Watching Lily grow up is a facinating experience. Last week, she decided to begin toilet training on her on terms. We've been trying to get her to do this, on and off, since last summer, but she had to decide for herself to do it, which she finally has. The first level is peeing in the toilet.
Katsumi and I decided to reward Lilica each time she successfully gets to the toilet without wetting herself. So, when she finishes, we give her a sticker of one of her favorite characters and she peels off the back herself and attaches it to her sticker book. This means, of course, that we have to get many stickers for her, but the process reinforces her positive image of using the toilet. We also don't get mad if she doesn't make it on time. Instead, we're trying to encourage her that she can make it the next time.
There are ups and downs. Sometimes Lilica refuses to go to the toilet, for whatever reason, and we have to keep her in the "training" diapers until she gets back into the groove. Yet, she realizes, after hearing some of her older friends say "Lilica still wears diapers...I thought that was only for babies," that its another step in growing up. It's an exciting, frustrating, nostalgic thought-provoking experience for us to watch her become a big girl. I remember how I used to rock her to sleep in the wee hours of the morning after she was just born. I hope she takes the time she needs for this and that she doesn't grow up too fast. My little mamacitas!!! Que "purr-dy"!!!
Lilica Margarita at around 2 months old
Lily at 2 years, 11 months, happy she can pee in the toilet
