Friday Focus 28/07/17 – It’s been driving me potty…

We’ve been focusing on potty training Sophie this week. We’ve been gently encouraging the potty for a while but this week I decided that it was time to ditch the nappies. In all honesty, it’s been incredibly stressful. My head really isn’t in the right place to deal with potty training with the worry of Jessica’s surgery. It needs to happen before Sophie goes back to preschool though. I’m not sure when I would manage to do it later in the summer if I didn’t do it now.

 

A doodle of the word "Potty" with a potty for the 'o' and a toilet roll hanging off the bottom of the 'y'

 

I was prepared for accidents and three days of ‘potty training hell’ (which I well remember from potty training Jessica) before things started to click. I thought I was mentally prepared too but it’s been quite a mental battle for me. We had three days of feeling very cooped up indoors trying to get the process started and I found myself resenting this time. In my mind, it was time being taken away from trying to make summer memories with Jessica before her surgery. In reality, the girls have had fun doing indoor things and it’s been mostly me that has been driven potty. Mostly because I’ve put too much pressure on myself.

 

I’m writing this at the end of day 4. As with Jessica, we had three days with lots of accidents and then things seemed to click all of a sudden. We’ve been out and about a couple of times and Sophie has managed to use the potty and stay dry all day – even with an unexpected afternoon nap thrown in. Fingers crossed that this continues from now on.

 

I’m not planning to try and night train her. With Jessica we just waited until she was regularly dry at night and then got rid of the nappies all together. I see no reason not to do the same again. We’ll get there. Now that Sophie’s starting to get the hang of it, I feel able to leave the house again! It’s amazing what a difference that makes.

 

Things I have loved this week:

  • Going to Tiny Talk with both Jessica and Sophie.

 

 

Jessica concentrating on her drawing of Buttons the cow

 

  • Spending an afternoon at Chiltern Open Air Museum with hubby and the girls.

 

Jessica and Sophie on the rope swing at Chiltern Open Air Museum

 

  • Watching Jessica writing in her journal about what she’s been doing so far in the holidays.

 

  • Hubby coming home early and giving me an afternoon to myself (much needed!)

 

  • Making unicorn horns with Jessica and Sophie.

 

Jessica wearing the unicorn horn headband I made for her

  • Having lunch at the church café with both my girls.

 

  • Finishing off the book I’ve been writing for Jessica to help prepare her for heart surgery. She loves the ebook version of it and I’m looking forward to getting the printed one in the next few days.

A drawing of Jessica wearing pyjama shorts and with her zip scar and chest drain scars showing on her chest

 

The Reading Residence

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18 thoughts on “Friday Focus 28/07/17 – It’s been driving me potty…

  1. “Mostly because I’ve put too much pressure on myself” this quote is so true. I have this so many times when I realise it’s not actually about the kids doing or not doing something it’s about me. Well done on the potty training, we just waited until nights sorted themselves out on their own and it was so much easier, not looking forward to doing this all again second time round!

    1. It’s so easy to do without realising it, isn’t it? Thankfully once we turned the corner it’s all been going quite well with not too many accidents. Good luck when you come to do it all again! x

  2. I love the unicorn horn! It sounds like it’s clicking with Sophie now and she’s doing really well. It is a stressful time and with the added worries and pressure you’re under, it’s no wonder you’ve found it hard. I do hope next week is easier for you and as you say, I’m sure the girls will be having fun anyway x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

    1. Thank you Jocelyn. This week has been much better as things have clicked and we can get out and about a lot more x

  3. I love the unicorn horn! Well done Sophie, she’s done really well. I remember having a nightmare with Star, she wouldn’t sit on a potty full stop so we bought a training seat for the toilet, but she wouldn’t sit on that either, so we painted the toilet pink, put up Princess stickers and gave her a sticker chart to complete. Still no luck, she was four before she was going to the toilet. I was dreading the other two, but they picked it up within days, the Little Man was only just turned 2 when he was out of nappies! Every child is different.
    I hope the rest of your summer is fun and dry 😉

    #wotw

    1. Thank you Anne. Sophie seems to have followed a very similar pattern to Jessica and has mostly got the hang of it now. She’s quite particular about which potty she’ll use though!

  4. Potty training seems like a distant memory now. I do remember Eldest was spurred on when she saw her younger friend was potty training. She came home, got out her potty and did it by herself. If only everything was so easy. I love the unicorn horn. You are clever. I bet they love wearing them. Very impressed by the idea of making a book to prepared Jessica. Very thoughtful. #wotw

    1. I’d quite like it if potty training had been that easy! I had hoped that having a big sister would make the process easier but it was much the same as last time!

  5. Ahh! Potty training is so stressful. I hope now Sophie has got the hang of using the potty. Fingers crossed.
    hehehe! I do love the unicorn horn. How cute x

  6. I was in exactly the same position with Jake a few months ago so I know how stressful it can be. I needed to get him out of nappies for pre-school and he seemed reluctant. After a few days he turned a corner and went straight from potty to the toilet hopefully Sophie will do the same. It looks like you have still managed to fit in some lovely memory making this week. Have a lovely weekend x #WotW

  7. I bet the book will be such a great help its an amazing idea Louise and love the unicorn horn but ha ha 3 days of hell potty training the boys took weeks, Jack was worse it felt to go on forever, all my friends with girls say it is so much easier x

    1. Thank you Sarah. She’s very excited about going to see the surgeon tomorrow and sees it as a big adventure so in that respect the book has helped hugely. Potty training has turned a corner now so feeling more positive on that front x

  8. I can imagine how stressful it is especially with such a big worry as surgery. It was lot harder with my second one but he is dry at night, just keep going and keep the washing machine on 😉 I love your drawers and book that such a cool way to help Jessica understand X #wotw

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