Potty-trained!...knock on wood...

Well, I think it's (mostly) safe to say that Hannah is potty-trained. Yay! (Knock on wood--I know relapses are common.) It's been a bit of a long process, but I couldn't be more proud of Hannah. Over a year ago Hannah started having an interest in the potty, and so we bought her a potty and gave potty-training 2 good tries before Maelie was born. Both times Hannah did well with going poop in her potty but not so much with pee. So we decided to officially give it a rest after Maelie was born, and since then Hannah would randomly show interest in and use the potty on occasion. For the last couple of months, Hannah had been telling us that she would start using the potty like a big girl when she turned 3. So I decided that we would wait until after her birthday and the holidays to give it another shot. Unfortunately, Hannah and Maelie caught terrible colds at the very beginning of the year, so our plans were delayed a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, Hannah stayed busy with her newest obsession--doing puzzles (she got a couple of them for Christmas). Then on Monday, January 13th, I told Hannah that if she went both poop and pee in her potty that day, she could go pick out a new puzzle at the Dollar Store that night. Well, that did the trick! She went both poop and pee in the potty that day (and every day since), and she has only had one accident (on the 14th) since then. We are so happy and SO proud of her! Hannah still wears pull-ups for naps and bedtime, but she is staying drier and drier. She has stayed dry for many of her naps, and she even stayed completely dry the other night. We have continued to motivate Hannah by giving her a small treat (Skittles or Sour Patch Kids)--one for trying, 2 for peeing on the potty, 3 for pooping on the potty, 2 for staying dry during naptime, and 3 for staying dry during bedtime. But I think her biggest motivation has been being able to pick out a new puzzle or toy at the Dollar Store after going both poop and pee in the potty for 1 day, then 2 days, then 3 days, etc. After being successful with this for 2 weeks, this past Monday we changed it so that she only gets 1 small treat for staying dry in the morning, 2 treats for staying dry during the afternoon and naptime, 1 treat for staying dry in the evening, and 3 treats for staying dry during bedtime. Plus, now she only gets a puzzle/toy at the Dollar Store if she stays dry all day (including naptime and excluding bedtime for now) for 1 day and then 2 days, etc. Hannah is seriously in heaven at the Dollar Store! Adorable! And cheap!

I can't believe how much older Hannah seems now that she is potty-trained. We are seriously so proud of her, and she is super proud of herself! So cute!! Hannah has an amazing ability to stay dry for long periods of time--including a 5-hour trip we took to Ogden last week when we met some of my mission friends for lunch. She has also stayed dry for all of church these past 2 Sundays, only to ask to use the bathroom when we pick her up from Sunbeams. Hannah has even stayed accident-free while having diarrhea these past 2 days. Amazing! I agree with Hannah's pediatrician--Hannah seems to wait to do things until she can do them perfectly (remember how long she waited to walk, only to do walk perfectly?). She appears to have inherited my perfectionism, but hopefully she won't be as much as a perfectionist as I used to be (I'm am a recovering perfectionist, after all, but that is a post for another day)...

Now for some pics...

Here Hannah is doing her Christmas puzzles (princesses and Minnie). She mastered her 48-piece princess puzzle within a couple of days--without looking at the picture on the box! (I still need to look at the picture when I do it with her!)

Here is our cute, proud Hannah with the first puzzle she picked out at the Dollar Store!

This puzzle is a little more "tricky" because not all of the pieces are interlocking (lame), but Hannah has been able to master it as well.

And here Hannah is with the rest of her Dollar Store treasures--a Bubble Guppies foam puzzle, princess maracas, and a new heart-shaped 48-piece princess puzzle that she quickly mastered. She also picked out a glow-stick magic wand today. Fun!

Bonus pic of Hannah "riding the pony" with Maelie.

Hurray for Hannah! And hurray for being potty-trained! (Knock on wood one more time for good measure.) We love our big girl SO MUCH!!!