To Pee, or not to pee... that is the question

How sad that our IA journey is so stalled that my blog has resorted to the ins and outs of toilet training. I must say, toilet training has got to be near the bottom of my list of favourite parenting responsibilities. I don't mind poop or pee... I have a pretty tough stomach, and don't mind much that comes out of my kids. Except teeth. Jack's will start to get loose soon and I'm very worried about that. That's a whole other post. The part about training that makes it hard is the uncertainty. Am I approaching it right? Am I pushing her? or letting her off easy? If I bribe her a little more, will she be motivated? If I ignore it a little more, will she be interested? UGH.

Currently, my Tinkerbell seems to be *mostly* pee-trained, having very few if any accidents throughout the day. The few she's had the past week have happened when she's deeply ingrossed in important world matters, like recounting Map's instructions to Dora and Boots. But Tink will NOT poop on the toilet. She knows she's supposed to, and will tell me that "big dirls poop in the toiwet, not in me big dirl unnerwea". She knows if she's clean or dirty, though she won't stop to tell us she's pooped she will answer "yes" if we ask if there's poop and there is.

SOOO anyone with hints on how to make her poop, don't keep them to yourself. I've tried upping the bribes (TWO chocolate chips for a poop, instead of the customary one for a pee), she uses a stool to ground her feet, I've tried catching her by schedule or signs "No me poop, Momma, me just tooted"... I know it's typical for kids, but it's very different from the boys. Jack had ONE poop accident, in the church nursery, which was the last time he didn't make it to the bathroom. Elliot was poop trained as soon as we went out of pullups into undies, though he still widdles a bit when he isn't on top of his game... SO the ignoring the poop thing is new to me.

And since this blog is also about IA, I can tie even toilet training into that topic... The age range that Annie will fall into is wide - from 14-22 months at the time of referral. According to my reading in the IA community, children in China seem to be toilet trained younger than their Western World counterparts, so it is very possible that she'll be trained when we pick her up. I'm not ashamed to say I hope she is... what a nice surprize to skip the diapers! I mean, given the choice, who wouldn't want to wear a different Disney Princess every day of the week, even if one thinks they're ALL Tinkerbell.

N