Potty training

Ok, here it is, a re-cap of the potty training experience with Ms Jacey. It was horrifying but I need to write it down so when she is a mom some day and comes crying to me about potty training her small children, I can let her read this and she can know there is a light at the end of the tunnel in this great circle of love.

Jacey has always been very interested in the toilet and since we have had no lock on our bathroom door she has watched the process many times and she thought she had it pretty well figured out. In September she decided she was done with diapers. She wanted to sit on the toilet all the time. Sometimes she would go, sometimes she wouldn't. Every time I changed her diaper, she would want to sit on the toilet for a little bit which was fine until we were about to move and I was trying to pack. I could get nothing done because she had to sit on the toilet every five minutes. The thing with Jacey is she has absolutely no patience and no ability to sit still for too long so she would sit on the toilet for 2 seconds and if the pee didn't come immediately then she would jump off, wait 2 minutes till she got the urge again and then want to sit on the toilet again. She would do this for hours. I couldn't keep a diaper on her because she would just take it off and it was annoying to take her to the potty every 2 minutes and put a diaper on and off but she had no control so she would pee in her underwear constantly. One time I was trying to put a diaper on her and she was throwing a fit because she wanted to sit on the toilet so I gave in and let her go sit on the toilet while I ran the diaper out to the garbage outside. By the time I got back, she had crawled up on the counter in the bathroom and pooed on the counter and then promptly tried to clean it up with a wash clothe and then decided finger painting on the wall and mirror was much more fun. Now I have heard stories like this but never dreamed how revolting it could be in real life. She made me CRAZY while I was trying to get ready to move. Oh and my other favorite is when she realized she would get one potty treat for going pee and 2 potty treats for going poo, she totally figured out how to work the system. She would squeeze out a little sheep poop every 5 minutes for 2 hours! Well that system went out the window the little turd (no pun intended). Well this went on for about 4 months. I would get so frustrated that I would tape her diaper on just so she couldnt take it off and she would still manage to wiggle out of it. She would start going and get bored and jump off the toilet before she even finished. She would poo in her diaper a little then take it off, smear it down her legs and everywhere else in the process, get on the toilet, go a little more then jump off and step in her dirty diaper on her way out and going running off to play. We seriously had a poo'y disaster everyday for months. I seriously wanted to shoot myself. I am sure there are many more stories but after 4 months of the the craziness I think she finally gained control and she has been a princess every since. She hasnt had an accident in 4 weeks. She doesnt need diapers at night. She has been perfect. I guess she finally decided she had had enough and would just cooperate. I have to say, not having to deal with diapers has been a little bit of a dream. I find it a little thrill every day. Little Jac makes me crazy for sure but she is a party and I sure love her.