Keepin' It Real

So, back in June I blogged about potty training London.

I bragged about how I did this 3-day method and while, technically, it took me 4 days, it worked and London was totally potty trained. 

Harty har har!  Joke is on me.

After doing a different method with Addy and then doing the 3-day with London, I have come to the very scientific conclusion from these 2 experiences that real potty training takes 4 to 6 months. 

Yes, the 3-day method taught London the basics, but I'm talking about leaving the "training stage" and entering the "professional pottier" stage takes much, much longer with lots of lovely setbacks. 

With Addy, I had her mostly trained, made the mistake of using pull-ups, and then had a baby which caused Addy to totally revert back to diapers.  After about 4 to 6 months, she was back in business and we finally kicked the nighttime pull-up habit when she was a bit closer to 3 years old, if not right after.

With London, she has been a superstar with naps and nighttime.  No pull-ups, maybe 1 or 2 accidents that I can even remember since June.  However, this girl has given me a run for my money.  We had the "I'm too lazy, so I'll just stand here in the kitchen and pee" or "we're on a walk so I'll just stand here on the sidewalk and silently pee and THEN tell my Mom I had to go" episodes which were frequently interspersed June through July.  Got that under control, then we had TWO MONTHS of pooping in panties.  Not once during that time did she poop in the dang potty.  I tried EVERYTHING with this girl.  Treats, candy, princess paraphanalia, wrapped presents, potty dances, etc.  NOTHING worked with her and Jonathan and I (not to mention babysitters who I'm sure I didn't pay nearly what they deserved) were so sick of cleaning up these daily messes I was ready to just put her back in diapers and have my Mom make a Poop-in-the-Potty cake a la cousin Graham when she turned 3 years old.

One day something clicked.  No treats, no bribing, nothing.  She just decided to go.  I made such a big deal of it that Addy felt bad that I wasn't as excited for her when she pooped in the potty.  There was no turning back.  So, I am proud to say that for the past four weeks, London has not had ONE ACCIDENT.  I knock on wood as I type, I think she has officially moved from the "potty training" stage to "professional pottier."  Let's just hope that having 3 months of this status under her belt before another baby joins our family will keep her from reverting because then my very scientific conclusion will need to be revisited.