potty training maggie

this is not going as easily as i had hoped. maggie started sitting on the potty at 8 months. for a few weeks, she peed on it after naps; it seemed like we were off to a roaring start. then, she stopped using it. months passed, i'd put her on occasionally, no pressure, but she never went. then, at about 11 months, she started peeing after naps again. she even pooped on the potty on her first birthday!

slowly, she progressed to peeing a lot on the potty. for a few months, she has done 80% of her pees in the potty (no more poops though). which is wonderful, think of all the diapers we're keeping out of landfills. at home, she wears cloth trainers during the day, so we're using even fewer disposables. i feel good and green.

however, she rarely tells me when she has to go. sometimes she whispers "poo-poo... poo-poo" but makes no attempt to make sure i hear. if i do, good for me. if not, well, tough luck momma.

i was wondering if leaving a potty out for her to use herself (she has an indpendant streak a mile wide, after all) would be better. it's not like maggie to want to ask me for help getting to the potty, you know? she won't let me help her with anything; in fact, she resents help and sometimes has a tantrum if you help her do something that she wants to do on her own.

well, the potty out quickly proved to be a bit of a success. she said "little potty?" when she had to go, but i still had to help her get her pants down. then, in the tub last night, she told me "poo-poo" and tried to get out of the tub. i was cleaning the potty, so i told her she had to wait. she sat back down, got up when i was done cleaning, and then i put her on the potty and she went. that's right, the little stinker is PERFECTLY capable of telling me and holding it when it's her bath water that's about to be peed in. but ask her to keep it off my floor, and not worth it.

so far today she has peed on the ground twice, so it looks like our gains have not carried over. ah well, think of all the diapers i'm keeping out of landfills...