Sweet Praise from a Two Year Old

I have been at my wits end with a certain precious little princess. I had Emmie (3yrs in Jan) 90% potty trained and suddenly she just decided not to be the toilet's friend anymore. She started relieving herself all over the house. Literally. This went on for about two weeks and finally, back into diapers she went. I was so discouraged. All that hard work of getting her to that 90%, and now, we're back at square one.

If that wasn't enough, for about two more weeks, she started taking her diaper off and putting her pants back on. I continued stepping in wet, peed-on carpet, and smelling those oh-so-distinct smells,wherever I went, not knowing Emmie wasn't wearing the diapers I had been putting on her.

Yesterday I talked with a well-trusted friend about it. She told me that I should try cold showers. So, yesterday evening, I had a talk with my little princess. I told her in no uncertain terms that she was a big girl now and that when she peed in diapers, or anywhere other than the toilet that the pee would dry on her butt and she would stink. So she would need a shower to wash all that smelly pee off. Also, now that she is so big, it takes too many wipes to clean her up after she poops in her diaper. She would need to clean up in the shower.

She took a shower last night =) And another first thing this morning. She has been clean and dry ever since! I know this may not be the end of it, BUT, she has been taking herself to the potty all day long, even pooping on the potty! Usually she would have had 5 or so "accidents" by now.

So, she just got done pooping on the toilet before I sat down to write this. She said "Do I get 5 skittles now?" This was her previous reward. I said, "Sweetie, we don't have any Skittles, but I'll tell Daddy what a great job you did and maybe he'll get you something special."

She said, "OH! Good job Mom! You're perfeck (perfect=), you're so, so, so, so, smart!"