3 hours. 5 days. 2 outings.

Such an exciting title, isn't it?

Before I devulge the meaning behind it.. just a quick note-  for those that requested invites to the private blog.  It's not this blog- I already have a blog that I've been writing in for about 4 years.  That is set to private.  So you will recieve an invite from me (Tinker326) to Live. Love. Travel... which is the name of the blog.

It asks for you to register a google e-mail & password.   All you need to do is enter your current e-mail address (does not need to be 'google') and create a password.  Then bookmark the site & you can access it anytime but entering your email & password.  

Ok.  So that's done.

The title.

So going back a few weeks...and we arrive at the orphanage fully expecting our new 4 year old daughter to be in underwear.  They even told us that she was when we asked right there.   She was not. 

Have to admit- it was a bit of a downer.  One of the ups of older adoptoin we had been looking forward to was not having to deal with diapers or potty training.

So much for that. :)  I am convinced that she was placed in a room with very young babies and not in an age appropriate toddler room.   It is my guess that there were not bathrooms attached because babies do not need them.   For whatever reason, she was never moved into the toddler rooms maybe?  I don't know.  

Anyways,  I gave it a few weeks.  Laid down the groundwork of introducing what a potty was, the american term & how us Westerners use a toilet. 

And I decided last week that this week I would hunker down and begin Potty Training 101.  I decided to go with the method I used to train Sarah..which is no underwear or pants.  She didn't like that feeling & she didn't like the feeling of nothing there to catch anything- or pee getting on leg.   I potty trained Sarah in one week.  At 2.5 years.   That was my goal for my 4 year old (we won't talk about the 9 month process of Becca who wasn't potty trained until 3.5).

I started the process Monday morning using myself, Sarah & the trusty candy corn we introduced the night before to her.  (Candy Crack).  

Well, candy crack has magical potty powers.   The girl wanted some.  And damn it.... she was gonna get some.   Girl potty trained in three hours.   It's Friday night.   We've gone all week with nary an accident.   The candy corn still sitting high up enticing her to pee lots!  We arn't there for nights yet.  That's ok.  I'm not too worried about that.  We need to teach her to sleep at night first & then gather courage to leave the bed when she wakes (another post....btw... we learned some stuff about her orphanage from another mom who adopted an older girl from that orphanage who's been home long enough to aquire some English to start talking about her experience).

So.  There you go.  Something to cross off my list.  Girl is potty trained.   For 5 days now.   And we've gone on two big outtings with big girl panties!  (all of us..except for Kurt... who wears big boy panties.. ok ok.. he doesn't wear panties...whatever).

Thank you candy corn.  I always knew you were wonderful...and this just reaffirms it. 

So two outings.  First was to meet another area adoptive mom who has a 3.5 year old cutie.  We tried Legoland which was really not for the two girl's age bracket at all.    But.......

I took this picture for the biggers..who love Harry.

 

 

We also played in the play area.  And she did pretty good playing and not just doing sensory stuff with items.

 



She thought it a pretty big riot to build a big lego tower.   Bigger than her!

Then on Wednesday the girls had half a day & the weather was nice- so we went off to the zoo. 

If you remember our last zoo experience.  In China.  In 9,000 degree weather with half of China pushing me out of the way to see a panda and a bear dressed like a clown in a gigantic ampitheater where a girl peed behind us and we watched pee progress instead of the show.....

Well, you'll remember it wasn't great.   I felt defeated that day anyways.  Because I was still expecting a FOUR year old with PERFECT vision and with a GOOD upbringing.  Gosh, how stupid I can be sometimes even when I know otherwise. 

So today we went with our 'two' year old, knowing she couldn't see much & we had issues we might deal with.

Know what?  It went pretty darn awesome. 

She maybe didn't see much (Her glasses just came in today!)..but she had fun.  And so did we.  Maybe because random people were not peeing all over the zoo?!

Which we managed the ENTIRE afternoon not only in our big girl underwear with no accidents (candy corn travels well) BUT ALSO (cue angels singing) without any treasures!  A FIRST!!!!

Some pics from our day!

My three beautiful girls.

My husband (not wearing big girl panties), the girl, the bigger girl & the bigger girl's BFF who mine as well just move into our house- she's always here! :)

How tall compared to a bear?  Aww, little is as big as cub....

Sisters!!!

Such a huge step for us- she'll hold our hands now when walking. 

Love these chickie dees....

Very excited to be on a frog.

Sissy joins.

First Carousal ride!  Of course we picked the panda!!  She was a little worried at first but once she started going around- she loved it!  We are starting to install proper Disney ride protocal for our little Chinese princess.  She must aquire it for her first trip which will be soon in this family of Dis-Freaks!

Lots of walking, riding & animal seeing wears you out.

Afternoon at the zoo = success.

Candy Corn = Crack = Potty training wonders.

Glasses on a child = a whole new world.

That will be the next post.