she's a BIG girl now!

well, it has offically begun. we are potty training. olivia has been ready for quit some time, but mark and i have not wanted to "go there." it is not that we don't want olivia to grow up, or that we are afraid of dealing with pee-pee and poo-poo all over the place, or that we are going to have to do a HUGE song and dance each time we have a successful trip to the bathroom, well, actually it is about all of those things and then some!
i have been preparing for months, but not really wanting to commit to the process. we bought "big girl" panties (in several varieties), have had a little potty in the bathroom, i made the reward sticker chart, and have been talking about how big girls don't wear diapers. olivia took all those hints and would ask to sit on the potty in the morning or in the evening before baths. she would even ask me at times during the day to take her to the potty, but i was a mommy in denial. i wasn't ready for public restrooms, buying pull-ups, accidents, and having to drop everything to assist in bathroom trips at the most inopportune times. so i would tell her, "no you don't!" how crazy is that!
i decided that august was the month and i would have to get over all these issues. no more excuses! i stuck to my word and on friday, august 1 we jumped into to "potty training" with both feet. it is no surprise that my sweet olivia has done a great job!! the first day she only had one "u-oh" moment all day!! saturday she did an awesome job. we had a birthday party, lots of errands, and some long car rides, but she was such a big girl and went on the potty all day long. no accidents! can you believe it! (i was shocked.) sunday and monday went well too, but we did have a few more "u-ohs"! olivia is so proud of herself . she loves the rewards that come along with this potty training business. she gets to put stickers on her sticker chart, gets 2 jelly bellies, and we sing and dance in celebration of pee-pee in the potty and dry panties. (oh, what we do for our children.)

olivia with her "sweet" rewards...

showing off her "big girl elmo panties"
(sorry mark, i know you are going to hate this picture, too much skin, but it was too cute!)

i am sure by writing all this i am jinxing the success, but i am so proud ALL OF US i had to share. i still get anxious when i think about going out in public without a pull-up, what all this looks like when preschool begins in a few weeks, and how i will keep her motivated, but for now i have to focus on the positive and keep celebrating the small successes of everyday.