No Pressure Here.

I've tried to potty train Sloane several different times.

SEVERAL.

I think one round we got up to 15ish accidents right in a row, not a single success.

Frustrating.

I kept telling myself that it wasn't the end of the world if she wasn't potty trained by the time the baby came. However, I couldn't quit thinking about it! I was literally having nightmares that she wouldn't be potty trained before school started.

Potty training was especially hard with Sloane because I couldn't figure out how to get her to try! Sloane has her own agenda. She likes things a certain way and NO ONE can tell her differently. For the most part, she's a really good kid. But, if you make her mad, she will show you her crazy side. She does not like to be pressured.

The first day we set the timer and made her take a potty break every 30 minutes. By the end of the day, we had lots of success - but I was also about ready to throw the timer against the wall.

This wasn't going to work.

I finally decided I would potty train her using Pull-Ups exclusively. (GASP!) I know, a lot of people think that this is the worst strategy in the entire world. I did not care. I decided to go for a "Low Pressure" strategy. I put her in a Pull Up, told her where the potty was and gave her a Potty Jar (from Potty Fairy). The rules were simple: Anyone who went potty, got something out of the potty jar - including Holynd. Potty Jar was filled with candy and little toys. If you did REALLY well, you got presents from the Potty Fairy too.

I sat Potty Jar on the counter in the bathroom and waited.

Holynd came upstairs to go potty. Sloane was right behind her. Holynd went and got something out of the jar. Sloane was FURIOUS.

I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders. "Sorry. The Potty Fairy said that only girls who go potty get a prize from the Potty Jar". Sloane couldn't figure out what to do. She couldn't get mad at me - I wasn't the Potty Fairy. She couldn't get mad at Holynd either.

So, she decided to start using the potty.

We've had 2 accidents in a week. She's been totally fine going when were out too.

We have yet to conquer the #2, but I heard a rumor that Potty Fairy was working on a strategy for that dilemma. I think I've underestimated how independent Sloane is. I've also realized that Sloane really hated when she felt like I was the one making her go potty. Having an outside influence, like the Potty Fairy, really helped. She's completely fine listening to Matt or I when we can give a valid reason for why we need her to do something, but when it came to potty training, Sloane just couldn't see the logic behind the whole thing.

So now we sit and wait.

Will she regress?

I don't know. I hope not. Holynd did SEVERAL times. It was frustrating, but at least now I know that I can survive through an episode of regression. I just hope she doesn't regress until after this baby is born. My pregnant nerves can only handle so much.