Sunday, September 20, 2009

5 days and counting...

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Ella has been dry for 5 days straight. Now this may sound silly for me to post about, especially since she is almost 4 and has been "potty-training" since she was 2.

Let me walk you through it.

Age 2. It starts. Ella has always done everything early. She is one of only a few who I have ever known to have almost 50 words in her vocabulary by age 1. Yes, 50. So, here I thought would be no different. It started out well. Within 2 days she would go on the potty just about any time I put her on. But when I didnt initiate it... accidents 100% of the time.

Age 2 years 2 months. Nothing changing. Driving my self crazy. I pull out the pull-ups and put away the underwear. For a little while at least, I tell myself.

Age 2 years 9 months. Round 2 starts. Goes well, no more #2 accidents. Potty accidents, all the time! This time I go strong for almost 6 months. Putting her on the potty all day long, cleaning up accidents when I go too long. No changes except that I am about to loose it.

Age 3 years 4 months. Call the Doctor. Meet with Doctor to get info on new things to try. Check for UTI. This comes back clear. Go home, try all new methods.... see NO changes. Can anyone guess how frustrated we are? Including Ella herself?

Age 3 years 6 months. Start to put 2 and 2 together a bit more seriously. Didn't she have major surgery on her ureter due to refluxing into kidneys? Couldn't this be a piece of the puzzle? Now, to give myself a little credit, I have thought this before. Its the only reason why I never went totally ballistic through all of this. But I didn't want to use it as an excuse seeing as how she is also extremely stubborn. And that too could be the issue.

So I get information from new Dr. Urologist. I won't go into all the detail but he says" Let it go for a while. This is not her fault. Her body can not tell when urine is coming out until too late." etc. I feel bad. I let go. Out comes the pull-ups on my 3 1/2 year old. Which kills me. But I am also relieved to not be thinking about any of this.

Fast forward to this week. She is getting it. Just like he said she eventually would. She has learned to read her body in ways that not many little ones have had to. And she is soooo excited. After the first few successes she has been accident free. I think she got it. I think.

And we are all so relieved. Out comes the cute undies, out goes the Folex. Out come the smiles. 2 years is way to long to potty train.

Good job Ella. I am so proud of you. (and good job to Mom and Dad too... we made it)

O' and I think we deserve an easy time doing this with Olivia. Between all we had to go through with Luke, at the height of so many autism-related sensory issues; which I wont even get into, and now this... well we just need it for our sanity.

2 comments:

Montana Wilkins said...

Congratulations! First, because potty training is no fun and so success is the best!!! Second, because as a girl who had major surgery at four years old due to a faulty ureter valve causing reflux into my kidneys, I truly feel for the poor little girl. (TMI, I realize, but I'm totally bonding with your daughter I've never met over that issue.) :o) Here's to more dry days! And the picture of Ella is gorgeous, but the way.

Tasha said...

Congratulations Ella and WAY Congratulations to you Jill! Tanner has been a nightmare potty training child too. Oh, I don't even want to think or talk about it. We are still in the process and have been doing it for 2 years too. And now there is Brayden. He is amazing. Yes some accidents, but not many. And two days in he went to bed in underwear and has stayed this way. What? Craziness. Tanner, still in pull-ups at night. No desire to change. You would think his little brother not would want him to try. Nope. Oh the fun things of potty-training. So, I TOTALLY send LOTS Of congrats to this one. You did make it. Go all of you!!! YEAH!!!!!!

Baby Olivia

Baby Olivia
bright eyes

My funny Ella

My funny Ella

My handsome Luke

My handsome Luke

O'Paris

O'Paris