Toilet training

We've been toilet training here in the Accidental house.

We'd been toying with the idea for a couple of months and it was clear that Peanut was ready, but I was dragging the chain. To be honest, I just was a bit overwhelmed by the logistics of balancing toilet training a toddler with the needs of a 4 month old baby who either needs to be fed or tucked into bed seemingly every five minutes.

We had a bit of incidental success earlier in the year, but then Peanut caught the winter lurgy going around and it didn't seem fair to drag her to the bathroom when she could barely get off the couch. Poor baby!

So two weeks ago I bit the bullet and decided to stick to training for Three Whole Weeks.

Week One - Peanut doesn't get it. A trip to the loo results in a tantrum and a floor puddle two minutes later. Mr Awesome sums it up by saying "it's not really toilet training, it's more like just-not-wearing-nappies...." I am very glad we have tiled floors. We spend plenty of time outside, with good reason. I start to bribe her with stickers.

Week Two - Peanut works out what needs to go where. This means regular trips to the loo meet with success, but puddles result if I get distracted... Which I do regularly. Once again I am VERY glad we have tiled floors. Peanut gets so wiggly when she needs to go she loses her words and can't tell me. I get a real, honest to god bruise on my head from beating it against the pantry in frustration. I go out and buy more stickers. And chocolate (for me).

Day One, Week Three - I hear a flush and race to the bathroom, expecting to be missing something expensive or drain-cloggy. Instead, I find Peanut happily completing her business with a massive grin and a huge sense of accomplishment. This feat is repeated twice more the following day. I cover her in stickers and give her my chocolate.

She did it! She's trained! Well done Peanut! Have a sticker...