Big Girl Underwear!

Early in February I registered Hayden for preschool this fall.  Of course, one of the requirements is that she is fully potty trained.  Well I put my deposit in and started to freak out that she would NEVER be ready to potty train and that we would lose our money and she would not get to go to preschool.  All my experienced mother friends told me to wait until she was ready which I definitely agree is important, but then I started to read a potty training book and it said that if you have a stubborn child, this characteristic is not going away and if they are stubborn about potty training, they will never be ready.  So I began to ponder on what I did to help Hayden adjust in the past to things she resisted.  I started with the basics: food!  Hayden was never one of those babies who wanted to eat what I was eating, she was completely content with baby food and in fact ate most of the baby food vegetables until she was almost 2 years old!  To get Hayden to try "real" food, we literally had to force it down her throat.  Paul would pry her mouth open and I would shove it in so she could at least taste it.  It was crazy.

So I decided potty training would be about the same way.  I believe it was February 11th, I forced her into underwear with her kicking and screaming and trying to pull them off.  I held her arms down and let her thrash around for quite awhile as she begged to take them off.  We then began to talk about how the diaper fairy would be coming in a few days to take her diapers to babies who needed them and would leave her money in place.  She was devastated and begged for "my diapers."  She told me how diapers make her so happy over and over again.  It was sad.  But that day she had one accident and then didn't have an accident for about 4 straight days!  Overall she had about 4-5 accidents since February, so she did awesome.  I really wasn't thinking clearly when I began the whole process.  I had an appointment every day that week, so she potty trained while at several different houses and stores.  She didn't even get that time at home to figure it out!  The diaper fairy brought her money and she picked out a toy at the store.  She likes to tell everyone about the diaper fairy, so needless to say I have gotten some weird looks from people.  

I just can't believe how stubborn my little Hayden can be.  I feel like I am really going to have to push her to do the things I know she can do.  Clearly, she was ready to potty train with such few accidents.  Boy she is sure teaching me a lot :)  

Hayden and Dad the first day she potty trained.  Dad was so proud!

Hayden showing her Grandmas her big girl underwear on Facetime, she was so excited to show everyone!

I'm so excited for her to be able to go to preschool this fall.  She always says, "I go potty all by myself, so I go to preschool!"  She is beyond excited to start school.  She'll go 3 days a week from 9-1.  What will I do with all this time?