable in her diapers, so I thought it couldn't hurt to try.
I told myself over and over that it is a process that could take a long time.
Sunday was the first day we brought out the chair. She sat on it. She giggled. She went back to the bathroom over and over. She even ran and sat down when she had to poo. I quickly stripped off her bottoms and diaper and the potty caught the last bit of action. Hoorah! She got a treat.
That night before bed, I encouraged her to try again and she peed in the potty! Double Hoorah!!
Richard and I reminded ourselves not to get excited. Not get our hopes up.
We got excited.
We got our hopes way, way up.
And they came crashing down yesterday.
I put Raegan in a very warm sweatshirt, turned up the heat and let her run around in the buff. She was in heaven. I avoided any major distractions for the day. No tv, just music.
We colored.
We danced.
We had a great day...sort of.
I nagged.
I hovered.
I encouraged my daughter to eat standing on a step stool at the counter so that she wouldn't have an accident on her high chair.
I nagged.
I hovered.
I kept us in the kitchen as much as possible.
I nagged.
I hovered.
I checked her constantly.
I nagged.
I hovered.
I offered her a lot of juice.
I nagged.
I hovered.
I set timers and led her to the bathroom every 15 minutes.
She screamed and rebelled.
Could it be all my nagging and hovering? I was driving myself bonkers!
"Rae, do you have to go potty?" "Pretty picture, baby...do you have to pee?"
"Remember if you have to go, just run to your potty..."
I finally decided to back off a bit and see if she would just go on her own.
I stepped around the island in the kitchen for just a second ...
and soon heard splashing and giggling.
I forced my brightest smile and said, "See, you went pee pee! Good girl. Next time let's go to the potty..."
More screaming. More drama.
The day ensued with more intense nagging. More intrusive hovering.
A lot more screaming, a piercing headache, sore throat and another accident later, I decided to back off and be a bit less intense.
Once her diaper was back on...she ran to the potty to poo. Near it. Not in it. But still...Hoorah!
For now, I am keeping her diapers on and have decided to make her new adventure a little more like Disneyland and a little less like Prison.
Especially since all three of us ladies are sick today. It's for sure a pajama wearing, Whinnie the Pooh watching, housework ignoring, cuddling up sort of day.
What are some of your adventures in potty training? Speak comfort to me, friends!

These pictures have nothing to do with potty training, but I haven't posted any in a bit.

While I was typing this post, Raegan was turning her banana into: a marker to write on the bookshelf next to her, finger paint on her tray and, most impressively, hair gel. I can't get this picture to stay turned for the post, sorry. It took two hair washes and a vigorous comb through and there are still bits of banana in there. Ugh. I will miss these days, I will miss theses days, I will miss theses days...
Harper is more alert than ever. And so scrumptiously solid! I love those cheeks!!!

Raegan has been so desperate for outside time. It's freezing here and difficult for me to figure out how to get both girls out in the cold. I'm a wuss to be honest. So I brought that slide inside for a while yesterday and Raegan has been wearing Richard's hats around the house. That works!

Mmmmm...I love this family of mine.