Toilet Training - a novel (sorry Ken and Suzanne)

I guess what it boils down to is that right now in this moment I feel like Kate will never be toilet trained.  Of course this is not a logical conclusion, but when are things connected to emotions logical?!  Now that Kate is 3 part of me feels like I'm a failure as a mother because she isn't toilet trained.  I think this coupled with the fact that we haven't really tried, makes me feel like a lazy failure.  Hmmm. 

I have bought Kate a froggy potty, potty books, an elmo potty video, cute underwear, a cars potty seat and a reward - a toy microwave, all in the name of toilet training.  In the year that we have owned the froggy potty Kate has sat on it many, many times.  The problem is that she won't sit on it without being fully clothed, which makes peeing in it um impossible?!  She has pooped once and peed twice in the potty.  Sadly these three successful toilet times weren't really successful because she was sobbing and crying for a diaper.  Can you say, not ready?!

Today was supposed to be the day.  On Tuesday I went to IKEA with a friend.  Her little girl is six months older than Kate and is toilet trained.  She went to play in the children's play area while we were shopping and Kate could not because one of the requirements is that children be toilet trained.  I explained this to Kate and she suggested we take off her diaper in the store, so cute.  So we came home and chatted about going pee in the potty.  She actually asked right then and there to go pee in the potty and I said "I'll go get the potty and bring it down here" because Alice was crawling around and I didn't want to leave her alone.  Kate said "no, I go upstairs" and instead of acting I engaged further in debate and at some point Kate got a funny look on her face and I said "are you peeing?" and she said "yes".  AH!  Mommy fail!

Back to today, we talked it up all week.  We had no plans for today and we talked about staying home and using the potty, about wearing underwear and it seemed like she was totally on board.  This morning I tried to convince Kate to sit on the potty.  She took off her pants and she took of her diaper all the while asking for a new diaper.  I tried to get her to sit on the potty, I asked and asked.  I promised lots of things.  No dice.  I finally took her upstairs to diaper her naked bum and she peed in the diaper on the change table.  The little stinker had to go, she knew she had to go and she held it in and peed in a diaper. 

Knowing Kate I feel like I will never be able to force her to toilet train, it just won't happen.  She will toilet train when she's ready.  That being said, I need to do a better job acting on her requests.   I wish I could go back in time to Tuesday afternoon and take her to the potty.  Now I need to be patient and wait for the next time. 

Until then the froggy potty will be lonely and sparkly clean!

**In proof reading this I remembered about the cars potty seat... She has sat on that many times in her nudders without crying.  Hmmm, perhaps that should be the thing to try next?!