The Number Field

After waking up on Thursday morning, Elena didn't want her diaper changed. Jenny had an idea for how to get her out of the diaper, although it did not involve putting on a new one. They've been spending time with another mother and daughter, and even though the daughter is several months younger than Elena, she's already mostly potty trained. (They've worked on it almost since birth.) Visits to their house include considerable time sitting on potties.

This was the kernel of Jenny's plan: she asked Elena if she wanted to have some potty time. Elena agreed, and the diaper came off. Some time ago we picked up a children's potty from someone on freecycle, so that was what she used. Jenny proceeded to work on breakfast, checking in every minute or two.

Elena doesn't like to stay on the potty for very long at a time, so she alternated sitting down and standing up. Whenever she stood up, Jenny asked if she was done. After replying with an emphatic 'no,' Elena would sit back down. Jenny didn't expect anything to happen--Elena hasn't yet shown a serious inclination towards self-training. But during a check to see if Elena was ready to have a diaper on again, she saw that Elena had used the potty for its intended purpose! After that she was ready to return to the diaper.

I promise not to turn this blog into a chronicle of potty training, but this one moment was worth mentioning.