What we’ve been working on

We had some of Averi’s friends over last week who are a few months older than she is.  After they left, Averi begged me no less than 5 times to use the potty that day.  Anyone who knows me knows that we’ve had a…difficult time potty training Paul.  To put it ever so nicely.  And everyone knows about it because I’m a complete whiner about it.  Between my should-be-potty-trained-two-years-ago-but-isn’t-quite four-year-old (how’s that for hyphens!), my separation-anxiety-riddled dog, and my toddler in diapers, I felt like pee and poop have ruled my life.  So the last thing I wanted to do was potty train.  Because let’s face it—potty training is miserable.  I think it’s the worst thing I’ve had to do so far as a mother.  Not exaggerating. But Lando left that Monday.  So I don’t have to clean up his messes.  And Paul’s doing a million times better than he has in the past.  And I make him clean up his own messes (well, as much as he’s capable of doing).  And I hadn’t yet had the carpets cleaned.  And Averi REALLY wanted to use the potty.  So I relented.  I had sworn that I was not even going to try with her until she was at least three.  But you would think that I would learn by now never to swear about anything that has to do with kids. (Just chilling, watching a movie and eating a snack.  How low stress can this get?) And guess what?  It’s been the easiest ever.  We started Wednesday morning.  She had 2 teeny accidents while she was wearing underwear, so I took them off and let her run around naked.  And we didn’t have a single accident as long as she was naked.  NOT ONE.  So we let her run around stark naked for several days.  I apologize to all friends and neighbors, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.  We started her in underwear this week.  And she’s been fabulous.  Very few accidents, and none at all today.  Now I will have a long stretch of time WITH NO DIAPERS.  NONE.  I haven’t had that in over 5 years.  There might have been a small stretch of time between Paul being potty trained and Averi being born, but since he was just peeing in his pants, it doesn’t really count.  Averi, thank you.  You’re my favorite child at the moment.