Last year about this time we had a birthday interruption for walking, and this year our girl has decided it is time to use the potty! So here's our story:
January-March: Ivy pooped on the potty..... almost every time. I don't think she knew to make that choice she just didn't like a yucky diaper. Then suddenly, she was okay with having a poopy bum and reverted back! I wasn't going to push the issue at all.
May: We had our first attempt at truly potty training. We got panties, set a timer, did rewards. Ivy wasn't quite ready. She understood that we wanted her to pee-pee but didn't quite understand where to go. Each time she wet her panties she clapped and said "YAY, Ivy!" At this point, we knew Ivy was not ready for the potty but we introduced the idea that when she was two she would use the potty.
June-July: On many attempts we would try having a naked bum or wearing panties. In all of our attempts we only had one accident. Ivy actually had the opposite issue. She was afraid to use the potty and she had crazy bladder control and would hold it all morning until naptime when she got a diaper. At times she would cry that her belly was hurting and she needed a diaper. We stopped pushing the issue because the last thing I wanted was a bladder infection to develop. Each time she would not want to pee pee on the potty she would say, "When I be 2!"
July 31st: Ivy is 2!!! I had decided not to bring up the potty because I didn't want to make her birthday stressful in the least. However, Ivy had other plans! She woke up from nap around 3:15 and proclaimed, "Ivy's 2, I use the potty!" and low and behold that is exactly what she did.
She had 5 potty successes and no accidents. We wore panties to eat dinner and to the park! I thought it may have been a fluke.
August 1st: Ivy woke up, picked out her panties, and it's been in the potty all day long! We even went potty at Wal-mart!
I am so proud of her success and now I don't think there is any going back! I am a firm believer that they will use the potty willingly when they are ready. This is different for every child! She will wear diapers at nap and bedtime until she starts waking up dry. We are no where near this point. She is excited and has chosen a reward of new big girl earrings :) Go, Ivy!
