"I'm a big girl!"

My blood pressure goes up, my stress levels rise and I become a bit more edgy when we are in this phase of parenthood! I'm always on alert and very aware of what is happening. What am I talking about? POTTY TRAINING!

It is Mia's turn to go through this draining stage of growing up. She has been telling us for months when she poops or needs a "diader change." She willingly runs to the changing table and waits for you to change her. She even enjoys watching her big sister Bailee use the "big girl potty!"

When I first took out the little pink potty chair for her she got all excited and wanted to sit on it for along time, but that newness has worn off and she barely sits for 5 seconds before she's off again! If you know Mia at all, you know that she doesn't sit for ANYTHING... why would going potty be any different? :0)

We were all screaming and celebrating this afternoon because she ran to the potty, sat down on her own and peed! We started yelling and clapping so much that she began to cry! She was frightened by our reaction, not excited. After a minute of reassuring her, she was happy that she pleased us and ran to the toilet to help me flush it down.

As a reward I gave her a sticker to put on her potty and she thought that was the best! I am hoping in a few days that potty will be so full of stickers that she'll be bored with them!!!

This is her baby doll going potty... our efforts to make it fun and exciting!

Here she is showing Papa her sticker she earned and all she kept saying was "I'm a big girl!"

She's right... my baby is growing up and she is a big girl now! :0)