Potty talk & the museum

I realize I may not need to jot down every little thing about Ava' s potty training but it helps me remember what worked and what didn't from day to day and to track her progress so far. Today she woke up with a wet diaper but it was far less filled than usual. Maybe it was due to her cold but yesterday after her nap she woke up with a completely dry diaper so I'm thinking that she may have made a connection with liking the feeling of dryness and of panties. I hope so. I really really really hate the hot smell of pee in the morning accompanied or unaccompanied by the waft of crap she usually has. Somehow I don't see my life working out that easily since it hasn't yet but we shall see.

Today Dave went to the doctor to get his x-ray. Yes this month 3 of the 4 of us have been x-rayed! Yeah we filled the quota!!! For those of you who don't know me that was total and complete sarcasm. How many other freakin' families have to be x-rayed, on weekends of course when the hospital is half staffed and at their VERY slowest? Apparently just us. Because we are that cool. Ugg. No more visits to the ER, the x-ray room, the pharmacy, or the doctor. We are taking September off...a vacation let's say. Ok I'm done. I'll stop.

While Dave was off doing his thing, Ava made her first potty, then ate breakfast, made a few more potties, and then Dave was back and ready to go on our outing. Ava had been completely dry all morning, minus the monster dump she took in the panties (sucks big time to clean). Dave sat her on the potty one last time before we left for the wildlife museum. She peed, we clapped, and away we went. We were gone for about two hours and when we returned her diaper was completely dry. We sat her on the potty and she made a huge pee and off to lunch she went. What a great first half of the day Ava had potty training! Yeaa Ava!!!

On a side note: The wildlife museum we went to was very interesting. It serves as a rehabilitation place for wildlife as well as an educational facility. Olivia loved the hawks, owls, and falcons. She and Dave are always bird hunting so that was wonderful that they got to see them together and up close. Ava enjoyed the bunny, the opossum, and the fox. We happened to be there during a feeding time for the coyote so we watched it devour a small rodent and a few vegetables.

The place wasn't very big so Olivia was able to run around without holding my hand and I think she felt like a big girl. Ava wanted to be free too so most of her time was spent struggling to free herself from her father. After we looked at all the animals and played in the exploration room we went outside and found a huge playground filled with kids. Liv took off running for the slide and Ava played on the train tunnel. Usually at our park there are very few kids if any when we go so it was nice to let the girls mingle with other kids their own age that they don't know. Livy really soaks up what she learns from other kids quickly.

Now we are back home and the girls are napping. Dave's cleaning the turtle tank, and I'm paying the bills...yeah that's it- paying the bills online.

The Superstar

Ava, the superstar, has done so well today in her big girl panties. I has been 2 hours since we all got out of bed and she has not wet her panties yet. Today we started by removing her diaper and putting her directly on the potty. Within seconds she had finished so on went the panties. I have to admit that while she ate breakfast in her high chair I was holding my breath that she didn't pee all over the place. Once she was done eating she went right back to the potty. Again she used it within a few seconds and back on went her panties.

So the best part: Awhile later, Ava said pee pee and took off her panties. I directed her to sit on the potty and she went willingly and made a pee. So cool. She did this a few more times and each time took off her panties for herself and made a pee. Now she doesn't so much want to put the panties back on but that's ok. I make a game out of it and eventually her feet end up in the panties. If we can continue like this for awhile I think Ava may eventually be out of diapers by Thanksgiving and that's something to give thanks for...

Update: Ava made it the entire morning without having an accident and using the potty all by herself. I'm totally shocked that she has taken the initiative to sit on the potty and recognize when she has to go. I thought that that would be down the road somewhere but maybe putting the panties on has made the whole difference. Either way Ava you rock!!!

Training Pants

Ava's started wearing big girl panties today. She loves them and is so proud of herself. She has been telling Livy, "look...panties...look." We will have to see how it goes today. So far she has peed in 3 pairs. I never actually used training pants with Olivia. She used disposable diapers and regular panties but I think Ava needs to feel wet to get the idea. Pull-ups seem to just act too much like a diaper for her.

Well here's to hope and prayers that I don't end up with trails of urine and lumps of poop all over the house.

Here's a little synopsis of the rest of the morning: Ava pointed down and said, "poo" so I asked her if she had to go. She walked towards the potty so I helped her take her panties down. Ava sat on the potty and made a pee pee all by herself. I didn't have to do anything. This is the first time she has initiated using the potty and actually going. Yeaaa Ava!

The rest of the morning she stayed dry and I put a diaper on her just for nap time. I hope the rest of the day goes as good as the morning. She has not pooped so that might be an issue of poopy hands when she wakes up from her nap, but we will just have to wait and see.

Recap: Ava stayed dry the rest of the day with only one accident. This was a great start to training pants.