Bribes Work.

They really do. I'll explain what happened this morning in the Grossman household.

I'll preface by saying, Alexia had at one time initiated potty training herself. I didn't feel quite ready to be inconvenienced by her bladder, I rather liked the option to wait to change her if I needed to. But I went with it, and it was impressive to watch her take the lead. She even would tell me when she had to go while in the pool. I mean, let's be honest here, isn't the pool the perfect place to avoid having to go to the restroom? Anyway, her potty training streak ended pretty quickly, and her lack of desire led me to have to clean up three poopy undies. One at the pool, one at Chevy's and the last one/straw was at home. I was able to excuse the public accidents, but the one at home was my indication I wasn't ready to commit to training her yet. 

I also want to explain that Alexia doesn't articulate the difference between #1 and #2. Everything is "poo-poo".

So, back to this morning's event.

I put Naiya down for her morning nap, and Alexia and I cuddled up on the couch for our morning activity of watching a "cooking show" (as Alexia refers to it), a.k.a. Barefoot Contessa. I DVR it, so we can blow through all the obnoxious commercials. Every time the Barefoot Contessa herself pops up onto the screen, Alexia gives her a big wave and smile and says, "Hi Ina!" (although it sounds more like "I-Nigh"). 

Today would be different in that Alexia chose to be diaperless this morning. 

I had to get up to go to the bathroom and she followed me saying her usual, "Doing Mama?" So I told her, I was going potty. Of course she felt the need to go too. So she brought her little stool to the toilet and went. This wasn't entirely unusual, so I praised her, and then we got back to watching Ina. 

She said she had to go again, so I told her to go by herself, and she did. When she returned this time, I specified that she had jsut gone "pottty", but if she went "poo-poo" on the toilet, I would give her a piece of chocolate. 

What does she do?

Bolts to the bathroom. I hear her peeing like a racehorse. And she calls to me and says, "I went poo-poo Mama!" But she says this any time she's on the toilet. Sometimes I won't even see pee even, just a mound of toilet paper in the toilet. So as I was walking to the bathroom I was explaining again the difference between poo-poo and potty, and that she could only get chocolate if she pooped. 

Low and behold. The girl had gone poop. She had this big ol' grin on her face and I was beside myself. Her reward? I felt like chocolate chips were a common treat I give her anytime I bake, so I went big. I let her grab herself a mini Reeses peanut butter cup. She did a little dance, and all was good. 

Back to watching Ina, Alexia bolts to the bathroom again. Shouting she had gone poop again. Laughing at her valiant effort of trying to get another Reeses, I was silenced by more poop in the toilet and a big grin on her face. Another Reeses, of course.

Ina is still in progress, and yet a third time Alexia races to the bathroom. I kid you not, that child squeezed a third terd out. 

And there you have it. Three Reeses within an hour. I should have stuck with the chocolate chips. 

But I am convinced, bribing really does work when it comes to potty training.