Potty Training

I think the time has finally come for Riley to begin potty training! First and foremost, I am not at all forcing this transition. In fact, I am 100% fine with changing her diapers and letting her wear them as long as she wants. However, she is showing signs of being ready so I'm rolling with the punches. I have yet to be one of those parents who force their children to transition into something before they are ready. I have met a lot of people who have panicked when their child wouldn't eat solid foods right away or wouldn't switch from the bottle to the sippy cup at exactly 1 year old. I'm pretty sure Riley was still drinking from a bottle at 15 months and I was completely ok with that. I knew when she was ready she would let me know....the same goes for potty training. (I apologize in advance for the cute naked baby pictures!)

A few weeks ago I found this book at TJ Maxx and bought it for Riley....

She fell in love with this book and it instantly became one of her favorites at bedtime.
Since we had been reading it, she has started to notice her potty chair much more and would casually sit on it while in the bathroom with me. We've had her potty chair for a long time, but have never forced her to sit on it and instead we let her notice it on her own.

On Thursday of last week, I started asking if she wanted to sit on the potty without her diaper on and we read A Potty for Me while she sat on it. When we finished the book, she went pee on the potty! I was completely convinced it was a total coincidence, but I praised her for going on her potty!

On Friday before bed, Matt asked if she wanted to sit on her potty before bedtime and once again, while reading the book, she went! Another coincidence? Either way we gave her more and more praise!

This weekend we weren't home much, but whenever we were at home we would ask if she would like to join us in going to the bathroom whenever we went, but she wasn't having it.

On Monday, every time that I went to the bathroom I asked if she wanted to join me. Sometimes she would say yes, sometimes she would say no. If she said no, I didn't push it. Needless to say, she went pee on her potty 3 times on Monday!

Yesterday, I asked her at least once every hour if she needed to use the potty and she ended up going a total of ELEVEN times yesterday!!!! ELEVEN! She would sit right down (she always wanted to be completely naked) and would go within seconds! I was sooooo proud! She even insisted on wiping herself after and then I would dump it in the big potty and let her flush it. Riley and I met my friend Carrie for dinner last night and she even went pee twice at the restaurant! Such a big girl!!

She was so proud of herself!!!!!!

Needless to say, I think we are on the right track. I honestly have no idea how to potty train, but I'm obviously doing something right. I know that this doesn't mean we are done with diapers just yet, or that she will be completely potty trained within the next week, or even the next month, but it's a start! She still isn't asking to go, but I prompt her a lot. I've also noticed that when she does have to go she tends to grab at her diaper. Matt and I couldn't be more proud of our little girl!