Potty Training Boot Camp

I have known all summer long that potty training was on the horizon. It was time, all the signs that she was 'ready' were there and she needed to be trained to go to the preschool class I am sending her to in the fall. I decided this weekend was the time. Noah was off to Richmond for more soccer, Kayla was at an old friends house and even Mckenna was invited to spend the night. No car pools to run, kids to feed... just me, Ayden Jane and the potty.

I started when she woke up. I took off the diaper at 7:30 and we went bottomless for the day. I set up her potty chair in the living room for easy access... We had breakfast and I made sure she had her almond milk hoping to spur her on. Nothing. I played with her, followed her out around when she slipped away, read books to her on the potty every half hour or so... She sat and looked at me and said, "please help me Mommy, I can't make it work." Finally at about 10:30 or so she peed a tiny bit on the floor (I love hardwood floors) and realized what she was doing. I saw it too and told her to hurry on the potty. She sat down, but that was it. She couldn't 'turn it back on'. Then during our 11 something try (while we were playing catch) she realized she was going again. She panicked again and turned it off, but we got to celebrate BIG because there was success! I put the diaper back on to nap and she woke up dry. We went right back to work.

By about 3 pm and we had managed to pee 2 times (once on the floor and once in the potty) just a bit each time. Let's just say her belly was HUGE. She sooo needed to go but just couldn't get the hang of it. She was doing everything she could to take her mind off it. It was pretty hysterical (now). I was really beginning to wonder if this was going to work or if I was just going to need to put the diaper back on and try again another day. Finally, after Gary got up and was in the living room with us while we played catch and she sat she realized she was peeing again. This time she did not freak out and let it keep going. She was so excited she danced and danced in celebration. By the end of the night she jumped up from playing and ran to the potty with a mission. Went no problem... Tomorrow we will build on it, but I think the major breakthrough has come. Amen.

So, how did training her compare to my non pws kids? I think it was definitely harder for her to figure out how to work the muscles. I don't think that Ayden Jane is as affected by low tone or weak muscles as much as many with pws, but she definitely takes a bit longer to acquire a new skill or needs a bit of extra instruction. Once she figures out how to work 'em she has all the ability she needs. Same applied here only I could not really help her 'get it' the first couple of times.