Potty Talk!

For obvious reasons, we haven't really been discussing potty training our soon-to-be three year old. What would be the point, right? She will not be "peeing" in a potty until she is old enough to be taught to catheterize herself into a toilet. According to the nurse at MUSC, this could be achieved when she is between 8 to 10 years old. And, from what we were told at the Spina Bifida clinic, Claire would most likely experience difficulty controlling bowel movements due to the same nerve damage that causes her to have a neurogenic bladder. When she is older she will need to be put on a "bowel management plan" to achieve social continence. Sounds lovely, doesn't it. But we are prepared to do whatever it takes to insure that Claire can have what is termed a "normal lifestyle". We committed ourselves to it when God said "that one, she's the one"!

That being said, toileting is something that has recently peeked Claire's interest. There are a lot of people in this house and she's seen some of them using that potty thing. Also, I personally noticed that Claire has been able to tell me that she is going to soil a diaper before she does so on a regular basis. I mentioned this to the experts at the spina bifida clinic and they brushed it off as if I was a wishful mother that didn't know any better. Okay, whatever! Claire and I can figure this out without them.

So, as we strolled through Wally-World the other day, Claire spotted potty chairs in the baby department. I asked her if she wanted one. She is a pretty decisive kid and general knows what she wants. If we are in the toy department she will spot a toy, I hand it to her, she plays for a few minutes and then hands it back and says "No". Not that I intended to buy it anyway, because we probably already have it at home! But, this time she wanted it so I loaded the posh pink potty into the buggy and away we went home.

As soon as we got there she insisted sitting on the potty until dinner time, proudly showing anyone that would pay attention. The boys were thrilled! :) "Mom, did you have to take her diaper off! Eewww!" She wanted the diaper off, she knows what is supposed to happen here. She kept saying "Claire go potty". Paul's parents were called to come over for viewing pleasure (they live across the street). Claire was only too happy to show off!

Well, first thing this morning Claire announced that she "go poopy". Now I knew she hadn't yet, because I had just put the diaper on and was holding her, so I asked if she wanted to sit on the potty and poopy. I sat her down and told her I would go make her oatmeal. I returned to check on her and she pointed to the door and told me to "go make oatmeal"! When I returned in a few minutes she said, "put diaper on". Okay, so I picked her up and what do you know, SHE WENT IN THE POTTY!!! We danced and sang and clapped and she looked nervous at us like we each had three heads! It was great! Then I gave her chocolate candy....... because that makes sense right? Then she danced and sang and clapped her hands! "CLAIRE GO POTTY"

Maybe this is a milestone, one the odds said she would never achieve. Maybe it's a fluke. Maybe she will do it again. Maybe she won't. Either way, we love her! Either way, we celebrate her!


No potty pictures but here are some new bath pictures! Is this the same girl that fought like a cat to get out of the tub and screeched when water touched her skin! Unless, it's rain, which she loves!?!?!

Still isn't crazy about having the shampoo rinsed out but doesn't scream anymore! Just whimpers and boy will she fuss at you if you get it in her ears!

She can't get her left foot wet yet so we are still taking modified sponge baths, but she loves putting her right foot in the sink (something that would have brought tears and shouts of "no, no, no" only a month ago).

She loves to make it "rain" and will even let me do a little on her head!