Potty Training...I can't believe I've done this twice!!

I'm not quite sure if I should be blogging about this yet, it's still too fresh! I want to make sure I remember the details, but I also want to forget them as quickly as possible. Potty training is so emotionally and physically draining. It's easily one of the hardest things about being a parent (in my book anyways!) I potty trained Kitana at 22 1/2 months and it was great to have it over and done with, so I decided to potty train Zara at 22 months as well. 

I cleared out an entire weeks schedule starting with Monday, March 31st. We stayed home the entire week, it was CRAZY!! I watched her every move, followed her from room to room w/ her potty, cleaned up at least 15 accidents the first day, and had several emotional break downs! She had her first successful pee in the potty the first evening, but it scared her to death. She cried and didn't want to do it again. Well, I tricked her into it a couple more times that evening and thought potty training was going to be easier this time...I was wrong! Day 2 was awful, she wouldn't even go near her potty...fast forward to day 8. Day 8 was the first time she said "pee-pee mommy" and I ran her to the potty with no accidents! I was in shock that she finally connected it all together. She got special new minnie mouse panties and she loved keeping minnie dry. She does not like to pee on minnie, she knows it makes minnie really sad. 

One other side note, she does not respond well to rewards! Kitana got a chocolate chip every time she went pee while she was potty training. I tried the same thing with Zara and she did not respond to it at all! Of course she likes chocolate, but she really could care less about peeing to get one. She did, however, respond very well to going to the bathroom the same time as her older sister and sitting on her potty just like "sissy." That was the turning point...I think she didn't quite understand what her little potty was. But once I put it in the bathroom next to sisters big toilet, it finally all made sense. She still wears a diaper for nap and night time for my sanity! I am getting ready to nap train probably in the next week or so. But I refuse night train until she starts waking up in the morning with a dry diaper. I need my sleep! Overall, I'm so proud of her. She's doing a great job keeping her panties dry and telling mommy or sister when she needs to go. She still gets very excited when she goes and says, "Yay! I did it!" It's adorable :) I love seeing her little pantie butt in her pants instead of her bulky wet diaper. I can't believe my little girl is growing up so quickly and is mostly potty trained before her second birthday.

 This was the first day, everything seemed to start perfectly! It spiraled out of control pretty quickly. We ditched the panties after a little bit and she spent literally the first 5 days naked from the waist down. We were planning on spending most of our time outside, but it was freezing that week! I put pants on her to go outside for a bit and I think it just really confused her and set us back by a day or two :(

 Kitana was a big helper! She did great helping the first couple of days, but got sick of it....I don't blame her, I was sick of it too. 

 Finding things to do in our potty training boot camp!

She didn't wear actual panties until the evening of her fifth day. I had a photoshoot and Paul couldn't stand being home any longer! He took the girls to his parents and Z got to wear real panties :) She had two accidents there and a few successes. I can't believe Paul did her first potty trained venture out! She wore panties on the bottom half for almost another week, and then we finally started putting pants on her too. We needed quick and easy access when we got to the potty. Btw, the above picture is her cute little smile. Whenever I ask her to look at me and smile, this is the face I get. I'm just in love w/ this spunky little girl :)